Throughout the 2023-2024 college football bowl season, we’ll be highlighting each game and the key 2024 NFL Draft prospects Pittsburgh Steelers fans should be keeping an eye on.
Gator Bowl No. 22 Clemson vs. Kentucky 12 PM/EST ESPN
The Tigers have already had CB Nate Wiggins DL Ruke Orhorhoro, and LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. opt out of the game. One prospect who projects to play in this game is DL #13 Tyler Davis. The 6-2, 300-pound redshirt senior debated declaring last season but came back to school. He ended up having a down season, posting just 0.5 sack and 31 total tackles after posting 5.5 sacks the season before. Still, Davis projects to be a mid-round pick for a team looking for an undersized but juiced up 4-3 defensive tackle who can fill gaps against the run and use his athleticism to rush the passer. RB #1 Will Shipley could also declare as a true junior, having the experience and production as a rusher as well as receiver out of the backfield to be a solid middle-round selection.
For the Wildcats, the name to watch is RB #1 Ray Davis. He started his career at Temple and transferred to Vanderbilt before finishing his career at Kentucky for the 2023 season. For his career, he has 3,563 rushing yards, 756 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns. This season, he totaled 1,066 rushing yards, 317 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Davis has great size, and the 5-10, 216-pounder is a bruiser between the tackles. He has decent burst in the open field and has the hands to be a capable pass catcher as well. Davis will likely be a mid-round pick who will operate best in a committee role.
Sun Bowl No. 16 Notre Dame vs. No. 19 Oregon State 2 PM/EST CBS
The Fighting Irish have a handful of players opting out of the bowl game with OT Joe Alt, QB Sam Hartman, RB Audric Estime, LB Marist Liufau, and TE Mitchell Evans all sitting out. OT #54 Blake Fisher, who has been a full-time starter at right tackle the last two seasons, is a true junior and could go back to school to improve as a pass protector. But he’s a stout run blocker with the tools to become a talented tackle or kick inside to guard at the next level. The 6-6, 312-pound Fisher has already dropped weight this past season to get in better shape and is a projected mid-round pick if he enters the 2024 NFL Draft.
Another player to keep an eye on for Notre Dame is S #0 Xavier Watts, who enjoyed a breakout season for the Fighting Irish, posting seven interceptions. A feisty defender, he can play in the slot as well as roam the back end. His athletic testing will be key, as he is currently projected to be a mid- to late-round pick. CB #5 Cam Hart is another defensive back to watch in this matchup. The 6-2, 202-pound senior has the size and length you look for at the position, but lacks the ball skills, having just two interceptions in his college career. Still, Hart does well covering receivers down the field and in the red zone and is a capable tackler in run support.
Oregon State has a few players opting out as well with OT Taliese Fuaga and WR Anthony Gould sitting out. One name that will be playing is OT #67 Joshua Gray. The 6-4, 305-pounder and has been with the team since 2018. In 2020, he started in all seven games and was second-team All-Pac-12. In 2021, he was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. He once again made the All-Pac-12 second team in 2022 and in 2023. He has played left tackle for the Beavers but may be asked to kick inside depending how teams feel about his size at the next level. Gray is a projected late-round pick.
Liberty Bowl Memphis vs. Iowa State 3:30 PM/EST ESPN
For Memphis, keep an eye on RB #4 Blake Watson. Watson is the latest Tiger running back to make his case for the pros, having put together a stellar season. He has posted 177 carries for 1,045 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He also has 458 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air, having the dual-threat skill set. Watson is only 5-9, 195 pounds, making him a better fit as a passing-downs back at the next level, but should be a late-round pick thanks to his speed and receiving ability.
Iowa State’s top prospect, CB T.J. Tampa, opted out of the bowl game. He a likely Day Two pick.
Cotton Bowl No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Missouri 8 PM/EST ESPN
As of this writing, both WRs #18 Marvin Harrison Jr. and #2 Emeka Egbuka are projected to play in the Cotton Bowl. Harrison is the WR1 of the draft class and a top-five lock for the 2024 NFL Draft, possessing the height, weight, speed, and nuance as a route runner that is rare to find in a player of his size. He won the Biletnikoff Award this season as college football’s best receiver, posting 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. Egbuka is also a projected first-round pick despite having a down 2023 season, posting just 35 receptions for 452 yards and four touchdowns after surpassing 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He is a good route runner who does a great job creating after the catch.
RB Miyan Williams opted out of the bowl game, but plenty of other prospects are projected to play as of now. EDGE #44 JT Tuimoloau is a projected top 60 pick should he declare as a true junior. CB #10 Denzel Burke is a projected top 60 pick as well as a long, physical cover man on the outside. DL #51 Michael Hall is undersized as a defensive tackle, but he uses his quickness to shoot gaps and beat guards with speed as a pass rusher. RB #32 TreVeyon Henderson could be the top back in this year’s draft class. Having burst onto the scene at Ohio State as a true freshman, he has been a productive runner and receiver with feature back size and burst. EDGE #33 Jack Sawyer is also another junior who could return to school, but the base defensive end is disruptive as a pass rusher with room to grow.
More prospects for Ohio State include DL #91 Tyleik Williams, S #8 Lathan Ransom, IOL #74 Donovan Jackson, TE #8 Cade Stover, and LB #35 Tommy Eichenberg. Eichenberg is a cerebral player who is a quality run stuffer but lacks high-end athleticism. Jackson could become a starting guard at the next level with Stover serving as a move tight end/H-back for an NFL team with all the guys listed above as likely Day Three prospects.
The top player to watch for Missouri is CB #7 Kris Abrams-Draine. He started his career at Missouri in 2020 as a wide receiver before converting to cornerback. In his career, he has 132 total tackles, 33 passes defended and seven interceptions. This season, he has racked up 47 total tackles, 12 passes defended and four interceptions. Abrams-Draine is a talented corner who can play inside and outside. Lacking ideal size at 5-11, 178 pounds, he makes up for it with his athleticism and competitive toughness. He’s a likely Day Two pick should he declare, giving a team an opportunistic cover corner with versatility.
Another prospect to watch is OT #76 Javon Foster, who projects to be a mid-round pick. Foster signed with Missouri back in 2018 and redshirted that season. He started his first two games during the 2020 season, and in 2021, he was a full-time starter at left tackle. He stayed there through the 2022 season and was named a third-team All-American in 2023. Foster is a powerful run blocker who also shows good feet in pass protection, needing to improve his consistency to become a full-time starter at the next level.
Also keep an eye out for LB #8 Ty’Ron Hopper, who can be a solid backup/sub-package linebacker at the next level; DL #6 Darius Robinson, who will be a sneaky riser in the draft process thanks to his size/athleticism combination as a skilled pass rusher; and RB #7 Cody Schrader, who has enjoyed a breakout season for Missouri. He is a stocky, compact runner who can carry the load but may be best served working in a committee at the next level.
