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.
Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal) No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama 5 PM/EST ESPN
The Michigan Wolverines will be without IOL Zak Zinter, who got injured late in the season. However, there will be plenty of other notable prospects playing in this game for Michigan, including QB #9 J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy became the full-time starter in 2022 after seeing limited time as a true freshman and has held down the starting job since. The 6-3, 202-pounder has thrown for 5,865 yards, 46 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his career and has 2,630 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions with a 74.2% completion rate this season. McCarthy is seen as a borderline first/second-round pick and has the qualities you look for in a starting NFL quarterback. He’s going to need to show he can handle a talented Alabama defense, marking a great test for him as he weighs his NFL future.
On the defensive side of the football, keep an eye on DL #94 Kris Jenkins. The 6-3, 305-pound senior is a stout run defender in the middle of the Michigan defense. He is strong at the point of attack and fill gaps well, being hard to move off his spot. Jenkins also brings pass-rush juice despite only having 3.5 sacks the last two seasons, being a disruptive defender who can overwhelm guards and centers at the point of attack. He’s a likely top-60 selection and should anchor a defensive line in the league for a long time.
Other names to watch for Michigan include RBs #2 Blake Corum and #7 Donovan Edwards. Corum is a battle-tested back who decided to come back for this season. He put together a strong 2023 campaign, topping 1,028 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns while catching 14 passes for 82 yards. Corum doesn’t possess great speed but is a strong runner between the tackles who displays good vision and elusiveness and can run through contact. He’s built in a similar mold to Kyren Williams of the Rams, likely being a mid-round pick who can earn a starting job down the road. Edwards has had a down season compared to his 2022 campaign, but the junior has impressive speed and burst. He will have to weigh declaring early or going back to school for another year.
Also suiting up for Michigan as draft prospects are S #9 Rod Moore, WR #1 Roman Wilson, LB #25 Junior Colson, DB #0 Mike Sainristil, IOL #60 Drake Nugent, and EDGE #32 Jaylen Harrell. Wilson is a skilled receiver who projects to be one of the best slot receivers in the class, having the route-running prowess as well as the strong hands and body control to make tough catches in traffic and over the middle. Moore and Colson are both juniors who could go back to school to boost their draft stock as each are projected mid-round picks. Sainristil has enjoyed a breakout season for the Wolverines, being one of the most productive ballhawks in college football with five interceptions, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He is a projected nickel corner at the next level.
The Alabama Crimson Tide aren’t without their plethora of college prospects raring to transition to the pros. Headlining the group are EDGE #15 Dallas Turner and CB #1 Kool-Aid McKinstry. Turner signed with Alabama in 2021 and immediately created an impact. In his career, he has registered 117 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks. This season, he has 50 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Turner projects to be a top-10 pick and an impact starter as an outside linebacker/defensive end at the next level. McKinstry also joined Alabama in 2021 and also made an early impact. In his career, he has tallied 88 total tackles, 23 pass breakups and two interceptions. This season, McKinstry has 27 total tackles and seven pass breakups. The 6-1, 195-pounder McKinstry has the size you look for in a prototypical CB1, needing to refine his technique and make splash plays more consistently to become a top cornerback in the league for a long time.
Another top prospect to watch in this game for Alabama is RT #65 JC Latham. Latham is a gigantic human being at right tackle and has impressive strength and power to boot. The 6-6, 360-pounder uses size and strength to move opposing defenders off the line of scrimmage with relative ease, being a dominant run blocker while also showing a steady presence in pass protection. He has a thick base to anchor against the bull rush and a nice blend of hands and footwork to stall opposing edge rushers who try to win with speed of finesse. Latham projects to be the first right tackle off the board in the first round, being a long-term building block on a team’s offensive line.
CB #3 Terrion Arnold is just a redshirt sophomore and could go back to school, but the 6-0, 196-pound cover man has enjoyed a stellar 2023 season, posting 61 total tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, 11 pass breakups, and five interceptions. He does a good job covering receivers man-to-man and also operates well in zone, making him a fringe Day One prospect should he come out. Also keep an eye on EDGE #41 Chris Braswell, who has posted eight sacks in a breakout season for Alabama; WR #3 Jermaine Burton, who is a viable big-play threat down the field and after the catch; S #13 Malachi Moore, a strong safety/dime defender who plays well near the line of scrimmage; and DL #92 Justin Eboigbe, who broke out with seven sacks and developed into a quality interior defensive lineman in his redshirt senior season.
Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal) No. 2 Washington vs. No. 3 Texas 8:45 PM/EST ESPN
The Washington Huskies have plenty of NFL talented highlighted by their prolific passing attack. WR #1 Rome Odunze is a first-round prospect and a dominant player thanks to his size (6-3, 216 pounds) and skill set. Odunze has 203 receptions for 3,060 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career and has caught 81 passes for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. Odunze thrives on contested catches down the field and in the red zone, having the strength and leaping ability to high-point the football in coverage. He also is an athletic runner after the catch, having the burst to create separation and make a play after plucking the ball out of the air.
Odunze’s quarterback also figures to be in the first-round conversation after a strong 2023 season. QB #9 Michael Penix Jr. started his college career at Indiana in 2018 before transferring to Washington prior to the 2022 season. He has passed for 13,056 yards, 93 touchdowns and 32 interceptions in his college career and has 4,218 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Penix is a gifted passer with the arm strength as well as the touch and awareness to carve up opposing defenses. He is also mobile and can create with his legs. He has struggled with injuries in his career and being a sixth-year senior, the medical checks at the NFL Combine will go a long way in determining where he goes in the draft.
Washington has several other notable prospects, including EDGE #8 Bralen Trice, a fringe first-round pick who wins with his size and strength as a pass rusher, being a handful for offensive tackles. OT #55 Troy Fautanu is also a potential top-60 pick who has shown flashes of dominant play in pass protection while being a great run blocker. Some have suggested that he could kick inside to be a dominant guard at the next level, but Fautanu should be able to stay at tackle as well and become a solid starter.
WR #2 Ja’Lynn Polk is another dynamic weapon who wins with his speed down the field as a Day Two prospect. EDGE #4 Zion Tupuola-Fetui has dealt with numerous injuries but is a gifted defensive lineman who can rush the passer from different spots on the defensive line. WR #11 Jalen McMillan could go back to school after a down 2023 season while RB #7 Dillon Johnson could declare after a strong 2023 campaign. Johnson has the production and size to become a lead back in a committee if given the opportunity.
For Texas, keep an eye on WRs #5 Adonai Mitchell and #1 Xavier Worthy. Mitchell started his career at Georgia, where he spent two seasons. He transferred to Texas for the 2023 season, posting 51 catches for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 6-4, 196-pound Mitchell is a long, athletic receiver capable of stretching the field and making the big play with legit speed. He figures to be a top-60 pick along with Worthy, who is a speedster himself as well as having the prowess as a route runner to generate separation from coverage. In his career, he has 195 catches for 2,710 yards and 26 touchdowns. This season, he has 73 catches for 969 yards and five touchdowns. Worthy is listed at 6-1, 172 pounds and may need to add weight for the next level, but he figures to be a legit deep threat who can develop into a well-rounded NFL receiver.
Other prospects to watch for Texas include TE #0 Ja’Tavion Sanders, who is a legit receiving threat, having the athleticism of a pumped-up wide receiver. DL #93 T’Vondre Sweat is a hulking nose tackle at 6-4, 362 pounds with the size and strength to clog up running lanes while also possessing sneaky athleticism to get after the quarterback as an interior pass rusher. DL #90 Byron Murphy is a true junior who could go back to school, but he’s flashed as an interior pass rusher while having the size to be a quality run defender as well.
OT #70 Christian Jones figures to be a potential Day Three pick while LB #41 Jaylan Ford has had back-to-back productive seasons for the Longhorns, picking off six passes while amassing 20.5 tackles for loss in both seasons combined. CB #23 Jahdae Barron figures to be a late-round pick with plenty of starting experience, having started at both safety and in the nickel during his time at Texas.
