Every week leading up to the slate of college football games, we will be highlighting several college football prospects in each matchup who project to be sought after in the 2025 NFL Draft. Specifically, we’ll examine how they may be viewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia, 12 p.m. EST on ABC
The Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs square off in a top 15 matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to kick off the action Saturday afternoon. The top college prospect to watch for Clemson will be LB Barrett Carter, who considered declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft, but ultimately returned to school for another season to improve his draft stock. The 6-1, 230-pound senior is a phenomenal athlete at off-ball linebacker, having the pure speed to chase down ball carriers in pursuit as well as drop into coverage and operate as a true three-down linebacker. Carter has posted 135 total tackles, 9 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 13 pass deflections the last two seasons, and is looking to make a statement to be ILB1 in the 2025 draft class.
Carter and the Tigers’ defense will have their hands full with Georgia’s offense, headlined by QB Carson Beck who is currently the favorite to be QB1 off the board and potentially the first overall pick come next spring. Beck has a lot of the qualities that you look for in a franchise quarterback, possessing a big arm that can layer throws effortlessly down the field. He stands 6-4, 220 pounds and had a breakout first season as a starter, completing 72.4% of his passes for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns. Beck can make a strong case for his QB1 resume should he carve up a normally stout Tigers’ defense Saturday afternoon as Georgia begins their hopeful CFP run.
No. 19 Miami at Florida, 3:30 p.m. EST on ABC
The Hurricanes and the Gators face off in Ben Hill Griffen Stadium on Saturday afternoon in an ACC/SEC in-state battle. For Miami, keep an eye on WR Xavier Restrepo. The 5-10, 198-pound senior set the single-season record in Hurricane history for receptions in a season with 85 in 2023, being a viable slot receiver that does a good job separating from coverage while having the skill set to make combative catches in traffic. The fifth-year senior will look to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for a second straight season in 2024, helping his draft stock as a likely mid-round selection.
Restrepo may see a little bit of CB Jason Marshall Jr. for the Florida Gators, a long, tall, athletic cornerback who has been in the starting lineup for the Gators since his true freshman season in 2021. Marshall has the size you look for in a prototypical NFL cornerback, standing 6-1, 201 pounds along with the speed and length to cover receivers down the field. He also is a willing tackler that holds his own in run support. He can work on showing more awareness on a down-to-down basis as well look to generate more turnovers this season, but Marshall has the traits to make him an intriguing prospect entering the season.
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. EST on ABC
The Fighting Irish head to the Lone Star State on Saturday night to take on Texas A&M in front of over 100,000 at Kyle Field. Notre Dame’s headlining prospect is CB Benjamin Morrison, a 6-0, 190-pound junior that figures to be one of the first defensive backs off the board come next spring. Morrison has been a difference maker for the Fighting Irish since coming to South Bend as a true freshman, having posted 64 total tackles, 15 pass deflections and 9 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) in his first two collegiate seasons. Morrison is a physical defender that excels in bump-and-run coverage as well as coming downhill against the run. A strong performance will help his case for being a first-round pick after the season comes to a close.
The player you need to watch for the Aggies is DL Nic Scourton. The former Purdue Boilermaker transferred during the spring to Texas A&M and is looking to increase his draft stock playing against SEC competition after dominating Big Ten play, positing 50 total tackles, 10 sacks, and 3 pass deflections in 2023. Scourton has fantastic size at 6-4, 285 pounds, but he is nimble on his feet at that size, having rushed on the edge both in a standup position as well as with his hand in the ground. He has a vast array of pass rush moves, winning with both finesse and power as a pass rusher that could fit multiple fronts at the NFL level.
No. 23 USC at No. 13 LSU, 7:30 p.m. EST (SUNDAY) on ABC
The Trojans of USC are looking for redemption in 2024 after failing to meet expectations in 2023, getting their first shot at big-game action against LSU in a neutral side game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The Trojans will need to focus on controlling the line of scrimmage against their SEC foe, and DL Bear Alexander will look to do that for the Trojan defensive front. The 6-3, 315-pound junior is a true plugger up the middle, having the size and strength to take on double teams as well as shoot gaps and disrupt the quarterback in the pocket. He is a better run defender than pass rusher, being more disruptive than productive against the passing game. Alexander will have to have a game to keep LSU from imposing their will with their rushing attack.
One member of the LSU offensive line that will look to neutralize Alexander and the rest of the Trojan front all night is OT Will Campbell. The 6-6, 323-pound junior is the current favorite to be OT1 in this draft class, having the size, length, athleticism and pedigree to become a premier blindside protector at the next level. He plays under control in pass protection, doing a good job of syncing his hands and feet to stop pass rushers in their tracks. He also is a capable run blocker that plays with a lot of effort to create a push upfront. Should Campbell have a similar season to the one he put together in 2023, he should be a top 10 lock come next April.
