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. 4 ALABAMA AT WISCONSIN, NOON EST, FOX
The Crimson Tide of Alabama travel to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in an SEC/Big Ten clash. For Alabama, keep your eyes on OG #52 Tyler Booker. The 6-5, 325-pound junior is a menace in the middle for the Alabama offensive line, providing the Tide a big, powerful run blocker who is fairly nimble on his feet for his size. He’s dropped some bad weight since arriving on campus and has positioned himself to be one of the top interior offensive linemen in this draft class, should he declare. With OG James Daniels entering the final year of his deal, Booker could be a plug-and-play guy if Pittsburgh considers taking a guard early next spring.
For the Badgers, they have their own offensive line standout in OT #79 Jack Nelson. Nelson was in line to be a potential Day 2 pick for the 2024 NFL Draft, but the 6-7, 316-pound senior decided to go back to school in hopes of improving his draft stock. Nelson should continue to fill out his tall, long frame, but he plays with the competitive toughness to expect to see from a Badgers offensive lineman, generating a strong push in the running game while using his long arms and well-timed punch to stall rushers in pass protection. He will face some of the best competition of the season this weekend, making this game a key one for determining Nelson’s draft stock for this coming spring.
No. 9 OREGON AT OREGON STATE, 3:30 P.M. EST, FOX
The high-flying Oregon Ducks look to trounce Oregon State in this year’s edition of the rivalry. The Ducks have a potent offensive attack and WR #15 Tez Johnson is one of their weapons that expects to be playing on Sundays next fall. The 5-10, 165-pound senior lacks ideal size or height, but he possesses the same playmaking ability that has seen the likes of TuTu Atwell and Tank Dell translate to the league at the same size. Johnson possesses good speed and quickness, and can be utilized as a deep threat as well as a YAC receiver after the catch. He’s also a heck of a returner, taking a punt return to the house last weekend against Boise State. He had a poor receiving day against the Broncos last weekend (-1 yards) and will look to get back on track against the in-state rival.
For Oregon State, keep your eyes on OT #67 Joshua Gray. The 6-4, 310-pound senior played opposite of Taliese Fuaga last season and more than held his own, showing sound footwork in pass protection while helping the Beavers rushing attack go for 167 yards per game. Gray lacks ideal size and length, making him a potential candidate to kick inside at the next level. Still, he’s steady with a good floor and will look to help Oregon State get the upset win.
No. 1 GEORGIA AT KENTUCKY, 7:30 P.M. EST, ABC
The top-ranked Bulldogs travel to Lexington to battle the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday night. For Georgia, keep your eyes on DB #24 Malaki Starks who is one of the best defensive backs in this draft class. The 6-1, 205-pound junior can line up in the box, in the slot and as a deep safety, making him an extremely versatile chess piece in the secondary. He is a strong coverage defender with one pick already on the season, and has shown to be a willing tackler in run support. Pittsburgh could use some long-term help in the slot and at safety, and Starks could fill both those roles quite nicely alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Wildcats have a defensive back of their own to keep an eye on in this matchup as DB #1 Maxwell Hairston is a name that is intriguing NFL scouts. The 6-1, 186-pound junior had a strong 2023 season, posting 66 total tackles, a forced fumble, 5 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), and 6 pass deflections. He sees a fair amount of time on the outside, but has the capability to kick inside to the slot as well as contribute some in the box. Hairston will have his hands full attempting to slow down QB Carson Beck and the Georgia passing attack, but he certainly is a name to watch in this game.
COLORADO AT COLORADO STATE, 7:30 P.M. EST, CBS
The rivalry between Colorado and Colorado State takes center stage Saturday night as the two teams look to match last year’s thriller of a game. The Buffalos will be heavily relying on WR/DB #12 Travis Hunter to make some splash plays on both sides of the ball as Hunter is one of the most electric players in all of college football, being one of the only true two-way players in the game. Hunter is projected to be a top cornerback prospect next spring and has 6 total tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection so far this season. He is also a talented receiver who already has 17 receptions for 242 yards and 3 touchdowns through two games. Hunter figures to be a top 10 pick next spring and realistically could play both ways in the league, just like his head coach Deion Sanders once did.
The Rams have a talented receiver of their own garnering NFL attention in WR #14 Tory Horton. The 6-3, 185-pound senior has the height and length you like to see in a pass catcher on the outside, but also has the fluidity and route running nuance to compliment his size. He displays good body control along the sideline as well as in the end zone, and has strong hands at the catch point to compete for jump balls and combative catches. Horton has back-to-back 1,100+ yard seasons under his belt and will likely see plenty of Hunter to make for a primetime matchup in this rivalry game.
