Following the slate of games on Saturday, we will be highlighting several college football players and their respective performances as well as how they could be viewed going forward into the 2024 NFL Draft specifically by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
PENN STATE TE TYLER WARREN
The Penn State Nittnay Lions survived their trip to Los Angeles on Saturday, beating the USC Trojans 33-30 in overtime. The star of the game was TE #44 Tyler Warren who had a historic performance against the Trojans, reeling in 17 receptions for a whopping 224 yards and a touchdown. Warren is known for being a strong blocking tight end thanks to his size (6-6, 257 pounds) and his strength at the point of attack, but the senior tight end showed his receiving prowess in this one, posting the second-most receiving yards in a game in Penn State history. Warren is one of the top prospects at the position in this coming draft, and his dominant performance may have pushed him to be TE1 come April.
OREGON WR EVAN STEWART
The Oregon Ducks beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in a thriller last night in Eugene, winning 32-31 to remain unbeaten. WR #7 Evan Stewart had himself a day against Ohio State’s secondary, catching seven passes for 149 yards and a score. The 6-0, 175-pound junior transferred from Texas A&M this spring and has proven to make a dynamic 1-2 punch at wideout with WR Tez Johnson, showing off his downfield speed and his contested catch ability against Denzel Burke who projects to be a high draft pick as well.
IOWA RB KALEB JOHNSON
The Iowa Hawkeyes dominated the Washington Huskies at home in Iowa City, winning 40-16. RB #2 Kaleb Johnson had himself a day for the Hawkeyes, carrying the ball 21 times for 166 yards (7.9 YPC) and two touchdowns while catching three passes for 22 yards and a score. Johnson has now gone over the century mark five out of the last six games this season, showcasing burst and subtle quickness while having feature back size to run between the tackles (6-0, 225 pounds). Johnson may only be a junior, but his production this season could prompt him to declare early this winter.
BOISE STATE RB ASHTON JEANTY
Speaking of dominant performances by running backs, Boise State RB #2 Ashton Jeanty had himself another dominant performance against Hawaii on Saturday, carrying the rock 31 times for 217 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 20 yards and a score. Jeanty now has 1,247 yards and 17 touchdowns on just 126 carries this season, being the most explosive back in college football and the current Heisman favorite. Running backs have become undervalued in the NFL Draft in recent years, but Jeanty is making his case that he deserves to go in Round 1 come this spring.
