2026 NFL Draft

Scouting Notebook: Top College Games And Prospects To Watch (Week 8)

Stock Ty Simpson top college prospects

Every week before the slate of college football games, we will highlight several prospects per matchup who should be sought after in the 2026 NFL Draft. Specifically, we’ll examine how the Pittsburgh Steelers may view them.

BAYLOR AT TCU 12:00 PM/EST ESPN2

The Baylor Bears travel to TCU to face the Horned Frogs in a potential shootout waiting to happen. For Baylor, watch QB #13 Sawyer Robertson, who is off to a great start in 2025. He’s completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,058 yards and 19 touchdowns to just four interceptions while chipping in another rushing score on the ground. The 6-4, 220-pound senior is a natural distributor from the pocket. He can attack down the field and over the middle with poise and passing accuracy.

For TCU, keep your eyes on WR #1 Eric McAlister. The 6-3, 205-pound senior is off to a strong start this season, having caught 21 passes for 541 yards and seven touchdowns. McAlister erupted with an eight-catch, 254-yard effort against the SMU Mustangs earlier in the year. He caught three touchdowns while showing a blend of size and speed that evaluators look for at the next level. He’s flying low on the radar right now, but should he continue to stack good performances, his draft stock will continue to rise.

NO. 5 OLE MISS AT NO. 9 GEORGIA 3:30 PM/EST ABC

The Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs will battle in a top-10 SEC showdown between the hedges in Athens on Saturday afternoon. For Ole Miss, the guy to know is QB #6 Trinidad Chambliss. He started the season as the backup, but got into action after Austin Simmons got hurt in Week 3. Chambliss has exploded since, completing 65.4 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,286 yards and seven touchdowns to one interception. He has also rushed for 281 yards and three scores on the ground.

Chambliss won a National Championship at Ferris State last season and transferred to Ole Miss, hoping to gain more national attention for the pros. He’s done just that since becoming the starter, as the 6-1, 200-pound senior has the arm talent and mobility that teams are looking for at the next level.

For Georgia, watch CB #6 Daylen Everette. Chambliss and this Ole Miss passing attack will challenge him. The 6-1, 190-pound Everette emerged as a draft prospect last season, racking up three picks and two forced fumbles as a junior, but opted to return to school. His size and physicality make him an intriguing prospect that could be a Day 2 pick next spring.

NO. 11 TENNESSEE AT NO. 6 ALABAMA 7:30 PM/EST ABC

The Tennessee Volunteers head to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide in primetime. For Tennessee, be sure to watch WR #17 Chris Brazzell II, who has been on a tear this season before a dud game last week against Arkansas. Brazzell has caught 32 passes for 536 yards and seven touchdowns. He has the height, size, length, and speed you desire in a playmaker on the outside. He torched Georgia for 177 yards and three scores a few weeks ago and must have a similar impact in this matchup to pull off the upset.

For the Tide, watch QB #15 Ty Simpson, a draft-eligible redshirt junior. Simpson has been efficient and effective in his first season as the full-time starter, completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 1,678 yards and 16 touchdowns to just one interception while chipping in two more scores on the ground.

Simpson has been accurate as a passer and has shown good mobility in and out of the pocket. He can evade pressure and make plays under pressure. If he keeps up this level of play, there is a chance that Simpson could declare and be one of the better prospects in this class.

NO. 20 USC AT NO. 13 NOTRE DAME 7:30 PM/EST NBC/PEACOCK

The USC Trojans travel to South Bend to face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a classic rivalry game Saturday night. For USC, the top dog is WR #6 Makai Lemon. He is quickly emerging as one of the top receivers in this draft class. The 5-11, 195-pound junior runs great routes, is competitive at the catch point, and knows how to create after the catch, making him a great volume receiver to feed the ball to. With 44 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns thus far, USC has certainly fed him.

For Notre Dame, watch WR #0 Malachi Fields, a talented receiver in his own right. The 6-4, 223-pound senior transferred from Virginia after back-to-back 800-yard seasons and is finding his footing in his first season with the Irish. He is serving as a deep threat that can also do some damage in the red zone. A prototypical boundary receiver, Fields uses his height, length, and speed to challenge defensive backs down the field and at the catch point, making him a receiver to watch in this matchup.

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