If you’ve paid attention to the NFL Draft, you’ll know that teams scour all levels of football to find noteworthy prospects. This is also true for bowl season. Over the next month, we’ll see prospects from varying levels making highlight plays. There’s no doubt that we are sure to see a fair number of prospects opt out of bowl season. However, I’ve put together a list below that should still give those NFL Scouts on the couch something worth watching. Below are ten 2026 NFL Draft prospects worth watching this bowl season.
Bucked Up LA Bowl
Saturday, December 13th – 8:00PM EST
One of the first bowl games that we get to watch features a couple of highly-ranked Washington Huskies. The LA Bowl has been played since 2021 and is currently hosted by Rob Gronkowski. Bucked Up, a leading sports nutrition brand, has taken over the naming rights for this year.
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Over the last two seasons, Dernzel Boston has played significantly well as a starter. This year, he finished the regular season with 755 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 56 receptions. He finished with just a handful fewer receptions this year over last, but has increased his yards per game and yards per reception average. NFL Mock Draft Database currently has a first-round grade on Denzel Boston.
Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
A knee injury late in the season forced Coleman to miss some playing time. However, he has still had a tremendous season for the Huskies. He’s posted 673 rushing yards on 144 attempts, along with 14 touchdowns. His yards per attempt dropped this season, although he has factored into the receiving game a bit more.
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Saturday, December 27th – 3:30PM EST
I’d be remiss if I didn’t include one of the most-watched non-CFP bowl games of the season. Over the last several years, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has become one of the most entertaining of the season for its off-field antics. This year, there will be 6 mascots split between two teams, Team Sprinkles and Team Swirls. As is tradition, the winning team gets to decide which flavor of Pop-Tarts it will consume at the game’s end.
LJ Martin, RB, BYU
The BYU Cougars narrowly missed out on making the College Football Playoff. Martin finished the season rushing for over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns on 236 attempts. He also tacked on 255 receiving yards, although he’s been unable to find the endzone for a receiving touchdown this season. LJ Martin has seen his 2026 NFL Draft stock fluctuate this season, but currently projects as a late-round prospect.
Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech
The Pop-Tart Bowl will also feature Keylan Rutledge, the right guard on Georgia Tech’s offensive line. Much like Martin above, Rutledge has seen his draft stock fluctuate as well. Despite this, he currently projects as an early-day three 2026 NFL Draft prospect this bowl season.
Kinder’s Texas Bowl
Saturday, December 27th – 9:15PM EST
The Kinder’s Texas Bowl sees the Big 12 take on a team from the SEC. This year, representatives from the Texas Bowl have selected the hometown Cougars to take on the LSU Tigers. While the program won’t be coached by the newly-hired Lane Kiffin, there should be plenty of action between the two teams. Houston was ranked 21st in the latest CFP rankings, while LSU finished 7-5 for the year.
Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
It was recently announced that Tanner Koziol had officially accepted his invitation to play in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. The day three tight end prospects will play with their teammates one final time against a top 25-ranked defense in LSU.
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
It’s unclear if an abdominal injury will keep Nussmeier off the field for the Texas Bowl. He hasn’t played since November 8th against Alabama. If he doesn’t participate in this bowl season, he’ll then shift his focus to preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the top prospects.
Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Currently, Mansoor Delane is projected as a top-15 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. Therefore, I’d be very surprised if he ends up participating in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl. Rather, I predict that he’ll opt out of the bowl and shift his focus towards the 2026 NFL Draft.