Week Seven saw me watch six games full of 2023 NFL Draft prospects. This includes a barn burner between Utah and Southern Cal.
Each week, I will look back at the top prospect performances from the games I watched the previous week.
WEEK SEVEN PROSPECT REWIND
BAYLOR AT WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia won a wild game over Baylor last Thursday. Their win was due in large part to the play-making abilities of WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton. BFW didn’t dominate the score sheet (5-51) but his threat helped keep the Bears’ defense in check.
Future NFL 5-tech Dante Stills made a solid impact against Baylor with 4 tackles and one TFL. When matched up with BU OT Connor Galvin, he was held mostly in check. The 5th-year left tackle has great size (6’7” 310) and uses his arm length to his advantage.
One of the best nose tackles prospects in this draft class resides in Waco. At 6’4” tall and 350-pounds, Siaki Ika is a whole lot of man to move out of the way. Against WVU, Ika had three tackles, a TFL, and a hurry.
Despite Dillon Doyle being a productive linebacker, there are some on the Baylor staff that think his future is as an NFL fullback. I am not ready to make that conversion just yet. Doyle notched 10 tackles and a pick against the Mountaineers.
BROWN AT PRINCETON
Read more about the prospects in this game on Saturday.
OLD DOMINION AT COASTAL CAROLINA
Read more about the prospects in this game on Saturday.
PENN STATE AT MICHIGAN
Another week, another ridiculous performance from Michigan RB Blake Corum. Corum ran the ball 2times for 166 yards and two scores. I anticipate Corum will end up in my top-5 RBs after this week.
I also want to say that Penn State QB Sean Clifford is insanely awful at playing his chosen position, and the Nittany Lions should not waste more time with him under center.
NC STATE AT SYRACUSE
The esteem of this game took a hit when it was announced that NC State QB Devin Leary would miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury. We expect that Leary will come back in 2023 and enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
This game did feature some excellent linebacker play. Wolfpack LBs Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore combined for 16 stops (11 solos). Not to be outdone, the Orange have a pair of ball carrier pursuers to be proud of. Mikel Jones recorded seven tackles and a sack against NC State. 3rd-year talent Marlowe Wax added ten tackles (7 solos).
Sean Tucker continues to woo me. The talented Syracuse running back showed a power-running side in this game to go along with his sweet feet. Tucker touched the rock 17 times for 110 yards and a score. His left tackle, Matthew Bergeron, is moving up my rankings this week. Bergeron is rock solid on the edge and could probably have the versatility to succeed on the inside as well.
SOUTHERN CAL AT UTAH
What a tremendously fun game in Salt Lake City on Saturday. A thrilling dual between top 2024 QB Caleb Williams (Southern Cal) and 5th-year passer Cam Rising. Rising led his team from behind with his arm and his feet. He even caught a pass! Rising had 484 yards of total offense against the Trojans. He accounted for five touchdowns. Rising also ran in the go-ahead two-point conversion in the 43-42 win.
Rising’s favorite target on Saturday was 5th-year TE Dalton Kincaid. Kincaid was already in Shane P Hallam’s top-five TEs. He will soon be in mine. Southern Cal had no answer for Kincaid. Whether it be on a seam route or short-range throws, he was seemingly wide-open all game. Kincaid caught all 15 of his targets for 217 yards and one TD.
Let the record show that Trojans’ WR Jordan Addison is pretty darn good himself.
Check back on Saturday for another edition of Sun Belt/Small School Scouting.