NFL Draft Prospects To Watch: Week 7

Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss

WR Mike Evans (6’5, 225) vs. CB Charles Sawyer (5’11, 178)

While many expected Johnny Manziel and Jake Matthews to garner most of the attention from NFL scouts this season, WR Mike Evans has been the breakout star for this Aggies squad. Evans broke put together remarkable performance against one of the nation’s top defense in Alabama, which included seven catches for 279 yards.

Evans will square off against Ole Miss top CB Charles Sawyer. Sawyer is a very quick and reliable tackler who shows no hesitation against tougher competition. Sawyer has been sidelined because of a shoulder injury and recently he was arrested and charged with DUI while on Ole Miss campus, so there are some concerns with him.

However, Evans has the clear edge in this matchup. He has good speed and, at 6-foot-5, it will very tough for Sawyer to keep him in check throughout Saturday’s game. Evans the type of player who can create nightmares for opposing team’s secondary’s. So far this season, Evans has 28 catches for 691 yards and five scores, while averaging 24.7 yards per catch.

Michigan vs. Penn State

OT Taylor Lewan  (6’8, 309) vs. DE Deion Barnes (6’4, 245)

Many expected LT Taylor Lewan to declare for the 2013 NFL Draft, but he passed up that opportunity in order to improve his skill set and return to Michigan for another season. Without a doubt Lewan is a top-10 talent who has displayed great durability during his college career. He has appeared in 42 games at left tackle, making 40 starts, including 33 consecutive. His astonishing combination of size and athleticism which has earned him comparisons to former Wolverine and 2008 No. 1 overall pick OT Jake Long.

Lewan will face Penn State star DE Deion Barnes. Even though Barnes has had a quiet 2013 season, tallying only a half sack, he always plays with high intensity and constantly pressures opposing QB’s. He is only in his second season as a starter, but he needs to learn how to use his hands better in order to improve in his pass rushing moves.

I would expect Lewan’s strength and aggressiveness to be enough to give him the edge over Barnes’ raw skill set.

Oregon vs. Washington

CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (5,10’190)

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is my No.1 rated draft eligible CB. He’s also one of the most intriguing CB’s in all of college football. Ekpre-Olomu is considered by a number of scouts to be a first-round pick at this point in time. He is an athletic, physical and instinctive corner who possesses outstanding ball skills and is without a doubt a very exciting player to watch each and every week.

Keith Price and the Huskies receivers will try to exploit the Ducks secondary from the get go. Washington has big tight end in Austin Seferian-Jenkins, so expect to see Price constantly looking for mismatches throughout the game. So far this season, Price boosts a 71.2 completion percentage and 3.6/1 touchdown to interception ratio. The Huskies also feature Bishop Sankey, one of the more complete running backs in the country, who currently ranks fourth in the nation with 732 rushing yards throughout the season.

This could be a back and forth game that could go down to the wire. All things considered, I don’t see Washington’s defense holding up against a very talented Oregon offense. As the game goes on I expect to see a Ducks defense pick their spots and try to force some turnovers.

Baylor vs. Kansas State

G Cyril Richardson (6’5, 340)

This Baylor team is having an amazing season. They are averaging 70.5 points per game and their offense currently ranks No. 1 in passing and No. 2 in rushing yards respectively.

Guard Cyril Richardson is the focal point of this offensive line that has paved the way for eight consecutive 100-yard rushing games.

The Bears will face a Kansas State squad that is coming of a heartbreaking loss last week against Oklahoma State. The Wildcats defense has allowed an average of 24.4 points per game, so this week looks like another opportunity for the Bears to run all over their opponent.

Cyril Richardson is one of the most dominating linemen in the country. He’s very athletic and has both great size as well as the ability to open running lanes. I expect to see Richardson reach the second level with ease as the game goes on. It’s worth noting that Richardson is projected to be the first guard taken in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Florida vs. LSU

DT Anthony Johnson (6’2, 295)

Anthony Johnson has yet to reach this season expectations for the LSU defense, but that can change with a solid performance against the Gators. Johnson has the power and athletic ability scouts look at defensive tackle, but his skill set hasn’t translated to on-the-field production just yet.

This week could be a make-or-break game for Johnson, as he’ll face a talented Gators offensive line that recently lost their starting QB for the season. Saturday is a great opportunity for both Johnson and his teammate DT Ego Ferguson to boost their draft stock and dispel some of the concerns from draft evaluators.