College Football

The 10 must-see college football prospects — and when to see them on TV

Published Aug. 26, 2021 7:15 p.m. ET

By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst

College football fans, our long wait is nearly over.

Though a full slate of games doesn't take place until Sept. 4, the 2021-22 season officially kicks off Saturday with Nebraska playing at Illinois in an early Big Ten battle on FOX (1 pm. ET), one of five contests that day throughout the FBS landscape.

Of course, this weekend’s games are just an appetizer for the tasty showdowns later this season. Below is a countdown of the 10 NFL draft-eligible players in college football who every self-respecting fan absolutely must-see. And to make it as easy as possible for viewers to do so, we’ve even provided the date, time and network whenever possible!

10. QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (6-foot-1, 225, 4.80, JR)

The top-rated quarterback on many draft boards entering the season, Howell, who possesses a frame and game similar to 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, is already well known in the scouting community. Howell enters his third year as a starter already tied for the all-time record at North Carolina for passing touchdowns (68). He led the ACC with 30 of them a year ago, against just seven interceptions. What he lacks in height, he makes up for with awareness, accuracy and competitiveness. Scouts love the fact that Howell has yet to throw an interception in the fourth quarter, and that he’s shown the vision and arm strength to attack deep.

Key Matchup: Friday, Sept. 3 at Virginia Tech (6 pm ET, ESPN)

Ranked 10th in the preseason AP Poll, the Tar Heels begin their season with a significant test, opening in one of college football's more inhospitable environments. North Carolina lost its top two running backs (Javonte Williams, Michael Carter) and receivers (Dyami Brown, Dazz Newsome) to the NFL, which puts the pressure squarely on Howell’s shoulders.

9. RB Breece Hall, Iowa State (6-foot-1, 215, 4.55, JR)

Much to the chagrin of analytics fans, at least one running back has earned a first-round selection in the past seven consecutive NFL drafts. Hall may lack the straight-line speed to continue this trend in 2022, but he enters his junior campaign among the elite players at his position. He's already rushed for 2,469 yards and 30 touchdowns in just 24 career games. Playing with the same rugged, determined style that has helped his Iowa State predecessor David Montgomery emerge as a star for the Chicago Bears, Hall is the kind of "old-school" workhorse back teams can bank on. And don’t think he’s just a pile driver; Hall is an accomplished receiver as well, with 46 catches to his credit.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Nov. 20 at Oklahoma (Time, Network TBD)

The Cyclones stunned Oklahoma in Norman in 2017 and have played the Sooners tough each of the past two seasons as well, losing by a combined seven points. To keep Oklahoma's explosive offense sidelined, Iowa State will no doubt rely on Hall, whose bullish style is perfectly complemented by gutty-passer Brock Purdy and one of the nation’s top seam threats in tight end Charlie Kolar.

8. WR Drake London, Southern California (6-foot-4, 210, 4.50, JR)

Like at running back, the 2022 crop of wide receivers appears to be thinner than recent classes. Or maybe the lack of a full Pac-12 season a year ago kept one of the nation’s most intriguing talents shockingly under the radar. London caught just 33 passes in 2020, but he averaged 15.2 yards per grab, using his big frame, long-striding speed and physical nature to bully opponents. A two-sport athlete whose exploits on the basketball court speak to his raw athleticism, London is earning Mike Evans comparisons, including from USC coach Clay Helton. With top targets Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns now in the NFL, London is set to explode in 2021.

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Key Matchup: Saturday, Oct. 9 vs. Utah (TBD)

With all due respect to Notre Dame (more on the Irish later), the intra-conference showdown with the Utes a week earlier may be a better opportunity for scouts and fans to evaluate London, who was limited to three catches for 45 yards by Utah a season ago. Six Utah defensive backs have been drafted into the NFL since 2017, and Kyle Whittingham’s 2021 team is absolutely loaded.

7. DL DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M (6-foot-3, 290, 4.85, JR)

For just the second time since 1989, not a single defensive tackle was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Leal (pronounced Lee-AL) may have earned one of those spots had he been eligible; last season he posted 37 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks in just 10 games. Taller and slimmer than his estimated height suggests, Leal is used all over the defensive line by the Aggies, often rushing off the edge. His initial burst and bend are unusual for a player his size, and he is still just growing into his frame. Leal has the chance to emerge as one of the true stars of this year’s draft class.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Oct. 9 vs. Alabama (TBD)

For football enthusiasts willing to take their eyes off the ball, the anticipated showdown between Leal and Alabama's freakish new left tackle Evan Neal should be worth the price of admission. Needless to say, this key SEC showdown has huge NFL draft and national title implications with scouts believing that the Aggies may have the best chance of matching mighty Bama at the line of scrimmage.

6. ILB Christian Harris, Alabama (6-foot-1, 232, 4.65, JR)

The defending-champion Crimson Tide once again boast a dozen or so prospects certain to hear their name called on draft day next spring. Harris deserves top billing, however. He's a bit of a throwback to prior Nick Saban linebackers, possessing not only the agility, speed and awareness for coverage but explosive knockdown power as well. With so many quality defenders, Harris may not rack up enough tackles to win the Butkus Award, but hardware or not, scouts are frothing at the mouth at this kid’s talent.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Nov. 27 at Auburn (TBD)

It is appropriate that the rivalry between Alabama and Auburn is nicknamed the Iron Bowl, as the collisions between Harris and Tigers star running back Tank Bigsby are going to sound like a train wreck.

5. QB Malik Willis, Liberty (6-foot-1, 215, 4.55, rSR)

Starting with Mitch Trubisky in 2017, at least one quarterback has ascended from virtually nowhere into the first round in each of the past five NFL drafts. Given that he plays for Liberty, Willis, who originally signed with Auburn, could be perceived as such a breakout candidate. But his play last year has already put him in the conversation among the most gifted QBs in the 2022 draft. Willis completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,250 yards and 20 touchdowns (against six interceptions), and racked up 944 yards and 14 more touchdowns on the ground. In terms of reading defenses and consistent ball placement, he remains quite raw. He is a true dual-threat, however, with an absolute cannon for an arm.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Nov. 6 at Mississippi (TBD)

This is a matchup made in scouting heaven as it provides Willis a chance to show his stuff against quality competition. He'll be squaring off against another talented signal-caller in Matt Corral, setting up an explosive showdown for a Liberty squad that went 10-1 last season with road wins at Virginia Tech and Syracuse. Adding to the storylines, Liberty coach Hugh Freeze will be returning to Ole Miss.

4. CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (6-foot-1, 195, 4.35, JR)

In terms of pure ability, we might be short-selling Stingley here; he just might be the best player in the country. After all, Stingley was the first player ever at LSU to start every game as a true freshman. He’s earned consensus First Team All-American honors the past two years and could join Tommy Casanova (1969-71) as the only three-timer in school history. Scouts who traveled through Baton Rouge the past two seasons gush about the battles Stingley had in practice against Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Stingley, with loose hips and knees, can change direction quickly and accelerate in a flash. Perhaps best of all, he has hands like a receiver — which could earn him considerable playing time on offense or special teams, and perhaps result in a Charles Woodson-like Heisman campaign.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Nov. 13 vs. Arkansas (TBD)

From a national-title perspective, the showdown one week earlier against Alabama will draw plenty of interest and — even with Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle now in the NFL — the Tide’s offense will be a huge challenge. Quietly, however, Arkansas boasts one of the elite receivers in the SEC in junior Treylon Burks, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound star who caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown last year against LSU. Burks is good enough to challenge Stingley if he has any kind of letdown following the showdown with Alabama.

3. QB Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma (6-foot, 205, 4.60, rSOPH)

Frankly, there is not a prospect in the country who will be more thoroughly evaluated than Rattler, the latest star quarterback for Lincoln Riley. For those who haven’t yet seen him, Rattler is most like former OU star Kyler Murray, with an almost-unfair combination of elusiveness and arm talent. Rattler signed with the Sooners as the consensus top prep passer in 2019 and after earning MVP honors at the Elite 11 Quarterback competition. Last year he was named to the AP’s First Team All-Big 12 squad after completing 67.5% of his passes with 28 touchdowns while running for another half dozen scores. There are concerns about Rattler’s ability to hold up in the NFL — he's already added roughly 30 pounds to his slight frame since high school — but his dual-threat playmaking ability is undeniable.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Oct. 9 vs. Texas (TBD)

With two of the most innovative offensive minds in college football coaching on each sideline, the 2021 Red River Rivalry promises to be every bit as fascinating and competitive as last year's — when Rattler helped the Sooners to a 53-45 victory in four overtimes.

2. FS Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame (6-foot-3, 219, 4.50, JR)

With today’s sophisticated and highly diverse passing attacks, playmaking free safeties with range, physicality, instincts and ball skills have never been more valuable. Hamilton is already earning comparisons to some of the greats at the position, including Minkah Fitzpatrick, Eric Berry and even the late, great Sean Taylor. It is easy to venture into hyperbole with a freakish talent like Hamilton. Players his size rarely possess his fluidity and closing speed. Hamilton should be the preseason favorite to win this year’s Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and, barring injury, he’s a cinch top-10 pick next spring.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Oct. 23 vs. Southern California (7:30 PM ET, NBC)

One of the longest and most passionate inter-conference rivalries in college football returns after last year's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trojans boast the best passing attack the Irish will see in 2021, with quarterback Kedon Slovis and the aforementioned London arguably the best QB-WR combination in the country. This will be a stiff test for Hamilton.

1. EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon (6-foot-5, 250, 4.60, JR)

With all due respect to the quarterbacks, the elite talent in college football this year is Thibodeaux, an immediate-impact edge rusher very much along the lines of recent top two NFL draft picks Chase Young (2020), Nick Bosa (2019) and Myles Garrett (2017). As frightening as it sounds, Thibodeaux may be even faster off the snap than any of his superstar predecessors, plus he’s also surprisingly strong at the point of attack. Perhaps best of all, he’s absolutely relentless. In the 41-year history of the Morris Trophy (given annually to the best linemen in the PAC-12, as voted on by the players), no edge rusher has ever been honored in back-to-back seasons. Thibodeaux is expected to, after easily winning last year as a true sophomore.

Key Matchup: Saturday, Sept. 11 at Ohio State (noon ET, FOX)

NFL scouts might be just as likely to circle a showdown with rival Washington (and its star left tackle Jaxson Kirkland) Nov. 6. But if Oregon is going to make a run at the CFP, and for Thibodeaux to have a chance at being the first front-seven defender to ever win the Heisman Trophy — both legitimate possibilities — no game looms larger than a showdown with the always-loaded Buckeyes. OSU boasts two future early-round draft picks of their own at tackle in senior Thayer Munford and redshirt junior Nicholas Petit-Frere.

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL draft for over 20 years with his work found at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.