College football fans will be presented with three matchups between top 25 teams in three different timeslots Saturday, including the Gators' chance to take down the top-ranked Crimson Tide. Who are the NFL Draft prospects to note in each of those games?
No. 8 Cincinnati at Indiana
Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN
The most intriguing aspect of this game is the quarterback play. Following a strong 2020 campaign pre-injury, Indiana's Michael Penix Jr. has really struggled this season, throwing for just two touchdowns and three interceptions. Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, on the other hand, has the seventh-most passing touchdowns in college football with six. His ability to throw deep or churn yards on the ground has made him difficult to defend.
Beyond the quarterbacks, the most noteworthy talents for each team are on defense. Indiana cornerback Tiawan Mullen and linebacker Micah McFadden are productive players with an aggressive style of play. Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner and edge rusher Myjai Sanders are two of the best at their respective positions. Gardner will have his hands full matching up against wide receiver Ty Fryfogle.
Purdue at No. 12 Notre Dame
Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Purdue edge rusher George Karlaftis is regarded as one of the top prospects in the nation. He has an opportunity to prove himself against a Notre Dame team that has created a tradition of producing NFL-caliber offensive linemen. David Bell is one of the most impressive wide receivers expected to be available in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Indianapolis native has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in each of his two games and has hauled in three combined touchdowns.
Notre Dame has a lot of familiar faces taking on larger roles this season but there are four to know: safety Kyle Hamilton, edge rusher Isaiah Foskey, running back Kyren Williams and center Jarrett Patterson. Hamilton is viewed as one of the few blue-chip draft talents. His size and speed present a tantalizing amalgamation of ability.
This Kyle Hamilton INT looks unreal from the wide angle but the endzone view is my favorite. Watch him appear out of nowhere and eat up this ground! pic.twitter.com/7jm1lPA8WK
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) September 6, 2021
No. 1 Alabama at No. 11 Florida
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
The most competitive battle in this game might be on the same sideline. Florida has gone with quarterback Emory Jones, but Anthony Richardson is chomping at his heels. CBSSports.com's Chris Trapasso writes that Richardson has the potential to become the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Gators have cornerback Kaiir Elam in addition to a talented front seven rotation of Jeremiah Moon, Mohamoud Diabate, Brenton Cox Jr., etc. Head coach Dan Mullen will need that unit to step up if they are going to push the Crimson Tide to the brink of defeat.
Alabama is LOADED to no one's surprise. Quarterback Bryce Young has been as advertised, but he is not eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft. Offensive tackle Evan Neal is a freakish athlete capable of doing steep box jumps while simultaneously doing a split.
Across the front, DJ Dale, Justin Eboigbe, Byron Young and Phidarian Mathis are all NFL-caliber players with the former two having the highest upside. The best of the bunch is edge rusher Will Anderson, who is not eligible for the draft until the following year.
Tennessee linebacker transfer Henry To'o To'o and Christian Harris pair as one of the best tandems in the country. The secondary is no less talented with safeties Daniel Wright and Jordan Battle, as well as cornerback Josh Jobe. Cornerback Malachi Moore is likely to be the best of the bunch but is still a year away from being eligible.
No. 22 Auburn at No. 10 Penn State
Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Auburn's secondary is chock full of ability. Cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett, Roger McCreary and Dreshun Miller make it difficult for opponents to throw. Safety Smoke Monday is a lengthy talent that enjoys playing downhill. Running back Tank Bigsby already has fans looking forward to the 2023 NFL Draft.
Penn State lost some notable talent from last year's team, like Pat Freiermuth and Odafe Oweh. They had a lot of talent waiting in the wings. Offensive tackle Rasheed Walker and wide receiver Jahan Dotson are two of the best at their positions.
The defense is loaded with safety Jaquan Brisker, edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie and cornerbacks Tariq Castro-Fields and Joey Porter Jr. Linebacker Brandon Smith has risen to prominence as well.
No. 19 Arizona State at No. 23 BYU
Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN
There is a lot to like about the Sun Devils. They are talented on both sides of the ball. The road is paved for running back Rachaad White, who has been a big-play threat throughout his career. Offensive tackle Kellen Diesch and offensive guard Dohnovan West form one of the best left sides in college football.
On defense, Arizona State has a lot of veteran leadership. Defensive tackle Jermayne Lole, linebacker Merlin Robertson, safety Evan Fields, cornerback Chase Lucas and cornerback Jack Jones give that team difference-makers at all three levels.
Zach Wilson will not be prowling the sidelines for the Cougars this season, but fans should be familiar with the talent of their skill players, most notably running back Tyler Allgeier, wide receiver Gunner Romney and tight end Isaac Rex. Quarterback Jaren Hall has produced some impressive performances, and his development is worth monitoring.
