Welcome back! The college football season is nearly half completed. If you’re new to this article, the goal is to bring you the top upcoming dynasty prospects to watch in nationally televised college football games. It’s never too early to take a look forward. Who will be the sleepers of upcoming rookie drafts? Check back here every week for my ‘Weekly Watch’ series before you head into the weekend. Use this article each week as a place to refer back to as you get ready to watch each game.
How this article works:
I’ll give you the network, time, and teams playing in nationally televised games. Below that, I’ll list the respective schools’ prospects that are, in my opinion, worth mentioning, their position, the year they are eligible to enter the NFL Draft, and their listed heights and weights.
Feel free to reach out on Twitter (@THEtristancook) if you have players you think deserve to be mentioned in next week’s article.
Iowa @ #2 Ohio State
Saturday, 10/22 | 12:00 PM ET, FOX
Iowa
Sam LaPorta #84, TE 2023 (6’4, 249)
For the Iowa offense, there’s only one potential NFL prospect I will focus on, and that is a senior tight end, Sam LaPorta. This Iowa offense has been awful for most of the year, but LaPorta is intriguing. We know Iowa is somewhat of a tight end factory, and LaPorta looks like he’s next in line. Expect to see him heavily peppered with targets this weekend.
#2 Ohio State
CJ Stroud #7, QB 2023 (6’3, 218)
The players to note for Ohio State haven’t changed. I could list a handful of players and still feel like I’m leaving some players out. You’re probably quite familiar with them at this point. First, we have quarterback CJ Stroud. There seems to be a toss-up in the devy community between CJ Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young as the QB1 for 2023. I have Stroud as my QB2, but the gap isn’t particularly large. And, with the injury to Young, Stroud could close the gap.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11, WR 2023 (6’1, 200)
It looks like we will finally get to see Jaxon Smith-Njigba play football for the first time in a while. I still have him as my WR2 in the class, but his lack of presence on the field has hurt his stock a little bit. I expect to see his stock rebound once he starts playing games again.
TreVeyon Henderson #32, RB 2024 (5’10, 214)
The final player to watch is TreVeyon Henderson. He’s the clear-cut RB1 in 2024, as far as almost everyone is concerned. All Henderson needs to do is stay healthy and test as expected, and he’ll be the top running back in the class. He is also dealing with an injury but is expected to return to the field.
#7 Ole Miss @ LSU
Saturday, 10/22 | 3:30 PM ET, CBS
#7 Ole Miss
Jaxon Dart #2, QB 2024 (6’2, 220)
Ole Miss has a few players that could end up being early NFL draft picks. First, we have quarterback Jaxon Dart. The former USC quarterback hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations after arriving at Ole Miss. I expect to see him grow in this offense as the season progresses. Dart certainly has some NFL potential if he can harness his tools. Dart only completed nine passes last week, but Ole Miss didn’t need him to do much. I think Dart could either end up rising up draft boards or fall to irrelevance. I will be monitoring him this year and next to see where he goes.
Zach Evans #6, RB 2023 (6’0, 215)
Another one of the guys that could potentially end up as the RB2 in the 2023 class is Zach Evans. Evans is also a transfer and has looked good for the Rebels in split duty with freshman Quinshon Judkins. We should see both of them on the field, but the name to know for 2023 is Evans. He’ll be one of the first four running backs taken this upcoming year.
Quinshon Judkins #4, RB 2025 (5’11 220)
The other name to know is freshman running back Quinshon Judkins. He’s been a pleasant surprise this season for Ole Miss and is surprisingly leading the team in all rushing categories. Expect to see a lot of him on Saturday and to hear his name for the next couple of years before he is eligible to declare.
LSU
Kayshon Boutte #7, WR 2023 (6’0, 205)
For LSU, the best player to watch is Kayshon Boutte. He finally showed some signs of life last game with 6 catches for 115 yards. Boutte has been my top receiver in the class and still is. He can win all over the field, and I’m eager to see how he looks in the pre-draft process. I think he will be the first receiver taken in the NFL Draft.
#9 UCLA @ #10 Oregon
Saturday, 10/22 | 3:30 PM ET, FOX
#9 UCLA
Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1, QB 2023 (6’1, 205)
On the UCLA side of the ball, there are two players to know. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is the first player to watch. He is off to the best start to a season of his career, completing nearly 75% of his passes while leading the Bruins to an undefeated 6-0 start. The talent has always been there for DTR, but he’s yet to put it together for a full season. Perhaps this will be his year.
Zach Charbonnet #24, RB 2023 (6’1, 220)
The main 2023 eligible player that I’ll be watching is running back Zach Charbonnet. He has looked good carrying the ball this season but has also been dynamic as a receiver. Charbonnet is currently the third-leading receiving option for the Bruins. I expect Day 2 draft capital for Charbonnet, assuming he doesn’t test poorly.
#10 Oregon
Troy Franklin #11, WR 2024 (6’3, 178)
Bo Nix has looked much better for Oregon than he did at Auburn, but the player I’m most intrigued by is wide receiver Troy Franklin. At 6’3”, he has good size and shows great ability to go up and get the ball in the air.
I’d like to see Franklin add a little bit of weight, but he’s certainly got my attention, and I’ll be monitoring him going forward.
#20 Texas @ #11 Oklahoma State
Saturday, 10/22 | 3:30 PM ET, ABC
#20 Texas
Bijan Robinson #5, RB 2023 (6’0, 220)
There’s not much that needs to be said about Bijan Robinson. He’s really good, and he’s all but locked up the 1.01 in non-Superflex drafts. Bijan ran for 135 yards and a score last week. He has put up over 100 yards rushing in 5 straight games now. There’s not much more Bijan can do, and he should easily be the top non-QB pick in all formats.
Xavier Worthy #8, WR 2024 (6’1, 163)
Sophomore wide receiver Xavier Worthy is the other Texas player I’ll mention. Worthy has scored six touchdowns in his last four games. I would say the biggest concern about him is his frame. But we’ve seen players on the more slender side have success in the NFL. I’ve been a big fan of Worthy and still am.
#11 Oklahoma State
Spencer Sanders #3, QB 2023 (6’1, 190)
The main player to watch for Oklahoma State is their senior quarterback, Spencer Sanders. He has always been a player that seems to flash every one of the tools NFL teams look for, but rarely all together and never for any real length of time. This year Sanders has looked good, and he’s been putting up big numbers. I don’t think he has too much of an NFL future, but he’ll be the key for OSU in this game.
Purdue @ Wisconsin
Saturday, 10/22 | 3:30 PM ET, ESPN
Purdue
Charlie Jones #15, WR 2023 (6’0, 188)
There are two players that we will likely see heavily involved in the Purdue offense. First, we have wide receiver Charlie Jones. He is coming into this game a little banged up but also off of a monster game against Nebraska. He caught 12 passes for 132 yards receiving and 2 scores. Charlie Jones should once again be heavily involved this week against Wisconsin.
Payne Durham #87, TE 2023 (6’5, 255)
The other player I’ll be watching is tight end Payne Durham. After starting slow, Durham has come on strong of late. He certainly has the size to play at the next level. If he plays well the rest of the year and can show above-average athleticism, Durham could end up being a mid-round draft pick.
Wisconsin
Braelon Allen #0, RB 2024 (6’2, 235)
The player for Wisconsin to know is still Braelon Allen. He’s vying for the RB2 spot in the 2024 class, and this game will likely be a determining factor in where he ends up. Allen’s stock has dropped a bit this year, but I still believe. I expect him to have a big game.
#24 Mississippi State @ #6 Alabama
Saturday, 10/22 | 7:00 PM ET, ESPN
#24 Mississippi State
Will Rogers #2, QB 2023 (6’2, 210)
When the Bulldogs have the ball, we will see Will Rogers slinging the ball all over the field. We know Mike Leach’s offenses are conducive to massive passing numbers, and this one is no different. Rogers has distributed the ball all over the field, and I expect to see him do more of the same against Alabama this week. Whether he’ll be successful or not is another question.
#6 Alabama
Bryce Young #9, QB 2023 (6’0, 194)
Despite losing on the final play of the game last week against Tennessee, Bryce Young put up a big statistical game. Young is my QB1 and has been all along. However, there is plenty of time to debate Young vs. Stroud in the next few months. The bottom line for me is that they are both outstanding quarterbacks.
Jahmyr Gibbs #1, RB 2023 (5’11, 210)
Gibbs is the other player I’ll be watching. He has been much more heavily relied upon with the injury to Young and has stepped his game up. I think Gibbs is a very good running back, and I have seen many people rank him as high as RB2. I think he’s in the discussion, but I still have him as my RB3 behind Bijan and Tank Bigsby. But, with his receiving ability and what he’s shown of late running the ball, I may move him up a spot.
Minnesota @ #16 Penn State
Saturday, 10/22 | 7:30 PM ET, ABC
Minnesota
Mohamed Ibrahim #24, RB 2023 (5’10, 210)
The player to know for Minnesota is their senior running back, Mohamed Ibrahim. He’s had quite a tumultuous career for the Gophers but has continually fought his way back onto the field. I’m not sure how the NFL will view him with his injury history, but Ibrahim is someone I’ll be rooting for.
#16 Penn State
Nicholas Singleton #10, RB 2025 (6’0, 219)
The best prospect on Penn State’s roster is freshman running back Nicholas Singleton. He’s been getting the lion’s share of a crowded backfield and is easily the most talented runner. Singleton was the top-ranked RB in the 2022 recruiting class and has looked well deserving of that ranking. The biggest problem with Singleton is that we have to wait until 2025 at the earliest to see him in the NFL.
#17 Kansas State @ #7 TCU
Saturday, 10/22 | 8:00 PM ET, FS1
#17 Kansas State
Deuce Vaughn #22, RB 2023 (5’6, 176)
Deuce Vaughn is the player to watch for Kansas State. At 5’6 and 176 lbs, Vaughn looks like a pinball bouncing all over the field. It’s hard to say what Vaughn will or could be at the NFL level, but all he’s done in his career is produce. He can be effective as both a runner and receiver and is dynamic with the ball in his hands.
#7 TCU
Quinten Johnston #1, WR 2023 (6’4, 215)
TCU has two players that interest me. First and foremost, I’ll be watching Quinten Johnston. He has had back-to-back strong games for TCU and is finally showing off some of the physical tools that made him so intriguing. It’s easy to see the upside with Johnston, but he’ll need to keep up the production if he’s going to recoup some of his draft value.
Kendre Miller #33, RB 2023 (6’0, 220)
The other player on this roster that I’ll be watching this week is Kendre Miller. Miller has looked good this season. I expect him to once again be heavily involved against Kansas State. While I’m not sure how high-up draft boards he will make it, Miller is someone I’m monitoring. I would say he’s still a day 3 NFL guy right now, but trending upwards.
That’s it for this week’s games. As I previously mentioned, if there is anyone you’d like me to take a look at or want to share your thoughts on anything dynasty related, hit me up on Twitter ( @THEtristancook ). Also, check out the tape on some of these guys in the Dynasty Nerds Film Room. It’s an amazing tool that I plan to take full advantage of. You can use the code “tcook” for 15% off a membership of any kind!