College Football Week 11 NFL Draft Preview

Week 11 of the college football season is here … which means that the season is coming to an end. As sad as that is, it is important to put aside your grief and instead focus on all the good games and great matchups to be watched between NFL draft prospects this weekend.

Carl Lawson, Edge Defender, Auburn: After battling through injury to start the season, Carl Lawson has emerged as one of the most dynamic defenders in the country since stepping on the field for Auburn. The athletic pass rusher had some incredibly nice play against Ole Miss’ stud left tackle, Laremy Tunsil. Lawson has another stiff test in the UGA offensive line on Saturday (12 PM on CBS) and will likely continue to put offensive linemen on skates. His name should be rising at an incredibly high rate after this week.

Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback, NC State: Bleeding Green Nation’s favorite quarterback is at it once again with another top team in the country. While Florida State may not be the defensive juggernaut that Clemson is this season, the Seminoles still have a lot of talent on that side of the ball. It will be imperative for Brissett to continue his strong play and if he plays like he did against Clemson again, the Wolfpack has a great shot at an upset (Saturday, 12:30 on ESPN3).

DJ Foster, Wide Receiver, Arizona State: During his time as a Sun Devil, DJ Foster has spent most of his time running the ball, but this season he was moved over to play wide receiver. The 6-1, 190 pounder is definitely built like a wide receiver and he has natural hands for the position, but his ability as a running back is still very present in how he plays the position. He has excellent burst, balance, agility and open field vision, which make him deadly after the catch. He would be an exciting multidimensional threat in the NFL. On Saturday, Foster will lead the Sun Devil offense against a stingy Washington Husky defense (3 PM on Pac-12 Network). Foster needs to show he can make an impact at wide out against a stronger defense to prove his development is on track.

Deon Bush, Safety, Miami: Miami has had a much maligned season, but they still have an incredibly talented player in their 6-1, 205 pound safety. Bush has every tool in the box and has a playmaking mentality. This could lead to big hits, forced fumbles and interceptions, but he has a propensity to also be too aggressive and overrun plays. He will need to play disciplined football against a UNC offense (Saturday, 3:30 on ESPNU) that is clicking in the passing and running game and features a bevy of weapons. Bush has to show he can play with more control against an athletic offense.

Chris Jones, Defensive Line, Mississippi State: Chris Jones can be as good as he wants to be. He has a tendency to loaf on some plays but when the 6-6, 300 pound lineman wants to play, he looks as good as any player in the country. Against Alabama (Saturday, 3:30 on CBS), Jones needs to play as close to his ceiling as possible because Alabama’s running game is kicking ass and taking names right now. Jones has every bit the potential of an NFL star and this would be a great game to show it.

Jason Spriggs, Offensive Tackle, Indiana: Another Bleeding Green Nation favorite, Spriggs has slowly ascended as an NFL tackle prospect since the beginning of the season. The super athletic, 6-8 tackle looks like a future franchise tackle, albeit with a few hitches in his technique. This week’s game against Michigan will prove to be incredibly important for Spriggs (Saturday, 3:30 on ABC). The Wolverine defense has been very strong all year and Spriggs will need to be on point to keep the Hoosier offense from stalling.

William Jackson, Cornerback, Houston: Houston is having itself an outstanding, undefeated season and that can be attributed, in part, to the outstanding play of their senior cornerback. The 6-2, 185 pounder has a great frame will long arms and he does an excellent job playing the ball in the air. He and the Cougars have their biggest game of the season upcoming against Paxton Lynch and the Memphis Tigers. The Memphis offense has been high flying for much of the season with great play from their quarterback and receivers. Jackson will need to get his ball hawk on to keep Memphis in check. This is an outstanding opportunity for Jackson to propel himself in the conversation for a top 50 pick.

Deforest Buckner, Defensive Line, Oregon: Deforest Buckner had a tremendous amount of hype coming into the season, but due to him being a bit overrated in the preseason and Oregon falling off the wagon this year, Buckner’s name has not been mentioned much. However, Buckner is still a very solid player who brings it against the run and can disrupt the passing game. His run defense will be a great asset against a cooking Stanford team (Saturday, 7:30 on Fox). He will need to get into the running game as much as possible and also try to disrupt against a physical Stanford offensive line. Oregon has a shot at the upset, but that will hinge on Buckner being a wrecking ball all night.

Zack Sanchez, Cornerback, Oklahoma: Sanchez is a skinny cornerback, but the six foot, 175 pounder has been a good college player in Norman for a while. Well, here comes Corey Coleman in all of his glory (Saturday, 8 PM on ABC) to ruin the days of cornerbacks everywhere. Sanchez will need to play the best game of his life to even think of containing Coleman. This will be a serious David versus Goliath type of situation and it could be fun to watch considering Sanchez’s propensity to play with a chip on his shoulder.

Desmond King, Cornerback, Iowa: Iowa the number five team in the country. I repeat: Iowa the number five team in the country. This is in big part to their 5-11, 200 pound, junior cornerback who has eight interceptions on the season, including a pick six. The ball-hawking corner has tremendous instincts, closing speed and ball skills and can even lay the hit when necessary. King is having a great season and can continue his stellar play against a strong Minnesota team (Saturday, 8 PM on BTN) to help Iowa (!!!!) stay undefeated.

Here’s to everyone having another outstanding weekend of college football and be sure to vote in the poll below on who should get a Scouting Report next…