College football is back with a Labor Day weekend marathon of games running from Thursday though Monday night.

Not only are area scouts out on the road again, but with no NFL games, plenty of general managers and personnel directors also will be on college campuses over the opening weekend. Here are 10 games that will have the eyes of the NFL:

10. Miami (Ohio) at Miami (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

This will be the fourth all-time meeting of the Miami programs (and the first since 1987), as the Hurricanes look to improve to 4-0 in the series. The visiting RedHawks don’t have a “lock” draft pick in the 2024 class, though cornerback Nolan Johnson and pass rusher Corey Suttle are two senior prospects on my radar as potential undrafted free agents.

The main reason NFL scouts will be watching this game is to see the young, promising talent on the Hurricanes. A pair of Miami players made my initial top 50 draft board: safety Kamren Kinchens (No. 27 overall) and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III (No. 34). Kinchens has range and ball skills, but does he have the legit NFL speed to be a top-30 pick? Taylor can win quickly and wreak havoc, but can he be a more consistent presence?

Among the seniors, defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor jumped off the film while I was scouting Taylor and looks like a deserving draft pick. The additions of guard Javion Cohen (Alabama) and center Matt Lee (UCF) will bring stability to the Hurricanes’ offensive line and could ultimately help both players get drafted.

Also, how will quarterback Tyler Van Dyke respond in Year 3 as a starter after a disappointing 2022 performance?

Washington went from four wins in 2021 to 11 last season, mainly because of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who ranked No. 1 in the FBS in both passing yards per game (357.0) and total offense (364.1). Despite the production, though, evaluators still have questions about his transition to the next level. Feedback from multiple NFL scouts puts his draft projection currently in the third- to fifth-round range. We will see if Penix can change that narrative between now and April.

The Huskies prospects that NFL scouts like much more than Penix are receiver Rome Odunze (No. 45 in my preseason top 50), edge Bralen Trice (No. 47), receiver Jalen McMillan (a dependable size/speed pass catcher) and left tackle Troy Fautanu (who projects best at guard).

Boise State has had at least one draft pick every year since 2010, but that streak will be in jeopardy next April. The Broncos’ top senior prospect is running back George Holani, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry and is considered a potential late-rounder.

8. Florida at Utah (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Utah is looking for payback after losing its opener to Florida last season in Gainesville. As usual, the Utes are well stocked in the secondary, led by free safety Cole Bishop and cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn — both are redshirt juniors and future NFL draft picks.

Florida boasts one of the best pass rushers in the SEC, senior edge Princely Umanmielen. Any time he faces Utah senior right tackle Sataoa Laumea on Thursday night, scouts will be watching closely. Laumea, who might be better as a guard in the NFL, is an athletic mover with a stiff punch and brings 32 career starts into this game.

The Gators don’t have an Anthony Richardson-type prospect to get overly excited about, but there are several players on defense worth tracking. In the secondary, junior corner Jason Marshall Jr. has the talent to put himself in the early-round mix and junior safety R.J. Moten should be one of the SEC’s top newcomers following his transfer from Michigan. Moten will be the key to slowing down Utah’s tight end tandem of Brant Kuithe and Thomas Yassmin — potential Day 3 draft picks next spring.

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7. West Virginia at Penn State (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Only two college programs placed three players in the top 15 on my preseason board: Alabama and Penn State.

With his strength, smarts and movement control, left tackle Olu Fashanu would have been OT1 in this past draft and could start in the NFL today. Though undersized, cornerback Kalen King has the athletic traits and competitive energy that NFL teams covet at the position. And edge Chop Robinson is a bendy, explosive pass rusher who will give blockers trouble. Also, keep an eye out for Nittany Lions tight end Theo Johnson and linebacker Curtis Jacobs. They’re average on-field producers, but both are expected to test off the charts.

For West Virginia, guard/center Zach Frazier enters the season as my top-ranked senior center prospect. I was pleasantly surprised with what defensive lineman Sean Martin put on film last season, too. He would be selected on Day 3 if the draft happened tomorrow.

6. Virginia at Tennessee (Saturday, noon ET, ABC)

The scouting opinions on Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton have been all over the map among NFL teams this summer, which makes him one of the most interesting prospects in the country. At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds with a hose for an arm and plus athletic traits, Milton has tantalizing tools. But in his five seasons at the college level, he has been unable to lock down a starting job.

Will he put it all together in 2023? Maybe. Milton looked terrific in last year’s bowl game, and Josh Heupel’s passing scheme will certainly help him. If he can put together any type of consistency in 2023 — starting with this game against an average Virginia defense — there will be an NFL team that bets on his tools in the top 100.

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Virginia is pretty light when it comes to 2024 NFL prospects (linebacker Chico Bennett Jr. has my attention), but Tennessee will again be a regular stop this fall for NFL scouts — and not just for Milton. With his size and athleticism, receiver Bru McCoy is a potential top-100 pick himself. The Volunteers won’t have another top-10 pick like Darnell Wright on the offensive line, but there are several prospects with draftable grades: left tackle John Campbell Jr., right tackle Gerald Mincey and guard Cooper Mays.

I have also heard plenty of buzz about Tennessee’s secondary. Senior defensive backs like Kamal Hadden, Warren Burrell, Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Tamarion McDonald all have come up as possible draft picks in conversation with scouts.

5. Ohio State at Indiana (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)

I could easily spill a few thousand words on Ohio State’s long list of NFL prospects, but the Buckeyes are 30-point favorites versus the Hoosiers, so I’ll keep it concise. This is an interesting opener for evaluators because of Ohio State’s unproven quarterback situation and how it will affect the development of future top-five pick receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and projected first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka.

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I’m also interested to see what Ohio State’s defense looks like. It improved last season but still needs to be better for the program to get where it wants to go in 2023. The Buckeyes do boast one of the best defensive end tandems in the sport: edge J.T. Tuimoloau (No. 13 on my preseason board) and edge Jack Sawyer (No. 35). Will that duo live up to the expectations? Can cornerback Denzel Burke have a bounce-back season and rejoin the top-50 conversation? Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Lathan Ransom both have the talent to be picked in the top 75, but can they cut down on the number of explosive plays they allow?

Indiana, meanwhile, doesn’t have any draft locks, but there are two senior linebackers with a chance to hear their names called: Jacob Mangum-Farrar and Aaron Casey.

4. Toledo at Illinois (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network)

This is a low-key scout’s special on opening weekend. Illinois had three defensive players drafted within the first 66 picks last April, and the cupboard is still full in Champaign. Senior Jer’Zhan Newton starts the season as my DT1, with many around the league believing he will fit in the back half of Round 1.

I graded several other Illini defenders as draftable players, including lineman Keith Randolph Jr., edge Seth Coleman and corner Tahveon Nicholson. On offense for Bret Bielema’s squad, guard Isaiah Adams is a big, powerful blocker who’s currently projected as a mid-round prospect, and smallish receiver Isaiah Williams has a chance to be drafted late.

Toledo has a pair of senior prospects in the secondary worth the NFL’s attention. The No. 4 senior at his position in my summer rankings, cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has good size (just under 6-1) and ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.3s for scouts over the summer — he earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” for a reason. Rockets safety Maxen Hook isn’t as well known, but he has intriguing tools with the size (6-1, 207) and speed (4.45) of a future NFLer.

3. Clemson at Duke (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Duke junior quarterback Riley Leonard put himself on the NFL radar last season, and he debuted at No. 28 in my preseason top 50. After avoiding Clemson on the schedule last season, how will he fare against the Tigers’ dynamic defense in the opener?

The other Duke offensive player to watch in this matchup is left tackle Graham Barton, who looks like a solid Day 2 prospect. Most scouts project him moving inside to guard.

With 11 defenders drafted in the top 100 over the last five years, Clemson has a strong recent history of sending players to the NFL on that side of the ball. Junior cornerback Nate Wiggins (No. 12 overall) and linebacker Barrett Carter (No. 21) both appeared in the top half of my preseason draft board. Several others, like defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., just missed.

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There are multiple prospects in this matchup who will be drafted next April, including North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray (Day 2 projection) and South Carolina receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (arguably the top senior wideout in this class).

But this game is all about the quarterbacks. North Carolina redshirt sophomore Drake Maye would be the easy QB1 in most draft classes — and for some around the league, he might finish as 2024’s QB1 ahead of USC’s Caleb Williams. With a skill set that has similarities to Justin Herbert at Oregon, Maye ranked No. 2 in the FBS last season in total offense per game (358.5) and finished with 45 total touchdowns. How does he perform with a new play caller and system in 2023? Will there be any drop-off without wide receiver Josh Downs?

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For the Gamecocks, redshirt senior quarterback Spencer Rattler was once considered a future No. 1 pick contender, but his inconsistency at Oklahoma led him to transfer to South Carolina. His recklessness with the football followed him to Columbia early last season, too, but he finished strong with a 69.0 percent completion rate and a 13-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the final five games of 2022. The arm talent and body twitch are there for Rattler to push for top-100 status, but NFL scouts will be looking for improved consistency in his fifth college season.

1. LSU at Florida State (Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Considering the number of future NFL players on the field, it is appropriate that this game will be played on a Sunday.

Florida State had a top-10 offense last season and should be even better in 2023 as quarterback Jordan Travis makes his case to be a mid-round draft pick. At the skill positions, receiver Keon Coleman was No. 30 overall on my preseason board — more people and media are catching up on him — and Johnny Wilson is a receiver/tight end hybrid who received Day 2 draft grades from several NFL teams this summer. Trey Benson is one of the best running backs in the country because of his ability to break tackles, which could also land him in the top 100 picks.

On Florida State’s defense, the two main prospects to watch are on the defensive line. Senior edge Jared Verse quickly announced himself as one of the country’s best pass rushers last season after transferring from Albany of the FCS ranks. He passed up the first round for one more season in Tallahassee, and scouts are eager to see him face LSU sophomore tackle Will Campbell, who had an outstanding true freshman season and is a prospect to watch for 2025. Also keep an eye on Seminoles senior defensive tackle Fabien Lovett Sr., who is considered a mid-round prospect.

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For LSU, quarterback Jayden Daniels is an instinctive dual-threat weapon who showed improved command of the offense last season. He has fans in the scouting community who believe he can be drafted in the top four rounds if he has a strong final year in Baton Rouge.

It helps that he has talented weapons around him, starting with junior receiver Malik Nabers, who checked in at No. 14 on my preseason board. His acceleration and ball skills make him a tough target to defend. The other LSU receiver to watch closely is senior Kyren Lacy, who is ready to break out in his second season with the Tigers. He is a big-bodied, long target with the leaping skills to play above the rim and make plays over defensive backs.

This matchup also was supposed to be the triumphant return of LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear against Florida State last season. However, the future early-round pick will serve a one-game NCAA suspension for accepting improper benefits. (LSU even tried scheduling a Week 0 game so he could play in this one against the Seminoles).

The Tigers are always well stocked in the secondary, and that’s true again this season with draftable senior defensive backs Zy Alexander, Major Burns, Andre Sam and Greg Brooks Jr.

(Top photo of Riley Leonard: Peter Joneleit / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 

The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.





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