It’s Week 10 and we have finally got all of the Power Five conferences playing football again. As a result there are plenty of 2021 prospects to keep an eye on this weekend. This list has a mix of players kicking off their 2020 season and those already in the thick of it. Here are some of the players to watch this weekend.
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Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah – LB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Clemson at Notre Dame is easily the biggest game of the weekend. There will be a bunch of great players on show and one of them will be Fighting Irish linebacker, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. His form so far this season has elevated him from a projected mid rounder to potential first round pick and a candidate for LB2 behind Micah Parsons. There will be few better tests than facing this Clemson offense, which even in the absence of Trevor Lawrence is full of talent.
Owusu-Koramoah is what you look for in a modern linebacker. He has excellent athleticism and sideline-to-sideline speed, with the versatility to play a variety of roles on defense. Notre Dame deploy him as a traditional linebacker, as well as being used heavily in the slot and as a pass-rusher off the edge. His burst and football intelligence make him a nightmare for opponents wherever he lines up.
This game will be the biggest test of his season. Clemson will be without Trevor Lawrence but if Notre Dame can get the win and Owusu-Koramoah can play well, he’ll do wonders for his draft stock. Keep a close eye on him in this one and how he handles Amari Rodgers if he is in the slot.
Samuel Cosmi – OT, Texas Longhorns
Cosmi is one of the players vying to be OT2 behind Penei Sewell in the 2021 class. If his start to the season is anything to go by he may have the best opportunity to get there. Right now he has a great chance to become the first Longhorn lineman taken in the first round since Mike Williams in 2002.
Cosmi is a seasoned pass-protector in the Longhorns offense, with 1,452 career pass-blocking snaps and counting. In that time he has allowed just six sacks and 47 total pressures and is on course for three straight years of 80+ PFF pass-blocking grades. You will be hard pressed to find a tackle prospect more athletic than Cosmi, who excels in space and moving up to the second level.
This weekend he faces a 4-2 West Virginia team whose defense ranks second in the nation in PFF defense grade. The last time these two teams faced, Cosmi famously scored a touchdown on a screen pass, and whilst a repeat of that is unlikely, a good performance will help to boost his draft stock.
Amon-Ra St. Brown – WR, USC Trojans
St. Brown and USC will kick off their season against Arizona State this weekend. This is a stacked wide receiver class but St. Brown has the potential to be a first round pick. Another year like 2019 where he racked up over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns will certainly help.
St. Brown is one of the better route runners in the 2021 class, with real polish and clean breaks in his routes. He is athletic too and forced 18 missed tackles on his 77 receptions last year, with 40 per cent of his total yardage coming after the catch. He is comfortable getting physical and has shown the ability to win in contested catch situations.
His target share should increase this season with Michael Pittman gone and it will be interesting to see what role he plays for USC. 84 per cent of his snaps came in the slot last season and adding some versatility as a boundary receiver would be a big bonus. If he can do that successfully then he’ll find himself as a first rounder in April.
Kardarius Toney – WR, Florida Gators
The Gators have gotten off to a good start so far, with Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts both attracting first round hype. Another name to keep a close eye on is Kardarius Toney, who has looked absolutely excellent over the past few weeks. Through four games he has almost 300 yards and six touchdowns, with a passer rating when targeted of 133.2.
This is Toney’s first season as a starter and he has flourished with the increased responsibility it brings. This year he has already managed 22 catches, more than double the number he had in the entirety of 2019. He was previously used as a gadget player on sweeps and reverses, but has shown that he can handle a more diverse workload. He is excellent after the catch too, with 24 forced missed tackles on 32 receptions since the start of last season.
This weekend the Gators face Georgia and Toney will be coming up against several highly-touted cornerback prospects, including Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell. If he can help Florida secure a good result and can continue to perform against top competition he could start entering the conversation as a day two pick.
