With Week 8 here we are at the midway point of the 2021 college football season. There is still plenty to play for as far as draft prospects are concerned though. Here are five names you should keep a close eye on this weekend.
Sean Rhyan – OT, UCLA (6-5, 320, Junior)
Rhyan is one of the tackles to keep a close eye on throughout the rest of the season. He possesses the size and length teams look for in an offensive tackle and pairs this with a refined skillset. His hand usage is impressive and he pairs this with good body control and lower body strength. Rhyan also offers plenty of experience, starting for UCLA since Week 1 of his true freshman season. At the time of writing he has almost 1,000 pass blocking snaps to his name.
This weekend he has his toughest test of the season so far. The Bruins face off against Oregon and Rhyan will match up against Kavyon Thibodeaux. The last time these two met Rhyan did a good job of holding his own, allowing just one pressure all game. Entering this weekend he hasn’t allowed a pressure in his last two games. Thibodeaux had 10 pressures in just the second half of his Week 7 matchup against Cal. I can’t wait to see which one wins the battle this weekend.
Malik Willis – QB, Liberty (6-1, 225, rs-Senior)
The race to be QB1 in the 2022 Draft is wide open and Willis has as good a chance as anyone. There has been a lot to like about his play this season. His biggest issues were accuracy and mechanics, and both look markedly better this season. That said, his sudden issue with turnovers has raised a few eyebrows. Willis didn’t throw a pick through the first five games of the season, but has since thrown three picks in each of his last two games.
This weekend’s game against North Texas isn’t the biggest of Liberty’s season, but will be vital for Willis to right the ship and get back to his best. As a prospect he presents a rare combination of arm talent and athletic ability that teams will love. He just needs to show that he can take better care of the football. Another performance like the ones we’ve seen in recent weeks could see his draft stock plummet.
Calvin Austin III – Memphis (5-9, 162, rs-Senior)
Few players can match Austin when it comes to his production. Since becoming a starter in 2020, he has averaged 105.8 receiving yards per game. In that period he has also put up 16.9 yards per reception and has scored 19 touchdowns. Austin has the speed to be a legitimate deep threat in the NFL, but is also an excellent underneath receiver. He has the vision and change of direction to create after the catch, with 26 forced missed tackles on 132 career receptions.
This weekend Memphis come up against UCF in what should be a very close contest. You can expect Austin to play a key role in the Tigers’ offense. If he can continue to produce at such a high level he definitely will find himself rising up draft boards. Whilst NFL teams are likely to have some concerns about his size, there is no doubting his playmaking potential.
Isaiah Foskey – EDGE, Notre Dame (6-5, 260, Junior)
After playing occasionally throughout his first two seasons, Foskey has established himself as a starter this year. He has made an immediate impact and has already racked up 19 pressures and six sacks on just 153 pass rushing snaps. Foskey has the ideal edge rusher frame and pairs it with legitimate athletic ability. He played tight end in high school and Notre Dame have even employed him as an off-ball linebacker on occasion. This is despite him standing at 6’5″ and 260 lbs.
Foskey is still developing his technique as a pass rusher, but there is a lot to like already. This weekend he faces a USC offensive line who have had some issues in pass protection this season. A big performance in a rivalry game such as this would help to put Foskey’s name on many peoples’ draft radar. He isn’t going to be one of the top edges in this year’s class, but if he continues like he is, he could be an intriguing upside option on Day 2.
Mike Jones – LB, LSU (6-2, 234, rs-Junior)
Jones surprised many with his decision to transfer from Clemson last summer. He had established a reputation as an excellent coverage linebacker, but played mainly as the overhang in Clemson’s defense. He expressed a desire to play a more traditional inside linebacker role and transferred to LSU to fulfil that desire. It is safe to say that so far it hasn’t really worked out. Jones has been in and out of the lineup. In three of his games this year he has played two or fewer snaps.
It is therefore difficult to predict how much he will feature against Ole Miss this weekend. If he does play, this should be a great test. Matt Corral and the Rebels offense have been excellent this season and LSU will need players like Jones to limit the passing attack of Ole Miss. If he doesn’t feature, questions will begin being asked about his NFL prospects. There is a lot to like about him as a player, but if he can’t see the field on a poor LSU defense he doesn’t have much chance of doing so at the next level.
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