It’s Week 6 of the college football season and there are some exciting matchups on offer. Seeing how 2023 Draft propsects perform on the biggest stages is a crucial part of their evaluation and these are five players you should be watching closely this weekend.
Andre Carter – EDGE, Army (6-7, 260, Senior)
It’s not every day that you find yourself talking about an Army player as a draft prospect. After all, the Black Knights haven’t had a player drafted since 2008. What’s more, they haven’t had a player drafted in the first round since 1947. Carter will surely break that first streak, and he could certainly break the second too. Since becoming a starter in 2021 he has been one of the most productive pass rushers in football, with 67 pressures on 369 pass rushing snaps.
He ticks plenty of boxes in terms of measurables too. Carter stands at 6’7″ and 260 lbs, which obviously projects well to the NFL. He is also an outstanding athlete, with the short area quickness to test tackles around the edge and the smooth hips to drop back into coverage. This weekend he has his biggest test of the season so far against the high-powered passing attack of Wake Forest.
Quentin Johnston – WR, TCU (6-4, 215, Junior)
There are a number of naming vying to be the WR1 in the 2023 class, and Johnston is firmly amongst that group. He was a top 100 recruit in the 2020 class, earning 11 offers out of high school. Since landing at TCU he has earned a reputation as a big play threat, averaging an impressive 18 yards per reception. At 6’4″ and 215 lbs he also has ideal size to transition to an X receiver role at the NFL level.
NFL teams will love the combination of speed and size that Johnston offers, which gives him the ability to win at every level of the field. His hands are great too and he has flashed some great body control to make spectacular grabs at the catch point. Johnston’s production has been underwhelming this season to say the least, with just 12 catches for 114 yards. This weekend he faces an in-form Kansas team and will be hoping he can get back on track with a big game.
DeMarvion Overshown – LB, Texas (6-4, 220, rs-Senior)
It is the Red River Rivalry this weekend as we watch Texas kick off against arch-rivals Oklahoma. That is enough of a reason to watch the game already, but if you are tuning in then you should keep a close eye on the Longhorns linebacker. Overshown was a highly recruited safety prospect out of high school, ranking as the No. 52 overall player in the 2018 class. He transitioned to linebacker in 2020 and has been a starter for the team ever since.
It’s easy to see why Overshown earned 26 offers from all of the blue blood programs in college football. He is an excellent athlete, with outstanding explosiveness and twitch. He has shown flashes of potential in coverage, with 13 forced incompletions throughout his career. Overshown also adds value as a blitzer, with 39 pressures on just 156 career pass rushing snaps. A big game on the biggest of stages will no doubt help his draft stock.
Zach Charbonnet – RB, UCLA (6-1, 220, Senior)
2023 looks set to be a stacked running back class and Charbonnet is one of the names you need to be keeping an eye on. The former Michigan Wolverine transferred to the Bruins ahead of the 2021 season and has been a key part of their offense ever since. Over the last two seasons he has averaged an impressive 5.8 yards per carry. He is capable of making defenders miss in space too, with an outstanding 90 forced missed tackles on his 268 attempts at UCLA.
Charbonnet’s big selling point is his combination of size and quicks. In many ways his playstyle is reminiscent of Arian Foster, in that he can run past you and through you. Charbonnet has also shown himself to be a solid receiver out of the backfield too. This weekend he faces a good Utah team that has had some issues against the run. They rank 80th in the FBS in EPA allowed per rush, so Charbonnet could be in for a big day.
Peter Skoronski – OT, Northwestern (6-4, 315, Junior)
Skoronski is a name you can expect to hear a lot about as we move towards draft season. He was initially recruited to Northwestern as a center, before being forced into left tackle duties as a true freshman after Rashawn Slater opted out in 2020. To say he exceeded expectations would be an understatement. Skoronski earned All-Conference honours as a true freshman, and then again as a sophomore in 2021. Judging by his form this season it looks likely he’ll do it a third time.
There’s a lot to like about his game when projecting to the next level. He is excellent in pass protection, having allowed just two pressures on his 241 pass blocking snaps this season. His hand technique is great too and he has the independent usage you want in a tackle prospect. The one question will be whether his length limitations result in a future at guard. This weekend he has a tough test against Wisconsin’s Nick Herbig. Herbig is a talented prospect in his own right, ranking sixth in true pass set win rate this season.
