If you’re new to this article, the goal is to provide you with the names of the top college prospects in nationally televised football games. It’s never too early to take a look forward. Who will be the sleepers of upcoming rookie drafts? Check back here every week as you get ready to watch each game.
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Feel free to reach out on Twitter (X) @THEtristancook if you have players you think deserve to be mentioned in next week’s article.
Stanford @ Syracuse
Friday, 9/20 | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN
Stanford
Elic Ayomanor | #13 | WR | 2025 | 6’2” | 210 lbs.
If you are like me, you spend most of your Friday nights watching football. If you’re watching this game, you’ll want to keep an eye out for big-bodied receiving options. The first of those two plays for Stanford: redshirt sophomore Elic Ayomanor. He burst onto the scene last year, hauling in 62 passes for 1,013 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
If his name sounds familiar, it’s because 13 of those catches, 294 of the yards, and 3 of the TDs came in an epic double-OT comeback win against Travis Hunter and Colorado in primetime. Ayomanor had a nice showing in the opener against TCU but was not called upon much against Cal Poly in Week 2. If he chooses to go pro after this season, I expect Ayomanor to be a mid-round draft pick.
Syracuse
Oronde Gadsden II | #19 | TE | 2025 | 6’5” | 236 lbs.
The other big-bodied receiving option to know is Syracuse’s Oronde Gadsden II. He had his 2023 season cut short due to injury, but has come out strong to start 2024. His 201 receiving yards on 13 receptions leads his team. Assuming he is able to avoid another serious injury, Gadsden has a real opportunity to be the TE1 in the 2025 class. I expect him to continue to be the focal point of this offense.
Marshall @ #3 Ohio State
Saturday, 9/21 | 12:00 PM ET | FOX
#3 Ohio State
TreVeyon Henderson | #32 | RB | 2025 | 5’10” | 208 lbs.
With all due respect to Marshall, I will mainly be focused on Ohio State players in this game. There has been a lot of uproar surrounding the running back hierarchy for the Buckeyes this season. Namely, if TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins is the RB1 in Columbus.
I have been a supporter of Henderson as the RB1 for Ohio State, as well as the RB1 in the 2025 class. I will admit; you can make a strong argument for several different players to hold the top spot. For now, I’m sticking with Henderson, but I’ll be watching closely to see how this plays throughout the season.
Quinshon Judkins | #1 | RB | 2025 | 6’0” | 219 lbs.
Quinshon Judkins is the other player in Ohio State’s backfield that is deserving of your attention. Many people have Judkins as the better draft prospect, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has Judkins as RB3 in his most recent positional rankings. The reality is that Judkins and Henderson are very different styles of running backs. It is going to greatly depend on what kind of scheme they get drafted into and what kind of role they are asked to play. I have Judkins a little lower (RB4) in this class, but with the number of talented RBs that will likely be drafted in April, that’s not a knock on Judkins.
Emeka Egbuka | #2 | WR | 2025 | 6’1” | 205 lbs.
The last 2025 draft-eligible player for OSU is Emeka Egbuka. He has had a relatively quiet start to the 2024 season, with only 9 catches for 149 receiving yards. However, my biggest concern with Egbuka is if he’ll make it through the entire season without missing time due to injury. His talent has never been a question—not a top-tier WR, but should be drafted on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. His role at the next level seems well-defined: a slot receiver that can step in on the first day and contribute. What I want to know is if he can stay healthy and test well. Egbuka is in my second tier of wideouts right now.
Jeremiah Smith | #4 | WR | 2027 | 6’3” | 215 lbs.
The last player to mention for the Buckeyes is their freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith. He’s been the most exciting player on the field for OSU so far, catching 11 passes for 211 yards and 3 TDs, including this 70-yarder against Western Michigan.
We have plenty of time to watch Smith grow as a prospect, but he’s going to be a player worth remembering.
#11 USC @ #18 Michigan
Saturday, 9/21 | 3:30 PM ET | CBS
#11 USC
Zachariah Branch | #1 | WR | 2026 | 5’10” | 175 lbs.
After an explosive freshman year for the Trojans, Zachariah Branch has come out a bit slow to start 2024. Through two games, he has a total of 8 catches for 75 yards and has yet to score. I expect to see Branch’s role grow as the USC offense finds its identity in a post-Caleb Williams world. Branch has at least one more season before he can turn pro. As a prospect, he has all of the physical skills that you look for in a dynamic playmaker, but needs to refine his craft as a receiver.
#18 Michigan
Donovan Edwards | #7 | RB | 2025 | 6’1” | 212 lbs.
On the other side, I’ll mainly be focused on Donovan Edwards when Michigan has the ball. He had his best game of the season last week, rushing for 82 yards and a score on 17 carries. It was an underwhelming performance on its own, and even worse, it came against Arkansas State. Edwards is looking like he’s going to be one of the biggest fallers from preseason to the NFL Draft if he doesn’t turn it around soon.
Colston Loveland | #18 | TE | 2025 | 6’5” | 245 lbs.
Colston Loveland is the other player to keep your eyes on when the Wolverines are on offense . Right now, he’s the odds-on favorite to be the first tight end taken in the NFL Draft. For dynasty players, his ceiling as a receiving weapon is probably a bit lower than some of the other TE prospects. However, he has enough talent that he should be on your radar in rookie drafts.
#12 Utah @ #14 Oklahoma State
Saturday, 9/21 | 4:00 PM ET | FOX
#12 Utah
Brandt Kuithe | #80 | TE | 2025 | 6’2” | 236 lbs.
One of the more unique prospects in this class is Utah’s Brandt Kuithe. He has been a dynamic receiving option for the Utes for quite some time. His first season in Salt Lake City was all the way back in 2018. Yes, you read that right. That means that 2024 is Kuithe’s 7th season in college. But, that’s not what makes him so unique. He plays tight end for the Utes, but at 6’2”, 236 pounds, he is quite undersized for the NFL. (The closest size comparison is Evan Engram at 6’3”, 240 lbs.) I think he could be a sneaky value if he ends up on a team that utilizes him well.
#14 Oklahoma State
Ollie Gordon II | #0 | RB | 2025 | 6’2” | 225 lbs.
Another week of college football means another week where Ollie Gordon II is the best player on the field. Unfortunately, it also means that there’s another week where Gordon struggled against an inferior opponent. He rushed for only 41 yards on 17 carries in this one: his worst game to date. If he doesn’t improve his play soon, he’ll be another name falling down draft boards.
#8 Miami @ South Florida
Saturday, 9/21 | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN
#8 Miami
Cam Ward | #1 | QB | 2025 | 6’2” | 223 lbs.
One player heading up draft boards is Miami’s Cam Ward. Through three weeks, there may not be a better quarterback in all of college football. His 11 touchdowns (1st) and 1,035 passing yards (2nd) are amongst the top in the country. The only blemish on his record this season is an interception in the opening week against the Florida Gators. Ward looks like he’s on the fast track to being a 1st round pick come April, and I am excited to follow along.
Xavier Restrepo | #7 | WR | 2025 | 5’10” | 198 lbs.
One of Ward’s top receiving options this year has been Xavier Restrepo. His 14 catches, 263 receiving yards, and 4 touchdownss lead the team. Restrepo is likely going to start as a slot receiver at the NFL level, and should excel. He is quick in and out of his breaks and shifty with the ball in his hands after the catch. If he goes to a team that likes to target the slot often, I’ll be very eager to draft Restrepo in rookie drafts.
Baylor @ Colorado
Saturday, 9/21 | 8:00 PM ET | FOX
Baylor
Michael Trigg | #1 | TE | 2025 | 6’4” | 246 lbs.
There aren’t many dynasty-relevant players on the Baylor side of the ball. However, the most intriguing name to know is Michael Trigg. If that sounds familiar, it’s because he’s bounced around the collegiate ranks for a few years now. Trigg has a long way to go to get back into dynasty-relevant draft discussions. However, he once was a highly-touted prospect so he’s worth monitoring as he seems to be a consistent part of the Baylor offense.
Colorado
Shedeur Sanders | #2 | QB | 2025 | 6’2” | 215 lbs.
On the other side of the ball, Sanders is still my QB1 in the class. He had a nice bounce-back performance against Colorado State last week on the road, throwing for 310 yards and 4 TDs while completing 73.5% of his passes. There are some people that are down on Sanders as a prospect, but barring a major shift, it will likely be either Sanders or Georgia’s Carson Beck that hears his name as the first QB taken.
Travis Hunter | #12 | WR | CB | 2025 | 6’1” | 185 lbs.
If you haven’t heard of Travis Hunter by this point, you probably haven’t turned on a TV in the last 2 years or read last week’s Prospects to Watch. Hunter has held the top spot in my receiver rankings and nothing has changed that.
Not only is there a good argument to be made that he’s the best receiver in college football, but he looks like the best player in the entire country. He continued his strong season last week with 13 more catches, 100 more receiving yards, and 2 additional TDs. He also intercepted this pass that helped put the game on ice for the Buffs.
The only question that remains for Hunter is how he’ll be utilized at the NFL level. I understand there’s some apprehension, but thankfully we should know by the time rookie drafts come around next summer. In the meantime, we can enjoy watching him dominate on both sides of the ball.
Portland State @ Boise State
Saturday, 9/21 | 9:45 PM ET | FS1
Boise State
Ashton Jeanty | #1 | RB | 2025 | 6’0” | 210 lbs.
Staying up late to watch Portland State take on Boise State may not sound like the most exciting endeavor. However, getting an opportunity to watch Ashton Jeanty play football is one that shouldn’t be missed. If you aren’t familiar with his game, now is the time to catch up.
Jeanty exploded for 6 touchdowns and 267 rushing yards against Georgia Southern in Week 1. He then backed it up in Week 2 on the road against Oregon to the tune of 192 yards and 3 more TDs in a near-upset. Assuming he tests well leading up to the draft, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s the first running back off the board.
