While the 2026 NFL Draft is still far off in the distance, players that will be drafted early are on the field now. Each week presents unique matchups for draft prospects and this week is no different. Here are NFL Draft prospects to watch in college football week 4.
Utah has had a nice start to the season, as they are 3-0 with the offense shining. They have one of the best offensive lines in the country, which Spencer Fano leads. Fano is an All-American who has played well this season already. He will now be going up against Texas Tech, who has a good defensive line.
Fano has good frame at 6-foot-6, but needs to fill out his frame a little better. He has experience at both tackle spots and has proven to be a good run blocker. Fano has good awareness, recognizing pressure, but he also has a good motor. He can lunge too much, can anchor better and needs to work on his hand placement, but all of those are fixable. Fano is projected to be a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Texas Tech is 3-0 behind plenty of transfers making an impact. The defense has made an early impact, including David Bailey, who has started off hot. He has registered five total tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Bailey will have a chance to really boost his stock against a good Utah offensive line.
He is an undersized edge rusher at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, but he has a quick first step at the snap. Bailey can speed rush and bend around the edge. He has a few nice pass-rush moves, including a ghost move and a quick spin move. Bailey needs to have more of a pass rush plan and could be more consistent against the run. He is currently projected to be a first or second round pick.
Auburn has played well to start the season with a 3-0 record. They have plenty of talent on the roster, specifically on defense. Faulk has played well with eight tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. He will now go up against Oklahoma, a team that sports a good offense so far this season.
At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, Faulk is a big edge rusher with good length. He sets the edge well and plays good run defense. Faulk can rush from inside and has good hand usage. He is sometimes used on a three-man defensive line making him a little bit of a tweener. Faulk can add more pass rush moves to his game to stay as and edge rusher, but could have more upside adding weight and playing inside, or at least rushing from there. He is currently projected to be a first round pick.
Oklahoma has started the season well at 3-0 with a big win over Michigan. The offense has been impressive with quarterback John Mateer leading the way. He has passed for 944 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions on 67.6 percent completion. Mateer has also rushed for 161 yards and four touchdowns. His first big SEC game will be this weekend against Auburn.
Mateer is a shorter quarterback at 6-foot-1, but has a well-built frame at 224 pounds. He is a good dual-threat, throwing with anticipation, but also showing his athleticism with his legs. Mateer has solid accuracy and can throw well on the run. He has solid arm talent. Mateer can improve his ability to read the field better and get rid of the ball instead of forcing things. He can also improve his ball placement, which sometimes falters as he uses different arm angles to make his throws. Mateer is currently projected to be a day two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Illinois is 3-0 with a decent win over Duke, but for the most part, they have not been tested. Their defense has stepped up in a lot of ways with Gabe Jacas providing an impact player. He has eight total tackles, four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. Jacas will have to be at his best as the Illini play a good offense in Indiana.
Jacas is a shorter edger at 6-foot-3, but he has a filled-out frame at 270 pounds. He could have issues with his lack of length and flexibility, but he can improve his pass rush moves to add more to his game. Jacas is a good athlete for his size and can get a solid jump at the snap of the ball. He has good, violent hands that help him shed and he can set the edge against the run. His sack production is a product of his motor, athleticism and strength, but he did well with eight sacks in 2024. He is currently projected to be a day two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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