While the 2022 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 8.
McCall has led the Chanticleers to an undefeated record after a very impressive 2020 season when he was a freshman. So far this season, McCall has passed for 1,478 yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception on 79.8 percent completion. His play has not only helped the Chanticleers win games, but has also helped them have one of the best offenses in the country.
He will have the spotlight on him when Coastal Carolina plays on Wednesday against Appalachian State. The Mountaineers will be one of the best defenses McCall will play the rest of the season. He has shown his accuracy and his mobility throughout the last two seasons. In a quarterback class that isn’t the greatest (to say the least), McCall has a chance to really improve his stock in this game.
Pittsburgh is surprisingly 5-1 and ranked through six games this season. One of the main reasons for this is the improvement of quarterback Kenny Pickett. Pickett has developed over his time at Pittsburgh and now leads an offense that scores more than 40 points per game. He has passed for 1,934 yards, 21 touchdowns and one interception on 69.8 percent completion this year.
It will be a tough test this weekend for Pickett, who is going up against a strong Clemson defense. If he can move the ball against Clemson, it will help his already rising draft stock. He has come a long way from the 2018 ACC Championship when he finished just eight passing yards. Now, he could keep on moving up in a draft class that hasn’t seen many quarterbacks solidify their stock.
Fresno State has a 4-2 record, but are still in play in the Mountain West. Quarterback Jake Haener started off the season hot, but has cooled off some. He will want to get back on track after passing for just 96 yards against Wyoming. In all, Haener has passed for 2,326 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions on 67.8 percent completion this season.
The Bulldogs will have one of their biggest games of the season against Nevada this weekend. Haener will not only be going up against a quality team, but quite possibly the best quarterback in the draft class in Carson Strong. He’ll want to play well in this situation, as it will be a game where the ball is in the air a lot. Like so many other quarterbacks in this draft class, Haener is hoping for a strong finish to the season to see where his stock might end up.
Nevada has a high-powered offense and a lot of the headlines go to Carson Strong. Strong has been great, but he has a good receiver to throw to in Romeo Doubs. Doubs has had a solid season with 26 receptions for 387 yards and two touchdowns.
His ability to beat defenders deep is his main calling card. He is averaging 14.9 yards per reception this year and 17.3 last season. He’ll need to have a big game to help Nevada beat a tough Fresno State team. Eyes will be on him this weekend with a light schedule for power conferences, so Doubs will want to play at his best.
Iowa State is 4-2, but still has chance to do some big things in the Big 12. They’ll need tight end, Charlie Kolar, to step up down the stretch to help them out. So far this season, Kolar has 21 receptions for 279 yards and two touchdowns.
Kolar has been on NFL Draft radars for a while now, but he does have some athletic limitations. Even with those, he has the capability to play well down the stretch to help his stock. Currently, he is a mid-round prospect who has some work to do.
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