19 NFL draft prospects you should watch during bowl season

Thinking of watching bowl games with an eye towards the draft? Here are 19 players to watch.

With bowl season right around the corner, and the drive to the NFL playoffs heating up, there will be a tremendous amount of football to watch over the next few weeks.

But for fans of some NFL teams, playoff aspirations have given way towards watching how the draft order is shaking out each week, and pouring through every mock draft to see if help can arrive next season.

After all, the NFL draft is just that: Packaged hope. The hope that next year will truly be the year, and that just a few additions over the offseason, and in the draft, will make all the different in the world.

If that sounds like you dear reader, then you might want this. A list of the 19 draft prospects to watch this bowl season. If you need to know when these game are, as well as how watchable they are, we have you covered there as well.

C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Georgia

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Here we go again.

While C.J. Stroud’s tremendous season ended with personal accomplishments, such as being named a Heisman semifinalist for the second-straight year, he faces questions about his NFL future. Losses to Michigan the past two years, coupled with the recent success — or lack thereof — of Ohio State quarterbacks at the next level has brought doubters to the fold.

Doubters he can silence with a quality performance against one of the best defenses in the game.

Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Ohio State

One of the problems C.J. Stroud will need to navigate? The presence of Jalen Carter in the interior of the Georgia defense. Carter plays all over the defensive front for Kirby Smart, and combines power with quickness, making him a difficult combination to slow down. Carter is perhaps the top interior defensive lineman in the draft, and a name to watch for the top of the draft. Right now Carter is a constant fixture inside the top five of mock drafts, but could he solidify that with a strong performance during bowl season?

Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Ohio State

Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

If Stroud is able to navigate Carter inside the pocket, his job is not done. He’ll also have to stare down one of the top cornerback prospects in the next draft, Georgia CB Kelee Ringo. South Carolina’s Cam Smith has moved up draft boards with his play this season, but Ringo began the year atop many cornerback lists, thanks to his play last season for the Bulldogs. He is a scheme-diverse cornerback, with the ability to play in press-man, but also the skills to play in off coverages. Plus, if he gets matched up against Marvin Harrison Jr., that will be must-watch television.

Quintin Johnson, WR, TCU
CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl vs. Michigan

The other semifinal game offers some draft prospects to watch as well, but TCU WR Quintin Johnson probably tops the list. He fits the mold of a true X receiver, with the combination of size, speed, and strength at the catch point to cause problems for NFL defenses. Johnson also has the short-area quickness and route-running skills to fit in any offensive system.

Note: As we transition out of the playoff games, there is a chance the following players decide to opt-out before their bowl games, and after publication.

Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Tulane

Last season with Pittsburgh, Jordan Addison helped Kenny Pickett become a first-round pick. This year, Addison transferred to USC and helped Caleb Williams become a Heisman Trophy winner.

Now an NFL franchise might wonder what he can do for them next year.

While Addison did not produce at the same level this season as he did with Pittsburgh, catching 59 passes for 875 yards and 8 touchdowns, the traits are still there. He is a quick, shifty receiver with strong hands and the ability to separate at all levels of the field.

Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Cheez-It Bowl vs. Oklahoma

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Albany transfer Jared Verse put together a tremendous season for Florida State, rocketing himself up draft boards at the EDGE position. Verse tallied 7.5 sacks for the Seminoles this year, and it did not take long for him to have an impact in Tallahassee. In his first game this year, against LSU, Verse recorded a pair of sacks along with seven charted pressures, showing the disruptive ability NFL coaches covet.

Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mississippi State

Illinois put together a run this season that placed them on the cusp of a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. While they faded down the stretch, it was one of their best seasons in years, and their defense played a huge role. Part of that defense? Cornerback Devon Witherspoon. who recorded a career-best three interceptions this year. Witherspoon is a true man coverage cornerback, with the ability to match routes, change directions quickly, and lock down one side of the field for a defense.

Felix Anduike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
Allstate Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama

If you watched the Big-12 Championship game, you likely saw pass rusher Felix Anduike-Uzomah in the TCU backfield early and often. With good reason. While Anduike-Uzomah did not match the 11 sacks he posted a season ago, his 8.5 sacks this year — combined with the pressure he put on opposing passers and the traits he brings to the table — makes him a player to watch for the NFL draft. He is a physical, athletic pass rusher with a motor that does not stop.

Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Minnesota

Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This game features a pair of talented running backs, in Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim and Sean Tucker from Syracuse. Ibrahim may still play against Syracuse, but has also accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl to showcase his draft stock.

Provided both players go, this game is worth watching for both running backs. We will focus on Tucker, who exploded on the college football season last year for the Orange. A year ago, Tucker racked up 1,496 yards on 246 carries, scoring 12 touchdowns. He added another 255 yards receiving, averaging over 12 yards per reception.

Tucker looks the part of a three-down back at the next level, with the vision and footwork to be a threat in the run game, but the track background to pose problems on routes to all levels of the field.

John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Syracuse

For years, the focus along the offensive lines when it came to the draft was on the edges. As NFL offenses looked to counter the talent that defenses would bring off the perimeter, teams looked to find tackles ready to handle life in the NFL.

However, there has been a shift the past few years, for a few different reasons. As defenses have started to focus on interior pressure as well, with mug looks and other interior pressure schemes, finding interior offensive linemen that can pass block has become critical. Second, talented defensive tackles have become problems for offenses, and interior pressure is very disruptive to the passing game. Finally, with offenses leaning into inside run concepts in recent years, such as Duo, adding talent on the inside has become more of a need.

That could be huge for John Michael Schmitz, the Minnesota center who has shown continual growth during his time on campus. Experienced and athletic, he could be a plug-and-play option as a rookie along many offensive lines.

Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. N.C. State

For reasons which we have already outlined, we remain mad at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Still, you should not hold that against Jaelyn Duncan, who right now is a fringe first-round prospect, according to current mock drafts. But that could change over the next few months, beginning with a strong performance against N.C. State in this game. Duncan has good footwork, lateral-movement skills, and technique for the position. Combine that with his size, and you have a potential cornerstone tackle at the next level.

Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic vs. USC

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Tulane’s is one of the best stories in college football. After an early season domination of Kansas State, Tulane is in the Cotton Bowl facing Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams, and Dorian Williams is a large reason why. The 6’2 225 pound senior is so good in space and his awareness in coverage is going to come in handy against a USC team that has athletes at every position. He’s more of a late round guy, but could rise up boards with a stellar performance.

Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs. Pittsburgh

This upcoming RB class is fun, and Charbonnet is another fun player in this class. His contact balance and burst is among the best in this RB class, and he has the versatility to be a factor in the run game and the passing game. “Bowling ball” gets thrown around a lot, but Charbonnet is truly a bowling ball, but a 28.2% broken tackle and missed tackle rate is truly being a bowling ball. Against Pitt, Charbonnet has a chance the fly up draft boards even higher than he was before.

Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, WR, Houston
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana

If you look up the definition of the word “electric” in the dictionary, you’ll find a photo of Tank Dell running away from defenders. The 5’10, 165 pound receiver finished second in the nation in receiving yards, third in catches and first in touchdown catches. Despite being a smaller receiver, Dell is lightning in a bottle who can make a big play at any time. He’s primarily a slot receiver at the next level, but just get him on the field and let him work.

A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs. Missouri

Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Perry is a big, physical outside target who wins by going over the top of defenders. His size and speed should give whoever is playing QB for Wake Forest an option downfield, and for fans who need outside speed, look for AT Perry when you’re watching football during bowl season.

O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Oregon State

ROAD. GRADER. That is who Torrence is. The transfer from UL Lafayette made an impact immediately, becoming the First-team AP All American at guard. His ability to play in a phone booth and root out defenders is what makes him the first guard in many people’s big board. If you’re looking for an offensive linemen, watch Torrence move people against their will.

Siaki Ika, NT, Baylor
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Air Force

Ika is a MASSIVE person at 6’4, and 358 pounds. He is the purest definition of a run stopper, and can change the math for teams in the run game. He’s not a finished product when it comes to affecting the passing game, but with the amount of teams that are looking for a guy to stop the run, they can find one in Ika. Seeing him go against Air Force should be a sight to behold.

Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. LSU

Very quietly, Charlie Jones almost won the triple crown for a receiver in college football. He was first in catches and yards, and third in touchdowns for a Purdue offense that leaned on him in the passing game. Jones just knows how to get open, simple and plain. The Iowa transfer has enough speed to stack defenders vertically and extremely sure hands (8 drops on 157 targets). He won’t be a Day One or maybe Day Two pick, but he’ll make a team extremely happy.

Note: After publication it was announced Jones is opting-out of the bowl game. But, you should still study his film? Perhaps his game against Penn State.

Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel vs. Washington State

Photo by Tyler Ingham/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

College football Twitter’s favorite QB is playing in his final bowl game, and what a ride it’s been for Haener. Haener is a fearless QB who can throw with accuracy and has the ability to hit passes in the intermediate area of the field. Haener will be headed to the Senior Bowl, and he should find a spot in the NFL as a backup, albeit a very fun backup.