The Week 8 matchups in college football provided several key proving grounds for some prominent NFL draft prospects for 2024. Some looked worthy, while others showed more potential flaws. It also was a weekend where a couple of unheralded players shone.
Here are some notes and observations from a busy scouting weekend.
Caleb Williams star continues to lose luster
Williams continues to flounder in the midseason doldrums. The USC quarterback failed to throw for a touchdown for the first time all season in a tough loss to Utah. Williams did run for a touchdown in the Trojans 34-32 loss.
The decision-making from Williams has been questionable. Against Utah, he continued to hold the ball too long on set routes and appeared antsy in the pocket. He makes things more difficult than they need to be too often, no unlike former Lincoln Riley QB and No. 1 overall pick, Baker Mayfield.
The Utes defense is a good one, well-coached and physical. They made life difficult for Williams, who now has two TD passes and three INTs in the last three weeks. He’s still showing off a great arm and mobility, but in the last month, Williams has not looked like the transcendent star and unanimous No. 1 overall pick in 2024.
J.T. Tuimoloau v. Olu Fashanu did not disappoint
The much-hyped matchup between Ohio State pass rusher J.T. Tuimoloau and Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu lived up to the billing. Well, it did for Tuimoloau.
Strong and quick, Tuimoloau recorded one sack, five QB pressures and two hits on Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar. He also forced an errant throw with a hit on Allar’s arm as he threw. Most of that production (though not the sack) came against Fashanu, a consensus top-10 overall pick.
It was not a great game for Fashanu, though he still showed considerable NFL talent. Tuimoloau caught him being too upright in his pass protection set a few times. That’s a recurring theme for the Penn State prospect, one that doesn’t seem to get much attention. Not many pass rushers can go speed-to-power in the way Tuimoloau did against him, so Fashanu gets away with playing too high and losing leverage against power. It’s something to keep watching.
Another McCaffrey?!?
Yes, there is another McCaffrey who has a chance to play in the NFL. Luke McCaffrey showed legit NFL skills in Rice’s blowout win in Tulsa last Thursday night.
McCaffrey hauled in six passes for 99 yards and a touchdown for the Owls. He’s built like his dad, Ed, who played wide receiver in the NFL for years — long-armed and slender but strong for his build. He runs NFL-style routes with precision and purpose. The young McCaffrey caught three balls well away from his frame, extending out and broadening his catch radius. The YAC that you would expect from Christian’s little brother was evident with Luke McCaffrey too.
Already well on the radar of the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl, McCaffrey has turned in an impressive senior season in Houston. Owls QB JT Daniels looked great in the Rice win over Tulsa, too; he’s going to get consideration from postseason showcases too, even after an uneven, well-traveled college career.
J.J. McCarthy keeps moving up
Michigan’s quarterback continues to look like a viable top-20 overall prospect. His latest performance was darn near flawless from a scouting perspective.
McCarthy completed 21-of-27 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns in the Wolverines’ 49-0 rout of rival Michigan State in Spartan Stadium. The 6-foot-3 signal-caller made accurate, decisive throws to all levels of the defense, just as he’s done for the entirety of the Big Ten conference schedule.
One big area of progress for McCarthy is his throwing accuracy on the move. He’s always had the arm; now he’s consistently showing he can reset his platform and throw strikes outside the pocket. His eye discipline and decision-making are as good as any draft-eligible QB right now.
Quick hits
–Got my first look (beyond highlight clips) at the nation’s sack leader, Jalen Green of James Madison. He bagged five of his 13 sacks on the season in JMU’s 20-9 win over Marshall. He’s smallish at 6-foot-1 but lightning quick. His initial burst and his ability to dip and then corner is intriguing. Not sure Green will end up with a draftable grade, but he’s certainly someone to know going forward.
–I’m apparently quite a bit higher on Kansas State OL Cooper Beebe than many of my peers are. He reaffirmed why I like him so much in the Wildcats rout of TCU. Other than one pass protection rep where he got beaten off the line, Beebe was in firm control of his Horned Frogs blocking mark all game long. Beebe isn’t an elite athlete for a guard but his technique and shoulder strength should make him a Day 1 NFL starter, even if not a Day 1 draft pick.
–Didn’t see the game until Monday, but I wondered how in the world Virginia upset North Carolina. While it is disingenuous to blame QB Drake Maye, it wasn’t Maye’s best game, either. He wasn’t crisp with his delivery and missed some reads that he’s been a lot better at seeing in other games. Throwing to his right remains a weird issue. It’s not “Mitch Trubisky can’t throw to his left,” but it’s a little disconcerting that another Tar Heels QB struggles in one direction a lot more than he should.
–I’ve now watched Auburn DT Marcus Harris intently twice. He was the best player on the field against Ole Miss in the Tigers’ loss. The one-time Kansas transfer has been unblockable off the snap while lining up all over the defensive interior. He’s a little smaller than desired at 290 pounds but he doesn’t lack strength or anchor power with his consistent pad level. He looks draft-worthy in my limited looks, pretty impressive for a guy who wasn’t on preseason watch lists.
–Marvin Harrison Jr. No. 1 overall player in the 2024 draft and there’s nothing outside of a catastrophic injury that will change my mind on that. What the Ohio State wideout did against a very good, deep Penn State secondary is special. Everything about Harrison’s game is special.
