Top Draft Prospects to Watch in First Round of College Football Playoffs

The Arizona Cardinals will have their eyes on plenty of players this weekend - here's who they'll be watching in the College Football Playoffs.

Nov 30, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) reacts after sacking Maryland Terrapins quarterback MJ Morris (not pictured) during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

We’ve finally arrived to the opening round of the new 12-team College Football Playoff, and the excitement is shaking up the college football world thanks to the immense amount of talent and the potential for several teams to win it all.

It should be a top priority for teams across the league to watch carefully, and the Arizona Cardinals are no different.

When the playoff starts Friday night with the Indiana Hoosiers facing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, it’s on for scouting reports to get started and general managers to build their boards.

The Cardinals are a budding team competing for their own league’s playoffs, but they still have plenty of holes to fill. The College Football Playoff has more than enough talented players to fill those holes - so it’s time to tune in.

A short list of players from each team for Cards fans to pay close attention to as potential players to fill holes and become Arizona Cardinals.

(10) Indiana @ (7) Notre Dame

Indiana Hoosiers

Quarterback, Kurtis Rourke

Cardinals fans are begging for a quarterback to push Kyler Murray and whether you agree or disagree with the notion that Murray should be on his way out of the desert… he definitely needs a viable backup who can at least threaten his status as QB1.

Rourke exploded this season after five years with Ohio and tossed over 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns against just four interceptions. The sixth-year man led Indiana to their first-ever 11-win season and had a Heisman campaign throughout the season.

You want a good quarterback to push Murray? Rourke is perfect, with legit upside to play at the next level.

Wide Receiver, Elijah Sarratt

Sarratt has produced great production in three college seasons at three different programs. 29 touchdowns in his three seasons with no less than eight in a single campaign. Additionally, Sarratt has nearly 2,800 receiving yards and 16.1 yards per reception in that span.

Depth at wide receiver is a must this offseason with a brand-new room likely to take over. AZ has their top two guys in Marvin Harrison Jr and Michael Wilson, but Sarratt could be a solid play to be the third guy.

Edge Rusher, Mikail Kamara

Like his teammate Sarratt, Kamara followed their head coach Curt Cignetti at James Madison to Bloomington and found immediately success at the Power-Four level. Kamara followed up a seven-sack season in 2023 with the Dukes with a 10 sack performance with the Hoosiers to prove he can play against higher-level competition.

Kamara has steadily increased his play and production through three seasons, and it feels like the best is yet to come. Arizona needs more rotation off the edge and Kamara gives them that with potential to blossom into more than a role player.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Quarterback, Riley Leonard

Copy/paste what I said earlier about Kurtis Rourke here as far as being a veteran backup to push Kyler Murray.

Now with that being said, I find Leonard to be a step or two below Rourke, but he makes up for it as an elite rushing quarterback. His two best (and healthiest) seasons came in 2022 with Duke and this season where he ran for over 1,400 yards and 27 scores. His passing game is solid but needs work.

Again, Leonard is a step below Rourke, but he’s still a savvy veteran that can push Murray to play his best football.

Interior Defensive Lineman, Howard Cross III

Cross has been an instrumental player for this Notre Dame defense the lasts several seasons and has six years with of college experience to backup his time spent in South Bend.

The 6’1 and 288lbs interior man has 11 sacks over the last four seasons, all of which he spent as a starter and/or key rotational player. Cross was banged up this season, but still managed a career-best four sacks in limited action.

I’ll tell you now what I’m about to reiterate below… The Cards need depth at defensive tackle and Mills is a good depth piece. Need I say more?

Interior Defensive Lineman, Rylie Mills

Blah blah blah – exactly what I previously said.

But in all seriousness, Mills broke out this season and became the Irish’s sack leader with 6.5. the 6’5 and 295lbs senior has been a consistent force for Notre Dame throughout his career, registering 16 sacks over five seasons – his final four in a bigger role.

Build up the trenches with quality players and the Cardinals’ defense will take steps forward.

(11) SMU @ (6) Penn State

SMU Mustangs

Wide Receiver, Jordan Hudson

The third leading receiver is the one I chose to highlight? It certainly is and I’ll explain why if you let me!

Hudson is an uber talented wide out who’s had my eye for the last couple of seasons – I’ve gone out of my way to watch him each of the last two seasons. His production has been lackluster with less than 1,000 receiving yards over three seasons. However, the junior has 15 touchdowns and tons of chunk plays that show off his upside.

The Cardinals will be looking to add depth in the draft to the receiver spot and Hudson makes the most sense to me. He’s no guarantee to declare, but if he does, he’ll be someone I pay close attention to as a late-round pick who could immediately see the field.

Bookmark what I said.

Edge Rusher, Isaiah Smith

Smith entered the ACC Championship Game as SMU’s leading sack artist with 6.5, but teammate Jahfari Harvey squeaked by him with 7. Harvey is another late-round senior to watch after five solid seasons (four with Miami) that should be on the radar…

Smith could stand to add some weight to be a full-time pass rusher in the pros, but at 6’4 and 238lbs, it should be an easy transition. Smith has increased his production every season, making him a candidate to breakout with some coaching and refinement to his pass rush.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Running Backs, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen

Alright, I am cheating here by naming both guys. But in fairness they’re both juniors have eclipsed 2,500 career rushing yards and 20 touchdowns playing off each other’s strengths/ you’d imagine one declares for the draft, but I have no clue which if either would.

Singleton is the better receiver of the two, but Allen is also capable… the more I look at it, the more of a coinflip this feels to me.

There isn’t a huge need at running back for the Cardinals with James Conner extended and Trey Benson under his rookie deal for three more seasons. However, not much from Penn State’s talented team matches the Cards' needs. Adding a third stud running back sounds like fun, but it’s not the most practical.

Tight end, Tyler Warren

Warren has been linked to the Cardinals despite the team already possessing one of the best young tight ends in football with Trey McBride. I’m not sure why that is, but pairing the two together sounds like a great time. It could also allow Arizona to potentially save some future money if they choose not to extend McBride (I’m not saying I would).

The senior tight end cruised past his previous three years of production with 88 receptions for 1,062 yards and six scores. Warren waltzed his way to the John Mackey Award, presented to the best tight end in the nation for good reason.

The 6’6 257lbs tight end should be the first at his position drafted. If the Cardinals want to get crazy, they could draft him for two tight end sets and give their offense some insane players across the middle.

Edge Rusher, Abdul Carter

The conversation for Penn State players starts and ends with Carter, who for my money is probably the best pass rusher in the upcoming draft (his competition will be mentioned later).

Carter’s move from linebacker to full-time edge rusher was wildly successful with a 10-sack performance. His unbelievable production was helped by his high athletic ability, and I don’t exaggerate when I GUARANTEE he’s just scratching the surface. The easy comparison is Micah Parsons for plenty of reasons, some lazier than others. I truly don’t think that’s out of the realm of possibilities.

Unfortunately, Carter is playing like a top five pick. If the Cardinals want a shot at him, they’ll have to trade a lot of ammo to get him… but he would certainly be worth it.

(12) Clemson @ (5) Texas

Clemson Tigers

Wide Receiver, Antonio Williams

Williams is a redshirt sophomore and could opt to return to the Tigers and play with Cade Klubnik, who will likely return next season, plus stud freshmen receivers T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco. However, if Williams did declare he could be a solid late-round pick.

The 5’11 and 190lbs receiver has 1,650 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns over three seasons with 10 of those scores coming this season. There is also return man upside with 34 kick return opportunities in his time with the Tigers.

Depth at receiver for the Cardinals is vital, but a potential special teams ace and return man may have more value.

Offensive Tackle, Blake Miller

I love Miller to play right tackle at the next level and become an immediate starter… but I also believe he is limited in the sense that he’s peaked. The good news is that his “peak” is still starting in the pros.

Miller will face the best competition he’s seen this season in freshman superstar Colin Simmons. Honestly, Texas just has a great pass rush across the board. Naturally, it’s a perfect opportunity for the junior offensive tackle to strut his stuff.

Linebacker, Barrett Carter

Carter is one of my draft crushes that I don’t believe is a first-round pick. I talked a lot about him previously, so here are some cliff notes:

The senior linebacker has elite production and has the veteran leadership to find his way to the field as a starter quickly.

Even if the veteran Kyzir White is re-signed by Arizona this offseason, a move I believe should be a priority, there’s a legitimate chance Carter exceeds his competition and starts opposite White. With his playmaking and instincts, he would have upside as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

Texas Longhorns

Offensive Tackles, Kelvin Banks and Cameron Williams

Banks was the winner of this year’s Outland Trophy, handed out to the best lineman, offensively or defensively in the nation, and for good reason – he’s the best out there and is my slam-dunk OT1. My opinion isn’t universal and I’ve seen him go outside the top 10 picks. Left tackle isn’t the biggest need thanks to Paris Johnson Jr, but Banks is a player you find a role for.

If the Cardinals want a long-term right tackle, then Williams is your guy. Williams is as raw as it gets as a prospect, but the ceiling is as high as any. Get him in the desert, sit him a year behind Jonah Williams, and then start him in year two. Thank me later for the future All-Pro IF he is developed properly.

Wide Receiver, Isaiah Bond

I had to pick between highlighting Bond or safety Andrew Mukuba as Longhorns to watch and picked the former. Bond was once seen as a first round pick, and he could still be snagged toward he end of day one, however I like him in the second round and Arizona should jump for joy if he’s there.

Don’t let OK production fool you – Bond is a playmaker with the ball in his hands and started showing some serious development to be a deep threat with his great speed. He also has 50-yard receptions in each of his three collegiate seasons between Texas and Alabama.

The Cards lack a legitimate deep threat out wide receiver and Bond fits the role perfectly.

Defensive Back, Jahdae Barron

Barron has played safety during his time in Austin, but I love him as a boundary cornerback. The senior dominated college football this year in route to a Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back. Barron nabbed five interceptions and showed his upside to play outside cornerback. He’s marvelous and is someone who continues to impress me week after week.

On top of his award and the pick production, Barron has flat out been productive for several years now. He should enter the league with a high floor and has room to become a shutdown corner. One could see Barron as a reach in the top 18 as of today… but I promise he’s only going to climb the ranks throughout the process. Who knows, maybe AZ doesn’t even get a chance to grab him.

(9) Tennessee @ (8) Ohio State

Tennessee Volunteers

Wide Receiver, Bru McCoy

McCoy has had an interesting career in college football to put it one way, but he’ finally found a home in Knoxville the last three years and has proven an invaluable piece of the Vols offense. When the team aired the ball out under Hendon Hooker, he was dynamic. When the team became run-heavy this season with Nico Iamaleava, McCoy was a good safety valve. 

The stats aren’t mind-blowing, but the big body is athletic and strong enough to dominate provided he’s healthy, which hasn’t always been the case.

The Cardinals would love receiver depth, but a big body like McCoy would give this offense an ass-kicker out wide that MHJ and Wilson simply aren’t.

Edge Rusher, James Pearce

I mentioned earlier that Abdul Carter might be the best edge rusher in the class albeit one competitor… this is him.

Pearce was my EDGE1 to start the season. He had a very slow start before finishing the season on fire. Now he’s center stage for the College Football Playoff and could be the most pivotal player to a run to a title as not only the Vol's pass rusher but also as the man leading perhaps the best defensive line in the nation.

If the Cardinals have any chance to get Pearce they should do it. A top five draft pick or a pick in the late teens will yield an elite reward and a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

Interior Defensive Line, Omarr Norman-Lott

The man next to Pearce on the interior, Norman-Lott, is just as important to the former when it comes to the defensive line’s success. And with five seasons under his belt, including three at Arizona State, he’s well-traveled (in more ways than one) and understands the intricacies of the position.

There’s some pass rushing upside from Norman-Lott, who recorded 9.5 of his 13.5 career sacks with Tennessee to go with his stout run defense and strength. Having the Cardinals get him on late day two or early day three could see him start next to Dante Still sooner rather than later.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Wide Receiver, Emeka Egbuka

Wanna get crazy and grab another Ohio State wide receiver in the first round for a second straight season? Yeah, yeah, I hear your groans of, “we have bigger needs than another wide receiver.” And to you, I say you’re 100% correct but also a major bummer and wet blanket.

Egbuka has proven over the course of his four seasons at Wide Receiver U that he can take over a game with his insane change-of-direction and yards after catch abilities. When it comes to creativity with the ball in his hands, he’s hard to match.

There’s also the notion that Egbuka is an elite WR2 in an offense, plus he’s familiar with Marvin Harrison Jr.!

This is the definition of a luxury pick and certainly not one that would be wise if other top defenders are available… but man would it be fun to see Egbuka, MHJ, and Michael Wilson all lining up together. Absolutely nothing could stop those three,

Interior Defensive Line, Tyliek Williams

Jack Sawyer is the most popular name of the defensive line, but for whatever reason I’ve simply never been a fan. A player who’s growing on me is his partner in crime, Williams at defensive tackle.

Four seasons in a starting and/or major contributor role for the Buckeyes, Williams has been a near unstoppable force from the interior of the defensive line. His ability to anchor the run is most attractive, but his 11.5 career sacks as a 327lbs nose tackle should grab your attention.

If the Cards want a true nose tackle, then Williams is your guy.

Cornerback, Denzel Burke

A local kid (Saguaro High School), Burke has developed nicely in Columbus and should be a quick learner at the next level. Burke had two strong seasons to start his career with the Buckeyes before slumping as a junior. His decision to return for his senior season was a great one, as he rebounded and moved his stock back up as one of the draft’s top cornerbacks.

Burke still hasn’t been perfect this year and has room to grow, but the upside is there for him to continue refining his play.

The Cardinals present a fun opportunity for Burke, as they have a cornerback room with lots of similar players ready to break out once everything comes together. Of the players who will line up outside, Burke could turn out to be the best.