NFL Draft Prospects To Watch Week 0

NFL Draft prospects you should have your eyes on this week.

This Saturday marks the beginning of the 2022 NFL Draft scouting process for NFL franchises. This weekend, five games are scheduled, featuring a Big Ten Conference clash and a possible top quarterback prospect. As past NFL Drafts have shown, talent can be found all over college football, even in paradise.

Battle in the Big Ten

While neither Illinois nor Nebraska have a chance of winning the Big Ten, they still have quality talent. For Nebraska, defensive tackle Ben Stille and outside linebacker JoJo Domann are two players that could hear their names called later in the Draft. Stille made the transition from defensive end to defensive tackle and made a name for himself. Stille trailed only Christian Barmore of Alabama and Haskell Garrett of Ohio State in pass-rushing grades. Over the past two seasons, Stille has totaled 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks with 58 tackles.

Listed as an outside linebacker in the program guide, JoJo Domann is more of a hybrid linebacker. He was even listed as a defensive back during his first two seasons at Nebraska, further promoting versatility. Domann led Nebraska with 58 tackles which were career-high despite the shortened eight-game season. His play on the field and leadership helped land him on the Nagurski Trophy watch list for 2021.

Bret Bielema returns to the Big Ten with Illinois, which bodes well for running back Chase Brown. Last season for the Illini, Brown averaged 5.2 yards per rush on his way to 540 rushing yards with three touchdowns. His performance during the shortened season garnered enough attention to get him on the Doak Walker Award list this preseason. NFL teams will love that he only has 178 carries over his career, leaving a ton of tread on his tires.

City of Stars

UCLA boasts some of the most notable star talents this opening weekend with four exceptional prospects. Topping that list is senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (READ MORE: Dorian Thompson-Robinson: College Football’s forgotten star) who has become an afterthought in the PAC-12. He has 5,132 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions while completing 60% of his attempts in three seasons. Thompson-Robinson needs to show that he’s improved his downfield passing in what should be a high-scoring matchup.

One player likely on the receiving end of a vast majority of Thompson-Robinsons passes is tight-end Greg Dulcich. Dulcich had a breakout season in 2020, leading the Bruins in receiving yards and second overall in the country for yards per catch. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Dulcich is a matchup problem for linebackers as he can get up the field quickly. He may need to add some weight to his frame to help with blocking at the next level.

Wide receiver Kyle Philips will also be a feature of the 2021 Bruins offense alongside Dulcich. Philips is more of a slot receiver for UCLA with his more diminutive stature and speed in the open field. With the 2020 season cut short, Philips will have to have a breakout year of his own to stay in that mid-round discussion. Looking back at his 2019 season when he totaled 681 receiving yards with five touchdowns, you see a player trending upward.

None of this will matter, though, if Thompson-Robinson doesn’t have time to get the ball to his playmakers. Sean Rhyan (READ MORE: Sean Rhyan Scouting Report) will make sure that Thompson-Robinson will have as minor grass stains as possible. Starting his first season on campus in 2019, Rhyan played well enough to earn Freshman All-American honors. Last season, he started all seven games at left tackle and helped produce a UCLA rushing attack that averaged 230 yards per game.

Super Spartans

San Jose State hosts an elite pass rusher with Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Cade Hall. During last season he tallied ten sacks and 12 tackles for loss with a fumble recovery. Against Boise State in the Mountain West Conference game, Hall earned MVP honors with two sacks and three tackles for loss. Hall plays with significant leverage and has a motor that never seems to quit.

Mountain West teams can’t focus only on Hall when playing the Spartans as defensive end Viliami Fehoko is a force. Along with Hall, Fehoko was first-team All-Mountain West with six sacks and a conference-leading 12.5 tackles for loss. He also has shown that he can move inside and be effective in defending the run. Fehoko needs to show NFL scouts that he is more than a beneficiary of lining up opposite Hall in 2021.

All the talent for the Spartans isn’t just on the defense, as they have one of the best tackles in the FBS. According to Pro Football Focus, Jack Snyder ranked in the top three for left tackles in pass-protection and run-blocking. Snyder playing both tackle positions for San Jose over 38 consecutive starts are two enormous advantages for him going into the NFL Draft. His technique in pass protection and propensity to maul defenders makes him an intriguing prospect.

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