We’re back!
While it may not have been the most exciting Week 1 (Louisville vs. Ole Miss is the only matchup in the rankings), college football’s opening weekend means new opportunities that demand attention from NFL evaluators.
No one called Ohio State’s Arvel Reese a top-five pick before last season, but he changed that narrative against Texas in the opener. LSU’s Mansur Delaney was a highly-touted potential Day 2 prospect, but he proved to be a first-rounder in a Tigers uniform.
There are many examples every year, so who will be the rise of this season?
Here are 15 prospects I’m excited to see in Week 1:
Three storylines to watch: Indiana, Ark, and Kiffin.
Stuart Mandel
1. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (at Stanford, Friday, 9 p.m. ET)
Based on his time at both Tulane and Duke, Mensah is already a highly touted quarterback among NFL scouts. However, there is a debate about his ceiling at the next level. His physical tools are average and you wouldn’t classify his arm as “explosive,” but Mensah has a point guard’s intuitive touch and rhythm as a passer that should translate well.
Surrounded by the Hurricanes’ talented offense, Mensah is the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy — the last 15 quarterbacks to win the Heisman have been first-round picks.
I was also excited to see Stanford left tackle Niki Prongos (6 feet 7 inches tall, 312 pounds) in this game. But the Prongs will be sidelined with more than 50 potential tackles due to injury.
2. Desmeal Leigh, OT, Youngstown State (at Kentucky, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET)
Is your NFL team looking for offensive tackle help? Saturday’s Youngstown State-Kentucky game will be one to watch.
For Leigh, this will be the most important tape of 2026. He has the body of an FCS All-American in the NFL (6-6, 324, with a 35 1/2-inch arms and 85-inch wingspan), and entered the season as a Day 2 draft pick. But how he matches up against the SEC tournament — and that’s the only opportunity on Youngtown State’s schedule — will go a long way toward determining the All-Star Invitational and, ultimately, the draft spot.
3. Lance Heard, OT, Kentucky
A Tennessee transfer, Heard is hoping to convince his future pro. His junior stint was marred by sloppy moments, but his attributes and playmaking aggression are worthy of the next level. Unlike Leigh, there will be more important tape on the horizon for Heard (including in Week 2 vs. Alabama), but scouts want the left tackle to get off to a strong start.
4. Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon
5. Tatum Tuyoti, Edge, Oregon (vs. Boise State, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET)
There are several top edge forks to watch out for in this match.
Ugalelei and Tuoti are relentless, physical prospects in 260-plus-pound bodies. Neither player is extremely crafty, but both compete with the ability to set the edge or force the quarterback out of position — which is why they’re drawn as they are as Day 2 projections.
6. Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Edge, Boise State
And Oregon’s opposition Saturday…
Virgin-Morgan has an ample frame (6-2, 254, with 32 1/2-inch arms) and is the Broncos’ top prospect in the 2027 class, after leading them in sacks and losses in both 2024 and 2025. For Boise State to keep this game close, Dan Virgins will need to put pressure on the Class of 2027.
7. Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
8. Will Heldt, Edge, Clemson (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
There are plenty of prospects to watch for Clemson and LSU Saturday night — including seven players who have already committed. My preseason top-50 draft board. But my eyes are focused on the match between Seton (6-5, 302) and Heldt (6-7, 260).
A former five-star recruit, Seaton arrived in Baton Rouge this offseason after two up-and-down seasons at Colorado. You can see the talent in the first round, but consistency has to come, especially in the run game.
Heldt, meanwhile, has average arm length and arc speed, but his quick hands and pursuit angles make him a nuisance. Several NFL scouts have told me he is the top prospect in their area.
9. Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA (at Cal, Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET)
College football is currently loaded with talented but inconsistent pass rushers who have chances to rewrite their narratives in 2026 — and Imaleva is at the top of the list. Having put up better tape than most people thought last season, he carries some bright love in the scouting community. It won’t be surprising if it “takes off” in the next few months.
10. Chase Hendricks, WR, Cal
11. Ian Strong, WR, Cal
While Cale has the ball, my focus on Saturday will be on two veteran transfer receivers who need to step up from quarterback Jaron-Kewe Sagapoulete (none of whom is draft-eligible) catching the ball.
Working mostly out of the slot, Hendricks (5-10, 195) is a tough-minded receiver with the agility and strength to be a high-volume threat for Ohio’s transfer. And Strong (6-4, 216), the Rutgers transfer is a big-bodied receiver with average speed but solid finishing ability. Both prospects have grades that could elude NFL scouts.
12. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame (vs. Wisconsin, Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Is this the start of a national championship season for Notre Dame? The Irish are ranked several times, including the best sophomore in the country.
But I’m excited to see Carr, a redshirt sophomore quarterback, and his development leading the offense. Carr’s physical tools won’t blow you away, but his performance is impressive.
13. Abu Sama, RB, Wisconsin
If Wisconsin has any chance of upsetting the Irish, Sama will need a big day. Iowa State expects the transfer to have enough speed and interest to draw attention, and possibly earn a spot on Day 3 of the draft.
14. Cleve Lubin, Edge, Louisville (vs. Ole Miss, Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Ole Miss has arguably the most dynamic backfield in the country, led by quarterback Trinidad Chambis and running back Kewan Lacy (both of whom start the season in my top 50). Can Louisville’s front seven slow them down?
Lubin (6-2, 267), a senior, needs to improve his pass rush ability, but he pops when he meets with 11-inch Bear Claws. Last season, he finished fourth in the Power 4 with 64 hits – the three players ahead of him were all first ranked last April.
15. Will Echols, DT, Ole Miss
Echols is an interesting watch because of the variety of ways he can disrupt an offensive game plan. He has the talent to be a DT1 in the 2027 class, and Ole Miss will need to play at that level to slow down Louisville’s offense, led by dynamic running back Isaac Brown.
