• Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.: The sixth-year senior is making his case for QB3 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
• Miami (FL) quarterback Tyler Van Dyke: The redshirt junior is finally showing why he was once a projected first-round pick.
• Notre Dame running back Audric Estime: The junior has bulldozed his way to the best PFF grade among all FBS running backs this season (92.0).
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
We’re already one-third of the way through the 2023 college football season and the cream is rising to the top.
Here are five 2024 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on down the stretch of the season.
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington Huskies
If the Heisman Trophy was awarded today, it’d likely go to Penix. His 93.8 grade is second among all quarterbacks in the country, and he also leads all FBS quarterbacks in passing yards (1,630) and touchdowns (16). In a wide-open QB3 race, the sixth-year senior is stating his case emphatically.
However, the four defenses he’s faced are outside the top 40 highest-graded in the country, with two of them outside the top 100. His performance against teams like Utah, Oregon, Washington State and Oregon State will be his biggest chance to show that he’s worthy of a first-round selection.
QB Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Last summer, Van Dyke was a projected first-round pick for many draft analysts. Following a disastrous 2022 for both Van Dyke (66.8 grade) and the Hurricanes (5-7 record), that hype died down and he returned to school.
The redshirt junior is once again flashing the tools that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. His 94.2 grade leads all quarterbacks in the country, even the aforementioned Penix. Van Dyke is tied for second in the nation with 13 big-time throws and has only produced two turnover-worthy plays so far. While a Day 1 result is unlikely at this stage, Van Dyke is playing well enough to garner some Day 2 buzz.
RB Audric Estime, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
In a wide-open running back class, Estime is making his case to be near the top of it. He leads all backs in the nation with a 92.0 grade and 591 rushing yards. The junior won’t win many foot races, but he will win with his muscular 227-pound frame and outstanding vision.
DI T’Vondre Sweat, Texas Longhorns
Sweat has been nothing short of dominant in his fifth season, as his 90.8 grade is over four points higher than the next-closest FBS interior defensive lineman. His 91.1 run-defense grade also leads all defensive tackles in the country while his six tackles for loss/no-gain are tied for second. The 362-pounder is more than just a run-stuffer too, as his 17.1% pass-rush win rate ranks seventh among Power Five interior defensive linemen. He’s playing his way into Day 2 consideration.
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington Huskies
It’s been a long road for the former walk-on. Ulofoshio was a PFF honorable mention All-American in 2020 after leading all Power Five linebackers with an 87.8 grade. He then missed six games in 2021 due to an arm injury and the first eight games of the 2022 campaign due to a knee injury.
Finally healthy in 2023, he’s back to being an all-around stud in the middle of Washington’s defense. His 85.3 grade is second among Power Five linebackers this season, and he’s the only linebacker in the country with 78-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage.
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