• Cam Ward has another opportunity to move closer to QB1: This is the best start to a season, and even the best stretch of play, of Ward’s college career. He has thrown 11 touchdowns with nine big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play.
• Tommi Hill faces Illinois’ stud wide receivers: Bryant is your more traditional “X” receiver who does his best work with strength and in contested-catch situations, whereas Franklin wants to create separation via his route running.
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
As we enter Week 4 of the 2024 college football season, there are a handful of 2025 NFL Draft prospects in key matchups with opportunities to increase their draft stock. Here are a few of the players we’ll be watching this weekend.
MIAMI (FL) QB CAM WARD VS. USF
In week 1 of the college football season, Miami quarterback Cam Ward recorded the first 90.0-plus single-game PFF passing grade of his career. In Week 2, he did it again. And in Week 3 — as you may have guessed — he repeated the feat.
This is the best start to a season, and even the best stretch of play, of Ward’s college career. He has thrown 11 touchdowns with nine big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play. He sports an 83.2% adjusted completion percentage while averaging a 10.7-yard target depth — both career highs.
This is the best version of Ward we have seen; it’s fun, and it’s winning. His Hurricanes in Week 4 will take on USF, whose defense is nothing to sleep on, currently ranked 47th in the FBS with a 77.4 team coverage grade. Another great performance from Ward this weekend could vault him to the top of the 2025 NFL Draft quarterback rankings very soon.
NEBRASKA CB TOMMI HILL VS. ILLINOIS WRs PAT BRYANT AND ZAKHARI FRANKLIN
Hill is making a name for himself as a cornerback prospect to know for the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6-foot, 195-pound former wide receiver has earned an 83.5 PFF coverage grade thus far and had his best game against his toughest test in Colorado a few weeks ago. He’ll have another fun matchup in Week 4, depending on what your version of fun is, as Nebraska takes on Illinois.
Illini receivers Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin, who are both notable prospects in their own right, present two different skill sets for Hill to match up against. Bryant is your more traditional “X” receiver who does his best work with strength and in contested-catch situations, whereas Franklin wants to create separation via his route running. Another high-graded result for Hill will allow him to continue to climb the big board.
MARSHALL EDGE MIKE GREEN VS. OHIO STATE T JOSH SIMMONS
Simmons has earned the highest PFF pass-blocking grade of any Buckeyes offensive lineman this season (83.5). He has yet to yield any pressure on 61 pass-blocking reps. The two-year starter and senior will have a tough test this weekend to keep that clean sheet record intact, as Ohio State faces off against Marshall. Simmons will get the Thunder Herd's top pass-rusher. Mike Green.
Green, who is also draft-eligible as a redshirt sophomore, stands at 6-foot-4 and just under 250 pounds. He has recorded an 84.4 PFF pass-rush grade so far this season, with 12 pressures, four sacks and a 21.7% pass-rush win rate.
UTAH LB LANDER BARTON VS. OKLAHOMA STATE RB OLLIE GORDON II
It’s been a slow start to the 2024 season for Utah linebacker Lander Barton, whose 66.1 PFF overall grade would be a career-low mark. But he has a good test this weekend against running back Ollie Gordon II and the Oklahoma State offense.
If there has been an area where Barton has continued to play at a high level, it's run defense, as he has earned a 71.4 PFF run-defense grade this season with six tackles and just one missed tackle on 71 run-defense snaps.
Gordon, who ranked second in the country last season with more than 1,700 rushing yards, is off to a bit of a slow start for his standard, as well. He rushed for more than 100 yards in Week 1 but has failed to run for more than 50 in either of his past two games. Both of these players will be looking to get on track this weekend.
OKLAHOMA S BILLY BOWMAN JR. VS. TENNESSEE QB NICO IAMALEAVA
Oklahoma has one of the top coverage safeties in the country in Billy Bowman Jr. He is smaller in size, but that allows him to have excellent change-of-direction fluidity/acceleration and overall coverage range. He has just a 54.6 PFF coverage grade this season, as he did give up a touchdown against Tulane last week. But outside of that, he has been solid.
Tennessee's offense — specifically, star young quarterback Nico Iamaleava — presents a challenge. With how explosive the Volunteers are on offense, Bowman will have plenty of opportunities to make plays in both the run and pass games.
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