Every week during the college football season, NFL clubs deploy scouts to campuses all over the country to make in-person evaluations on draft prospects. Naturally, the bigger games featuring more top prospects tend to draw larger contingents of scouts. Each week, College Football 24/7 brings you a look at the teams credentialed to attend three of the biggest games in college football.
Miami at Notre Dame
11 clubs attending: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers.
Details: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Three top players: Miami (QB Brad Kaaya, CB Corn Elder, WR Stacy Coley); Notre Dame (OT Mike McGlinchey, QB DeShone Kizer, WR Equanimeous St. Brown).
Matchup to watch: Miami CB Corn Elder vs. Notre Dame WR Equanimeous Brown. The experience edge, appropriately, goes to the guy named Elder. The Hurricanes' top defensive player is having an outstanding season in his second year as a starter, while St. Brown is enjoying a breakout year as a sophomore who was a relative unknown before the season. The size edge most definitely goes to St. Brown, who at 6-5 is seven inches taller than Elder. Opposing quarterbacks haven't thrown Elder's way much, but Fighting Irish QB DeShone Kizer might not opt for that strategy. The Notre Dame offense needs St. Brown to get his touches whether Elder is lined up on him or not.
Clemson at Florida State
6 clubs attending: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers.
Details: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Three top players: Clemson (QB Deshaun Watson, WR Mike Williams, CB Cordrea Tankersley); FSU (DE DeMarcus Walker, RB Dalvin Cook, CB Tarvarus McFadden).
Matchup to watch: Clemson WR Mike Williams vs. FSU CB Tarvarus McFadden. NFL scouts will get to see one of the ACC's elite receivers in Williams, against the FBS leader in interceptions (5) in McFadden. McFadden is aggressive in coverage and won't give away the short stuff to Williams easily. Another draft prospect in the FSU secondary, CB Marquez White, should get some head-to-head action against Williams as well.
Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh
17 clubs attending: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers.
Details: Virginia Tech 39, Pitt 36 (Thursday).
Three top players: Virginia Tech (TE Bucky Hodges, CB Brandon Facyson, WR Isaiah Ford); Pittsburgh (RB James Conner, S Jordan Whitehead, DE Ejuan Price).
Matchup to watch: Virginia Tech TE Bucky Hodges vs. Pittsburgh S Jordan Whitehead. Whitehead is one of the most talented sophomores in college football, but at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he'll have quite a challenge in helping to contain a receiving threat the size of Hodges (6-7, 245). At the same time, Whitehead brings the athleticism of a cornerback to the safety position, so Hodges could find it much tougher to gain separation when he draws Whitehead in coverage.*
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