Last week, the 2020 College Football season really got underway as we saw the Big Twelve and ACC kick off their seasons. This week, the action continues as we have a slate of exciting games on tap. In this article, we take a look at five 2021 NFL Draft prospects that are worth watching week two of the College Football season.
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5. Brevin Jordan – Tight End – Miami (Fla.)
Heading into the College Football season, I had high expectations for Brevin Jordan. In fact, Jordan debuted as the 2nd overall tight end on our Top 100 Big Board this month. Last season, Jordan only finished with 35 receptions, 495 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Despite that, the Hurricanes tight end showed flashes of a top NFL Draft prospect.
This season, Miami has a new quarterback as D’Eriq King enters the program after transferring from Houston. Last week against UAB, the Hurricanes debuted their new offensive scheme with King at the helm, as the program incorporated more read option concepts into their game plan. Unfortunately, that meant that Brevin Jordan wasn’t much of a factor in the passing game early.
This week, the 17th ranked Miami Hurricanes travel to Kentucky for an ACC Conference matchup against the 18th ranked Louisville Cardinals. I’d like to see Miami spread the ball more in the air as they get their 2021 NFL Draft playmaker involved early in week two. However, even if Brevin Jordan only gets limited touches, as he did last week, he’ll have to make them count.
4. Shane Buechele – Quarterback – Southern Methodist
As a quarterback in head coach Sonny Dykes’ air raid offense, Shane Buechele is known for putting up impressive numbers each and every week. NFL Draft analysts are varied on their rankings in terms of Buechele, but many currently have a late-round grade on him.
Last season, Buechele finished the year with 3,929 passing yards on 490 attempts. Additionally, he threw for 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Playing in the American Athletic Conference, Buechele doesn’t face the same level of defenses as other top prospects at the position. In a matchup against Texas State last week, Shane Buechele finished with 367 passing yards on 36 attempts. However, he only finished with one touchdown and two interceptions.
This week, the SMU Mustangs head to Denton, Texas for a matchup against North Texas. I’m looking for Buechele to bounce back and put up solid numbers against the Mean Green. If he can put up multiple touchdowns, and limit his interceptions, it could go a long ways in impressing some NFL scouts.
3. Tylan Wallace – Wide Receiver – Oklahoma State
Prior to a knee injury that ended his 2019 season, Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace was having himself a very solid season. He finished the year with 53 receptions for 903 yards and 8 touchdowns in only 9 games. With a clean bill of health, I’m excited to watch Wallace this season and see how he bounces back as the Cowboys kickoff their season.
This offseason, I wrote a scouting report on Wallace, which is available here. Currently, I have an early-second round grade on Tylan Wallace. As the Oklahoma State Cowboys host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in week two of the season, I’m looking to see if Wallace can bounce back from the knee injury and solidify himself as a top receiving prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. I’m a fan of Wallace’s route running abilities, so if he’s able to build upon that, he could propel himself into the conversation as a first round wide receiver.
2. Andre Cisco – Safety – Syracuse
Simply put, Andre Cisco is an absolute stud in the secondary. He pops on film as soon as you turn the game on. In 2018, his freshman season at Syracuse, Cisco finished tied for the national lead with seven interceptions. Last year, he finished with five interceptions, despite missing three games due to injury.
As Syracuse heads to Pittsburgh to take on the 25th ranked Panthers, I’m looking to see what Andre Cisco is able to do. Last week, in a losing effort against North Carolina, Cisco finished with three total tackles. I’d like to see the safety finish with an interception tomorrow, which you can see on the ACC Network.
1. Desmond Ridder – Quarterback – Cincinnati
Admittedly, I’m a huge fan of Desmond Ridder’s game. Despite a down sophomore campaign last season, I still have Ridder ranked as my fifth overall quarterback prospect. In the offseason, Ridder faced a quarterback battle with Ben Bryant and Evan Prater. However, Ridder has appeared to come out on top. Despite that, the leash on Ridder could be short as head coach Luke Fickell has two solid options at backup.
The Bearcats are hosting Austin Peay, which is a game that they should win easily. If Ridder can lead the Bearcats to a few strong drives early, he could separate himself as the starting quarterback of Cincinnati. While it starts with a solid performance against Austin Peay, a strong junior season could put Desmond Ridder into the conversation as a day two 2021 NFL Draft prospect.
