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Central Florida and Houston are just two of three former American Athletic Conference programs who enter league play in the Big 12 this season.
The third team, Cincinnati, could be in for a tough stretch. The loss of their head coach Luke Fickell to Wisconsin as well as several defections via the transfer portal could result in the Bearcats struggling the next few seasons.
Top NFL prospects to watch out for at Central Florida
UCF is one of three programs that made the jump from the AAC to the Big 12 this season. The program as a whole is not as explosive as it once was, and its offense is nowhere near as spellbinding as its been in the past. Still, the scoring side of the ball has the best NFL prospects.
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Tylan Grable was a bit of an unknown last season after transferring from Jacksonville State to UCF as a fifth-year senior.
He went on to have a terrific campaign and is back for an additional senior year. Grable is a well-built college left tackle who blocks with solid fundamentals and a nasty attitude. He’s explosive and strong, and he consistently knocks defenders back off the ball.
Grable shows a bit of stiffness in his game, and a move to right tackle or possibly guard is in the offing. While I presently grade him as a sixth-round prospect, several scouts I’ve spoken with believe Grable has early Day 3 potential.
Receiver Javon Baker and defensive tackle Ricky Barber have both received draftable grades from scouts I’ve spoken with. Baker is a tall pass catcher with marginal speed, while Barber is a smaller but explosive front-line defender who projects as a three-technique tackle.
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Top NFL prospects to watch out for at Houston
The Cougars make the move to the Big 12, and in doing so, they enter a conference much closer to home. The team had four players selected in April’s draft, including receiver Tank Dell, who was the 69th overall choice. The program could have a player selected earlier in next April’s draft.
I’ve had left tackle Patrick Paul stamped as draftable since 2021, and the senior is getting some early (top-42) grades in the scouting community. Paul is a big blocker with terrific length and size. He’s a strong run blocker who is terrific in pass protection and shows a lot of ability blocking in motion.
I like his upside, but I feel he may be better off on the right side. I don’t doubt Paul could end up in the first round of next April’s draft, yet I don’t feel he’s a top 32 player at this point.
Chidozie Nwankwo is a quick three-technique defensive tackle who plays with leverage and great quickness, and he easily moves about the field. Nelson Ceaser is an athletic pass rusher who projects to outside linebacker in a 3-4.
Linebacker David Ugwoegbu is a bit of an enigma. Off the 2021 film, Ugwoegbu was a dominant force at Oklahoma who was constantly around the ball making plays. He’s large and forceful, and he was so good two years ago that scouts gave him a Day 2 grade.
Ugwoegbu then played terribly last season under a new coaching staff and different defensive scheme. While he has a sixth-round grade on my board, most scouts feel he won’t be selected in the 2024 draft. Ugwoegbu needs a huge season to prove them wrong.
Top NFL prospects to watch out for at Iowa State
In many ways, Iowa State was the talk of the football world the past eight months.
First Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, was forced into action for the San Francisco 49ers and led the team to the NFC title game. Then the New York Jets surprised everyone when they made pass rusher Will McDonald the 15th pick of this year’s draft. Once again, the program offers impact defensive prospects and a sleeper at quarterback.
T.J. Tampa has been getting a lot of love in the scouting community. The senior cornerback has the measurables to be an early pick in the draft. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he’s fast, physical and good enough that opposing quarterbacks stay away from him. He needs to polish his game, but he has terrific upside.
Quarterback Hunter Dekkers draws a variety of opinions, but his game is comparable to Purdy’s. Dekkers is a smart, tough quarterback who delivers accurate passes and effectively leads his offense down the field. Dekkers must do a better job protecting the football and be more consistent, but he has next-level potential.
