Five Prospect Matchups To Watch This New Years
Big Bowl Weekend is here and can't be complete without a Prospect Watch List.
College Football Bowl Season has been rolling strong - well, kind of - for a while now but as we begin to near the “bigger bowl” games it’s a lot easier to narrow down who is playing and who isn’t. With the new transfer portal rules and COVID still running rampant, so many teams aren’t operating at full strength.
Not every New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Bowl game will have their full roster but close enough that I have another round of the CFB Prospect Watch List. The small change-up this week is going to be a transition from focusing on a specific player and rather looking at specific matchups between two draft eligible prospects that could both be of interest to the Kansas City Chiefs.
CFB Playoff Prospect Matchups to Watch
Cincinnati Bearcats vs Alabama Crimson Tide
Goodyear Cotton Bowl, 2:30 CST, ESPN
Alec Pierce (WR, Cin) vs Josh Jobe (CB, AL)
The Cincinnati Bearcats’ offense may have some difficulty holding up to the speed and size of an SEC opponent. This may force them to rely on their most athletic skill player, Alec Pierce. Listed at 6’3”, 213,lbs and reportedly running in the 4.4s and jumping over 40”, he is a legitimate athlete on the outside.
Across from Pierce - when aligning to the offenses’ right sided - will be Alabama cornerback Josh Jobe. Jobe is a larger corner checking in over 6’ and nearing 200lbs but plays even more physical than his size indicates. He can get overly grabby on routes but he’s going to bring the contact every play and is an experienced player in Nick Saban’s defense.
The thing to watch for is going to be if Pierce’s athleticism not only continues to show up vs a SEC opponent but if he can take advantage of a slightly lesser athlete in Jobe. Pierce can be equally physical throughout his routes as Jobe in coverage but does he have the nuance and technique to take advantage of the physical traits against such a heady corner? This CFB Playoff could really drive up Pierce’s draft stock if he can prove to be just as much of a height, weight, speed mismatch as he has much of his career.
Ahmad Gardner (CB, Cin) vs Jameson Williams (WR, AL)
The marquee matchup of the weekend - and one in which both players may be gone before the Chiefs’ draft in the first round - is going to feature Chiefs’ fans’ draft crush Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner. A 6’2”, 200lb cornerback with elite ball skills and surprisingly good movement skills catches the NFL’s eye quickly and he’s only improved his stock week in and week out. In 2021, Sauce has rarely been targeted as he’s taken the next step to be a lockdown corner and not just an opportunistic playmaker like in year’s past.
Gardner may get the honor and challenge of shadowing CFB’s best wide receiver, Jameson Williams. A long, wiry wide receiver with absolute track speed has exploded onto the scene in 2021 for Alabama. Whether he’s making catches underneath and taking them the distance or burning defenders over the top, he’s been dominating SEC defenses all year long. In a draft class that was lacking the surefire top wide receiver, Williams ability to operate on all three levels with size, speed, and technique has pushed him up right to the top of that list.
The challenge for Williams is that this will be the best cornerback play he’ll face all season. Derek Stingley Jr didn’t play in the LSU game and while Roger McCreary is a very good cornerback for Auburn, he didn’t stick to Williams in every alignment. Ahmad Gardner will likely follow Williams around a good bit and even when he isn’t, Coby Bryant - the opposite corner for Cincinnati - isn’t a slouch himself. This Bearcat secondary is big, physical, and will challenge Williams in a way that hasn’t happened much this season. If either Gardner or Williams have a dominant performance in this game, they could secure a top 10 selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Georgia Bulldogs vs Michigan Wolverines
Capital One Orange Bowl, 6:30 CST, ESPN
Jamaree Salyer (OT, UGA) vs David Ojabo (EDGE, Mich)
Jamaree Salyer has been the next in line for the traditional Georgia Bulldog offensive lineman. He’s played up and down the offensive line, he’s incredibly physical, a dominant run blocker, but is still adjusting to pass blocking in space. When working forward he’s a people mover that makes major contact and clears out run lanes and punishes defenders. He may transition to the interior at the next level but he’s a very good college tackle.
Across for Salyer will be the duo of Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. Since there is a 0.00001% chance Hutchinson could even be available for the Chiefs, we’ll focus on his partner in crime David Ojabo. Ojabo is about as raw as they come as a draft prospect - think Jayson Oweh for the Baltimore Ravens - but has the entire physical toolbox and then some. His burst, flexibility, the way he turns speed to power, and his body control can match anyone else in the draft class with ease. He’s been improving week in and week out by simply only playing football for four years now.
The Wolverines will likely allow Hutchinson to rush across from Salyer often but when the Ojabo-Salyer matchup happens it will be interesting to watch. Ojabo’s ability as a speed rusher should really present an issue in the passing game while Salyer’s dominant run blocking could find a ton of success against the smaller Ojabo. As of now, Ojabo hasn’t made his decision for the upcoming NFL Draft clear and a big game on this big stage could push him towards the NFL Draft.
Lewis Cine (S, UGA) vs Hassan Haskins (RB, Mich)
Lewis Cine is the leader of the Bulldogs backend playing both safety spots and kicking down in the slot from time to time. Coming in just over 6’ and over 200lbs, Cine has the size and athleticism to play all over the field at the next level. He’s known for his physicality and hard hitting style - see the Kyle Pitts hit of 2020 - when coming downhill towards the ball. He won’t be the rangiest player on the backend of a formation but he’s more than adequate in playing in deep half coverage and making plays on the ball.
Hassan Haskins is a big, physical running back for the Wolverines who has really come on down the stretch. Getting in behind the physical Michigan offensive line has often set Haskins up in one on one opportunities with smallers players and he’s taken advantage. He’s a slashing style runner but showcases plus vision to make the first free defender wrong and has just enough change of direction ability to limit free hits on his body. Always running with leverage and behind his pads, Haskins is a difficult player to take down.
Haskins and Cine may not meet each other too often one on one on the field given what’s required from the other 20 players on the field to make that happen, but when it does everyone has to be ready. It’s going to be a booming hit one way or another and the ability of one of these guys to win those matchups could really mean a lot to this game. Michigan certainly is going to want to run the ball and if they can handle the fantastic Georgia linebackers, Cine will be the guy running the alley. On the other side, Cine will have the primary coverage role vs the talented tight end Erik All as well as coming downhill to fill in the running game.
New Years Day Bowls
Iowa Hawkeyes vs Kentucky Wildcats
VRBO Bowl, Noon CST, ABC
Riley Moss (CB, Iowa) vs Wan’dale Robinson (WR, UK)
This isn’t as much of a one-on-one matchup as it is two really good and underrated prospects facing off against each other’s teams. Robinson is a do-it-all gadget player for the Wildcats that will get a high volume of targets to help that offense go. He projects well to a true slot receiver at the next level but Kentucky will continue to use him all over the place.
On the other side, Iowa will stick to their zone coverage which really highlights Riley Moss’ strengths. Moss gets labeled as a non-athletic, zone corner but that’s only half correct. He is a great zone corner with elite ball skills but he’s also a fantastic athlete that is looking to push his name up draft boards with a strong final performance.
Baylor Bears vs Ole Miss Rebels
All State Sugar Bowl, 7:45 CST, ESPN
Jalen Pitre (DB, Baylor) vs Dontario Drummond (WR, Ole Miss)
Similar to the matchup above, these two guys may not matchup specifically with each other a ton although there should be some crossover. Pitre is a versatile safety/nickel cornerback that has shown great man and zone coverage skills. He will be the Bears primary slot defender and pick up Drummond when he does kick inside more often than not.
Drummond is typically used as the vertical deep threat in the Ole Miss offense using misdirection to get behind defenses. He will work from multiple alignments and make plays underneath from time to time but Ole Miss hasn’t relied on his short area quickness as much as they could given his physical traits.