2020 NFL Draft Spotlight: LSU-Texas headlines week in scouting

Who are the top 2020 NFL Draft prospects to watch in week two of college football?

It was a great first week of college football, but a lot of prospects had shaky starts to the season. Oregon’s Justin Herbert didn’t get the opportunity to make big plays down the stretch for Oregon, while Jordan Love threw three interceptions against Wake Forest.

Some had excellent starts, like the running back class. Jonathan Taylor, Travis Etienne, D’Andre Swift and Zack Moss all put up good numbers and showed that they can be top-50 picks next April.

We also saw some breakout performances from a couple quarterbacks who were off the radar in draft terms. Jalen Hurts went off against Houston, and Joe Burrow dominated through the air against Georgia Southern.

It’s a long season, so putting stock into one game isn’t the move. However, this week a lot of prospects will get their chance to shine on the big stage in front of millions on TV. Let’s take a look at the top 2020 NFL Draft prospects to watch this week.

LSU vs. Texas

This is the top game of the week, with the Tigers taking on the Longhorns in Austin this weekend. The prospect matchups are plentiful in this game, so expect the scouting community to tune in and fire off takes.

First off, let’s go to the trenches, where two seniors will do battle. Most everyone knows about LSU defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence, who has a decent repertoire as a pass rusher from the interior. He’s shown the ability to win with a bull rush, but he can also utilize the push-pull move with his strong hands. Lawrence will line up across from Texas center Zach Shackelford most of the game, and this could be one-sided if we don’t see improvement from Shackelford. After watching some 2018 games, there were times where he was slow out of his stance. He also plays stiff and doesn’t stay low and balanced when dropping into his sets. If he continues that, Lawrence could have a big day.

Sticking with the LSU defense and Texas offense, we move out to the perimeter, where two other top seniors could see some time across from one another. Kristian Fulton is up there in contention for the top corner in the 2020 class, while Collin Johnson leads the way for senior wide receivers. Fulton is a smart corner who has the speed to stay with receivers down the field, and has the quickness to change direction with ease. His biggest concern last year was being too physical down the field, which did result in some penalties. Fulton could struggle with Johnson, who is a big bodied receiver that uses his body well to box out defenders and win above the rim on deep balls. Johnson also has a pretty solid release for someone his size. Whoever wins this battle will surely see their stock rise next week.

Let’s not forget about the fact that the best defensive prospect for 2020 is in this game. Grant Delpit does it all at safety, and it will be interesting to see where LSU puts him and how he plays his “chess match” against Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Delpit will play deep, near the line of scrimmage, blitz and whatever else the Tigers ask. I could see him baiting Ehlinger a bit in this game.

Also, LSU edge defender K’Lavon Chaisson is one to watch. He is a great athlete with plenty of speed to win on the edge and to drop back in coverage. I want to see him get more reps going after the quarterback.

Clemson vs. Texas A&M

The top-ranked team in the country has a pretty big test this week with the Aggies coming to town. Clemson has a ton of draftable talent, so of course eyes will be on Etienne and Tee Higgins once again. I’m looking for Etienne to keep the ball more secure this week and work on his receiving ability. For Higgins, building on last week’s performance will be key, especially the improvement with his hands. While those are obvious, let’s get to a key matchup in this one.

Wide receiver Kendrick Rogers is flying under the radar right now, but at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he will get attention this week. Rogers has great ball skills and a large catch radius, but he lacks a lot in the route-running department. Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond will likely target Rogers in the red zone, but it might not be so easy. Clemson corner A.J. Terrell has great size as well at 6-foot-2, and he also possesses great quickness for his size. He should be able to run with Rogers down the field and challenge him at the catch point.

Other matchups to watch

Washington vs. California is a good one to tune into as well. Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason dominated Eastern Washington last week, but this will be a bigger test for him. He has the arm strength to hit every throw across the field, but he needs to work on post-snap processing. On the other side, Bears safety Ashtyn Davis has a lot of range on the back end and flies downhill to make plays. Eason will have to pay attention to him when he’s deep and work on keeping him still by scanning the entire field. Keep an eye on Huskies wide receiver Aaron Fuller as well. He is a natural route runner with great quickness and technique to get out of breaks.

Two of the top tight end prospects meet on the same field when Vanderbilt takes on Purdue. It won’t be a matchup, but Brycen Hopkins and Jared Pinkney are both good pass catchers who will add value to an NFL team.

Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault dominated Nebraska last year, and this year could be a similar situation. He will have to deal with Nebraska corner Lamar Jackson for much of the game though.

Maryland running back Anthony McFarland is a fun study if you have time, as he is electric in open space. He may struggle to find holes this week against the Syracuse defensive line, led by edge defender Alton Robinson, who possesses a lot of speed and bend around the edge.