The College Football Playoff kicks off this weekend, but there are college football bowl games all week leading up to the first round of the CFP. With that comes a chance to watch some players who could potnetially end up on your favorite team in the 2026 NFL Draft. Most of the top names will be featured in the CFP, but there are quite a few others to keep your eye on this week with several bowl games kicking off around the country.
Dante Moore might be one of the biggest names to watch. Though he was knocked out of Heisman contention with a midseason dip in performance, he can still improve his draft stock in a major way. With a big CFP showing, Moore could even be the first quarterback taken. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is the favorite for that honor right now, but Moore could force a quarterback-needy team to take a gamble on him thanks to his pedigree and polished game in th epocket.
5 NFL prospects to watch in bowl games this week
Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks, QB
Moore and the Oregon Ducks could very well be the team to beat in the College Football Playoff. They haven’t been talked about much, but since the loss to Indiana, they’ve transformed into one of the strongest teams in the country. They have a sneaky good offense, obviously led by Moore. He threw two picks against Indiana but finished the year throwing just three more.
Moore is playing for a shot to be drafted inside the top five. There are quite a few teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and even the Cleveland Browns, who could all look to land Moore. How he plays against James Madison could kick start his surge to the top of the draft.
Cam Cook, Jacksonville State, RB
Cam Cook has the most rushing yards in college football this season with 1,659 to go along with 16 rushing touchdowns. Cook landed with the Gamecocks after spending a year with TCU, and he might have just turned himself into an NFL running back in the process. He won’t be a high draft pick, in my opinion, but he’s a player that could pop off with a big game to prove he’s worthy of playing in the pros. Troy is no pushover, as they gave Clemson a hard time back in September, but if he has a big game, it could boost Cook's draft stock.
Justin Joly, NC State, TE
Justin Joly is a tight end by nature, though ESPN’s NFL Draft experts have him as a fullback/H-back. He hasn’t been an eye-popping producer, but he’s reliable and versatile. NC State plays Memphis and with a big game against the Tigers, Joly might be a late-round draft pick. He’s more likely to get an undrafted deal, but then again, anything can happen. The Wolfpack shouldn’t have too much trouble against Memphis and Joly living up to the spotlight could very well improve his draft stock.
Brandon Cleveland, NC State, DL
Brandon Cleveland is an interior defensive lineman for the Wolfpack, and while he wasn’t the most destructive player this season, he could end up hearing his name called on draft weekend. He has just 12 tackles and two sacks this season. The NC State-Memphis game should be exciting in itself and the Wolfpack have a couple players that could end up in the NFL. At worst, you get a good football game, at best, you get a scouting report.
Hollywood Smothers, NC State, RB
Hollywood Smothers not only has a phenomenal name, but he backs it up with a solid game. He rushed for 939 yards with six touchdowns. Despite falling just short of 1,000 rushing yards, he had his best season and could build on that in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl against Memphis. This isn’t a deep running back class so he could sneak up the draft board.