Three College Football Players To Watch

Which players should Eagles fans keep a close eye on during today's games?

By Chris Jastrzembski· 11/5/2016, 8:00 a.m.

Sidney Jones. (USA TODAY Sports)

Unlike the chaos that was caused last week, there’s not a lot of exciting matchups this weekend. There’s only two top-15 matchups on Saturday, including No. 10 Nebraska taking on No. 6 Ohio State in Columbus. But that doesn’t mean some of the top 2017 NFL prospects won’t be in action.

Here are three players Eagles fans should keep a close eye on during today’s slate of games.

1. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
This week’s opponent: @ California — 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Jones is one of the more underrated prospects that can declare for the 2017 NFL Draft. Jones has great instincts, is great in man coverage, and has phenomenal ball skills. He can create turnovers, whether via interceptions or from forcing fumbles, and can stop the run and make big tackles when needed. One area of concern is his frame. He’s listed at exactly six feet and around 181 pounds, so it remains unknown how he’ll fare against more physical wideouts. He’s projected as a late first round pick.

2. Tarean Folston, RB, Notre Dame
This week’s opponent: vs. Navy (in Jacksonville) — 11:30 a.m. (CBS)

After suffering a torn ACL last year, Folston returned to South Bend as one of the contributors in the Irish backfield. The senior is a strong, tough runner that can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s not as dynamic as C.J. Prosise, who was his replacement after his injury last year, but he’s still affective in the Notre Dame offense. He’s only carried the ball 49 times for 202 yards and a touchdown this season, as Josh Adams has taken over the majority of the carries. He should be available in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft.

3. Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU
This week’s opponent: vs. No. 1 Alabama — 8 p.m. (CBS)

Dupre will need a big game against a stingy Crimson Tide defense if he wants to improve on his draft stock. He only has two touchdowns on the season, both against Southern Miss three weeks ago. He’s able to out-leap his defenders at 6’3″, but needs to work on his timing. He can track the ball downfield very well and has very soft hands. He can be a good blocker on the run as well. One thing he needs to work on is his route running, specifically when making cuts. He could be a late first round pick, but he’ll probably end up being draft on day 2 of the NFL Draft.

Game Of The Week: No. 1 Alabama @ No. 13 LSU — 8 p.m. (CBS)

Whenever these two teams meet, it’s usually a thrilling game. Even with Les Miles gone, interim head coach Ed Orgeron has given LSU life. A win over the Crimson Tide could solidify his spot at the permanent head coach in Baton Rouge. But is LSU’s recent successes good enough to topple the top-ranked team in the nation?

Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh @ Miami (FL) (12:30 p.m., ACC Network); No. 11 Florida @ Arkansas (3:30 p.m., CBS); No. 22 Florida State @ NC State (7 p.m., ESPNU); No. 10 Nebraska @ No. 6 Ohio State (8 p.m., ABC)

Here are the players we’ve previously highlighted:

October 29

Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington (Division I-AA)

Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson

Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

October 22

Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin

Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma

Marquis Haynes, OLB/DE, Ole Miss

October 15

Zach Cunningham, OLB, Vanderbilt

Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State