2016 NFL Draft scouting: Week 3 college football viewing guide

If you're looking for a great lineup of SEC football, this is your weekend. Between Auburn-LSU, South Carolina-Georgia, Florida-Kentucky, and Ole Miss-Alabama, there are four matchups featuring teams that are a combined 12-1 on the season so far. Beyond that, you have an intriguing matchup of strong teams in Georgia Tech-Notre Dame, and a choice of Pac-12 options late in Stanford-USC and BYU-UCLA.

(via 506sports.com)

Game of the week

(15) Ole Miss at (2) Alabama

9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN and WatchESPN

We've already profiled this year's Alabama squad, but expect the team to keep making an appearance here because they have so many prospects and provide such a good matchup for other teams. This early conference matchup carries a lot of ramifications for the College Football Playoff, and the winner of this likely sets the bar for representing the SEC in that bracket.

Ole Miss has dominated its competition, scoring more than 75 points in each game this season. Their talented recruiting classes have finally grown up, and it's paying off. A big one to watch for is left tackle Laremy Tunsil, if he plays Saturday. He's a potential top ten pick in this year's draft. Laquon Treadwell, recovered from his awful broken leg, is working his way back into the offense with 117 receiving yards this year. You'll recognize the name throwing to him - Chad Kelly, the nephew of Jim Kelly. Kelly had a rough first attempt at college, sitting the bench at Clemson and making some poor comments that earned him a dismissal from the team. After a year at community college, Kelly transferred to Ole Miss, and he's worked his way to the top spot of the quarterback rotation, just in time to go up against the strongest team in the SEC. Kelly has size and talent for the quarterback position, but questions about maturity and his pro-readiness will follow him this year, if he does declare. Also worth noting for Ole Miss? Former #1 overall high school recruit Robert Nkemdiche, who plays defensive tackle and moonlights at fullback, safety Tony Conner, and tight end Evan Engram.

You know the drill with Bama. Since the team has so many prospects, try to focus on one or two individual matchups, rather than trying to pick out names as you watch the game. There will be a lot of players flashing. How does Ryan Kelly do against Nkemdiche? Is Cyrus Jones matched up against Treadwell? Out of A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, Jonathan Allen, and the linebackers, who will battle Tunsil? And how does OJ Howard do against Conner? The defense is absolutely loaded, so in all likelihood whichever player catches your eye will be available in 2016.

Five guys I'm paying attention to this week

1. Jared Goff, QB, Cal

Malik Zaire shredded the Texas defense, throwing as many touchdowns (three) as incompletions in the first week of the season. Now it's Goff's turn. The junior is slowly convincing pundits that he's the best quarterback in this draft class, and the only thing that might slow him down is his weak supporting cast.

2. Tredavious White, CB, LSU

White held the 6'5" DaRunnya Wilson mostly in check last week against Mississippi State. Now he'll be facing another of the best receivers in the nation in Auburn's D'haquille Williams. It'll be another great showcase for the athletic White.

3. Jordan Jenkins, LB, Georgia

Jenkins decided to return for his senior year, and it's paying off so far, with improved production on the field. Jenkins has been used as both an edge rusher and a standard linebacker, and the versatility may appeal to some teams.

4. Josh Forrest, LB, Kentucky

Forrest is one of the nation's early leaders in passes defended, getting his hand on five (and intercepting one). He already possesses good range and totaled over a hundred tackles last year; if he's getting the hang of pass coverage it might unlock another dimension of the senior's game.

5. Max Tuerk, OC, USC

I haven't gotten to watch Tuerk yet this season, as I scout the centers. Stanford's defense is holding opponents to 3.55 yards per play, and USC averages over 9 right now. Will Tuerk be opening holes in the running game and looking like an NFL starter?

Discussion topic for the week

How important is scheme fit for a player? Are there certain prospects (or positions) where it's just good enough to find an athlete or a "football player" and plug him in? Or do you need to consider attributes like height, agility, and power to see if a prospect will work for your team?