2023 NFL Draft: Week 3 college football prospect preview and live chat

Week 3 of the college football season is here whether you’ve recovered from the madness of last weekend or not. Similar to last week, there isn’t one heavyweight bout on tap. Texas A&M taking on No. 13 Miami looked encouraging until the Aggies dropped their game to Appalachian State last week. Still—it’s a ranked matchup to watch with A&M holding on by a thread at No. 24 in the Top 25. The 2022 group of five darling, No. 12 BYU, takes on No. 25 Oregon in Eugene for a mid afternoon matchup. SMU traveling to Maryland is the under-the-radar matchup you need your eyes on in this slate. Let’s talk prospects and our game of the week as we hit the quarter mark of the college football regular season.

Deep threats in D.C. — WR Rashee Rice (SMU) vs. WRs Dontay Demus, Jacob Copeland, & Rakim Jarrett (Maryland)

If you like offense, this is the game you need to see in Week 3. And if you like to bet, spam the over 73 where you can find it. This game could hit the 100-point total with the skill talent and pace of both SMU and Maryland.

SMU receiver Rashee Rice was tracing the shadow of 2021 draft pick Danny Gray a year ago for the Mustangs. But he’s not in the shadows anymore. He’s accounted for nearly half the team’s passing yards total through two games with 298 yards and three touchdowns. Amongst the monster trio for the Terrapins, Rice could be the best (and most electrifying) receiver on the field Saturday.

Dontay Demus is back after a gruesome leg injury foiled his 2021 season and 2022 NFL Draft hopes. He hasn’t gotten off to the start he’d probably like (52 yards receiving in two games), but Saturday is a spotlight game to show he still has the juice.

Copeland is a transfer from Florida who is looking to showcase his skills in Maryland’s high-powered offense. He’s enjoyed some success early on in the season, but he will need more volume in a competitive room to boost his draft stock.

Jarrett is Maryland’s jewel. He’s their young gun with all of the ability to be a dynamic slot at the next level. Jarrett is likely to see more volume than the others aforementioned, but he’s a jitter bug with a high level of tenacity for a slot player.

Trench Warfare at Jordan-Hare — RB Tank Bigsby (Auburn) vs. LB Curtis Jacobs (Penn State)

Auburn may be an underwhelming SEC team in 2022, but they know where their talent lies on the offensive side of the football. Early on, head coach Brian Harsin has leaned heavily on the ground attack for the Tigers led by draft eligible back Tank Bigsby.

Bigsby brings a truly all-around skillset to the table with size (6’0”, 215 lbs) and speed with the contact balance to put it all together. He has to create a lot for himself in the Auburn offense during SEC play due to a mediocre offensive line in front of him, but Bigsby has very high upside with traits that you can’t teach.

Jacobs is a bit of a new bloomer in Happy Valley, but he’s a player who’ss flashing as a third-year sophomore in 2022. The former five-star moves a little bit differently with an impressive frame that should have draft fans intrigued just a couple of weeks into the season. Keep an eye out for No. 23 as he looks to meet Bigsby in the A-gap on Saturday afternoon.

Battle on the Boundary in Baton Rouge — WR Kayshon Boutte (LSU) vs. CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)

Star wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was viewed by many as the best 2023 wide receiver prospect heading into the 2022 season. However, a very shaky opening game against Florida State that included some negative body language has people wondering if Boutte is still on track for first-round status. The explosiveness and the frame is there, but Boutte needs to put it all together as they begin SEC play against a tough Mississippi State team with a premier corner of their own.

Emmanuel Forbes is off to a different start—his team is 2-0 and he’s already snared an interception through two weeks. Forbes presents issues with his natural length for the position and will certainly challenge Boutte on Saturday in “The Boot.” Forbes picked off LSU last year and is looking to continue his impact into 2022.

Game of the Week

No. 13 Miami @ No. 24 Texas A&M

Saturday, 9:00 PM Eastern

ESPN

This game has lost some of its juice entering the week. Both teams were likely to be unbeaten at this stretch in the preseason—but that was before the Aggies were upset by the Mountaineers last week.

Still, there are plenty of prospects to note in this game for both squads.

When A&M is on offense, keep an eye out for running back Devon Achane. A big reason the Aggies were even in the game against App State is due to the play of Achane that included a kick return for a touchdown. He has legitimate world class speed.

Interior offensive lineman Layden Robinson mans the right guard position and he is a people mover. Robinson is likely to spring Achane for a couple of big plays. He’s one of the best interior players in the country.

Ainias Smith is a bit of a do-it-all gadget player for the Aggies who has developed into a slot receiver. He and Achane along with freshman sensation Evan Stewart are the creators for the Aggies.

Tyrique Stevenson is an impactful defensive back transfer for the ‘Canes with versatility to play outside and in the slot. He’s a very physical run defender. Stevenson was an impact player as a freshman at Georgia and has continued his trajectory with Miami.

When the Hurricanes are on offense, it’s the Tyler Van Dyke show. The third-year passer is a talented thrower of the football, but processing is a big stepping off point he will need to take to threaten first-round status in 2023. This is a great litmus test game for Van Dyke.

Left tackle Zion Nelson and tight end Will Mallory are other 2023 draft hopefuls. The Aggies have a young, but immensely talented defensive line that Nelson will have to handle in this game. Mallory has an opportunity to make a statement against a talented defense.

The Aggies draft hopefuls are led by their secondary. Corners Jaylon (6’2”, 205 lbs) and Myles Jones (6’4”, 190 lbs) along with Antonio Johnson (6’3”, 195 lbs) make the other draft-eligible safety, Demani Richardson (6’1”, 210 lbs), seem small.

Johnson is the most talented of the bunch and versatility is the name of the game for the underclassman. He has great stop and start ability to match up with every kind of player in space while also having plenty of size to run alleys and fit the run. NFL coaching staffs are going to be excited to get their hands on him at the next level.

“Jones Island” (no relation) is a formidable pairing with tons of length at the corner position.

Edgerrin Cooper is a talented linebacker for the Aggies.