2024 NFL Draft: College Football Recap, Week 7

It was another fantastic week of college football this past weekend. We’re beginning to receive more answers to questions borne out of the preseason and discovering notions while reviewing the front half of the 2023 campaign. The weekend included one of the true instant classics of the season as No. 7 Washington came from behind late to defeat No. 8 Oregon 36-33.

Twenty-first-ranked Notre Dame frustrated Caleb Williams and the No. 10 USC Trojans at home with a 48-20 win. Williams had three first-half interceptions, which assisted in an early blowout.

Twelfth-ranked North Carolina took care of No. 25 Miami 41-31 as quarterback Drake Maye, wide receiver Tez Walker, and the Tar Heels turned up the heat in the second half to pull away from the ‘Canes.

The No. 15 ranked Oregon State Beavers frustrated true freshman quarterback Dante Moore into some mistakes and ended up knocking off No. 18 UCLA 36-24.

There were plenty of intriguing prospects who showed out in Week 7 with strong on-field performances. Let’s talk about a three-pack of ACC players who caught our eye.

Pitt CB MJ Devonshire Aces Every Test Thrown at Him

The Pitt Panthers have been one of the more disappointing teams within the Power Five ths season in regards to program success. But Pitt still boasts one of the best cornerbacks in the ACC in MJ Devonshire.

Pitt was in a bit of a rock fight at home with Louisville, a team that had started the season 6-0. The game completely changed with a Devonshire pick-six in the second half. From there, Louisville kept going to their best versus Pitt’s best in Devonshire late in the game to attempt a comeback surge. Devonshire completely and repeatedly shut the Cardinals’ attempts down.

The final stat line for Devonshire: one interception, five passes defensed, and six tackles. That’s a remarkable stat line. Devonshire deserves more love, but he’s unlikely to get it until closer to NFL Draft season because of the team he plays on.

Florida State WR Keon Coleman is a Complete Freak

The transfer of wide receiver Keon Coleman to Florida State drew plenty of buzz when it was first announced following his departure from Michigan State. Coleman’s background included being a legitimate division I prospect as a basketball player. Now, Coleman’s thriving with the Seminoles. His highlight tape may end up being the best in his class at the position when all’s said and done.

You don’t see a 6’4”, 215-pound receiver go from plucking nasty one-handed catches to being a dynamic punt returner too often. That’s exactly what Coleman did on Saturday when Florida State stomped Syracuse in Tallahassee, FL.

Coleman returned six punts for 107 yards, including a 72-yarder he nearly scored on. Another early long return was called back due to penalty as well. There just aren’t many people doing what Coleman is at the college level. He’s doing it all and showing why he may very well be a lock for the first-round next April.

North Carolina LB Cedric Gray Makes a Statement

The Tar Heels’ offense has been all the rage to begin the year because of future top-three NFL Draft selection Drake Maye at quarterback. But linebacker Cedric Gray is doing his best to keep North Carolina’s defense a topic of conversation.

Gray was everywhere Saturday night making plays in a multitude of ways. He chased down run plays on the perimeter and baited Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke into an interception that set up the Tar Heels deep in Hurricanes territory. In some ways, we’re still trying to pin down the linebacker class for 2024. Gray’s performance was an encouraging step in the right direction for the overall class.