Introduction to College Football: Players to Watch on Championship Saturday

Good morning New York Giants fans!

Welcome to Championship Saturday, where the individual conference championships will be decided. The best teams from their respective conferences will be on the field today, which always makes for an excellent scouting tape. Future NFL players will compete all afternoon, and we should be in for some great matchups.

To keep things from getting too long, I’m highlighting just one player from each of the Big 12, SEC, ACC and Big10 championships (RIP the Pac12). However, I would encourage everyone to watch every player on the field. You never know who will surprise or which unknown prospect will be a draft gem.

Big 12 Championship: (15) Arizona State vs. (16) Iowa State

ABC – Noon

Iowa State – Jaylin Noel (WR)

The Cyclones have several prospects worth watching for Giants fans. Last week we talked about 6-foot-1 cornerback Darian Porter, and a few weeks before that we highlighted 6-foot-1 receiver Jayden Higgins.

Now I want to focus on the other half of Iowa State’s two-headed receiving monster: Jaylin Noel.

Noel is a Swiss Army knife of a receiver who will likely be viewed primarily as a slot receiver, but has the versatility and experience to play anywhere in an offensive lineup. He has a compact physique reminiscent of Sterling Shepard or Victor Cruz, at 1.75 meters tall and weighs 90 kilograms, and he has a similar playing style. He is an extremely nervous athlete with fantastic close-range quickness, which combined with his low center of gravity makes it very difficult for defenders to hold on to him. He is capable of winning from his breaks and making would-be tacklers miss in space. There are questions about his top speed, but his acceleration is enough to create separation and big plays. Noel is just behind Higgins with 1,013 yards receiving (versus 1,087), but is their top threat, averaging 15.1 yards per reception and rushing for 75 yards.

Arizona State – Clayton Smith (LB/EDGE)

Smith is an unknown prospect who may face an uphill battle to get into the NFL but could be a camp hero if put in the right situation.

A former 4-star recruit, Smith crossed the Texas border and began his college career as an Oklahoma Sooner before transferring to Arizona State prior to the 2023 season. He has had modest but consistent production as a pass rusher over the past two years, with 11 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks evenly split between the two seasons. However, his pass-rushing prowess is tempered by his versatility and the fact that Arizona State also requires him to play in space as a linebacker. Smith moves well in space and has defended three passes in the last two years.

Smith’s athleticism and versatility could make him an interesting piece for a multiple defense. He would likely have to fight for a roster spot on special teams and as a reserve, but he has the potential to grow from there if he gets his foot in the door.

SEC Championship: (2) Texas vs. (5) Georgia

ABC – 4 p.m

Texas – Jahdae Barron (DB)

The Giants need help in their secondary, and I expect them to attack that area in the offseason. However, we don’t know what they want from a cornerback. Shane Bowen’s defense is based on zone coverages – he’s a Cover 4 believer, but has switched to Cover 3 to try to accommodate the Giants’ personnel. However, the majority of the Giants’ personnel was adjusted with Wink Martindale’s man coverage plans in mind. So it’s no big surprise that the Giants have struggled to cover zone schemes.

If Bowen stays as the Giants’ defensive coordinator, Jahdae Barron could catch their attention. Like Dru Phillips, Barron is an instinctive, aggressive and versatile defensive back. He is primarily a cornerback but plays with a safety mentality.

Barron will likely be viewed as a next-level super defender thanks to his 5-foot-10 frame and 200-pound weight. He doesn’t have the traits to be a man coverage corner and that will likely hurt his draft stock. However, the fifth-year senior is instinctive, quick and has a masterful instinct for turnovers – he comes into this game with four interceptions.

Interestingly, Barron has drawn comparisons to former Giant Julian Love due to his aggressiveness and versatility.

Georgia – Malaki Starks (S)

By staying in the defensive secondary, we have the highest safety in the draft in Malaki Starks. Starks has a prototypical mix of size and athleticism for the safety position. He’s 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and has good strength, quickness and quickness – as well as the instincts that make him both a tackling machine and a big-play creator.

Starks would be an undeniable asset to the Giants, but they might (or probably won’t) be able to sign him. He will almost certainly be a first-round pick and probably a mid-round pick as well. It’s possible the Giants could back out in the first round if they don’t think any of the quarterbacks are worth it. If so, the Starks could be an incredible addition alongside Tyler Nubin – although the Giants also have bigger fish to fry.

Positional value and draft stock aside, a team with Starks will get a very good player and a difference-maker on the back end.

Note: Quarterback prospects Carson Beck (Georgia) and Quinn Ewers (Texas) will also appear in this game

Big10 Championship: (1) Oregon vs. (3) Penn State

CBS – 8 p.m

Oregon – Derrick Harmon (iDL)

Giants fans want their team to add a defensive lineman to relieve pressure on Dexter Lawrence. Fortunately, this draft class promises a very strong group of defensive tackles and features potentially elite talent as well as great depth on the draft board.

Derrick Harmon is a powerful defensive tackle (6-foot-1, 300 pounds) who has the versatility to play on multiple fronts as long as he can attack downhill. He has an explosive first step as well as obvious length that allows him to get into blockers’ pads and advance into the backfield. He also has good motor skills to pursue ball carriers and performs stunts and turns well.

Penn State – Tyler Warren (TE)

The obvious player to keep an eye on here is EDGE Abdul Carter, who could very well be the first-pass edge defender off the field. However, the Giants could also take a long, hard look at Warren — especially if they like Drew Allar as a developmental quarterback.

Warren is by far Allar’s favorite target in the air, with more than twice as many balls as the next best option – he leads WR Harrison Wallace III 81 to 35. In 2023, he was often used in the platoon with Theo Johnson and served as the primary receiver tight End, while Johnson wore different roles. Like Johnson, Warren has the prototypical size for the position at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, the strength of a traditional Y tight end, and the athleticism to move around the offensive lineup.

The Giants moved on from 2022 draftee Daniel Bellinger this year, and we could imagine the team adding another tight end at some point if they’ve really upset Bellinger.

Note: Quarterback prospects Drew Allar (Penn State) and Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) will play in this game

ACC Championship: (8) SMU vs. (17) Clemson

ABC – 8 p.m

SMU – Elijah Roberts (DE)

Roberts is another prospect who has entered the transfer portal in search of a better situation. He spent his first three college seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, but only played sporadically for them before transferring to SMU prior to the 2023 season.

He made an immediate impact when he landed with the Mustangs, recording 10.0 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss and 2 forced fumbles in his first season. However, his production declined when he returned to the ACC and SMU joined the conference. This year he only had 4.5 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss, although he again had two forced fumbles.

Roberts probably fits best as a down defensive end in a true 4-man front. He has good burst and the depth to withstand the run, although a relatively tight scheme fit and a decline in performance at a higher level of competition could make him a late-round pick or UDFA.

Clemson – Blake Miller (OL)

Roberts will have some work to do when facing Clemson right tackle Blake Miller.

Miller is a very interesting candidate at the right tackle position. He is a young player, only turning 21 on February 24th (2025), but he is also one of the most experienced linemen in all of college football. Miller started right away at right tackle as a freshman — a significant accomplishment in itself — and has played in every single game for the Tigers since. All told, this will be his 40th game at right tackle.

He enjoys a reputation as a powerful run blocker who has far more power than his 1.80 meter tall, 140 kilogram stature suggests. However, he also had a reputation earlier in the year as being a better run blocker than a pass protector, which has somewhat weakened his draft numbers. However, development isn’t always linear and Miller appears to have taken a step forward in pass protection – he’s only given up one QB hit and no sacks so far this year.

It will be fascinating to follow Miller’s draft process. It could be an insightful case study in how the NFL assesses the value of a player it once would have dismissed as a right tackle only. Likewise, we could gain insight into the NFL’s esteem for a player who has historically excelled at run blocking rather than pass protection.

Miller might once have been destined to be a mid-round pick, but his age, frame and improvement in pass protection could significantly increase his strength. Likewise, right tackles are far more valuable than they were a few years ago, and the proliferation of split safety defenses has made running the ball more valuable than in recent years.

Note: Quarterback prospect Cade Klubnik (Clemson) will play in this game