Kiper & McShay: Early-season college football takeaways, plus expectations for Trey Lance's lone 2020 start

Well, we are a few weeks into the 2020 college football season, and we've already seen some exciting performances from top 2021 NFL draft prospects. The SEC has now begun its season, and the Big Ten isn't far behind. What have we learned so far? Who has stood out? And what adjustments to draft class rankings need to be made based on the first month of college football?

Our NFL draft analysts -- Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay -- give their biggest takeaways from the college season to this point, and then name one early-season riser and one under-the-radar prospect to continue to watch. Plus, with North Dakota State set to play its only game of the season this Saturday, Mel and Todd explain what they are looking for from one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 class, Trey Lance.

What are your biggest early-season takeaways?

McShay: I'll start with the No. 1 prospect on everyone's board. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was in complete control against Wake Forest to start the season, completing 22 of 28 passes for 351 yards and a touchdown (and he added another pair of scores on the ground). After rolling up Citadel 49-0 a week later and then getting an off week, he carries a 91.9 Total QBR into this weekend's home game against Virginia.

His anticipation and accuracy are really impressive, and the 6-foot-6 QB can really drive the ball outside the numbers. He is playing like you'd expect an elite NFL quarterback prospect to be playing. But on-field talent aside, I was even more impressed talking to him before the Wake Forest game -- he has grown so much as a leader. When he first took over as starter, he was a bit more cautious, but now he's the face of college football, and no stage is too big for him. He is the Tigers' leader on the field, but he is standing out perhaps even more for his forward-facing roles in the "We want to play" campaign and advancing social justice discussions across the country.

Kiper: My biggest takeaway so far? That the 2021 class of pass-catchers is even better than I thought. After six wide receivers went in Round 1 in April, McShay put eight in his preseason 2021 Mock Draft, plus two more tight ends. I had six total -- four wideouts, two tight ends -- in my preseason Big Board, but there will be more in my next update.

This is really just an outstanding class of receivers at the top, from Ja'Marr Chase (LSU) and Rashod Bateman (Minnesota) to Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith (Alabama). And it's one of the best classes of high-end tight ends we've seen in recent years, with Pat Freiermuth (Penn State), Kyle Pitts (Florida) and Brevin Jordan (Miami) all getting first-round grades from me. I won't go through and list all of the potential first-rounders, but it's exciting to see all of the elite pass-catching talent college football is producing.

McShay: We've hit on QB and WR, so I might as well mention the running backs, too. I've seen the top three backs on my board live in consecutive weeks to start the season, and Clemson's Travis Etienne (No. 19), Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard (No. 32) and Alabama's Najee Harris (No. 33) all stood out. Etienne is tough as they come, and I love his acceleration to and through the hole. Hubbard shows fantastic contact balance and elite track speed, but he didn't seem to fully get going in the Cowboys' narrow win against Tulsa.

Of the three, though, Harris is the one I see rising in the early going. In the Crimson Tide's opener against Missouri on Saturday, he averaged 5.8 yards and scored three times on the ground. For a running back with his strength and 6-foot-2, 232-pound frame, I was previously concerned he danced too much, looking for the home run. But Harris ran hard and stayed in his lane on Saturday. And he looks improved in pass protection and remains underrated as a pass-catcher.

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Trask throws 6th TD pass of the game

Kyle Trask connects with Kyle Pitts for a 17-yard touchdown, Trask's 6th touchdown pass of the game.

Kiper: Another quarterback takeaway for me, Todd. Could Florida's Kyle Trask be the fourth quarterback off the board in the 2021 draft? He really has a great story: Prior to taking over for an injured Feleipe Franks last season, Trask hadn't started a game since he was a freshman in high school. That's because he sat behind D'Eriq King, the Houston transfer who is now at Miami. Trask fought through injury issues to take over for the Gators, and he was outstanding in 2019, throwing 25 touchdown passes and seven interceptions while completing 66.9% of his passes.

He has played only one game so far this season, but he looked improved in Florida's win over Ole Miss, completing 30 passes for 416 yards with six touchdowns. Trask was lights-out, throwing dimes into tight windows and excelling against the Rebels' blitzes. He's a big, 6-foot-5 quarterback with a great arm. He moves his feet well. I could definitely see him as a Day 2 pick in April.

McShay: OK, one more thought from me. I want to call out Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses. I love his energy and how fast the 6-foot-3, 240-pound 'backer plays, but most of all, it's just great to see him healthy and flying around the field again. He said he wasn't happy watching his defense fail to meet Bama standards last year, after Moses missed the season with a knee injury, and he turned down NFL money to return to Tuscaloosa and play a part in getting the unit right. Moses demands so much from himself and his teammates, and he's going to be a big part of the Crimson Tide's success this season.

But there's another Alabama linebacker worth watching, albeit one who isn't eligible for the 2021 draft. In two years, we will be talking about 6-foot-4, 235-pound true freshman Will Anderson Jr. as the next Alabama first-round LB. Quarterback Mac Jones nicknamed him "Terminator" because he ruined every play the Tide's offense tried to run during fall camp. He has ridiculous first-step quickness and is heavy-handed at the point of attack.

What do you want to see from Trey Lance this weekend?

Kiper: How weird is this, Todd? Lance is going to get his one-game showcase, vs. Central Arkansas on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+). And then the North Dakota State quarterback is likely headed to April's draft. The problem is ... are we really going to make huge proclamations based on his performance in a game he should dominate?

McShay: It's better than nothing, but we can't overreact to one game just because it happens to be his only game this season. I would have loved to see more of him this season, especially since we still haven't seen him play against an FBS team. Even so, we know he has the physical attributes, including great 6-foot-4, 226-pound size. We know he has great touch on his throws and layers the ball well. We know he does a good job extending plays and can tuck and run with the best of them (he had 1,100 yards on the ground in 2019). And we know he can drive the ball vertically.

Kiper: You really just want him to stay healthy. I'm not going to overreact one way or the other. There's a reason he's the third-ranked quarterback in my rankings, and that's not going to change based on one game.

McShay: Health is certainly the big thing, but there is one on-field aspect of his game I will be keeping a close eye on: whether he appears to be a more mature decision-maker. Yes, Lance didn't throw an interception last year on 287 attempts. He protects the ball, and that's great. But I'm talking about how he processes the field. I want to see fast eyes and quick reads this weekend. That ability is key for an NFL franchise starter. Right now, Lance is the third QB on my board and No. 9 overall.

Kiper: There are some other prospects worth checking out in this game, too. North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson, who averaged 21.5 yards per catch last season, has an NFL future. Keep an eye on his matchups with Central Arkansas corner Robert Rochell, who could be a Day 2 pick in April. Rochell is a big, 6-foot-2 athlete who has 10 career interceptions. Lance also has a really good blindside protector in Dillon Radunz, who was my third-ranked tackle before the season.

Prospects on the rise

These are the 2021 NFL draft prospects moving up boards.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

Wow, what a 2020 debut for Pitts. Florida's dynamic 6-foot-6 tight end was out of control on Saturday, separating down the seam, tacking on yards after the catch and making contested grabs. He posted 170 yards and four touchdowns on eight catches against Ole Miss, including a 71-yard score over the top. He's a true matchup piece in the NFL, and even though Penn State's Pat Freiermuth is a more complete prospect, Pitts is making a real case out of the gate for TE1 in the 2021 class. I currently have him at No. 27 on my board, three spots behind Freiermuth, but another performance like Saturday's showing could change that. -- McShay

Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

OK, I'll let you have Pitts, Todd, and I'll go with another standout from that game on Saturday. With 10 catches for 227 yards, Moore was sensational in the loss. He can really fly. Coming into the year, I knew Moore could catch, but I had questions about his ability after he caught the ball. He averaged only 12.7 yards per reception on 67 catches last season. He showed Saturday, however, that he can produce, even if he didn't get into the end zone. Moore is only 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, but he's a dynamic and versatile receiver who produced a couple of "wow" moments against the Gators. I have a Day 2 grade on the true junior. -- Kiper

Under-the-radar prospects you should know

Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks.

Hunter Long, TE, Boston College

I've been really impressed by Long's hot start this season. He has 16 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in wins over Duke and Texas State. BC struggled against Texas State, but Long had the game-tying TD on a savvy route. Long is a natural hands catcher who will also stick his nose in and block. He's advanced as a blocker already. At 6-foot-5, 253 pounds, the fourth-year junior has a chance to be a Day 2 pick. -- Kiper

Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama

At No. 105 on my board, Jobe is one of 12 Alabama prospects with a draftable grade from me at the moment, which is wild considering the Tide had nine players drafted in the first three rounds last year. He is a first-year starter opposite Patrick Surtain II, so he's obviously going to be challenged, but Jobe is long, strong and physical. He did a great job on an island against Missouri, and I love his ability to redirect wide receivers in coverage. He shows promise as a press-man corner who attacks the ball in the air. He's aggressive in run support and has value covering kicks, too. On Saturday, the 6-foot-1, 192-pound junior made seven tackles, recorded a sack and forced a fumble. Keep an eye on this guy this season. -- McShay