We head into Week 7 of the 2022 college football season with several excellent games on deck and many top 2023 NFL draft prospects in play. Be sure to check out Alabama-Tennessee, but there are also four other matchups between ranked teams.
Ahead of the loaded schedule, NFL draft analysts Todd McShay, Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pick prospects to watch this weekend, along with the one thing they each are keeping an eye on. They also look ahead to April's draft with a quick peek at what the Seattle Seahawks might do with their first-round picks. Then Steve Muench points to a small-school prospect who could get more draft attention with a big performance.
Our experts wrap it all up by making predictions for Week 7 and emptying their notebooks with everything they saw and heard this week.
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Prospects to know | What to watch
Seattle's options | Small-schooler
Big predictions for Week 7
Emptying the notebook
Plant your flag: Who is your guy to watch this weekend?
McShay: Mike Morris, OLB, Michigan (vs. Penn State). Michigan is on track to produce two more NFL draft picks off the edge in Morris and Eyabi Okie. Morris, who played limited snaps behind Aidan Hutchinson last year, is skyrocketing up NFL draft boards, and he'll be counted on heavily in the biggest test to date for the Wolverines. He is a 6-foot-6, 292-pounder with great length and explosiveness, recording a team-high 14 pressures, 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks over six games this season. Morris has the potential to go in the top 60 picks.
Miller: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson (at Florida State). The Clemson defensive line's ability to keep Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis and the Seminoles' high-octane offense under wraps will be the story of this game, and in his return to the field after missing back-to-back games, Bresee will be tasked with creating interior pressure to keep Travis off balance. With high-end quickness and power out of the gate, the 6-foot-5, 305-pounder can dictate opponents' game plans. And while he seems locked in to the No. 2 defensive tackle spot, Georgia's Jalen Carter is nursing an injury, setting up a big opportunity for Bresee to rise up boards. Bresee has two tackles for loss and a half sack on the season.
Reid: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee (vs. Alabama). Two top-10 teams, two excellent quarterbacks. Hooker is the hottest player in the country right now, regardless of position, and arguably atop the Heisman race. The senior signal-caller has unlocked the next stage of his development, shattering expectations and rising all the way to QB5 in my draft rankings. In two SEC games this year, Hooker threw for 588 yards, four touchdowns (plus one rushing) and zero interceptions while completing 70.5% of his passes. But the Volunteers haven't beaten the Crimson Tide since 2006. Can the 6-foot-4 passer navigate the Crimson Tide defense and pull Tennessee to victory?
What is the one thing you're watching this weekend?
Reid: I'll be watching the Alabama secondary. Tennessee is averaging 340.4 passing yards per game, but the Crimson Tide secondary has allowed only 166.3 per outing. Safeties Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams have been awesome, but the biggest star of the secondary right now is Brian Branch, who is playing the STAR safety spot. Branch has steadily climbed into the top 50, and scouts have noted his instincts and versatility. This unit will be key against Hooker and the Vols.
Miller: Saturdays in the fall are meant for old-school power-run games, and two of the best backs in the country will be on the field together in Minnesota-Illinois. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Chase Brown has excelled in picking up rushing yards after contact for the Fighting Illini (528 of his FBS-leading 879), and he's looking like a Day 2 pick. And Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim returns from an ankle injury looking to build on his eight rushing TDs and 6.4 yards per carry and continue raising his draft stock, which currently sits in the early-Day 3 range because of his injury history. Both are powerful, downhill runners who can not only make defenders miss in the open field but also pull away from defenses. And both have future NFL starter-traits.
McShay: Jordan touched on this, but yeah, the Tennessee passing game against Alabama is the focus this weekend. I've been really impressed by Hooker this season, and I got the chance to watch him live against LSU last weekend. What sticks out is his poise no matter how muddied the pocket gets, his toughness and his deep-ball accuracy. He also does such a good job of keeping a solid base and marrying his feet to his eyes, which allows him to pull the trigger quickly and accurately when a receiver flashes open. So how will he hold up versus a stout Alabama defense, led by an elite edge-rushing tandem of Will Anderson Jr. (the No. 1 prospect in the class) and sophomore Dallas Turner?
But also keep an eye on Tennessee's fast-rising receiver prospects, Cedric Tillman and Bru McCoy. Tillman is expected to return from injury after sitting out the past two games. He's a big target who excels tracking the deep ball and winning contested catches. I've moved him up to 21st overall on my board, and I talked to two scouts last week who also have first-round grades on him. McCoy, meanwhile, is averaging 17.5 yards per catch. He's not a burner, but he has a big 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame and reliable hands, and he generates a lot of yards after the catch with his excellent contact balance. He has worked his way into the midround conversation.
Hendon Hooker throws 45 yards to Jalin Hyatt to put Tennessee up 20-0 over LSU.
The Seahawks are currently projected to pick at Nos. 7 and 8 via ESPN's Football Power Index. What do you expect from them at this point in the process?
Miller: Despite how well Geno Smith has been playing, this is a great opportunity both in terms of draft capital and draft class to find a legitimate quarterback of the future. General manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll hit what looks like a grand slam with their 2022 draft class -- Charles Cross, Kenneth Walker III, Abraham Lucas and Tariq Woolen are all starting and playing well -- and can use this draft to find a franchise QB and potentially another starter with two top-10 picks. The Seahawks might not even have to trade up to grab a passer -- likely one of C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and Will Levis -- but are fortunate enough to have the capital to slightly slide up if needed.
Reid: Yeah, quarterback is definitely in play, but Smith is playing really well. Don't be surprised if the Seahawks opt to invest in their defense, which is off to a rough start. Seattle is allowing 6.6 yards per play and 430 per game -- both worst in the NFL. It has needs at every spot along the front seven, and the defensive line group is among the strongest positions in the 2023 class. With two top-10 picks, double-dipping to improve that unit wouldn't be out of the question.
Which small-school prospect has a key matchup on deck?
Muench: Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State (vs. South Dakota State). The FCS' top-ranked teams face off with the Dakota Marker on the line -- and there won't be any shortage of NFL prospects, even with South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft (potential Day 2 pick) sidelined by an injury. The ability of the Bison to run the ball against the Jackrabbit's deep defense (third in the FCS in rushing yards allowed per game) will have a big outcome in this game.
Mauch is a mauler who blocks to the echo of the whistle, moves defenders off the ball with explosive power and is effective climbing to the second level. There's room for improvement when it comes to his footwork in pass pro, and he might be a better fit on the inside at the next level, but he projects as a midround pick. Mauch will be key on Saturday.
What's the Week 7 prediction you feel great about?
Miller: Syracuse running back Sean Tucker will have 100-plus yards and multiple scores on the ground against NC State. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound junior running back is coming off a 232-yard, three-TD performance against Wagner after two slower outings against Virginia and Purdue, and his contact balance and open-field vision will lead the Orange to a sixth win on the season to remain undefeated. Tucker currently has a third-round grade for me.
McShay: Alabama quarterback Bryce Young will carve up the Vols' secondary and go for 300-plus yards passing. Yes, he's returning from the shoulder injury that sidelined him last week against Texas A&M, and yes, he lacks the top-shelf playmakers on the perimeter that Alabama has become accustomed to trotting onto the field over the past six years. But Tennessee also lacks a consistent four-man pass rush to get consistent heat on Young, and its secondary is vulnerable. The Vols rank 128th out of 131 in pass defense. The game itself is a toss-up, but I do expect Young (No. 4 overall in my rankings) to have a big afternoon.
Reid: Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will get his first interception of the season against Michigan. He is currently tied for fourth in the FBS in pass breakups (nine) and is making a bid to be the top cornerback in the class after an inconsistent start from Georgia's Kelee Ringo. He thrives in press-man coverage and has improved his technique, though Porter tends to get too aggressive at the line of scrimmage at times. The 6-foot-2, 198-pound junior should play a major role on Saturday, and I think Penn State could even upset the Wolverines in a massive Big Ten road victory.
Muench: USC receiver Jordan Addison will eclipse 75 receiving yards against Utah. He has done only so twice in six games this season, he has caught just three passes in two of his past three games and his timing with quarterback Caleb Williams remains a work in progress. Plus, Utah ranks first in the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed per game, and Addison will see plenty of Clark Phillips III, a talented cover corner. It all sounds like a strong argument for Addison to have another slow day statistically, but don't be surprised if USC coach Lincoln Riley finds ways to get the ball in the hands of his star receiver in the biggest game of the year thus far. Addison has game-breaking ability that the Trojans need against a tough defense.
Emptying the notebook: Everything we heard this week
McShay: LSU WR Kayshon Boutte simply is not the same player right now that he was prior to his ankle injury last season. The Tigers are working to get Boutte the ball, but the wideout is simply not delivering. He seems to lack a bit of the explosiveness that he showed early last year, and he doesn't appear to be playing with the same confidence or urgency. Boutte is going to be a tough evaluation, similar to that of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in the 2022 draft. Do you focus more on his early-career tape or his final season at LSU?
Jayden Daniels connects with Kayshon Boutte in the end zone, but LSU trails 37-13.
Reid: Addison vs. Phillips is one of the best prospect vs. prospect matchups that you will see all season. Addison has seen a lot of highs and lows this year in terms of production, but he's in contention to be WR1 for the 2023 draft. And Phillips might be the most consistent cornerback in the class with five interceptions this season. His body control, aggressiveness and playmaking ability have him headed toward a top-50 pick. Tune in for this one.
Miller: Ohio State's Stroud, Alabama's Young and Kentucky's Levis are all in the mix to be QB1, and a lot of evaluators have leaned toward Stroud or Young there. But multiple scouts told me this week that some teams currently have Levis as the top passer, because of his arm talent and mobility. Mississippi State is on deck for the Kentucky QB.
Reid: Florida State defensive end Jared Verse continues to rise, now back from a knee injury that held him out of a late-September game. Evaluators are eager to see how he plays against a highly ranked opponent in Clemson. At 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, the Albany transfer has plenty of upfield urgency, strength and finishing ability. Verse has four sacks and 11 pressures, and he is in the Day 2 conversation. His combination of traits and upside is intriguing.
McShay: Clemson's K.J. Henry is another edge rusher to keep an eye on in that game. He has only one sack on the season, but just watch his tape -- he has been one of the most disruptive pass-rushers in the country this season. He has seven tackles for loss over six games, and his nine pressures over the past two games are tied for the nation's seventh most over that span. Henry has always had talent, but I've seen improved hand usage and a much more consistent motor in 2022. He's doing his best right now to work into the Day 2 conversation.
Miller: Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson, Jr. was a top-ranked recruit when he signed with the Buckeyes, but depth on their line put him inside at guard for two seasons. Now at tackle, Johnson is impressing teams. One scout told me this week that a top-10 selection wouldn't be surprising given his movement skills, poise and production against Big Ten pass-rushers. He hasn't allowed a sack in six starts this season. After Johnson, only Northwestern's Peter Skoronski and Maryland's Jaelyn Duncan are seen as consensus first-round linemen at the moment.
McShay: UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet continues to produce at a high level. He's slippery for a big back, and while he doesn't have great suddenness, he does a very good job of slaloming through traffic with great body control. In six games played this year, Charbonnet has rushed for 615 yards and six touchdowns for the undefeated Bruins. He can continue to raise his midround draft stock on Oct. 22 against an Oregon run defense that ranks No. 19 in the nation.