Week 2 of the 2023 college football season was highlighted by a great Texas win over Alabama, a game that featured numerous 2024 NFL draft prospects. But we also saw another impressive Colorado win to begin the Deion Sanders era, a big Miami victory over Texas A&M, a narrow overtime W for North Carolina and a bunch of blowouts for the nation's top teams. How'd the top draft prospects look in Saturday's action? Who is standing out in the early weeks of the season?
NFL draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Steve Muench answered big draft-related questions coming out of the weekend's slate. Then Miller picked out prospects rising up his draft board, and Reid identified players currently flying under the radar who could get a draft stock boost with more high-level play. Muench broke down a key highlight that is making him go back to the tape for more evaluation, and Kiper turned the page to Week 3 with three things to watch for next weekend. Finally, our analysts emptied their notebooks with everything they saw and heard over the weekend.
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Texas-Alabama takeaways | Sanders' stock
Risers | Under the radar | Back to the tape
Week 3 lookahead | Latest draft buzz, notes
What is your biggest takeaway from Texas-Alabama?
Reid: We have to start with the outstanding play of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, right? Scouts wanted to see the talent match the hype the former five-star prospect has received since arriving in Austin ahead of the 2022 season, and he delivered on a big stage -- on the road against a tough Crimson Tide defense. Ewers completed 63.2% of his passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night. Since he took over as the starter last season, he had been completing 22% of his passes on throws 20-plus yards down the field but went 3-of-5 for 115 yards and two touchdowns on those passes against Bama.
This quarterback class is loaded, but Ewers' night was among the most impressive we've seen from the 2024 signal-callers so far this season. The arm talent and the ease with which he makes all types of throws stood out. Ewers (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) came into the season as my No. 3 quarterback in next year's draft and made a strong statement to remain there.
Kiper: Jordan, will the real Ewers please stand up? He looked like a first-round pick Saturday night, but he has been extremely inconsistent throughout his career -- even going back to Week 1 against Rice. If you see his totals from only that opening game -- 19-of-30 passing for 260 yards with three touchdowns and no picks -- you'd think he was as great as he was against Alabama. But digging deeper into the tape, he missed several throws, and his ball placement was off. He wasn't precise. That inconsistency is part of why I ranked him as my No. 6 QB in my preseason rankings.
Ewers rose to the occasion against Bama, though. He was outstanding in the pocket, maneuvering around the pass rush. He wasn't sacked a single time. He stepped up into the pocket for touch throws. He made great decisions and gave his receivers a chance to make a play after the catch. We need to see this kind of week-to-week consistency from Ewers. This is the same guy who had a 19-for-49 game against Oklahoma State last season. If he can do this in Tuscaloosa, he has no excuses with the talent around him. He needs to dominate Big 12 play.
Muench: I won't argue that Ewers' performance was the biggest draft-related standout, but after watching the coaches' tape a couple of times, someone else stood out to me, too. Texas running back Jonathon Brooks' fourth-quarter 5-yard touchdown run put the Longhorns up by two scores, and he carried the ball seven times -- picking up two first downs -- on the 12-play drive that sealed the game. He showed a good blend of vision, burst and toughness in the process, and a key blitz pickup in the second quarter showed why Texas appears to trust him in pass pro. Plus, Brooks has some upside as a receiver.
It's too early to be talking about the 6-foot, 207-pound back as a Day 2 draft pick, but if he puts up more good tape, scouts will take notice, and he could work his way up in this running back class. He has only 77 career carries after playing behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson for the past two years, but Brooks is worth keeping an eye on.
Miller: How about the dominance of Longhorns tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders? The 6-foot-4, 245-pound junior is a "move" tight end who can line up in a variety of roles to put pressure on defenses. He did just that against Alabama, playing often off the heels of the left or right tackle and using motion to exploit the Crimson Tide defense. Sanders' 114 yards on five catches showed his run-after-catch ability -- his best trait -- and helps cement his status as TE2 in this class behind Georgia's Brock Bowers.
What are your early thoughts on Shedeur Sanders as an NFL prospect?
Reid: Sanders dominated the FCS ranks at Jackson State, but scouts wanted to see his ceiling on the FBS level. Well, through two games, he has been arguably the most dominant player in the country, helping Colorado to a 2-0 start. His 903 passing yards are the most by an FBS quarterback in the first two games of a season since Mississippi State's KJ Costello threw for 936 in 2020. Sanders has displayed outstanding command, poise and ball placement, and he looked great again Saturday against Nebraska.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Sanders reminds me a lot of Geno Smith as a prospect coming out of West Virginia. An NFC area scout texted me that he sees "more than enough starter-level traits" in Sanders' game. Sanders is a Day 2 prospect right now, but if he's able to impress in a pair of big tests against Oregon and USC coming up in back-to-back weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if he quickly joins the Round 1 conversation.
Shedeur Sanders throws 2 touchdowns and runs for another score as Colorado cruises to a 36-14 victory vs. Nebraska.
Miller's draft risers from Week 2
Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
I had the chance to watch Newton in person against Kansas on Friday night, and while the Jayhawks won the game, the 6-foot-2, 295-pound senior defensive tackle stood out with two sacks and five pressures. Chasing the elusive Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is a tall order, but Newton was explosive and disruptive from multiple alignments along the defensive line. He is pushing his way up my board from his current No. 25 overall ranking.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
McCarthy was expected to have a very good stat line against UNLV, and he lived up to those expectations. He started the day 11-of-11, including one particularly awesome throw between Cover 2 defenders up the seam to Cornelius Johnson. A scout for an AFC team who was watching the game texted me that McCarthy is "a better moving Kirk Cousins," a compliment to his efficient and accurate style of play. McCarthy carves up defenses with touch and timing, and he did so Saturday with 22-of-25 passing for 278 yards, two touchdowns and an QBR of 96.1. He stacks up as a late first-rounder on my board and is climbing in the race for QB3 behind Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.
Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
The race for WR2 behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. might be settled before the middle of September. Coleman has been electric this season, catching 12 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns in two games. His Week 2 performance against Southern Miss wasn't jaw-dropping from a numbers perspective -- three catches, 48 yards and a touchdown -- but he once again showed explosiveness as a 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver who can run away from defenders or jump over them if they get in his way. Coleman ranks No. 15 on my board and is my No. 2 wideout right now.
Reid's draft sleepers to keep an eye on
T'Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
Scouts were raving about the massive 6-foot-4, 345-pound nose tackle after the Longhorns' Week 1 victory over Rice (four run stops, four pressures), but many were curious how he would play against the Alabama offensive line Saturday. Sweat was stout in the middle as a run defender and showcased strong hands as a pass-rusher, picking up a sack and tackle for loss. He was seen as a possible top-100 pick coming into the season, but he's only trending up.
Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Franklin is one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the country even as he flies under the radar. The 6-foot-3, 187-pound wideout became the first Oregon player in the past 20 seasons to have at least 100 receiving yards in each of the team's first two games with six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown against Texas Tech. His vertical speed and explosiveness really pop on tape. I heard a lot of Day 2 grades for Franklin entering the season, but I wouldn't be shocked if he starts getting into the top-40 discussion if he keeps this up.
Xavier Weaver, WR, Colorado
Weaver was a late-round prospect (or perhaps even an undrafted free agent) before the season, but the South Florida transfer is now firmly on the NFL radar. He has 288 receiving yards and a touchdown through his first two games in Boulder, and his 170 receiving yards against Nebraska were the most in a single game for a Colorado player since 2019 (Laviska Shenault Jr. had 172 against USC). I really like his natural route-running ability, and he has strong hands at the catch point.
Muench's Week 2 highlight that is sending him back to the tape
Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke throws a 52-yard TD pass to WR Isaiah Horton
Tyler Van Dyke chucks it 52 yards to Isaiah Horton for a Hurricanes touchdown.
Van Dyke has always had a strong arm, but come on ... making that throw from the opposite hashmark is really impressive. But even more important than the arm talent is how he comes off his first read when it's not there. TVD kept the safety toward the middle of the field with sound eye discipline and synced his eyes with his feet.
He still has a lot of work to do after a disappointing 2022 season if he's going to make noise in a competitive quarterback class, but he has the talent and looks more comfortable in new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's scheme. Throwing for five touchdowns against a ranked Texas A&M team also doesn't hurt.
Kiper's three things to watch in Week 3
Matt mentioned Illinois' Jer'Zhan Newton, and Week 3 will feature the hulking defensive lineman facing off on several snaps against top-ranked offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu as Penn State visits Champaign. Newton is used at right end a bunch, though his future will be at defensive tackle. Will he be able to get by Fashanu, who has a chance to be a top-three pick in April? Both usually dominate on Saturdays, so this will be fun to watch.
You know I love line play, and in Kansas State at Missouri next weekend, I'll be watching my top-ranked guard -- the Wildcats' Cooper Beebe -- against defensive tackle Darius Robinson, who is active and plays with stellar technique. This will be Beebe's first real test of the season.
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Tennessee's Bru McCoy has unique traits for the receiver position -- but he's going to have his hands full when he matches up with Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. next Saturday night. Robinson can get handsy at times, but he has the size (6-foot-1) and physicality to disrupt McCoy's routes. If he can help stop the rhythm of the Volunteers' passing game, the Gators could pull off an upset -- and Robinson could move up draft boards. I ranked him as my No. 6 corner before the season.
Let's empty the notebooks ...
Kiper
• Keep an eye on safety Jalen Catalon, an Arkansas transfer who is playing at Texas this season. He struggled with shoulder injuries the past two seasons, but he would have been drafted in the 2022 class if he had entered as a third-year sophomore. He can cover tight ends and hit running backs at the line of scrimmage. He had seven tackles in the win over Bama.
Reid
• After colliding with another player and suffering an undisclosed injury late in the game against Texas A&M, Miami safety Kamren Kinchens was carted off the field and hospitalized. Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal is "very hopeful," but it's a situation to keep monitoring. Kinchens is my No. 2 safety prospect in the class.
• Matt already talked about J.J. McCarthy's scorching-hot start for Michigan. But consider this: After throwing 25 or more passes in only six games last season, he has hit that mark in both games this year. Yes, he has played only East Carolina and UNLV, but McCarthy is completing 87.3% of his passes and has been efficient with his decision-making and accuracy.
• After live scouting the Appalachian State-North Carolina double-overtime thriller, I came away really impressed with Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray. At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, he's a rangy and instinctive second-level defender who has a nose for the ball. Gray was the No. 2 inside linebacker on my board coming into the season and projects as a Day 2 pick.
Miller
• Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels put on a show Friday night against a good Illinois defense, displaying arm strength and a dual-threat running ability that will excite NFL teams. In his season debut (after missing Week 1 because of back tightness), he threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-27 passing. Daniels' ability to extend the play and move within the pocket to find passing windows and open receivers fits where the NFL game has gone at the position. Scouts view him as a Day 3 prospect in a crowded QB class, but more games like his Week 2 performance will move him up boards.
• Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was a big-play waiting to happen Saturday night. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior had three catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns, including a 39-yarder that put the game away in the fourth quarter. Mitchell has the build of a true X receiver, and he showed both body control and explosiveness as a route runner. He has a mid-Day 2 grade from scouts I spoke with on Saturday.
• It's a loaded group of running backs again this year, but don't sleep on Kansas' Devin Neal. The 215-pound junior is the lone returning 1,000-yard rusher in the Big 12 and was electric against Illinois. Neal rushed for 120 yards on just 10 attempts and showed a slashing, powerful running style with impressive burst and downhill speed.