The last part of the notable player performances for Weeks 0 and 1 will center around two players that stood out to kick off the 2022 college football season but are only eligible for the NFL Draft starting in 2024. Here they are:
CALEB WILLIAMS (pictured above), Quarterback, USC (Sophomore) – The presumptive #1 overall pick for the 2024 NFL Draft is an elite athlete for the quarterback position who displayed tremendous arm talent from the pocket and on the run, combining really good arm strength and excellent ball placement on throws all over the field versus Rice. Let’s see how he performs next game vs Stanford, headlined by Senior Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, a potential 2023 first-rounder, and the rest of the Cardinals’ defense.
BARRETT CARTER, Linebacker/Safety, Clemson (Sophomore) – 8 tackles, 1 forced fumble. In an amazing first game for the 6’1” 225-pounder, Carter played like a modern-day Nickelbacker (the position held by Trenton Simpson last year), showing amazing fluidity coverage man and zone mainly from the slot position, and tremendous speed, agility, power, and physicality vs the run against Georgia Tech, as shown by his big hit to force a fumble. Intriguing prospect to keep an eye on in the next few years due to his unique blend of run-stopping and pass coverage abilities.
Other names to watch: Treyveon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (Sophomore); Marvin Harrison jr., WR, Ohio St (Sophomore); Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (Redshirt Freshman); Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio St (Sophomore); Will Shipley, RB, Clemson (Sophomore); Drake Maye, QB, UNC (Redshirt Freshman)
