There are two games to check out tonight, so keep your remote control at hand. Despite being ranked No. 4 in the nation, Boise State makes an odd appearance at last week's darlings Toledo (8 p.m., ESPN). The better NFL Draft prospect game is Iowa State at Connecticut (8 p.m., ESPN 2).
The top prospect playing tonight is Iowa State offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele. A hulking 6-foot-5 and 347 pounds, Osemele holds up surprisingly well at left tackle. As a pro, though, he's more likely a guard or, at best, a right tackle. He's devastating in the running game and has the size to engulf defenders.
Osemele protects rising junior quarterback Steele Jantz. The legend of Jantz is growing after just two games, and last week's win against Iowa was impressive. He threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns. He's someone to keep in the back of your head during tonight's game.
Iowa State cornerback Leonard Johnson is an intriguing prospect. He's a thickly built corner who is hard to move around, especially at the line.
Connecticut's best prospect is defensive tackle Kendall Reyes. He's somewhat undersized for a 4-3 tackle, but plays with a good first step. Given his agility, it will be interesting to see if NFL teams view him more as a 3-4 end. If his pass rush can come along some the rest of the season, it will greatly help his stock.
Boise State defensive tackle Billy Winn is another player who could be asked to play on the outside at the next level. While he's not the most athletic defensive lineman, he consistently gets a good push.
This could be a big game for running back Doug Martin, and he needs it. He struggle most of the time in the season opener against Georgia, rushing for 57 yards on 24 attempts. He's a shifty but strong runner who can break a big run open. He just didn't do it on Sept. 3 against Georgia's superior athletes.
Friday NFL Draft watch notes: Boise State at Toledo, Iowa St. at Connecticut
Boise State has several mid- to late-round prospects. Among them are offensive tackle
, safety
and defensive end Shea McClellan. Of course there’s also quarterback
, who is undersized but makes all the throws. Of course, you already probably know as much.
For Toledo, key on junior wide receiver
. He’s a guy who just knows how to get open. It’s unknown how well he’d test out and he’s a little short, but he knows how to get open and has good hands. He picked apart Ohio State’s secondary last week and could do it again tonight.
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