The premier game of college football’s second night features a pair of top 25 teams, one loaded with NFL prospects.
Boise State at Michigan State NFL Draft watch notes
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Both of these teams had six players taken in the NFL Draft this year, but it could be a down year for Boise State. The Broncos don't have as much NFL talent (at least to start the year), let alone two first round picks like Shea McClellin and Doug Martin.
Michigan State, however, has a defense with some of the best players at their position in end William Gholston and cornerback Johnny Adams. Both could be first rounders in April. The Spartans also have junior running back Le'Veon Bell, a powerful runner who can be hard to take down.
After the jump, the prospects to watch, top questions and a key matchup.
No. 24 Boise State at No. 13 Michigan State, 8 p.m., ESPN
Boise State 2013 NFL Draft prospects
Offense: No. 7 - D.J. Harper, RB - 5'9, 205 pounds (Senior), No. 61 - Joe Kellogg, G - 6'3, 305 pounds (Senior), No. 87 Gabe Linehan, TE - 6'4, 241 pounds (Junior)
Defense: No. 5 - Jamar Taylor, CB - 5’11, 196 pounds (Senior)
Michigan State 2013 NFL Draft prospects
Offense: No. 51 - Fou Fonoti, RT - 6'4, 296 pounds (Senior), No. 80 - Dion Sims, TE - 6'5, 285 pounds (Junior), No. 10 - Andrew Maxwell - 6'3, 212 pounds (Junior), No. 24 - Le'Veon Bell, RB - 6'2, 244 pounds (Junior)
Defense: No. 98 Anthony Rashad-White, NT - 6'2, 330 pounds (Senior), No. 2 - William Gholston, DE - 6'7, 278 pounds (Junior), No. 40 - Max Bullough, MLB - 6'3, 252 pounds (Junior), No. 28 - Denicos Allen, SOLB - 5'11, 225 pounds (Junior), No. 5 - Johnny Adams, CB - 5'11, 177 pounds (Senior), No. 31 - Darqueze Dennard, CB - 5'11, 188 pounds (Junior), No. 10 - Chris Norman, OLB, 6'1, 233 pounds
Key matchup:
Michigan State’s Johnny Adams (CB, No. 5) vs. Boise State’s Matt Miller (WR, No. 2)
MIller is only a redshirt sophomore, but at 6-foot-3 he should give the smaller Adams trouble. We've seen in the past, though, that Adams has a penchant for big plays and being physical. He'll get tested early as Boise works in Kellen Moore's replacement, Joe Southwick.
Questions of the night:
Does Michigan State have the best defense in college football?
Eight starters are back on the Michigan State defense and there is talent from the front to the back. If he can keep his head straight, Gholston, a junior, could emerge as a top 10 pick in April. Adams gets a lot of credit in the secondary, but junior Darqueze Dennard is nearly as good. Adams will be out on the boundary, Dennard will play the field cornerback spot. The Spartans also have perhaps the best linebackers in the Big Ten with middle man Max Bullough having the best NFL potential. They’ll get tested by Boise State’s offense, but this could be the best defense in the nation.
How will the new starting quarterbacks look in their debuts?
The fate this season of Boise State and Michigan State my rest on how well their new starting quarterbacks perform. Southwick has the unenviable task of replacing Kellen Moore for the Broncos. Like Moore, Southwick isn’t much of an NFL prospect. For the Spartans, Andrew Maxwell could become a legit NFL talent by year’s end. He certainly has the size and preseason reports touted his arm strength.
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