Week 4: Players to Watch

Draft Nation is ready for Saturday’s games and wants to make sure you are as well. Each week, we will go through the games and the players to watch, on our way to the draft in April 2025.

Here is our preview for - Week 4:

#7 (3-0) Tennessee at. #13 (3-0) Oklahoma Saturday 7:30 pm ABC

Line- Tennessee (-6.5)

Draft Nation Prediction - Tennessee 38 Oklahoma 34

The Oklahoma Sooners get their introduction to SEC football with a prime time tilt against an explosive Tennessee squad. This game should be extra special for Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel as he gets to play against his alma mater. Draft Nation believes this game will go back and forth and Oklahoma will cover the spread but lose in the end.

Tennessee- Running Back- Dylan Sampson

Dylan Sampson has spent most of his time at Tennessee backing up current Miami Dolphin Jaylen Wright and has taken the reins since becoming the number one running back. He has already set a career high with nine rushing touchdowns and is helping to balance out a Tennessee offense that used to be pass heavy. 

Wright started the season as an afterthought when it came to the draft, but the junior running back has played himself into a possible late second day pick. If his growth continues, the sky can be the limit. Sampson has already ran for 357 yards and is averaging 7.9 yards per carry.

Oklahoma- Linebacker- Danny Stutsman

If you are a fan who loves the old school middle linebacker, you will want to watch Danny Stutsman of Oklahoma. Stutsman, coming off back to back seasons of over 100 tackles, already has collected 33 in three games. The 6-foot-4 and 240 pound linebacker is one of the best tacklers in the country and makes plays all over the field. His pass coverage skills will have NFL teams looking to select him as early as late in the first round. Stutsman will need to make plays against a Tennessee team that creates a lot of open space and has a knack for the big play.

Tennessee- Edge Rush- James Pearce Jr.

James Pearce Jr. is one of the elite edge rushers in the country and has been mentioned as a possible No. 1 overall pick in the draft. So it comes as a shock that he has only one tackle on the season with zero sacks. When fans dig a little closer it is easy to see why. Pearce has been constantly hurrying quarterbacks and offensive tackles have been holding him anytime that he has a chance to get around them. At one point against Kent State, he had three quarterback hurries and on one occasion was going to most likely sack the quarterback when the lineman pulled him to the ground. 

Pearce is frustrated and a prime time game against Oklahoma may be the perfect time to show the country (and more importantly the NFL scouts) what he can do. Look for Pearce to make sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold uncomfortable throughout the game.

Oklahoma- Wide Receiver -Deion Burks

The Tennessee Volunteers offense is explosive and capable of putting up points quickly. The Sooners will need a big game from their biggest playmaker, junior wide receiver Deion Burks. Burks is a weapon out of the slot that has potential to take a short pass to the house. He has 22 receptions this season and has scored three touchdowns. Burks is yet another talented wide receiver in the 2025 class who should hear his name in the first three rounds. 

He is only 5-foot-9 and struggles against the more physical defensive backs but has instant explosion off the snap and reminds some people of Antonio Brown with his route running ability.

Others to Watch

Tennessee- C- Cooper Mays

Tennessee- QB- Nico Iamaleava

Tennessee- WR- Bru McCoy

Oklahoma- QB- Jackson Arnold

Oklahoma- S- Billy Bowman Jr.

Oklahoma- DL- R Mason Thomas

#12 (2-0) USC at. #17 (2-1) Michigan Saturday 3:30 pm CBS

Line- USC (-6)

Draft Nation Prediction - USC 24 Michigan 10

USC and Michigan are matching up for the first time in a regular season since 1958 and the first time ever as Big Ten foes. Eight of the past 10 matchups have been played in the Rose Bowl and USC will be making only their second trip all time to Michigan. 

USC is coming off a bye and the Wolverines are making a quarterback change as Alex Orji is set to take over as the signal caller. Michigan’s defense should keep this game close for a while, but USC will win and cover in Ann Arbor. 

USC- Quarterback- Miller Moss

The redshirt junior quarterback has been good but not spectacular in the early going for the Trojans. Moss has a quick release and is very accurate but lacks the height (6-foot-2) and arm strength of the other top prospects. Moss has limited experience as a starter and Draft Nation expects Moss to be back in So-Cal in 2025. This week’s matchup can go a long way to see how Moss handles himself against some NFL type talent. Although Michigan’s defense looked horrendous against Texas, they are still loaded with future NFL players throughout their lineup.

Michigan- Tight End- Colston Loveland

Loveland leads the Wolverines in catches with 19 and that more than doubles the next closest with nine. He is listed as questionable on the injury report and he may be a game time decision. If he plays he will offer a safety net for Alex Orji who will be making his first NCAA start. 

Loveland is one of, if not the best tight end in the nation. He does an excellent job of finding the soft spots in zones and he has the speed to stretch the seams of the defense. If Orji has success this Saturday it will most likely be because of Colston Loveland. The 6-foot-5 tight end should be a first round pick and have a long and prosperous NFL career.

USC- Safety- Kamari Ramsey

The UCLA transfer has three-years of eligibility left but is already building up his draft resume for the Trojans. If Colston Loveland plays for the Wolverines, Ramsey will be counted on to try and contain the playmaking tight end. 

On the season Ramsey has 12 tackles and a sack and is the leader of the USC secondary. He will be worth keeping an eye on for the next season or two as he keeps blossoming. The 6-foot-0 safety is a proficient tackler who has playmaking skills. As a redshirt freshman for UCLA last season he collected 40 tackles, four passes defended and one interception.

Michigan- Defensive End- Josaiah Stewart

The Wolverines defense has to show up on Saturday and put consistent pressure on USC quarterback Miller Moss. Senior defensive end Josaiah Stewart has two sacks on the season and 23.5 sacks in his Michigan career. He has a lot of speed and should be a handful all day long for the USC offensive tackles. Stewart projects as a mid-round pick because he's been labeled as a “tweener” due to his 6-foot-1 frame. 

Others to Watch

USC- RB- Woody Marks

USC- LB- Eric Gentry

USC- C- Jonah Monheim

Michigan- QB- Alex Orji

Michigan- DT- Mason Graham

Michigan- RB- Donovan Edwards

#10 (3-0) Utah at. #15 (3-0) Oklahoma State Saturday 4:00 pm FOX

Line- Oklahoma State (-2.5)

Draft Nation Prediction - Oklahoma State- 22 Utah 16

In a weekend of firsts, Utah and Oklahoma State will square up for the first time ever as Big 12 opponents. This game matches up two solid defenses against two well balanced offenses. This may not be the prettiest game of the weekend but it should be a close, tough battle throughout. Draft Nation is going with the home team Cowboys in this one.

Oklahoma State- Running Back- Ollie Gordon II

Coming into the season running back Ollie Gordon was on a short list of running backs who could possibly go in the first two rounds. The 6-foot-2 junior led the nation in rushing last season with 1,732 yards, but has been rather pedestrian early on in 2024, only rushing for 216 yards and an average carry of a miniscule 3.5 per carry. Look for the Cowboys to get Gordon going early and often as they try to win the time-of-possession battle. 

Gordon at this point may have slipped a bit in mock drafts, but he still offers the capability to be a workhorse back in the NFL. His size and vision are near the top of the class and Draft Nation expects him to still be amongst the top ten in rushing yards in the country. 

Utah- Quarterback- Cameron Rising

Rising sat out last week’s game with a hand injury and is a question mark coming into this weekend, although he is expected to be ready for this big matchup. In two games this season, Rising has already thrown for 346 yards and seven touchdowns. The Cowboys will field the best defense that Rising has had to go against so far this season, and his performance will go a long way to determining the outcome of this game. 

Rising is a smart, veteran quarterback who has the ability to beat you with his arm or his legs. His age (25) and medical red flags make him no more than a UDFA type signing at the next level. 

Oklahoma State- Linebacker- Nick Martin

Nick Martin has grown into one of the most complete tacklers in the country. In just three games, he has collected 34 tackles, one sack, and two passes defended. He is versatile and has the ability to rush a quarterback or drop into coverage. On Saturday it is likely that he will be used to spy on quarterback Cameron Rising and when Rising takes off running, Martin will be there. 

Martin projects as a third-fourth round pick. At 6-foot-0 he struggles to shed the bigger blockers and needs to add some muscle. He is athletic and has the instincts and bursts to make plays.

Utah- Edge- Van Fillinger

Redshirt senior Van Fillinger has burst onto the scene in 2024 and his 4.5 sacks have already surpassed last season’s total. He is 6-foot-4 and 260 lbs and is putting himself onto teams draft boards. Fillinger, a late bloomer, has the tools to keep marching up the draft boards as his teammate from a year ago Jonah Elliss did. Fillinger will look to keep Alan Bowman looking over his shoulders all day by putting constant pressure on the Cowboys quarterback.

Others to Watch 

Oklahoma State- Quarterback- Alan Bowman

Oklahoma State- Wide Receiver- De’Zhaun Stribling

Oklahoma State- Safety- Trey Rucker

Utah- Tight End- Brant Kuithe

Utah- Cornerback- Zemaiah Vaughn

Utah- Running Back- Micah Bernard