The best draft scouting matchup games in the 2021 NCAA season

The summer is all about building watch lists in the scouting world. Lists of players to study over the next few weeks and into the fall, and even lists of games to keep an eye on once the season begins.

With life getting back to normal in an almost post-COVID world, college football fans have a full slate of action to anticipate this fall. That means a ton of games to study from a scouting perspective, and some incredible one-on-one matchups that we’ll be debating into the winter. Here are just some of the games that I have circled on my schedule that you should keep an eye on over the next few months.

Georgia versus Clemson (Saturday, September 4)

Just because it is the opening weekend of the college football season does not mean that you can take a week off from scouting. One of the first prime-time games of the season is a huge contest between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Expectations are high in Athens, as the Bulldogs return a number of starters from last season's squad, including quarterback J.T. Daniels, who could play himself into the first round if he puts together a solid season for Georgia. Other players to watch for the Bulldogs include defensive tackle Jordan Davis, pass rusher Nolan Smith, and running back Zamir White. There is also wide receiver George Pickens, who is recovering from a knee injury and will likely miss this contest. If Pickens is a go, he'll see some talent on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Clemson has two intriguing cornerbacks to watch in Andrew Booth Jr. and Derion Kendrick. There is also wide receiver Justyn Ross, who is coming off his own injury, having missed the 2020 season after spinal surgery. Of course, the departure of Trevor Lawrence has opened the door for the talented sophomore passer D.J. Uiagalelei. He is only a sophomore, so you'll need to wait a bit for him, but the talent is there.

Oregon at Ohio State (Saturday, September 11)

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The second week of the college football season gives us another fascinating non-conference matchup between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The Ducks have one of the more impressive prospects in the upcoming draft class in pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who could potentially be the first player off the board, although there is a long way to go. Joining him on your watch lists should be defensive backs Mykael Wright and Verone McKinley III, as well as running back C.J. Berdell. The transfer of quarterback Tyler Shough has opened the door for Anthony Brown, formerly of Boston College, to take over the offense. Then there are the Buckeyes, who as usual have reloaded for another run at a Big Ten title. They could see a pair of receivers come off the board in the first round in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, but there is also talent on the defensive side of the football, including pass rusher Zach Harrison, cornerback Sevyn Banks, and defensive lineman Haskell Garrett. Then there is the potential matchup between Thibodeaux and offensive tackle Thayer Munford, whose decision to return to school came as a surprise. The experienced tackle might see a ton of Thibodeaux in this one.

Liberty at Syracuse (Friday, September 24)

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We skip ahead a week to the fourth week of the season, and a Friday night affair in upstate New York. The draw? Quarterback Malik Willis of the Liberty Flames. Willis has generated a ton of buzz this summer thanks to his potential, and the chance he could be the next quarterback to crash the top of the draft board. With just two other games on the schedule for this Friday night, and the Flames traveling to the Carrier Dome to take on an ACC opponent, this is a great chance to clear your schedule and wee what Willis can do.

Mississippi at Alabama (Saturday, October 2)

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As the calendar flips to October the games pick up in intensity. One of the bigger games of this week is this meeting between Mississippi and Alabama. Last season these two teams for a whopping 111 points in a 63-48 victory for the Crimson Tide, and with the talent on both rosters this could be another stellar contest. You probably know about the departures from Alabama, but Nick Saban does not rebuild, he reloads. Offensive tackle Evan Neal, linebacker Christian Harris, cornerback Josh Jobe, defensive tackle D.J. Dale and safety Jordan Battle are just some of the names to watch. Then there is wide receiver John Metchie III. He'll get his chance to join previous first-round selections at the position such as DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle from this past season. For Mississippi, it starts with quarterback Matt Corral. If you want to make some noise as a QB prospect out of the SEC, you need to put on a show against the Crimson Tide. Just ask Joe Burrow. But Corral is not the only prospect to watch from this sideline. Keep an eye on offensive tackle Nick Broeker, pass rusher Sam Williams and running back Jerrion Ealy.

Mississippi State at Texas A&M (Saturday, October 2)

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This game is worth keeping an eye on for the battle that will unfold in the trenches. Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross is getting some attention this summer as a player that could challenge for OT1. On this Saturday down in College Station he might see a lot of DeMarvin Leal, a force on the Aggies defensive line. But there are some other players to watch, including tight end Jalen Wydermyer, running back Isaiah Spiller and guard Kenyon Green, all of whom are getting first-round buzz this summer from the Aggies.

Miami at North Carolina (Saturday, October 16)

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For my money, this game sports one of the more fascinating quarterback matchups of the 2021 college football regular season. On one sideline you have UNC's Sam Howell, who has looked the part of a first-round quarterback since his freshman season. Last year's film was a bit...underwhelming if you ask me, but the talent is there and he gets tons of chances in this offensive system. Then there is Miami's D'Eriq King, another talented quarterback who is flying under-the-radar this summer. With a solid season perhaps King is the quarterback to rise up boards in the fall, and this game will be a big test. There are other names to watch as well for the Hurricanes. Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson is getting some attention this summer, as is safety Bubba Bolden.

USC at Notre Dame (Saturday, October 23)

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One of college football's most-storied rivalries is renewed this season, as the USC Trojans travel to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This meeting was canceled for the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the teams last met in 2019, with Notre Dame coming away a three-point win. There are obviously some new faces since that last meeting, but not that of USC quarterback Kedon Slovis. When these teams met back in 2019 Slovis completed 24 of 35 passes for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He'll be throwing to wide receiver Drake London, who is certainly keeping an eye on. Then there is pass rusher Drake Jackson, who could challenge Kayvon Tibodeaux for EDGE1 next spring. For Notre Dame, safety Kyle Hamilton might test just how high a safety can climb in the draft. Early mock draft projections have Hamilton inside the first round according to NFLMockDraftDatabase.com, and he is certainly talented enough to stay that high. Other players to watch from Notre Dame include running back Kyren Williams, offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson and defensive linemen Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and Isaiah Foskey.

LSU at Alabama (Saturday, November 6)

(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)

The 2019 tilt between the LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide has become legendary in scouting circles. Nine players that were on the field that day were drafted in the first round of the 2020 draft, and six more joined them this past draft in Ja'Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, Patrick Surtain II, Jaylen Waddle, Alex Leatherwood and Najee Harris. A seventh first-round pick this year had one of the best seats in the house, in quarterback Mac Jones, who was Tua Tagovailoa's backup. Could this game join the list of notable scouting matchups? That might be a lofty goal, but there is a matchup that will make this game a must-watch affair. We have talked about the Alabama prospects already, including wide receiver John Metchie III. If he is going to take that leap into the first round like Waddle and Smith last season (and Henry Ruggs III/Jerry Jeudy the previous year) he'll need a huge game against LSU. Why? Because of Derek Stingley Jr. The LSU cornerback has been a dominant cornerback since stepping on campus, and is getting first-overall selection buzz this summer. The matchup of Stingley versus Metchie might be one of the best head-to-head meetings on the entire 2021 college football schedule. Set the DVR for this one, friends.

Iowa State at Oklahoma (Saturday, November 20)

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Another quarterback getting a lot of attention this summer is Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler. Could he rise to the QB1 throne? Perhaps, but he'll need a strong 2021 campaign to make that leap. A good outing against the Iowa State Cyclones would go a long way towards him achieving that goal. This will be his third game against the Cyclones, having split the two contests last season. But Rattler is not the only player to watch in this one. His teammates Perrion Winfrey and Nick Bonitto are standouts on the defensive line, and wide receiver Jadon Haselwood is worth watching as well. For Iowa State, running back Breece Hall and tight end Charlie Kolar are two intriguing prospects for the next draft cycle. Then there is linebacker Mike Rose, last season's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Finally, do not forget about Brock Purdy, the other quarterback in this game.

Florida State at Florida (Saturday, November 27)

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With a holiday weekend comes a bevy of rivalry games, including the Iron Bowl and The Game, but the one I'll be watching kicks off in Gainesville when the Florida Gators host in-state rivals Florida State. The reason? Quarterback Emory Jones. The departure of Kyle Trask to the NFL has opened the door for Jones to take over as the Gators starting quarterback, and in flashes last season Jones showed the athleticism and arm talent that scouts covet in today's NFL. Could he follow a path similar to Mitchell Trubisky? One year as a starter and a rocket ride to the top of the draft? Jones is not the only reason to keep an eye on the Gators in this one, or next season for that matter. Also be sure to study cornerback Kaiir Elam and linebackers Ventrell Miller and Brenton Cox Jr.

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