The college football season is over, which means it’s time to look ahead to April and which players will be taken in the NFL Draft.
As the NCAA just wrapped up its bowl season, there were a number of players who performed exceptionally well in the final games of their college careers.
With teams in desperate need of an injection of talent in certain positions – whether that’s to protect themselves for the future or fill needs they have immediately – these are some of the names that they’ll be looking to when the draft rolls around in April.
Here, DailyMail.com takes a look at 10 players whose bowl performances helped make their case to be picked early in the upcoming NFL Draft.
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Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
One of the best edge rushers in this draft class had an amazing day at the Cheez-It Bowl against Oklahoma.
He brought pressure to the quarterback often, logging six total tackles, three solo tackles, and 1.5 sacks.
In a season where he finished second in sacks in the ACC and in the top-20 nationally for that same statistic, Verse is young but presents a great opportunity for teams.
As of now, Verse projects as a first rounder and one of the first five edge rushers off the board in a draft class loaded with defensive line talent.
That means teams that could look for him include the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, and the Houston Texans – who have multiple first round picks.
Jared Verse is one of the better edge rushers in this class with a great win over the Sooners
Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Jack Campbell took home the Dick Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker and proved he’s worth that billing in Iowa’s Music City Bowl clash with Kentucky.
He grabbed 10 total tackles – including eight solo tackles – and one sack as the Hawkeyes beat the Wildcats 21-0.
Right now, Campbell projects as a late second round or early third round pick – despite a season where he finished as the Big Ten’s leading tackler and ranked top-15 across the NCAA.
It’s harder to project what teams will do beyond the first round, but after this bowl performance, it’s likely Campbell could have solidified himself as a second round draft pick.
Teams looking for his talents may include teams like the Minnesota Vikings or Philadelphia Eagles – who already have stout defenses and could inject some youth among their ranks.
Butkus Award winner Jack Campbell is one to watch and deserves to be picked in first round
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
A performance like the one Stroud put up in the CFP semifinal against Georgia deserves a spot in the championship game. However, a missed field goal to the right led to the Buckeyes just coming up short.
Stroud had a QBR of 94.1 and a passer rating of 192.4 with 348 passing yards and four touchdowns on 23 completions against the Bulldogs.
This season was a great one for him and the Buckeyes, who finished with only one blemish on their record in the regular season – with Stroud ending up as a finalist for the Heisman.
As of now, he’s projected to be either the second or third quarterback taken in the draft, meaning teams like the Panthers or the Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, and New Orleans Saints could be looking for his services.
Stroud’s profile perfectly fits the mold of the modern day NFL quarterback: strong arm, mobile, and accurate. Putting him in the right system with the right weapons will be key to his success at the pro level.
C.J. Stroud could provide the toughest competition to Bryce Young for top quarterback in ’23
Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
Even though this was not a College Football Playoff game, Branch saved one of the best performances of this season for last.
He grabbed an interception and then put up 12 tackles – 11 of those as solo tackles – and one sack.
Alabama has produced some great NFL talent at the cornerback position in the past decade and Branch seems set to continue that legacy Nick Saban has established.
That comes after a season where he finished top 10 in the SEC in tackles and grabbed a team-leading two interceptions.
Branch will likely go off the board within the first 20 picks of the draft – with teams like the Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Detroit Lions in need of help in the defensive secondary.
Brian Branch showed why Alabama’s defensive unit was not one to be underestimated
Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State
Penn State showed out over Pac-12 champions Utah at the Rose Bowl the day after the new year began.
One of the stars from that was safety Ji’Ayir Brown, who snagged an interception along with eight total tackles, six solo tackles, and 1.5 sacks.
It was a strong senior year from Brown – who finished No. 19 in the Big Ten in total tackles, good enough for the second most among safeties.
Brown will not likely go in the first round, but after this season – and in particular, this Rose Bowl – he could be seen as a high value pick in the third round or later.
Safeties are needed by a number of teams, and if squads like the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or Jacksonville Jaguars don’t choose one sooner, they could grab Brown in the later rounds.
Ji’Ayir Brown deserves a lot more credit after helping Penn State to a big Rose Bowl victory
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
In a magical season for TCU, wide receiver Quentin Johnston showed out and balled out in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
With Max Duggan tossing him the ball, Johnston hauled in six catches for 163 yards and a receiving touchdown in the Horned Frogs win over Michigan.
The national championship was just a poor outing from everyone on TCU’s team, so Johnston’s one catch for three yards is not cause for concern.
It capped off a junior season that saw Johnson finish No. 22 in the nation for receiving yards.
Even though there may be a chicken-or-egg situation between Duggan and Johnston – in that they both feed off each other so well you can’t tell who is more talented – it’s clear that Johnston will be getting drafted earlier than Duggan will.
Johnston is a top 10 prospect on many draft boards and many teams are in need of receivers. It’s likely Johnston doesn’t stick around for long – with squads like the Eagles plus the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, and Green Bay Packers in need of talent at the receiver position.
A lot of eyes in the top 10 of the draft will be looking at Horned Frogs WR Quentin Johnston
Jammie Robinson, DB, Florida State
Another Seminole had themselves a great day against Oklahoma – perhaps even better than their teammate earlier on this list.
Robinson got 13 total tackles – with 10 of those by himself – as well as a sack to his credit in the victory for Florida State.
2022 was a great season for Robinson, who finished eighth in the ACC in total tackles and 14th in the conference in solo tackles.
It’s the kind of performance that could see him sneak into the first round – with a number of teams in need of defensive backs and safeties around that point of the draft.
Robinson could be on the boards of the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as the Vikings, Bills, and Eagles – with those teams picking within the last five slots of the first round.
Jammie Robinson could be a gem beyond the first rounds and is surely one to watch for
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Young completed only 15 passes in his team’s 45-20 win over Kansas State. He STILL managed to rack up 321 yards and five passing touchdowns.
As mentioned prior, the battle for the spot of QB1 will be heated up until the moment that draft day arrives. Young has some downsides – he’s got a small frame compared to NFL quarterbacks and he stands at only six-feet tall.
But in spite of those, his intangibles and pass-making ability make him a very attractive prospect for NFL teams in need of a signal caller.
Young will go into draft day as one of the top-five prospects overall and will continue to battle C.J. Stroud and Will Levis for that top quarterback title all the way until draft day.
If he isn’t drafted by the Texans with the second overall pick, expect teams like the Panthers and the Colts to take a swing at him.
Many draft boards have Bryce Young as the top quarterback – but will his size turn teams away?
Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
The best player in the Group-of-Five, linebacker Dorian Williams had himself an amazing season with the Green Wave of Tulane – especially in their Cotton Bowl upset over USC.
Williams made 17 tackles that game – with the breakdown as nine solo tackles and eight assisted tackles. That saw him win the Cotton Bowl’s award for best defensive player.
Given that he comes from a non-Power-Five-school, he’s a bit more of an under-the-radar pick.
While some outlets have him as a top-five linebacker, that position isn’t as full of first-round prospects as in years before.
Unless he has a fantastic combine, it’s not likely that he’ll go in the first round come April. But, maybe that lack of respect could lead him into a blossoming NFL career.
The only player on this list not from a Power-Five school, Williams is a diamond in the rough
Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
Stetson Bennett’s backstory is that he’s an unheralded prospect that worked his way to the top. He certainly proved that in both CFP games.
In the games against Ohio State and TCU, he threw a combined 700+ yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception with favorable passer ratings and QBRs.
Bennett will have the same energy as that underdog looking a draft board full of talented players.
His age (25) puts him older than many starting QBs in the NFL today, which will likely cause some teams to turn away from him, but age aside, Bennett still has plenty to prove.
It’s hard to predict exactly which team will take a flyer on him, but expect it to be one where he’ll fit into a role as a competent backup – at least to start – or maybe even going to a team that needs to find some competition for a young quarterback.
Teams like the Jaguars, Steelers, Chicago Bears, or New York Jets could all fit that mold for Bennett.
Stetson Bennett has been overlooked all his life – maybe an NFL team won’t be so foolish
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