Treadwell vs. Hargreaves among this weekend's best one-on-one matchups
College coaches are looking for ways to either avoid or exploit these matchups, and NFL talent evaluators can't wait to watch future pros go head-to-head on the biggest stages.
So no matter what lens you're looking through, these are some of the premier matchups in many of the top college football games this Saturday.
Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.
WR Laquon Treadwell vs. CB Vernon Hargreaves III
Ole Miss Rebels at Florida Gators (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Treadwell has recovered nicely from a gruesome leg injury last season, averaging 83 receiving yards per game to start the 2015 campaign. He's one of the top wide receivers in the 2016 draft class due to his elite length and timing. He'll have the height advantage against Hargreaves -- 6-foot-2 vs. 5-foot-11 -- but the Florida cornerback has the skills to stick with him step-for-step. My No. 3 overall player, Hargreaves already has two interceptions on the season. This battle could come down to whether Hargreaves can throw off Treadwell's timing by playing bump-and-run at the line.
RB Nick Chubb vs. ILB Reggie Ragland
Alabama Crimson Tide at Georgia Bulldogs (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Chubb comes into this game averaging 8.44 yards per carry, the best mark in the FBS among players with at least 55 carries. He's been somewhat overshadowed by Leonard Fournette's brilliance, but make no mistake: This kid is the real deal. The question now is whether Chubb, a true sophomore, will have enough running lanes against an Alabama defense that prides itself on stopping the run (1.97 ypc allowed, third in the FBS). Ragland -- who's one of two top-20 prospects along the Tide's front seven (DT A'Shawn Robinson is the other) -- has outstanding sideline-to-sideline speed. I can't wait to watch the Tide front seven against Chubb and his strong run-blocking offensive line.
WR Will Fuller vs. CB Mackensie Alexander
OT Ronnie Stanley vs. DE Shaq Lawson
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Clemson Tigers (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
Fuller is a big play waiting to happen, as evidenced by his 20.6 yards-per-catch average, best in the FBS among players with at least 20 catches this season. He has converted those big plays into six touchdowns for the Irish, thanks to some savvy route running. But don't sleep on Alexander or the Tigers' secondary. Clemson has allowed an opponent-adjusted Total QBR of just 31.3, the eighth-best mark in college football. And while Alexander hasn't gotten his hands on any interceptions yet this season, he has the athleticism to stick with Fuller -- and his 5-foot-11 frame won't be an issue against the 6-foot wide receiver.
Stanley, my No. 6 overall prospect, is the complete package. He leads the way in the Irish's run game, which gains 6.74 yards per carry (sixth in the country), and does not get beat often one-on-one in pass protection. Stanley will get a great test against the 6-foot-3, 270-pound Lawson, who's Clemson's best edge rusher. He leads the Tigers with five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in three games, and will have the crowd in Death Valley helping him get a jump against Stanley.
WR Josh Doctson vs. CB Duke Thomas
Texas Longhorns at TCU Horned Frogs (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Doctson's stats from last weekend's win against Texas Tech were so good they almost don't look real (18 catches, 267 yards and 3 TDs). He shows natural hand-eye coordination and confidence catching the ball away from his frame. Doctson is the single most dangerous player on TCU's offense, and you can bet he'll have Texas' full attention. Meanwhile, Thomas is the Longhorns' best man-to-man corner, but he's only 5-foot-11, 178 pounds and struggles to play the ball at times. Texas typically gives too much cushion in coverage and has a lot of breakdowns in zone coverage. This could be another huge game for Doctson.
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