2014 NFL Draft Prospects with Most to Prove This Season

Everyone is starting to get excited about the upcoming college football season, which means chatter about next year's NFL draft is inevitably going to start up soon.

Looking around at different experts' early draft boards, one can see that a lot of players are all over the place, as is expected for the month of August. 

But there are some consensus first- and second-round prospects, and more than a couple of those players come into the 2013 college football season with a lot to prove.

These players are all talented and have the upside to be future first-round picks, but each have their own unique situation which results in their needing to meet expectations to solidify a high draft position.

Here are seven NFL draft prospects with the most to prove this season. 

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Let's get the most obvious player out of the way. Johnny Manziel's summer has been well-chronicled, so I won't go and discuss that further.

Some people do say that the coverage of Manziel has been way over the top, and I tend to agree with those folks. At the end of the day, everyone has their problems, and our expectations of a famous 20-year-old kid need to be kept in perspective.

As far as his future in football goes, Manziel has as much, if not more to prove than anyone after being the first-ever freshman to win the Heisman Trophy last year.

Manziel needs to show that he can take all of the attention in stride and still perform at game time. He needs to continue developing and maturing while staying out of trouble, especially during the season.

More importantly, Manziel simply needs to show that he is capable of playing quarterback in the NFL. If he can't improve his footwork in the pocket and refine his throwing mechanics, then nothing else really matters. 

Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas

Jackson Jeffcoat was one of the top high school recruits in the country in 2010 and was a highly regarded draft prospect heading into last season.

But a slow start followed by a season-ending pectoral tear hurt his draft stock immensely, and he smartly decided to come back for his senior season.

Jeffcoat is out to prove that he can stay healthy for an entire season, according to Tayler Gasper of Orangebloods.com, and I think he'll use his outstanding balance and quickness to project as both a 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB. Bleacher Report's own Dan Hope has a great scouting report on Jeffcoat, which you can read here. 

De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon

De'Anthony Thomas is the most explosive player in college football, but what are his NFL prospects like? That is a question that will be answered this fall when Thomas takes over the feature-back role at Oregon.

With Chip Kelly gone, some have to wonder whether the offense will be the same high-octane machine that it was during his tenure as head coach.

Thomas' size is his biggest question mark. At 5'9", his height is less of an issue than his weight, which was listed at 176 pounds last season. Chris Johnson is considered a small back, and he is two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier than Thomas.

If Thomas is able to shoulder the load this year and stay healthy, he will be one of the first running backs taken. But if it proves too much for him and he breaks down, I can't imagine he would go before the third round.

Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix III, DL, Notre Dame

Manti Te'o may have gotten most of the headlines last year, but defensive linemen Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix III had as much of an impact on Notre Dame's defense as Te'o.

Tuitt is a prototypical 3-4 defensive end who accumulated 12 sacks last year as a sophomore. Tuitt is an impressive 6'6", 304 pounds and needs to show that his great sophomore campaign wasn't a fluke.

Nix, an enormous defensive tackle, probably has a little less to prove than Tuitt, although going back to school as a projected high pick always carries some risk.

If Notre Dame's defensive line dominates again in 2013, Tuitt and Nix will both be first-round picks.

Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

Jake Matthews was a mortal lock as a first-rounder in this past draft, but he made the somewhat surprising decision to go back to Texas A&M for his senior year.

Matthews can now play with his brother, Mike, who will start at center for the Aggies this fall, but the biggest factor in his decision was getting to switch to left tackle to replace Luke Joeckel, who was drafted second overall by Jacksonville in April.

Although he dominated the SEC while blocking for Manziel on the right side in 2012, there is definitely a little risk in switching over to the blind side on top of the previous expectations.

He has the potential to be the first name called in the 2014 draft, but he could slip big time if he struggles even a little as a left tackle. 

Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

After exploding onto the college football scene as a true freshman in 2011, Sammy Watkins had a disappointing sophomore campaign.

The wideout was suspended for the first two games and then battled injuries throughout the rest of the season. He also comes into 2013 without receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was a first-round pick of the Texans in April.

If he bounces back and thrives as the focal point of the offense, the dynamic playmaker is bound to be a first-round pick. Be sure to watch out for how he performs in the first week of the season in a mammoth opener against Georgia, as it could greatly impact the direction of his season.