Fiesta Bowl 2016: Predictions for Top Prospects in Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

The Fiesta Bowl matchup of Ohio State and Notre Dame on Friday is an NFL scout's dream.

Sure, it's a great matchup of traditional powers for college football fans, but few bowl games can match it for the sheer number of NFL draft prospects on the field. 

In all, Ohio State and Notre Dame possess 15 of Bleacher Report NFL Draft Expert Matt Miller's latest top 100 prospects. That's a mind-boggling number. For contrast's sake, the Cotton Bowl matchup of Alabama and Michigan State has eight players on the same list. The Orange Bowl between Clemson and Oklahoma has five. 

Here's a list of all 15 athletes from both rosters, along with predictions for some of the top talents who will take the field. 

Rank	Player	School	Position
2	Jaylon Smith	Notre Dame	LB
3	Joey Bosa	Ohio State	EDGE
5	Ronnie Stanley	Notre Dame	T
13	Ezekiel Elliott	Ohio State	RB
22	Michael Thomas	Ohio State	WR
33	Eli Apple	Ohio State	CB
37	Joshua Perry	Ohio State	LB
41	Taylor Decker	Ohio State	T
47	Vonn Bell	Ohio State	SS
50	Adolphus Washington	Ohio State	DL
57	C.J. Prosise	Notre Dame	RB
66	Braxton Miller	Ohio State	WR
67	Tyvis Powell	Ohio State	FS
73	Sheldon Day	Notre Dame	DL
88	KeiVarae Russell	Notre Dame	CB

Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame

Conventional wisdom says that Joey Bosa is the most prolific defensive prospect in this game. However, Jaylon Smith has a legitimate argument to be considered the best. 

The 6'2", 240-pound linebacker is a special athlete with the ability to stuff the run inside while also playing sideline to sideline. Although numbers don't always tell the story for linebackers, Smith's totals for the season back up his excellent play. 

He's No. 22 in the country with 9.4 tackles per game and also succeeds in coverage, where he leads the Irish in pass breakups with five on the season. 

Smith's versatility earned him the most superlatives of anyone in Miller's latest linebacker rankings, including most NFL-ready, best pass-rusher and best potential. 

Notre Dame will need him to be all of those things and more to have a shot at slowing down Ohio State's offense. With the Buckeyes appearing to be in top form after a romp over Michigan, Smith's ability to play the run both inside and out will be vital to slowing down running back Ezekiel Elliott. 

Smith will be all over the field and most likely play a role in pass coverage as well. 

Prediction: 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass defended

Joey Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

If you aren't buying Smith as the best defensive player in college football, chances are you believe it's Bosa. There's a good argument to be had there. 

Once again the defensive end has been a nightmare for offenses to block. He was named to Pro Football Focus' All-American team as the highest-rated defensive player. Here's Steve Palazzolo breaking down what the Ohio State defensive lineman showed on tape:

"

Our top-graded edge defender for the second straight year, Bosa’s combination of pass rushing and run stopping ability is unmatched at the position. His +45.2 pass rush grade leads the nation as he picked up seven sacks, 21 hits, and 41 hurries on only 344 rushes while his +26.0 grade against the run also leads the position while ranking sixth among 4-3 defensive ends in run stop percentage at 9.2 percent. Bosa is the nation’s most disruptive defensive player and likely a top-10 pick in the NFL draft.

"

That's about as ringing an endorsement as a defensive end can get. The only knock on Bosa this season has been a lack of sacks. He's only registered five on the season, making him third on the Buckeyes in the category. 

Don't count Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell among those perturbed by the decline in sacks, though. 

"I stood up in front of the team and showed the film of him getting triple-teamed," said Fickell of the Illinois game, per Bill Livingston of the Plain Dealer. "I said, 'Last year, he had 12 sacks. This year, he has four. He's doing more for us as football player this year than last, and this is why.'"

Without the attention that Bosa draws on a play-by-play basis, it isn't likely that sophomore Tyquan Lewis would have seven sacks or freshman Sam Hubbard would have 5.5. Notre Dame has a solid offensive line but will likely still offer additional help. 

Given Ronnie Stanley's ability to hold his own on the left side of the line, Notre Dame should shift its protections to the right to keep Bosa's overall production down, although his presence will still be felt. 

Prediction: 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

For the most part, the talent in this game is focused in the trenches or on the defensive side of the football. Of the 15 players in Miller's top 100, only four are offensive skill players. 

The most explosive of those four is easily Elliott. 

The Ohio State running back sits at No. 13 on Miller's big board, and Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated has him at No. 10, citing his well-rounded resume:

"

Forget about the little outburst after the Michigan State game. NFL teams probably will ask Elliott about it, but he’s far too talented for that little hiccup to drive him down. The 225-pound back is a three-down player, who can catch passes or block when called upon. He is explosive through the hole, with speed to get beyond the secondary.

"

Although it's his receiving and blocking ability that scouts will love, he has plenty of good old-fashioned production while running the ball as well. He was once again one of the top backs in the nation with 139 yards per game this season. 

However, he'll aim to put up even more yards against Notre Dame. Elliott rushed for 214 yards against Michigan, which ranks as the No. 25 rush defense in the nation at 3.59 yards per carry. 

The Irish have been much more gracious to opposing rushing attacks this season. They gave up a generous 4.5 yards per carry in 12 games. 

Expect Elliott to make one last statement before heading off to the NFL. 

Prediction: 27 carries, 192 yards, 2 TDs

All statistics used courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.