Ohio State vs. Notre Dame Will Be Bowl Season's Best 2016 NFL Draft Preview

As the attention of the college football world turns toward Thursday's College Football Playoff semifinal matchups, New Year's Eve might as well be considered a mere appetizer for the NFL scouting community.

Because while the Cotton Bowl Classic between Alabama and Michigan State and the Orange Bowl featuring Clemson and Oklahoma will determine who will play for the national championship, there won't be a game this bowl season with more implications for the 2016 NFL draft than Friday's Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Notre Dame.

With a combined 15 players represented (10 for Ohio State, five for the Fighting Irish) in Bleacher Report lead draft analyst Matt Miller's most recent Top 100 rankings, there will be no shortage of NFL talent on the field on Friday in Glendale, Arizona. Conversely, Thursday's Cotton Bowl will feature eight players in Miller's top 100, while the Orange Bowl will have five.

What's more is that fans—and NFL teams—shouldn't have to wait long to hear names from Ohio State and Notre Dame called next spring, as the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish combine for six players in Miller's top 33, including two in his top three. With other prospects on both teams in Miller's top 100 as well, the Fiesta Bowl might as well double as a postseason all-star game, with intriguing one-on-one matchups all over the field.

Just who will the NFL scouts be keeping their eyes on come Friday? Let's take a look.

The Main Event: Joey Bosa vs. Ronnie Stanley

When it comes to the premier matchup in Friday's Fiesta Bowl, all eyes will be on the battle between Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa and Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley.

But the reality for NFL teams is that very few of them will have an opportunity to even get a shot at picking what will be two of the top prospects in the 2016 draft.

The third-ranked player in Miller's latest list, Bosa, will very much be in the conversation as the No. 1 overall pick in next spring's draft. In his most recent mock draft, Miller slotted Bosa as the eighth pick, citing both his Week 1 suspension and "lack of ability to play a 3-4 scheme" as concerns.

Meanwhile, Miller currently projects Stanley, his fifth-ranked player, to be taken third overall. The 6'5", 315-pounder has been lauded for both his size and athleticism, a notion that Bosa didn't dispute as he prepares to take on the fellow All-American.

"He's about as good as it gets at the position," Bosa said of Stanley at a Fiesta Bowl media appearance on Monday. "He's long, athletic. He can run. He's definitely a great athlete."

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

But in Bosa, Stanley will be facing his stiffest competition yet. The two-time Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year recorded just five sacks in 2015 but also totaled 14 quarterback hurries while being consistently double—and sometimes triple—teamed.

Even Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Mike Sanford admitted he's excited to see how Stanley handles a player of Bosa's caliber in what could be the most anticipated one-on-one matchup all bowl season.

"I think it's going to be an incredible battle," Sanford said. "Those guys are as good of players as there are in college football. The film speaks to it. Measurements speak to it. Draft day, both [of] their names are going to be called really early. Those are the kind of battles you look forward to."

Ultimately, how Bosa and Stanley fare against one another will likely have little to do with when they are picked next spring. But that won't make it any less entertaining to watch two of the draft's elite prospects go head-to-head in what will likely be the final game of their respective college careers.

The Co-Main Event: Ezekiel Elliott vs. Jaylon Smith

While the battle between Bosa and Stanley will be watched closely by teams slotted to pick toward the top of the draft, the matchup between Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott and Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith should appeal to scouts of all teams.

Even Elliott and Smith have indicated that they're excited to face-off in another battle between the top two prospects at their respective positions.

Although they're both projected to be first-round picks—Miller slotted Smith third and Elliott 13th in his latest rankings—their respective positions make it tougher to predict just where they'll land. In his most recent mock, Miller has Smith coming off the board with the No. 6 pick and Elliott being selected 31st overall.

Nevertheless, the matchup between Elliott, who rushed for 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, and Smith, who's totaled 114 tackles, will be an intriguing one. The two have a relationship that dates back to the high school camp circuit. Also, Smith's brother, Rod, was a running back at Ohio State.

Andrew Weber/Getty Images

Friday—as well as the draft process—should provide the two standouts with plenty of opportunities to get to know each other all the better.

"He's probably the best athlete we're going to face all year," Elliott said of Smith. "His ability to run from sideline to sideline and make plays is incredible."

From Smith's standpoint, the respect is mutual.

"His work ethic, how great he wants to be," Smith said when asked what stands out about Elliott. "Not a lot of players have that want. It's something that is just a matter of preparation and playing great team defense."

And while that may be the case, it's the times that Smith and Elliott collide that fans and scouts alike are most looking forward to.

The Undercard

Eli Apple vs. Will Fuller

Ohio State's top cornerback, Eli Apple, built on a strong redshirt freshman season in 2014 with a sophomore campaign that put him on the radar of NFL teams. While the 6'1", 200-pounder is yet to announce his intentions for the future, Miller ranks Apple as his No. 33 overall player while projecting him to be taken 20th overall in next spring's draft.

A strong showing against Notre Dame's Will Fuller in the Fiesta Bowl would certainly help Apple's cause. Although Fuller initially announced that he'd be returning to South Bend for his senior season, he recently revealed that he was reconsidering his options, per Paul Skrbina of the Chicago Tribune.

Fuller did receive feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board but will not share a decision about his status until after the Fiesta Bowl, according to Nick Ironside of 247Sports. The 6'0", 184-pounder tallied 1,145 yards and 13 touchdowns on 56 receptions in 2015.

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Taylor Decker vs. Sheldon Day

While they likely won't go head-to-head often, if at all, plenty of scouts will have their eyes on Buckeyes left tackle Taylor Decker and Fighting Irish defensive tackle Sheldon Day. Miller ranks Decker as the No. 41 prospect in the upcoming draft, projecting him to be taken with the No. 32 pick, while slotting 6'2", 285-pound Day as his No. 73 prospect.

With big outings against impressive opposing units, both players could stand to improve their respective draft stock in the final game of their college careers. Ohio State's offensive line and Notre Dame's defensive line are two of the best in the country, and Decker and Day are both big reasons why.

Joshua Perry vs. C.J. Prosise

Initially not thought of as a high-level NFL prospect, Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry has seen his draft stock soar thanks to an impressive senior campaign. With the versatility to play in most schemes, the 6'4", 254-pounder is closing in on his second consecutive 100-tackle season while also adding 3.5 sacks to his stat line this year.

To get to that 100-tackle mark, however, Perry will have to bring down Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise, who Miller ranks as his No. 57 overall prospect. Currently projected as a second-rounder, Perry could improve his standing with a big game against the Fighting Irish's 25th-ranked rushing offense, which is spearheaded by Prosise.

Others to Watch (Miller's ranking)

Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas (22)

Ohio State safety Vonn Bell (47)

Ohio State defensive tackle Adolphus Washington (suspended, 50)

Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller (66)

Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell (67)

Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett (CBSSports.com's No. 97 prospect)

Notre Dame center Nick Martin (CBSSports.com's No. 63 prospect)

Notre Dame defensive end Romeo Okwara (CBSSports.com's No. 177 prospect)

Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate (CBSSports.com's No. 197 prospect)

Notre Dame linebacker Joe Schmidt (CBSSports.com's No. 276 prospect)

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.