10 Bowl Games with Best 2017 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch
As if you needed another reason to watch bowl games—the fact that they're the last batch of real college football you'll get for another nine months is reason enough—there's always the angle of treating them like previews of what's to come next for the NFL.
The best players from the college level, if they're eligible to do so, will be playing pro ball next fall, and their performances in bowl games could serve as springboards to future success.
NFL teams won't put too much stock in how they fare in these games, nor should they, since in many cases the games are meaningless. But it never hurts to put on a good performance in that final game, one that might end up being the most watched contest of a player's career.
And as luck would have it, there is at least one potential 2017 draft pick in almost every one of the 40 FBS bowl games (sorry Cure, Dollar General, Heart of Dallas and New Mexico bowls). That's using Bleacher Report NFL draft expert Matt Miller's latest draft rankings as a guide, from which there are 10 games with more than 100 prospects, including most of his top 50 players.
Here's our look at who to watch out for in those contests.
Russell Athletic Bowl
1 of 10
Miami's first season under Mark Richt was a mild success, as the Hurricanes went 8-4 with four straight wins heading into a bowl game up the road in Orlando against West Virginia.
We'll have to wait until 2017 to get a better idea of how Richt is doing in bringing new players to Miami, since some top-notch upperclassmen are probably on their way out.
Junior quarterback Brad Kaaya is the No. 4 passing prospect in the country among draft-eligible players, per Miller, while he has senior cornerback/return man Corn Elder pegged as a late-second-round pick. Senior receiver Stacy Coley also figures to be watched closely by scouts in this game as he lines up against a strong Mountaineers defense that features senior cornerback Rasul Douglas, whose eight interceptions this season tied for most in FBS.
Texas Bowl
2 of 10
Myles Garrett dealt with several injuries during the 2016 season that caused him to miss two games and play sparingly in others. Yet he's still regarded as one of the best players at his position in college football, and assuming he turns pro once this season is over, he's going to be highly sought-after in the draft.
Could he go No. 1 overall? Assuming the winless Cleveland Browns are picking there, as it looks to be, Miller expects them to take the junior edge-rusher regardless of their many other needs (quarterback, etc.).
"Garrett projects as my top overall player and is as close to a lock as possible to slot into the top three picks," Miller wrote.
The Texas Bowl, then, would be his swan song, though it would come against a Kansas State team that's not overflowing with future pros. Only one Wildcat is among Miller's top prospects at any position, that being senior defensive end Jordan Willis, whom he labeled as the "best run-stopper" among edge-rushers.
A&M has a few more that are worth watching beyond Garrett, such as senior safety Justin Evans, senior quarterback Travis Knight and senior receiver Josh Reynolds.
Rose Bowl
3 of 10
Penn State won the Big Ten this season by running off nine straight victories after a 2-2 start, knocking off Wisconsin in a thrilling conference title game. Even more amazing was that the Nittany Lions did it with a relatively young team that doesn't figure to lose many players to the NFL draft.
Junior safety Marcus Allen is the only PSU guy listed in Miller's most recent two-round mock draft, going 48th overall. Right behind him is the lone USC guy whom he projects to be taken in the first two rounds, junior wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Senior linebacker Brandon Bell is PSU's other most notable draft prospect, while USC has some strong ones on its offensive line in seniors Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler as well as do-everything junior Adoree Jackson. Jackson is listed by Miller as the "biggest question mark" among cornerbacks, though, which combined with Jackson's cryptic tweet over the weekend might indicate he's best suited to come back for his senior season.
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Sugar Bowl
4 of 10
Auburn's defense had to do a lot of the heavy lifting this season, including early on when the Tigers couldn't figure out an offensive identity and struggled to score points. Their defensive line was among the best in the country, and two stalwarts from that group will get to show their talents in this high-profile game.
Senior defensive tackle Montravius Adams and redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson combined for 13.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss this season. Lawson had the bulk of those, putting together his most complete year and bouncing back from so many injuries over his career.
Oklahoma's offense features a strong group of potential draftees as well, led by the junior rushing tandem of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine as well as senior receiver Dede Westbrook. Westbrook, a Heisman finalist who won the Biletnikoff Award, is Miller's No. 4 wideout prospect.
Sun Bowl
5 of 10
Stanford was picked to win the Pac-12 this season after claiming the conference title a year ago, while North Carolina was a top contender to make it back to the ACC final for the second straight year. Instead, the teams combined for seven losses and fell below expectations.
But while games like the Sun Bowl don't rank high on many teams' or players' lists of where they'd like to play, quite a few scouts will be on hand in El Paso to watch two of the most intriguing prospects in the 2017 NFL draft.
UNC redshirt junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky is in his first season as a starter, but his play in 2016 has put him among the top passing prospects in the country. Miller has him as QB1, No. 9 on his overall list, but projected as the fourth pick to the Chicago Bears.
On the other side is Stanford junior Christian McCaffrey, who set the FBS single-season all-purpose yardage record in 2015 and this year led the nation at 211.5 yards per game. There are questions about whether the 6'0”, 200-pound McCaffrey projects as a running back, receiver, return man or some combination at the next level, and in the Sun Bowl he could end up displaying all of those talents at once.
Outback Bowl
6 of 10
Despite having an offense that quite often seemed incapable of moving the ball, Florida won the SEC East Division for a second consecutive season. And just like in 2015, this was due to some tremendous defensive players who figure to be doing the same on Sundays in the near future.
The Gators have four players whom Miller lists among the top 50 draft prospects: cornerbacks Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor, defensive lineman Caleb Brantley and linebacker Jarrad Davis. Of that group, only Davis is a senior, and though his numbers weren't as strong this season (partly due to missing three games in November due to injury) he's still Miller's third-best linebacker prospect for 2017.
Senior cornerback Desmond King, who won the Thorpe Award in 2015, is Iowa's stop draft prospect but not the only one. Quarterback C.J. Beathard, tight end George Kittle, offensive tackle Cole Croston and defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson, all seniors, will get plenty of looks from scouts as well.
Fiesta Bowl
7 of 10
When Clemson and Ohio State played in University of Phoenix Stadium last season, their final games also marked the ends of many tremendous college careers. This was particularly so with OSU, whose Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame was so overflowing with pro talent, it was like an exhibition game had broken out at the NFL scouting combine.
It was a similar case for Clemson when it fell to Alabama on that field in the national title game, yet the Tigers seem like they've just reloaded in the draft-eligible-standout department.
The Tigers defense isn't the side where most of the notables lie, though, like in 2015.
This time around, Clemson's skill players are the ones who will draw the most attention, particularly junior quarterback Deshaun Watson and redshirt junior receiver Mike Williams. Both are top-50 prospects, per Miller, while junior running back Wayne Gallman and junior receiver Artavis Scott could rise up draft boards with a strong postseason.
For Ohio State, redshirt junior quarterback J.T. Barrett will draw plenty of attention in this game, but scouts will be perhaps most closely watch some of his defensive teammates. Topping that list are junior cornerback Gareon Conley, redshirt sophomore corner Marshon Lattimore and junior linebacker Raekwon McMillan.
Citrus Bowl
8 of 10
Come for the Heisman Trophy winner, stay for the studs who unfortunately won't be back in college next year.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson will be a top attraction in the Citrus Bowl, his first game since being named college football's best player. But just as notable in this game will be the many future NFL players, some of which are on LSU's defense and will want to prove their mettle by messing with the reigning Heisman winner.
Junior safety Jamal Adams only has one interception in 2016, that coming in the Tigers' loss to No. 1 Alabama, but Miller still rates him as the top defensive back prospect in the country among eligible players. Also hoping to terrorize Jackson as a way to boost their draft stock will be senior cornerback Tre'Davious White and senior linebacker Kendell Beckwith.
LSU's top pro prospect, though, is junior running back Leonard Fournette. Despite an injury-plagued season, he's still Miller's No. 1 rushing prospect and second player overall in his rankings.
Louisville's roster features a handful of draft-eligible players but not many that figure to be considered for high draft picks. Miller has senior tight end Cole Hikutini as his “biggest sleeper,” while senior edge-rusher Devonte Fields is also one to keep an eye on.
Orange Bowl
9 of 10
Jim Harbaugh has pulled in a good number of high-profile recruits in his short time at Michigan, with some of them making their mark for the Wolverines this season. But in the Orange Bowl it will be the ones he inherited from Brady Hoke who will be in the spotlight, as many will play their last college game.
Michigan has four players who could go in the first round of the 2017 draft, led by redshirt sophomore Jabrill Peppers. The Heisman Trophy finalist, who was shifted to linebacker this season but projects more as a safety at the NFL level, has also showed his value as a ball-carrier and return man.
The Orange Bowl will also serve as the swan song for Michigan's top three pass-catchers, senior receivers Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh and senior tight end Jake Butt, as well as senior corner Jourdan Lewis and several linemen on both sides of the ball.
Florida State is as loaded as ever with pro talent, but not as much is on its way out the door as in some previous seasons. Junior Dalvin Cook, rated by Miller as the No. 2 rushing prospect and the best third-down back in the mix, and senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker are the most notable Seminoles to watch.
Walker enters bowl season tied for first in FBS with 15 sacks.
Peach Bowl
10 of 10
The more pro-heavy of the two playoff semifinals features another stacked Alabama team, which is looking to repeat as national champions and keep alive a 25-game win streak. And several of the standouts they'll lean on are guys who could have turned pro after winning it all last season but opted to stick around.
Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, linebacker Reuben Foster, edge rusher Tim Williams and tight end O.J. Howard, all seniors, are among Miller's top 20 players. They were all high a year ago as well, but by coming back they have solidified themselves as tremendous pro prospects.
The same goes for senior linebacker Ryan Anderson as well as junior offensive tackle Cam Robinson and redshirt sophomore cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey was one of eight different Crimson Tide players who scored a defensive touchdown this season, along with Allen (two) and Williams.
Washington is no slouch in the prospect department, either, as its top receiver (redshirt junior John Ross) and half its secondary (junior corner Sidney Jones and junior safety Budda Baker) all figure to be closely watched by scouts.
All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com, unless otherwise noted. All statistics provided byCFBStats, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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