College Football Championship 2020: Top NFL Draft Prospects for Clemson vs. LSU

The College Football Playoff Championship Game is an NFL scout's dream. 

Not only does the game feature the 2020 draft's presumptive No. 1 pick in Joe Burrow, but it also has a likely top-five selection in the 2021 draft in his Clemson counterpart, Trevor Lawrence. 

Just focusing on the upcoming 2020 draft, both teams are loaded with prospects who will hear their name called in April. Both teams are well-coached and have shown a lot of moxie in getting to the game, but they've both benefitted from having the most loaded rosters in college football. 

Looking at Matt Miller's latest big board, the game will feature ten prospects in his top 100 for the 2020 draft:

Matt Miller's Top Prospects in the CFP Championship

2. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

5. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

12. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

15. Grant Delpit, S, LSU

23. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

31. K'Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

40. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

56. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

59. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

62. John Simpson, IOL, Clemson

With five top-tier talents for the upcoming draft on each of the two teams, this isn't just a championship game, it's a preview for the future of the NFL. Here's some of the matchups to keep an eye on that will shape the championship game and potentially alter draft stock. 

Tee Higgins vs. Kristian Fulton

Lawrence isn't draft-eligible this year, but his top target is. Tee Higgins has continued the line of successful Clemson wide receivers with NFL potential. He's the fourth wide receiver on Matt Miller's big board, and he'll have the opportunity to prove that's right where he belongs going against one of the nation's best cornerbacks. 

At 6'4" and 215 pounds, Higgins has an NFL body right now and uses it to secure catches over smaller defenders.

He isn't just a possession receiver, though. He's been able to produce explosive plays at Clemson:

Higgins' game really shines in the red-zone. He has eight catches inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season and seven of them have been for touchdowns. 

Higgins missed most of the first half in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State and the No. 1 ranked corner Jeffrey Okudah, but he still managed to impact the game with four catches for 33 yards, including two catches in the 99-yard drive that gave Clemson the lead for the first time in the second half. 

Fulton will provide a good challenge for Higgins in the spotlight. Playing in the SEC, he's seen some of the top receiver talent in the country, including Alabama's stacked receiving corps. 

As PFF noted, Fulton was the highest-graded cornerback in the conference and excelled at playing press coverage. 

Fulton has the size (6'0", 200 pounds) at corner to present challenges for Higgins at the line of scrimmage. We'll get to see whether Higgins has the ability to get a good release against physical corners while seeing Fulton's ability to deal with bigger receivers. 

It's a matchup that is sure to play a big part in who comes out on top in the game. 

Joe Burrow vs. Another Great Defense

Joe Burrow has faced two top-10 pass defenses based on opponent quarterback rating in Georgia and Alabama. He proceeded to throw for 742 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 76.6 percent of his passes. 

Alabama and Georgia are obviously great tests for an NFL prospect, but Clemson's ability to shut down opposing quarterbacks is downright nasty. Opposing signal-callers have combined for nine touchdowns and 19 interceptions against Dabo Swinney's team while completing just 52 percent of their passes. 

This is yet another opportunity for Burrow to show why he'll likely be the Bengals pick at No. 1 come April, but there are some other matchups to watch when LSU looks to throw the ball. 

Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell comes into the game as one of the best prospects at the position the Tigers have had. Miller has Terrell going No. 51 to the Dallas Cowboys in his latest mock draft and sees him as the ninth-ranked corner in the class. 

That puts him behind three Ohio State cornerbacks in Okudah, Shaun Wade and Damon Arnette. Terrell going against Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson will give evaluators one more game of film with the Clemson product going against elite competition and an opportunity to jump up draft boards. 

Chase won the Biletnikoff award but isn't eligible for the 2020 draft. Jefferson, however, is, so when he's matched up on Terrell evaluators will want to sit up and take notice. 

Jefferson is coming off his best game of the season. He showed his ability to consistently move the chains and make plays from the slot with 14 catches and 227 yards with four touchdowns against the Oklahoma Sooners. 

If he can put up anything like those numbers against the Clemson defense he'll have an even better case to be a first-round pick.  

The Versatility of Isaiah Simmons

There's plenty of NFL talent on the Clemson roster, but the crown jewel of the class for Dabo Swinney's team is Isaiah Simmons. 

The 6'4" 230-pound linebacker is more than just a linebacker. He does a little bit of everything for Clemson, and he does it all well. He's a player who checks all the boxes both in his traits and productivity. He's racked up 97 tackles, six sacks, three interceptions and one forced fumble while playing all over the field. 

As PFF noted, he does everything from line up on the defensive line to playing a little bit of cornerback. 

LSU has the most prolific offenses in college football history. Featuring the class's No. 1 quarterback and several other playmakers who will be drafted over the next three years, Clemson will need its biggest player to step up on the defensive side of the ball. 

Keep an eye on how Clemson employs its Swiss Army Knife throughout the game, and you'll be left wanting to see him suit up for your favorite team.