Let’s take a look at which college games and prospects to keep an eye on in Week 6 of the 2024 season.
College football is back!
As the 2024 season rolls along, so will our weekly previews of games and NFL prospects to watch. This will come in addition to our NFL Draft coverage over the course of the fall and winter. Whether you’re a fan of the draft or just a college football fan, this series looks to give you an idea of what to watch each week.
Windy City Gridiron’s Lead Draft Analyst, Jacob Infante, will be taking a look at what to expect in Week 6 of this year’s college football campaign.
Blue-chip of the week
No. 21 Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty vs. Utah State, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, 6:00 p.m. CST
I feel comfortable enough calling Jeanty a blue-chip prospect. Not only is he the best Group of 5 player in the 2025 draft, and not only is he the best running back in the class. I’d honestly say he might be the best skill-position player in this draft. He’s a shifty runner with quick feet and creative ball-carrier vision in space, he’s a high-end receiving back with YAC skills and soft hands, and he’s a tough runner with insane contact balance. He’s a rare first-round pick at running back and a deserving Heisman contender.
Prospect matchup to watch
No. 11 USC EDGE Anthony Lucas vs. Minnesota LT Aireontae Ersery, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, 6:30 p.m. CST
It’s gross to think of USC vs. Minnesota as an in-conference game. Nonetheless, Lucas has factored into the Trojans’ defensive line rotation and generated some early buzz for his play. Against LSU’s top tackle duo of Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr., he generated a quarterback hit and two hurries. He doesn’t have a sack yet this here, but he’s powerful and sturdy with inside-outside versatility that could factor him in as a mid-round pick.
Lucas takes slightly more reps over right tackles than left tackles (90 vs. 56, respectively), but I want to see how he fares against Ersery this week. The Golden Gophers’ left tackle is a mammoth of a man listed at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, and he looks every bit that size. He’s a nasty blocker with bad intentions, a powerful grip and an anchor that just keeps churning. For such a big man, he’s pretty quick off the line of scrimmage and has decent lower-half flexion, too. Lucas will have to beat Ersery with speed to the outside should the two face off in passing situations, which should be a fun battle to watch.
Sleeper highlight
Middlebury LG Thomas Perry vs. Amherst College, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m. CST
I love me some Division III football, and even though this game features no St. Norbert (go Green Knights), there’s a stud offensive lineman in Middlebury who deserves to be drafted. With an elite testing profile and two first-team All-NESCAC appearances to his name heading into 2024, Perry is a dynamic athlete who’s quick off the snap and agile in pass protection. He plays with a mean streak in the trenches and offers very good coordination blocking on the move. We’ll have to see how he fares in the all-star circuit, but he’s my top Division III player in the 2025 draft.