NFL draft preview for college football Week 3: Prospects, risers and games to watch, predictions, buzz

Week 3 of the 2022 college football season is on deck and features plenty of top 2023 NFL draft prospects in action, eager to make a statement.

Florida State gets things going on Friday night against Louisville, as the Seminoles try to maintain their momentum after a big win against LSU last weekend. Georgia visits South Carolina, Penn State travels to Auburn, and Texas Tech and NC State will do battle in the trenches up front. BYU quarterback Jaren Hall will get a test against Oregon's defense, including linebacker Noah Sewell. Then Miami's Tyler Van Dyke will look to boost his draft stock with a big performance against Texas A&M.

Ahead of the loaded slate, NFL draft analysts Todd McShay, Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pick out prospects to watch this weekend, along with the one thing they are keeping an eye on. Then Steve Muench points to a small-school prospect who could get more draft attention with a big performance. Our experts wrap it all up by making one big prediction for Week 3 and then emptying their notebooks with everything they saw and heard this week heading into this weekend's games. Let's get started with the top prospects to watch this week.

Plant your flag: Who is your guy to watch this weekend?

McShay: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech (at NC State). Wilson has a good opportunity here to make an impact against an NC State offensive line that has played well through two weeks, albeit facing East Carolina and Charleston Southern. Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary typically does a good job of getting the ball out quickly, and Wilson isn't the fastest or bendiest edge rusher, so he'll have his work cut out for him. I want to see some improvement in his hand usage, too. Can Wilson use his length and power to get pressure on Leary?

At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, Wilson sets a hard edge, and he'll make it very difficult for NC State to run at him. He has 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks in two contests so far, and he is currently No. 68 on my board.

Miller: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia (at South Carolina). Quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks' offense haven't stood out much yet but still make for a viable threat here, thanks to Rattler's ability to move the pocket and unleash deep passes. Carter, my No. 1-ranked defensive tackle, will have an opportunity to dictate the game if he can consistently crash the pocket and force Rattler off schedule. The Arkansas defense sacked Rattler six times and forced him into an interception in a crucial victory, so Carter -- who is still looking for his first sack and tackle for loss in 2022 -- could be primed for a season-defining moment on Saturday.

Carter doesn't have stiff competition for the DT1 ranking, but the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder still has a shot to emerge as the top overall prospect in this class. A big day against South Carolina could start that run.

Reid: Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (at Texas A&M). This is only Van Dyke's 11th career start, and the Aggies will come in looking to bounce back from their upset loss to Appalachian State last weekend. Van Dyke gets his first big test in 2022 after a pair of easy afternoons against Bethune Cookman and Southern Miss. He is a comfortable pocket passer who has been in full control of the Hurricanes' offense, posting 454 passing yards, three TD throws and one interception. And dating back to last season, his best throws come in the red zone (16 touchdowns to only one interception). This is a key matchup for the 6-foot-4, 224-pound redshirt sophomore's evaluation.

What is the one thing you're watching this weekend?

Reid: I'll be at the Georgia-South Carolina matchup, and my eyes will be on the top two cornerbacks in the class -- Georgia's Kelee Ringo and South Carolina's Cam Smith. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Ringo is a big corner who has allowed only 17 yards on three catches through two games. Smith, meanwhile, is a 6-foot, 188-pound active corner who is comfortable attacking the ball out of the air. He has lived up to his preseason hype, holding opponents to three catches (25 yards) on nine targets this season. Opposing offenses clearly have a lot of respect for both of them, and this should serve as a big test for each top CB prospect.

Miller: I'm incredibly jealous of your travel schedule this weekend, Jordan, but I'll hold down the fort west of the Mississippi with my favorite late-game matchup of Week 3: Fresno State at USC. Wide receiver Jordan Addison has been a vision for the Trojans since transferring in from Pittsburgh, catching 12 passes for 226 yards and four TDs. Addison's connection with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams is heating up, and while Fresno State has allowed just 21 points per game so far this season, this figures to be a barn burner thanks to USC's offensive power and prolific Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener.

McShay: I'll be in College State for Van Dyke's massive game against Texas A&M. My current No. 4-ranked QB in the class started a bit slow last weekend against Southern Miss, but he has to come out firing on the road against the Aggies. He has terrific arm talent, showcased last week with a 30-yard first-quarter laser to receiver Brashard Smith. Two things jump out that I'll be watching closely:

• He needs to find better touch and timing on short-to-intermediate throws. He flashes the ability to lead receivers to yards after the catch when he is in rhythm, but he is off target a little too much when he has to tempo his throws.

• He has to avoid getting stuck on his primary read. It happened against Southern Miss on a second-quarter interception on fourth-and-4; he led the safety into the pick with his eyes. And if he had read it out and thrown to the receiver's back shoulder, it could have been a touchdown.

This could be a tough spot for him, and I'm curious how he handles the environment and continues to learn from his mistakes.

Which small-school prospect has a key matchup on deck?

Muench: Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State (at USC). Haener threw a go-ahead touchdown pass with just over a minute left against Oregon State last weekend, only to see the Beavers rush for the game-winning TD with no time left on the clock. Now he gets a shot at a Trojans defense that sacked Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee five times and picked him off twice last week.

At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Haener is undersized but does a good job locating the open man, getting the ball out quickly and delivering it accurately. It's important that he stays poised under pressure and not press on Saturday, but a strong performance could help his stock. He has completed 74.7% of his passes for 737 yards (eighth in the nation), three touchdown passes and zero interceptions through two games, and he's currently in the midround range for 2023.

What's your best Week 3 prediction?

Miller: I'm riding high after last week's pick of Tennessee over Pittsburgh, and now I'm going with Oregon taking down No. 12 BYU. Don't put too much stock in how the Ducks' defense looked in Week 1 vs. Florida. The linebacker duo of Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell will keep Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall contained in this crucial early-season home game.

McShay: Fresno State will make USC sweat in a four-quarter shootout on Saturday. Haener is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country, overlooked because he plays in the Mountain West. He has fast eyes, distributes the ball in a flash, extends plays and is very capable of making opponents pay when he's off-platform. USC's offense is firing right now, so I don't see an outright upset, but I think the Trojans' defense is in for a long night against Haener & Co.

Reid: Van Dyke has only three touchdown passes through two games against lower-tier opponents, but I think he'll match that total against Texas A&M. His instincts, accuracy and decision-making should all flourish in a battle of ranked teams, and the Aggies' defense had plenty of holes last week against Appalachian State.

Muench: Auburn will beat Penn State. The Nittany Lions have struggled to establish a consistent running game -- despite some big-play ability from running back Nicholas Singleton -- and protect quarterback Sean Clifford. Look for that to continue against the Tigers' defensive front, and keep an eye on defensive tackle Marcus Harris, who has two tackles for loss and a sack through two games. Auburn put up only 24 points against San Jose State last week, but if the offense can take care of the football, it should be effective enough to eke out the win in a low-scoring game.

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Let's empty the notebooks

Reid: One of the best prospect vs. prospect matchups of the week is LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte against Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Boutte has only seven catches and 62 receiving yards through two games, so my WR1 heading into the season needs a strong showing to begin to meet the hype. Forbes -- who had an interception last week -- will test him in man-to-man coverage. An area scout told me over the summer that NFL teams were already giving his tape a close look. Forbes is probably a Day 2 pick, but it's not out of the question he could put himself in the Round 1 conversation.

Miller: One of the hottest names in the nation among area scouts right now is Florida State pass-rusher Jared Verse. A transfer from Albany, Verse already has three sacks this season, including two against LSU. Facing Louisville and quarterback Malik Cunningham this week will be a great test for the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder.

McShay: Speaking of names generating some buzz, Tennessee's Cedric Tillman has been something. The physical 6-foot-3, 215-pound receiver had just eight catches over three seasons before breaking out last season under a new coaching staff, but teams still can't take him away after an offseason studying his tape. He won't wow you with speed, but I love his aggressiveness and ability to adjust to and high-point the ball in the air. He caught nine passes for 162 yards and a touchdown last weekend against Pitt, and now he gets Akron at home. He's looking like a solid Day 2 pick.

Reid: Georgia-South Carolina isn't my only stop on Saturday. I'll also be at the Texas Tech-NC State matchup, and like Todd, I'm excited to watch Texas Tech's Wilson. He has recorded pressure on 21.3% of his pass-rush attempts, the fourth-best mark in the country. We've seen NFL teams fall in love with prospects with a lot of plus traits, and Wilson could be next.

Miller: A trip to Oregon could serve as a breakout game for BYU's Hall. An undersized 6-foot-1, 205-pound passer, Hall has fantastic arm strength and really good escapability. We could be talking about him a lot next week if he has a big game on Saturday.

McShay: Last week's big QB matchup ultimately didn't provide too much. Florida's Anthony Richardson (QB5) showed his inexperience. His traits are excellent, and he can drive the ball with a flick of the wrist, but he obviously needs more reps at this stage. And credit to Kentucky's game plan, which featured strong gap discipline and leverage in coverage. But what happens next for Richardson? Can he respond this week against South Florida?

While Will Levis (QB3) didn't put together a statement performance or anything, he played really well within the Kentucky game plan. I have two concerns, though. First, he is missing too many easy throws, forcing receivers to attempt tougher-than-necessary catches and limiting their after-the-catch production. Levis focuses heavily on weightlifting -- which plays a part in his big downfield arm -- but more on the flexibility side of things would help him here. Second, he is great at extending outside the pocket, but when he's bottled up inside it with pressure in his face, he makes too many bad decisions. Opponents will likely try to force more of that. I'm keeping a close eye on his development; scouts love his work ethic and say his grade will only rise as teams start to talk to him in the spring.

Miller: It's heartbreaking to see Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon lost for the season due to a shoulder injury. The team's coaching staff told me this summer that Catalon's instincts and leadership made him their version of Tyrann Mathieu, and now they'll have to face one of the hardest schedules in the country without their defensive leader. Catalon was tagged as a potential top-50 prospect heading into last season, but two years of shoulder injuries have his draft stock in question, especially considering he's a smaller player at 5-foot-10 and 201 pounds.

Reid: Last season, we saw Southern offensive tackle Ja'Tyre Carter continue to rise throughout the season and eventually turn into a seventh-round pick by the Bears. Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive tackle Mark Evans II is another small-school offensive lineman who could find himself in a similar situation. A meeting with No. 8-ranked Oklahoma State provides a shot to get noticed. Scouts believe that he's a potential late-round target who will have to transition inside to center at the next level.

McShay: We've all been talking about USC's Addison for the past two weeks, so what's next here? No team seems like it can beat the Trojans right now unless it slows down Addison. His ability to separate and track the deep ball is a special trait. Will defenses stack more guys over the top? Will we see more bracket coverage against him? This is the next step in his development: how he responds when teams game-plan to take him away.