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14 most intriguing NFL draft prospects playing in 2017 bowl games

Dec 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks to pass during the third quarteragainst the Brigham Young Cougars at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

As college football bowls get underway next week, NFL draft season opens in full. Some top prospects will (understandably) sit out their bowl games for fear of injury. Others, however, will seize the final opportunity to boost their draft stock.

The latter group is the one to pay attention to — those guys will be the ones who ball out by necessity in the coming weeks. Here are 14 to keep an eye on.

Deebo Samuel, wide receiver, South Carolina

Samuel has played just three games this year thanks to a broken leg. However, he’s set to return in the Outback Bowl. As a junior, it’s no guarantee Samuel declares for the draft. In fact, it’s unlikely he does after a year marred by injury. If Samuel can put up a big game against Michigan, however, that could be enough to change his mind. Samuel would figure to be one of the more intriguing players in the draft if he declares. This game could decide whether he does.

Josh Allen, quarterback, Wyoming

As is the case with certain politicians, some NFL higher-ups can’t seem to be talked out of Allen as a first rounder, despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be our last chance to see Allen in college, assuming he declares for the draft. There’s no world in which a first-round quarterback shouldn’t crush Central Michigan in the Potato Bowl, but that seems far from a lock in Allen’s case. A poor performance might be the thing that finally takes some GMs off the bandwagon.

Isaiah Wynn, left tackle, Georgia

Wynn figures to be an interior lineman at the next level, and no guard or center went off the board in Day 1 last year. Wynn, however, has a chance to jump into the mix if he puts in a big game against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff. The Sooners don’t have an especially imposing defensive line and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo will line up opposite the right tackle, providing Wynn relief. This qualifies as a pretty big chance for Wynn to make a splash, especially as a run blocker, with every scout in the country watching. To go in Round 1, he’ll need to make the most of it.

Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan

After January 1, Winovich will have a big decision on his hands. He can stay at Michigan — a program which could contend for the national title next year — or declare for the draft, where he’d likely be a mid-round pick. A big game against South Carolina could be enough to make Winovich go for the latter. Winovich leads the Big Ten in both tackles for loss and sacks — he’s more than capable of being a productive NFL player next year. If he can pull his stock ahead of the other edge rushers in the Outback Bowl, it could be enough for Winovich to declare for the draft.

Christian Kirk, wide receiver, Texas A&M

Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk

Kirk’s ceiling is as high as any receiver in this year’s class. However, he only went for over 100 yards twice this season, potentially enough to knock his draft stock down to Day 2. But if Kirk plays to that ceiling in the Belk Bowl, it will propel him to Round 1. It’s hard to look at Kirk’s tape against Arkansas when he went for 110 receiving yards and three touchdowns, including one as a returner, and not fall in love. Duplicate that and scouts will be drooling over Kirk.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, EDGE, Oklahoma

In addition to being the Sooners’ best chance for disruption along Georgia’s line in the Rose Bowl, Okoronkwo would give his draft stock a significant boost if he could slow down the Bulldogs’ run game. Georgia has a formidable line when it comes to run blocking, though its pass blocking credentials are less impressive. This rates as some of Okoronkwo’s best competition all year. His performance will go a long way toward deciding where he goes come April.

Clayton Thorson, quarterback, Northwestern

Thorson is on the outside looking in when it comes to the top tier of prospects in this class, but not by much. A big Music City Bowl performance could be enough to cause a team picking near the end of the first round to give Thorson a look. The junior will likely stay in school if that doesn’t happen, however, Thorson will be in the NFL in 2018 if not this season. This game could be the deciding factor in which year Thorson comes out.

 

Porter Gustin, EDGE, USC

Gustin has played all of four games this season thanks to various injuries. A toe injury may be enough to keep him out of the Fiesta Bowl. However, if the junior plays through it, it would be a chance to prove himself against a top offensive line in Ohio State. If Gustin sits out the game, it’s hard to see him declaring for the draft, but a good performance against the Buckeyes could propel his stock upwards. Gustin has enough talent to be a mid-round pick even without playing much this season — if he can showcase it on New Year’s Day, a team could fall head over heels.

Kerryon Johnson, running back, Auburn

Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson

Johnson is another player whose bowl performance could be a deciding factor in whether or not he comes out. To be a Round 1 running back, you have to be the cream of the crop. Thus far, Johnson hasn’t been at that tier, especially in the last two games against Alabama and Georgia. However, he’ll face a porous UCF defense in the Peach Bowl with a chance to end the year on a high note. If he does that, it could be enough to change the tides heading into the Combine, steering Johnson away from returning to Auburn in 2018.

Dre’Mont Jones, defensive tackle, Ohio State

Jones’ numbers don’t stand out, but he’s the type of player who can eat up space — especially in run defense — with success. However, the fact that he’s made just 10 solo tackles this season will be costly to his draft stock, should the redshirt sophomore declare. A good all-around performance in the Fiesta Bowl — especially as it pertains to tackle numbers — could tilt that decision. However, it would be fairly surprising to see Jones declare when staying another year could buy him Round 1 status in 2018.

Jaire Alexander, cornerback, Louisville

Alexander has played only six games this season thanks to a knee injury and broken hand. However, he’ll be healthy for the TaxSlayer Bowl, with a chance to boost his stock before deciding whether or not to declare. Like many of the players on this list, Alexander’s bowl performance could be what tips the scales as to whether he decides one way or the other. A strong game against Mississippi State along with a decent Combine (should he declare) could put Alexander in Round 1. Anything less, however, and he could be back at Louisville next year.

Equanimeous St. Brown, wide receiver, Notre Dame

St. Brown has a first-round ceiling if he decides to declare for the draft. He has all the physical tools necessary to be a star. However, with only 31 receptions for 468 yards this year, the numbers didn’t quite match the hype (in 2016 with DeShone Kizer throwing him the ball, however, they did). St. Brown has the flexibility to stay another year — if he did, there’s a chance he’d be the first receiver off the board in 2018. However, if he comes out of the Citrus Bowl with first-round hype, staying another year may not be worth it for the junior.

Baker Mayfield, quarterback, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield in college football Week 2

Mayfield has snuck into the first-round conversation thanks to an absurdly good performance over the last two months which carried him to the Heisman Trophy. Nothing would do more to cement that status than going into the Rose Bowl and taking it to Georgia, a top-10 defense in the country by S&P+. If Mayfield falls flat in the CFP, we’ll hear about how he only beat Big 12 competition all through March. Given that he went into Columbus and destroyed the Buckeyes, this will be wrong. However, that never deters anonymous scouts. If he leads the Sooners to victory, however, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Mayfield isn’t off the board in the first round.

Orlando Brown, tackle, Oklahoma

If you haven’t realized it by now, Oklahoma-Georgia is going to be heaven for draftniks. Brown figures to be one of the first tackles off the board come April, but this game will go a long way toward deciding exactly where he ends up being taken. Just like Mayfield, going against Big 12 competition all year will be a detriment to Brown’s draft stock if he fails to perform against Georgia. However, it’s hard not to have confidence in Brown given how well he’s played all year — a 97.9 pass block percentage, per CFB Film Room. A solid Rose Bowl will could vault Brown into the first round.

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