Week 4 of the college football season is here, and opportunities for draft-stock altering moments await some of the most intriguing prospects in the game. We realize one game doesn't necessarily make or break a prospect's future, but scouts will be watching closely to see how certain players perform in high-profile matchups. Here's a look at five players with much on the line this weekend.
Clemson DE Vic Beasley vs. Florida State
Beasley is one of the premier pass rushers in college football, but he didn't make much of an impact when the Tigers met Florida State last season, registering two tackles, zero sacks and zero quarterback hits (Clemson had just two QB hits as a team in that blowout loss). He has something to prove vs. the defending champs, and he'll face a tough test rushing off the edge against the Seminoles' offensive tackle tandem of Cameron Erving (left) and Bobby Hart (right). Erving is considered one of the top left tackle prospects in college football, and Hart is a very solid player in his own right (All-ACC honorable mention last season). Beasley said recently that he thinks he's a better player than 2014 No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. We love the confidence, but Beasley needs to show he's a better player than the Clowney of 2012 (13 sacks), not '13 (three sacks).
Alabama WR Amari Cooper vs. Florida
We're already hearing a lot of talk that Cooper, a junior, might be the first wide receiver off the board if he declares for the 2015 NFL Draft. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who saw Cooper go off against his Mountaineers in Week 1, thinks he's good enough to go No. 1 overall. Cooper, who leads the FBS with 33 catches, is obviously a rare talent, but so is Florida sophomore CB Vernon Hargreaves III, who might be the SEC's top corner. Can Cooper stay hot when he's matched up against Hargreaves? There will be 3-5 "moment-of-truth" plays between the two of them throughout the course of the game that could tilt the balance to either one of them in this highly anticipated battle.
Kansas State WR Tyler Lockett vs. Auburn
Lockett is overlooked sometimes -- he's an undersized wide receiver who also happens to be about as good of a kick returner as there is in the country. He has a chance to make waves with a big Thursday night against the defending SEC champs, though. He'll surprise you with how many big plays he makes as a wide receiver, but his numbers often don't jump off the page because he plays in the Wildcats' ball-control offense. A huge game against Auburn, a top-five team that played for a national title last season, could give him a big boost.
Mississippi State LB Benardrick McKinney vs. LSU
McKinney, one of the top inside linebackers in college football, might have to make 20 tackles Saturday against the Tigers. He'll be tested against the deep LSU rushing attack, which features running backs Kenny Hilliard, Terrence Magee, Leonard Fournette and Darrel Williams. If the Bulldogs' front line does its job and allows McKinney to roam free, he'll have to be involved a lot because LSU, which is inexperienced at quarterback, wants to grind it out on the ground. The front seven of Mississippi State has looked really good in the early going this season, and this will be a very intriguing test for McKinney.
Florida QB Jeff Driskel vs. Alabama
Saturday's game in Tuscaloosa is a chance for Driskel to put himself on the radar of NFL scouts. The senior isn't currently in the conversation when it comes to the top quarterback prospects in the nation. A strong performance against the Crimson Tide would certainly grab the attention of evaluators, though. Driskel was rated as the top quarterback in his recruiting class -- which included Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota, Johnny Manziel and Brett Hundley, among others -- but he hasn't lived up to his billing, in part due to injuries. Can he win one of those big games he was expected to when he arrived at Florida? Here's his chance against a tough Alabama defense.
Follow Charles Davis on Twitter @CFD22.
