With the start of the College Football season, those looking to play at the next level are positioning themselves to be put in a spot to get drafted in April.
The College Football season showcases the best talent, and shows who is ready to compete in the National Football League. The Big 12 has plenty of potential NFL talent.
Bryant McFadden, college football writer at CBS Sports put together a list of college football players that are underrated draft prospects heading into the season. One of the top names on the list came from the Big 12 in Houston quarterback Donovan Smith. McFadden had this to say about the signal caller:
CJ Stroud isn’t the only big-time quarterback in Houston. Give Donovan Smith a seat at the table. He’s a dual-threat guy with a strong arm and pinpoint accuracy, finishing third in the Big 12 in completion percentage in 2023. Circle Week 2 for Donovan vs. Oklahoma it’s a great opportunity for him to showcase his pro potential.
"He may have the strongest arm in college football. If he can find more consistency when throwing downfield, he could move up draft boards in the spring." – @PFF_Dalton on Houston QB Donovan Smith #NFLDrafthttps://t.co/OfbqnB1Cax
— WBG84 (@WBG84) August 21, 2024
The other Big 12 player on the list of underrated draft prospects is Landar Barton of Utah. This was what they had for Barton:
Former two-sport star Lander Barton is one of the most athletic linebackers in the country. He has the rare combination of an edge rusher’s size with the quickness of a smaller player. I expect a Jack Campbell-like impact for the Utes’ defense this year.
It will be fun to see Smith and Barton compete this season. The Utah Utes start the season on Thursday at home against Southern Utah. Utah will host Baylor on September 7th.
The Cougars of Houston are hosting UNLV in the season opener on August 31st. The first conference game for the Cougars will come on September 21st, at Cincinnati.