Tuesday night was the start of the final stretch of the 2021 college football season, as the initial rankings for the College Football Playoff were released. There were mixed reactions to the unveiling of the top four spots, which went to Georgia, Alabama, Michigan State and Oregon, and there's still much to play for entering Week 10 as teams try to move into the top four and lock in bowl game bids.
With only a few regular-season weeks to come, there remain plenty of questions about 2022 NFL draft prospects across the country. That starts at quarterback, where the No. 1 spot is still up for grabs. Mel Kiper Jr. has tabbed Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett as the top-ranked player at the position, while Todd McShay has Liberty's Malik Willis at the top of his position rankings.
On Saturday, all eyes will be on Willis as he and the Flames travel to Ole Miss for a critical matchup against a high-quality opponent. Facing off against an SEC defense could give NFL evaluators a glimpse of what Willis looks like against the type of talent he'll face at the next level.
Willis isn't the only prospect scouts will have their eyes on this weekend. Let's run through the five prospects I'm watching closest on Saturday, and I'll also tell you about which prospects could improve their stock over the final few weeks of the season.
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Prospects who could rise
Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Week 10 opponent: at Ole Miss (Noon ET, SEC Network)
2021 stats: 21 TD passes, 9 TD runs, 6 INTs, 82.5 Total QBR (7th in FBS)