NFL Draft Prospects Who Must Step Up In Week 1

Jan 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterbacks J.T. Barrett (16) , Cardale Jones (12) and Braxton Miller (5) react to a speaker during the National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

College football is finally back as Week 1 of the FBS season kicks off Thursday night with 19 games and concludes Monday night with the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes looking to avenge their only loss of last season against the Virginia Tech Hokies. If the FBS season begins anything like the FCS season did this past Saturday with Montana knocking off North Dakota State, it’s going to be a great weekend of football.

The start of the college football season also means NFL Draft preparations kick into full gear. After spending the last eight months reviewing film from last year, we’ll finally have some new tape. For the most part, NFL teams are already (in the words of Ted Wells) “generally aware” of a prospect’s strengths and weaknesses, so this is the final opportunity for a player to cut down the number of traits listed in the can not section of their scouting report.

Many schools treat Week 1 as a glorified scrimmage, scheduling FCS and weaker FBS opponents to build confidence and prepare for the upcoming season. Regardless of the opponent, starting the season off on the right foot is critical for every draft prospect. However for these players, it’s not just about starting off on the right foot, but also stepping up when the team needs them the most.

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