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NFL Draft: 5 college football prospects to watch in Week 1

By Shawn Spencer

BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 09: Andraez Williams #29 of the LSU Tigers celebrates an interception with Ed Paris #21 during the first half of a game against the Chattanooga Mocs at Tiger Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 09: Andraez Williams #29 of the LSU Tigers celebrates an interception with Ed Paris #21 during the first half of a game against the Chattanooga Mocs at Tiger Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Lukayus McNeil
HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 17: Offensive lineman Lukayus McNeil #72 comforts quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals after being sacked by the Houston Cougars in the third quarter at TDECU Stadium on November 17, 2016 in Houston, Texas. Houston Cougars won 36 to 10. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images) /

Lukayus McNeil (RG – Louisville) vs. Alabama

With Lamar Jackson now in the NFL, the Louisville offensive line is going to have to step up their game. There won’t be any easing into life without the Hesiman Trophy winner either, as the Cardinals face what is consistently one of the best defenses in the nation.

New quarterback Jawon “Puma” Pass isn’t a slouch. Like Jackson, Pass is a dual-threat quarterback and was ranked higher coming out of high school than fellow 2016 class members Jake Bentley of South Carolina and Oregon’s Justin Herbert. While Bentley and Herbert are potential first-round picks one day, Pass has yet to play any significant amount of time. That’s all about to change as Alabama is waiting to welcome the redshirt sophomore to the big stage.

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Keeping Pass upright will be the number one goal for the Louisville offensive line. If the game gets out of hand early, Pass will be throwing often against the defending national champions. The top prospect on the Louisville line is Lukayus McNeil and he’s going to have to win his one-on-one matchup and allow his fellow linemates to double elsewhere.

He’s likely going to be tasked with slowing Raekwon Davis the majority of the time, something not many had success with last year. Davis is the returning leader for the Crimson Tide in both tackles (69) and sacks (8.5). With sophomores starting on either side of him, McNeil has to win his matchup if Louisville is going to keep this game close.

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A strong showing could lock him into the later rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.

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