Iowa vs. Iowa State: 2020 NFL Draft prospects to watch

Nathan Stanley, QB, Iowa

I have never been the biggest Nathan Stanley. He is a technically-sound quarterback who has a relatively live arm and shows solid mobility. That being said, Stanley has had ball placement issues throughout his college career.

His overall accuracy is just inconsistent. He is not incompetent as a passer, but he is not accurate on a consistent enough basis. In particular, Stanley struggles with accuracy in the intermediate-to-deep passing game.

However, through two games, Stanley has shown some improvement. The senior quarterback has completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 488 yards and six touchdowns. He has yet to throw an interception. The ball placement issues are still there, but Stanley has shown improved accuracy with his deep ball. He is still far from perfect in this area, but he has improved.

If Stanley can continue to improve this season, he has a real chance to be an interesting quarterback in the middle rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. Continuing to impress against a tough Iowa State defense would certainly be a step in the right direction.

Mekhi Sargent, RB, Iowa

Iowa running back Mekhi Sargent is another 2020 NFL Draft prospect to keep an eye on in this game. Sargent is a relatively quick and elusive back who also shows impressive ball carrier vision. He is a true one-cut runner who gets upfield quickly and can make defenders miss in open space.

Sargent also shows some nice promise in the passing game, showing dependable hands and the ability to get upfield quickly after the catch. He is also a solid pass protector who understands who to block and is willing to put his body on the line to get the job done.

Sargent is unlikely to become anything other than a possible late-round selected, but he is a talented running back who can provide value on the ground and through the air. I am interested to see what if he can make an impact against this Iowa State defense.