2022 NFL Draft: Prospects to watch when Ohio State faces Minnesota
Daniel Faalele vs. Zach Harrison/Tyreke Smith
There will be a fun battle in the trenches Thursday night, featuring three guys who are all looking to elevate their stock. This would be a great way to start in that direction.
Minnesota Golden Gophers tackle Daniel Faalele had plenty of draft talk surrounding him, but he opted out of the 2020 season and sort of fell off the radar after a strong close to the 2019 season. Faalele is a big time mauler at the point of attack and has really fleet feet for his size. Defenders who get into his frame rarely drive him back because of the power he possesses in his core and lower half. He did drop some weight this offseason, so watching how that affects his game will be important.
Faalele likely goes up against one of (if not both) Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith during the game. Harrison just turned 20 in August and is slowly developing, as he has incredible tools but needs to strengthen his ability to counter at contact. Smith has the athletic tools as well and is a good converter of speed to power.
How will Faalele hold up? How will Smith and Harrison generate pressure? It will be a fun battle to find out.
Chris Autman-Bell vs. Sevyn Banks
While not completely on the 2022 NFL Draft radar as a receiver, Chris Autman-Bell is an intriguing talent. He’s a very fluid mover and has the functional athleticism to create some separation. Autman-Bell also has some deep receiving chops as well and could have several long touchdowns this season. A strong year could get him in conversation, but it might be better to stick to refine his game.
Either way, this will be a test for Sevyn Banks, who has varying opinions on him to start the season. The upside and potential is there to stake his claim as a first round pick, but he needs to work on quicker recognition skills from off-coverage and be more fluid vs. receivers at the top of stems without getting too grabby.
This will also be a fun battle as these two look to improve their stock as well.