2022 NFL Draft: Prospects to Watch in Arkansas-Texas
What 2022 NFL Draft prospects are worth keeping an eye on when Texas travels to face Arkansas?
It may not be the headlining game of the week in college football, but there’s plenty of intrigue as Texas heads to Arkansas. The Longhorns are coming off a gutsy win over a good Louisiana team, and now they take on an Arkansas team that looks improved and ready to hang in plenty of games this season. There will also be plenty of 2022 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on as well. Let’s take a look at a few in this game.
A Potential First Round Safety
He started getting a ton more buzz near the end of the summer, and safety Jalen Catalon has people excited to watch the Arkansas defense. He’s a playmaker through and through and wants to make every play possible at every level of the field. He’s got the requisite range to play on the back end, and great instincts and closing speed when working downhill. Catalon is ready to lay the boom whenever as well and is looking to knock you backwards. Availability has been his main issue, so staying healthy for this game and beyond is huge for his 2022 NFL Draft stock.
A Matchup In The Trenches
Texas has an overabundance of talent on the interior, but none have firmly put themselves on the draft radar. Keondre Coburn and T’Vondre Sweat are nice players with juice though, as is sophomore Alfred Collins. They will give the Arkansas unit, led by center Ricky Stromberg, some trouble this evening. Stromberg plays with great control, balance, and effort in the middle, and needs to keep the pocket clean in this one. It would be good to see him show up big in this game.
Two Playmakers
Wide receiver Treylon Burks will get a ton of attention in this game, as he’s firmly on the first round radar of the 2022 NFL Draft. His size and speed combo is tough to handle, and combine that with great hands and exceptional body control, and he’s a nightmare at the catch point and after the catch. Seeing him develop more of a route tree will be important to show he can be a traditional “X” in the NFL who can separate at will.
DeMarvion Overshown made the transition from safety to a hybrid WILL/nickel defender, and at his size, succeeding as a traditional linebacker is extremely rare. Overshown needs to get more comfortable with his keys in the run game, and find a way to get around blocks. NFL teams will likely want him to play nickel, so seeing coverage reps, potentially against Burks in the slot, will be important too.