The 2027 NFL Draft class has lived up to the early hype, but Week 3 will give several prospects an opportunity to strengthen their case and continue building momentum.
In this 2027 NFL Prospect Watch, we revisit three prospects featured in our NFL Draft Notebook series who now face important tests that could tell us even more about their draft stock.
CJ Carr faces his first real defensive test
There are not too many big matchups this weekend when it comes to the top quarterback prospects, but one of our top five in this week’s 2027 NFL Draft QB rankings, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, will have an interesting matchup against Michigan State on Saturday.
As a prospect who is becoming a recurring name in John Blair’s weekly NFL Draft Notebook, Carr will have all eyes on him in this matchup between two undefeated teams.
The 2-0 Spartans will be Carr’s first true defensive test of the season and give him an opportunity to rise even higher in those rankings and solidify himself as an early favorite for the Heisman. With his high passing efficiency and football IQ, Carr has been doing everything possible through the first two weeks to make his case as a top-10 prospect in the country.
The Spartans will attempt to disrupt Carr’s clean pocket, interrupt his rhythm and force him into quicker decisions on the field.
Can he continue to be accurate under pressure?
This game will test that accuracy and give Carr another opportunity to increase his draft stock depending on how he handles everything Pat Fitzgerald’s Michigan State defense throws at him.
While we will certainly be tracking Carr, NFL teams that should pay close attention are the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and a team Blair identified in a previous NFL Draft Notebook, the Houston Texans.
KJ Duff gets another opportunity to prove himself against USC
Can KJ Duff continue his rise as one of the top wide receiver prospects potentially entering the 2027 NFL Draft?
Known for his big-bodied frame, body control, catch radius and yards-after-the-catch (YAC) ability, among other key attributes he is building on his scouting resume, the Rutgers star will have his biggest test of the season going against the No. 12-ranked USC Trojans in a Big Ten matchup.
After an 0-2 start, this is a monumental challenge for Duff and Rutgers if they want to get into the win column and somewhat salvage the season following an upset loss to UMass followed by a loss to Boston College.
As a player identified by Blair as a potential A.J. Brown successor for the Philadelphia Eagles, the matchup against a nationally ranked team like the Trojans will give him the opportunity to show he can be impactful and is indeed a player we also identified in our NFL Mocks Watch as a rising talent who just might be near the top of many NFL teams’ big boards by the end of the season.
With impressive performances in the two losses against what many would consider lesser competition, if Duff has another game with over 100 receiving yards against a superior foe, people will start paying more attention.
If somehow Rutgers upsets USC and Duff is a huge part of that, well, he could end up out of range for a team like the Eagles, who project early in the 2026 NFL season as a team probably selecting near the end of the first round.
Desmeal Leigh gets a major FCS test
One of the big matchups in college football in Week 3 will come at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level when No. 9-ranked Youngstown State takes on the No. 2-ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
This is not a game that will garner national attention, but an FCS prospect identified by Blair in his latest NFL Draft Notebook will have a big test in this subdivision matchup. Left tackle Desmeal Leigh will be anchoring the offensive line and looking to strengthen his status as a 2027 NFL Draft prospect to watch in what will be one of his toughest challenges of the year.
Noted for his massive size (6-foot-7, 325 pounds), strength and technique as a pass protector and pure nastiness as a run blocker, I can see why Blair is high on this relatively unknown tackle.
In Thursday’s Notebook, Blair writes:
“When watching the 2025 second-team All-MVFC selection, the first thing that stands out is how well he moves. In the passing game, he shows the quick feet needed to match up against NFL pass rushers, and last season he allowed just one sack. He also shows the mobility to easily get to the second level in the run game, which could make him a great fit in a zone-blocking scheme.”
Leigh will be making his way back from an injury after sitting out during the team’s blowout win against Duquesne. In this matchup, he will be instantly tested going up against a stout South Dakota State defensive line that is one of the best in the nation.
One thing to watch here is whether Leigh can utilize his massive frame and mobility in containing a pass rush that will be coming after YSU quarterback Beau Brungard.
If Leigh handles that challenge, he could go from a relatively unknown prospect featured in the NFL Draft Notebook to an offensive tackle NFL Draft fans need to start paying much closer attention to.
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