Who should you be watching this week?
Good morning New York Giants fans! Happy Saturday and welcome to Week 4 of the 2024 college football season.
We have a good selection of games this week, including what could be crucial scouting tape for both Michigan and USC. In fact, while we don’t know where Joe Schoen will be as of this writing, that’s a good bet as to which game he’ll attend.
Schoen was at Missouri’s game against Boston College last week, which featured both WR Luthor Burden III and QB Brady Cook. The game between Michigan and USC will feature one of the very best cornerbacks in Will Johnson, as well as two of the top defensive linemen in college football. USC’s quarterback is also gaining recognition at the national level, and Schoen has tended to go where the quarterbacks are.
So without further ado, lets get to the games!
(3) Ohio State vs. Marshall
Fox – noon
Ohio State is always worth a watch from a draft perspective. The Buckeyes’ recruiting machine simply churns out future NFL players, particularly at the receiver, cornerback, and edge positions. The Giants certainly need another starting cornerback to line up alongside Deonte Banks, and they could also use a third edge defender to rotate with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns.
That rotational edge defender is actually the reason why we’re highlighting this game. Not only are OSU linemen Tyleik Williams, J.T. Tuimoloau, and Jack Sawyer all starters at the NFL level, but Marshall’s Mike Green is definitely an intriguing prospect.
Green is a long, athletic, and fluid rusher who transferred from Virginia prior to the 2023 season. He doesn’t have prototypical mass at 6-foot-4, 238 pounds, but he knows how to win with both burst and technique. Green is an under-the-radar player right now, with the chance to turn heads and be a riser over the course of the draft process.
As for Ohio State’s prospects, they’re one of those teams where it’s just best to watch the game and see who stands out. There will be NFL players at pretty much every position.
(18) Michigan vs. (11) USC
CBS – 3:30 p.m.
We’ve already talked about Michigan this year, and we’ll check back in on them later in the year.
Right now, I want to concentrate on USC, and one of the most surprising teams in the country. It starts with quarterback Miller Moss who has seemingly come from nowhere out of Caleb Williams’ shadow. Moss has three starts for USC, counting last year’s bowl game, and he’s come out to a blazing start. Over 10 quarters of football (he didn’t play the second half against Utah), Moss has averaged 326.3 yards per game with 8 touchdowns and 1 interception while completing over 70 percent of his passes.
Moss, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior, is starting to get noticed on the national radar, and a recent mock draft from Chris Trapasso of CBSSports has the Giants drafting him at third overall. This game, with Michigan’s defensive front and cornerback Will Johnson, will be vital scouting tape for Moss.
Players to watch
USC
- Miller Moss (QB)
- Jonah Monheim (OT/OL)
- Jo’Quavious Marks (RB)
- Bear Alexander (iDL)
- Eric Gentry (LB)
Michigan
- Colston Loveland (TE)
- Donovan Edwards (RB)
- Mason Graham (iDL)
- Kenneth Grant (iDL)
- Will Johnson (CB)
South Florida vs. (8) Miami
ESPN – 7 p.m.
This is one that a lot of Giants fans have been wanting to see.
Miami quarterback Cam Ward has a devoted following among Giants fans, and around the scouting community. The red-shirt senior started out at the FCS level, playing for Incarnate Word in 2020 and 2021, before transferring to Oregon Sate in 2022, and finally to Miami in 2024.
Ward has solid size at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and combines that with good mobility and an elastic arm. He’s a highly creative passer who has consistently thrived in chaotic situations. He’s able to slip rushers, extend plays, and make the throws he needs to off-platform. And while he doesn’t quite have “elite” arm strength, his arm is strong enough to make pretty much any throw he’ll routinely have to make. The big question with Ward has been his ability to work within the structure of an offense with efficient processing and footwork.
He’s an undeniably exciting player who’s penchant for highlight reel plays is creating a buzz at the right time. He’s had a fantastic start to his final season and is being considered among the top quarterback prospects in the draft — at least in the public. Ward is unlikely to be challenged by South Florida, but this is a good opportunity to see him on a Prime Time stage. The game to watch might be Miami’s October 19th game against Louisville, or perhaps the season finale against Syracuse.
