College Football Week 1: Top Matchups and 2026 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch

College football Week 1 in 2025 delivers a loaded slate of matchups with playoff implications and NFL Draft intrigue. The biggest games—Texas vs. Ohio State, Alabama vs. Florida State, and LSU vs. Clemson—feature some of the nation’s top players to watch, who are also elite 2026 NFL Draft prospects. From Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, widely regarded as the best defensive player in college football, to Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods, fans will see future first-round picks on the sport’s biggest stage. This Week 1 preview breaks down every top matchup, highlighting the NFL talent to watch that could shape both the 2025 college football season and the next draft class.

Note: player selections reflect Football Scout 365 summer scouting and in-season grades.

Texas at Ohio State (Aug. 30) 12:00 PM

Spread: Ohio State –1.5 to –2.5

Over/Under: 47.5

Analysis: The heavyweight clash of Week 1 — a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal — will double as a showcase for multiple 2026 NFL Draft blue-chip prospects. Both defenses ranked in the top three nationally in 2024, and each side is loaded with first-round talent: Ohio State features Caleb Downs, the consensus No. 1 overall prospect, while Texas counters with lockdown CB Malik Muhammad and versatile LB Anthony Hill Jr. Both offenses are also breaking in new full-time starters at quarterback, with Arch Manning making his first big-stage audition. Expect a physical, low-scoring battle where future NFL stars on defense could decide the outcome.

Texas Longhorns – Top Prospects

• Malik Muhammad | CB – Veteran cover man with elite instincts and versatility; a likely first-rounder in 2026.

• Arch Manning | QB – Big-stage debut as Texas’ full-time starter; prototype frame and arm talent with franchise QB upside.

• Anthony Hill Jr. | LB – Explosive second-level defender with three-down versatility as a pass rusher and coverage piece.

• Jack Endries | TE – Transfer tight end with sure hands and route polish; a reliable safety blanket for Manning.

• C.J. Baxter | RB – Powerful three-down back with size, burst, and receiving upside if durability holds.

• Michael Taaffe | S – Smart, high-IQ safety who thrives in split-field looks; a steady leader on the back end.

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Ohio State Buckeyes – Top Prospects

• Caleb Downs | S – Generational safety prospect; elite instincts and versatility, possible top-5 NFL Draft pick.

• Carnell Tate | WR – Technician at WR with reliable hands and route craft; poised for WR1 breakout.

• Max Klare | TE – Transfer TE with seam-stretching ability and YAC skills; mismatch weapon in Ryan Day’s offense.

LSU at Clemson (Aug. 31) — 7:30 PM

Spread: Clemson –3.5

Over/Under: 57.5

Analysis: Two programs battling not just for early-season bragging rights, but for Death Valley supremacy. Clemson enters with one of the most feared defensive fronts in the nation, headlined by Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, both projected first-rounders in the 2026 NFL Draft. LSU counters with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who brings NFL-caliber arm talent, and dynamic linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., one of the most versatile defenders in the country. With elite playmakers on both sides, this primetime showdown could come down to which defense can create the biggest game-changing moment.

LSU Tigers – Top Prospects

• Garrett Nussmeier | QB – Polished passer with elite arm talent and rhythm-based command; could climb into Round 1.

• Harold Perkins Jr. | LB – Explosive, hybrid defender who can rush the passer, cover, and play in space; first-round athletic profile.

Clemson Tigers – Top Prospects

• Peter Woods | IDL – Dominant, versatile interior defender with top-5 NFL Draft potential; disruptive against both run and pass.

• T.J. Parker | EDGE – Physical, high-motor edge rusher who led all returning Power Four defenders in sacks last season.

• Avieon Terrell | CB – Sticky, competitive cover man with press-man skills and physicality; projects as a Day 1 NFL starter.

• Antonio Williams | WR – Route technician with elite separation skills; high-volume weapon in Clemson’s passing attack.

• Cade Klubnik | QB – Dual-threat with developmental starter traits; tools fit spread/RPO-heavy NFL systems.

  
  

Alabama at Florida State (Aug. 30) 3:30 PM

Spread: Alabama –13.5

Over/Under: 50.5

Analysis: A classic SEC vs. ACC clash that’s been fueled by offseason trash talk. Alabama enters 2025 with one of the most talent-rich rosters in the country, headlined by LT Overton off the edge and Kadyn Proctor protecting the blindside. Florida State, meanwhile, is trying to rebound from a rocky season, but they boast two potential 2026 NFL Draft risers of their own in Duce Robinson and Darrell Jackson Jr. Robinson is the kind of rare athlete who can flip a game in one play, while Jackson anchors the interior as a massive run-stuffer and pocket-pusher. The Tide have the deeper roster, but FSU’s stars must shine if the ‘Noles want to make this one a four-quarter fight.

Alabama Crimson Tide – Top Prospects

• LT Overton | EDGE – Former 5-star with inside-out versatility; explosive pass rusher who thrives in hybrid fronts.

• Kadyn Proctor | OT – 6’7”, 360-pound tackle with overwhelming strength and improving technique; potential franchise LT.

• Bray Hubbard | S – Converted QB with elite instincts; one of the most efficient coverage safeties in the nation.

• Deontae Lawson | LB – Fast, physical inside backer who thrives downhill and brings three-down versatility.

• Keon Sabb | S – Physical, zone-savvy safety; smart rotational piece with starting-caliber upside.

  
  

Florida State Seminoles – Top Prospects

• Duce Robinson | WR/TE Hybrid – A 6’6” mismatch weapon with a rare 6’10” wingspan and WR movement skills; red-zone terror and vertical threat with first-round ceiling if production takes the next step.

• Darrell Jackson Jr. | DL – Massive 330-pound interior defender with pocket-collapsing power and surprising quickness; leadership traits and physicality make him a potential Day 2 anchor.

Notre Dame at Miami (Aug. 31) 7:30 PM

Spread: Notre Dame –2.5

Over/Under: 49.5

Analysis: A rivalry with deep history gets renewed in Week 1, and both teams bring intriguing 2026 NFL Draft prospects to the table. Notre Dame leans on physicality at the skill positions, with RB Jeremiyah Love and WR Malachi Fields both capable of game-breaking moments. Miami, meanwhile, counters with two blue-chip talents in OT Francis Mauigoa and pass-rush menace Rueben Bain Jr., who headline one of the ACC’s most NFL-ready rosters. Add in veteran quarterback Carson Beck transferring in to run the Hurricanes’ offense, and this matchup has the makings of a sneaky top-10 clash on the weekend slate.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Top Prospects

• Jeremiyah Love | RB – Explosive three-down playmaker with rare acceleration; home-run hitting ability every time he touches the ball.

• Malachi Fields | WR – Prototype X receiver at 6’4”, 225 pounds; excels in contested catch situations and red-zone matchups.

  
  

Miami Hurricanes – Top Prospects

• Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE – Disruptive pass rusher with violent hands and inside-out versatility; one of the most polished defenders in the class.

• Francis Mauigoa | OT – Athletic, powerful right tackle with All-Pro potential; dominant in both run and pass protection.

• Carson Beck | QB – Veteran transfer with rhythm-based passing skills; clean mechanics and NFL starter-level frame.