College Football Week 7: 2026 NFL Draft prospects to watch
By Jack Brentnall
It’s Week 7, which means we are somehow already halfway through the 2025 college football season.
The last few weeks have seen a bunch of prospects rising and falling on draft boards, but there is still plenty to play for and there are a bunch of exciting matchups this weekend.
Here are six players I’ll be watching closely in Week 7.
Fernando Mendoza - QB, Indiana (6-5, 225, rs-Junior)
If there is one game and one player I’m watching over all others this weekend, it is Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza taking on Oregon.
Mendoza has been absolutely outstanding so far this season. Through five games he has thrown for 1,208 yards with 16 touchdowns and a single interception. His 138.7 passer rating is the best of any FBS quarterback with at least 100 dropbacks.
The excitement surrounding Mendoza stems from how pro-ready much of his tape looks. Whether it is his pinpoint accuracy, understanding of ball placement, or his ability to beat the blitz, Mendoza consistently delivers in the areas NFL teams demand. With his pocket passer style, he feels in many ways like a throwback, and not in a bad way.
This weekend’s game against Oregon will be the biggest test of his season so far. It is a premier opportunity to see how he fares against the best that college football has to offer. Nobody has more to gain from a huge game this weekend than Mendoza.
Zion Young - EDGE, Missouri (6-5, 262, Senior)
While the Oregon-Indiana game may be the biggest matchup of the weekend, the other clash between top 15 teams is not to be missed, as Missouri hosts Alabama.
Both sides feature a number of noteworthy draft prospects, but my eyes will be glued to the trenches to see how Tigers edge rusher Zion Young fares against a good Crimson Tide offensive line.
Young started the season slowly, but has been on an absolute tear since Week 4, recording 17 pressures and six defensive stops in his last two games. This marks a real evolution for a player whose biggest selling point over the summer was his ability as a hard-nosed edge setter in the run game.
Young’s game is built around his impressive play strength and relentless motor, a combination that allows him to crush the pocket and win through the chest of opposing tackles. However, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor presents a big challenge, both figuratively and literally. At 6’7” and 360 lbs he is the sort of tackle who should be able to neutralise Young’s core strengths.
Scouts will be keen to see if Young can continue his dominant run of form and, critically, whether he can find a change-up to challenge a tackle like Proctor. You won’t want to miss this one.
LaNorris Sellers - QB, South Carolina (6-3, 240, rs-Sophomore)
Week 7 brings the toughest test of the season so far for South Carolina as they face LSU. This game is a prime opportunity for quarterback LaNorris Sellers to showcase his potential on a massive stage.
Sellers has performed well this season. While his box score numbers may be modest (886 yards, four touchdowns and one interception), he has demonstrated real growth in his accuracy and an improved level of comfort in the pocket.
Sellers is easily the most physically gifted quarterback in this year’s draft class, with a huge frame, good mobility, and a live arm. The question has always been whether he can refine that into a consistent playstyle that will translate to the NFL.
His Week 4 performance against Missouri showed him at his best and worst. His creativity was on full display, but his tendency to try and do too much resulted in him taking five sacks. Can he improve on that this weekend and have a big performance against top competition in LSU? I can’t wait to find out.
Trevor Goosby - OT, Texas (6-7, 315, rs-Sophomore)
The Red River Rivalry might not be the high-stakes ranked battle that many expected coming into the season, but it remains a great opportunity to get eyes on a bunch of NFL Draft prospects.
One of the players I’m really interested to watch is Longhorns left tackle, Trevor Goosby. The former five-star recruit spent two seasons backing up Kelvin Banks, before becoming the full-time starter this season.
There is clearly a lot to like about Goosby as a prospect. He a natural athlete blessed with a pro-ready frame and long arms. He also has experience playing both left and right tackle.
As expected for a first-year starter, there is still some inconsistency and technical issues on tape. He’ll get caught playing with a narrow base in pass protection and there are some mental lapses against stunts and blitzes.
He will need to be at his best this weekend as he prepares to go up against a very talented pass rusher in Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas. How Goosby fares in these big games will likely dictate whether he declares or returns to school for 2026.
Lance Heard - OT, Tennessee (6-6, 330, Junior)
One of the players who has really caught my eye this season is Tennessee’s left tackle, Lance Heard.
A former five-star recruit, Heard began his career at LSU before transferring to Tennessee and taking on the starting left tackle job for the 2024 season. It is fair to say he underwhelmed, conceding 21 pressures and struggling in the run game.
2025 has been a different story so far. Heard has shown real growth, particularly in pass protection. He is reportedly blessed with 36” arms and that length shows on tape, with a jolting punch that allows him to control reps and keep defenders out of his frame. He’s also developed a nice snatch-trap move, leading to some great finishes.
Heard still has room to develop as a technician, particularly in the run game, but the physical tools are all there. This weekend the Volunteers face Arkansas, meaning Heard will be tasked with containing rising edge rusher Quincy Rhodes. This should be an excellent battle.
TJ Metcalf - S, Michigan (6-1, 200, Junior)
There arguably no more thankless task in college football than covering USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. This weekend, that difficult honour falls to Michigan’s nickel defender, TJ Metcalf.
A former three-star recruit, Metcalf began his career at Arkansas, before transferring to Michigan for the 2025 season. He has had a solid season so far, recording seven defensive stops, an interception, and a pass breakup.
Metcalf has taken on a new role at Michigan, kicking down into the slot after having played primarily as a deep safety at Arkansas. He has good burst and size for a nickel defender, which should allow him to stick with Lemon, but there is a little tightness to his game that the USC receiver will no doubt look to exploit if he gets the chance.
Metcalf is not a name that is very high on the NFL Draft radar, but if he is able to contain Lemon this weekend you can expect for him to be earning more buzz over the coming weeks.

JACK BRENTNALL
HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.