College Football Week 6: 2026 NFL Draft prospects to watch
By Jack Brentnall
Week 6 might not have the heavyweight matchups we were treated to last weekend, but there are still plenty of good games on offer with intriguing prospect matchups.
Here are six players I’ll be watching closely this weekend.
Eli Stowers - TE, Vanderbilt (6-4, 235, rs-Senior)
Through five weeks, only one tight end has more receiving yards than Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers. The redshirt senior has posted 22 catches for 302 yards and two touchdowns. He also ranks third at the position with 3.14 yards per route run.
Stowers has had an unconventional journey to being an NFL prospect. Originally recruited as a quarterback, he committed to Texas A&M and spent two years with the team. He subsequently transferred to New Mexico State, where he made the switch to tight end and played alongside future Vanderbilt teammate Diego Pavia.
Now at Vanderbilt, Stowers is a dynamic pass catcher and earned First Team All-SEC honours in his first season with the team. He showcases the athleticism you’d expect for a former four-star recruit, possessing legitimate burst and reportedly a 40+” vertical.
The question surrounding Stowers, however, remains his blocking ability. He’s undersized and very limited inline, which is likely to impact his NFL appeal.
If he is going to make a living at the pro level as a ‘move’ tight end, then he needs to produce big numbers in the biggest games. They don’t get much bigger than Alabama. The last time these two teams met, Stowers delivered an impressive 113 yards on six catches as the Commodores secured a huge upset. Can he deliver a similar performance this weekend?
Ty Simpson - QB, Alabama (6-2, 208 rs-Junior)
The 2026 quarterback landscape is changing fast. With big preseason names like Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik all disappointing, new names are quickly rising to the top. One of those earning legitimate buzz is Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
The redshirt junior patiently waited his turn behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe, before becoming the starter this season. While it is still early, what he has put on tape through the first five weeks of the season has been very exciting.
Simpson has been highly efficient, completing almost 70% of his passes and averaging nine yards per attempt. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns with zero interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 126.0, the second highest in the SEC. His last two outings, against Wisconsin and Georgia, have both been excellent.
Given his limited starting experience, scouts will want to see Simpson maintain this level of play against more SEC competition. Vanderbilt are not the pushovers they once were, making this weekend another critical test for him.
DJ McKinney - CB, Colorado (6-2, 180, rs-Junior)
Coming into the season I had high hopes for Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney. I expected him to step up in Travis Hunter’s absence, emerge as a true CB1 for the Buffaloes, and cement his status as a first round talent.
Through five weeks, that hasn’t materialised. If anything, McKinney has been underwhelming. He has taken a significant step back as a tackler, missing 26.9% of his attempts, a steep decline from just 7.5% in 2024.
While his trademark ball skills have flashed occasionally, he has also been beaten downfield several times already. This weekend presents perhaps his toughest test yet, going up against a TCU offense that ranks 17th in the country in EPA per dropback.
It remains to be seen whether the Horned Frogs will have star receiver Eric McAlister back in the lineup after he missed most of Week 5 with an injury. Regardless, this feels like the kind of game where McKinney must step up and prove he can handle a top passing attack, or his stock will continue to fall.
Chris Bell - WR, Louisville (6-2, 220, Senior)
If you love big, fast pass catchers, you need to tune into Louisville-Virginia to watch Cardinals’ wide receiver Chris Bell.
At 6’2” and 220 lbs, Bell boasts an NFL-ready frame built to hold up against physical coverage. He is also one of the quicker receivers in the class, possessing the legitimate burst and long speed to threaten at all three levels. His effectiveness as a YAC threat will also have NFL scouts intrigued.
Bell is coming off an exceptional performance against Pitt in Week 5 that saw him record 129 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions. This weekend he faces a Virginia secondary that can be exposed at cornerback, and he’ll be hoping for another big game.
As a prospect, Bell has first round upside, but NFL teams will want to see him continue to develop his technique and refine his route running. Consistently translating that elite physical talent into polished technique over the coming weeks is what could solidify his draft stock.
Chandler Rivers - CB, Duke (5-10, 180, Senior)
Rivers caught my eye during summer scouting, and I’m interested to see how he fares in a good test against Cal this weekend.
The senior is in his fourth year as a starter for the Blue Devils, and that experience is evident on tape. Rivers displays a great feel for zone coverage and possesses excellent patience when playing in press. He also offers high-level ball skills, with a career tally of five interceptions and 16 pass breakups.
His matchup against Cal will be telling. The Golden Bears look to have found a very talented quarterback in true freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and their offense has shown real potential through five weeks. Their big-bodied receiving duo of Trond Grizzell and Mark Hamper should also be a nice test for Rivers.
As an NFL prospect, Rivers will face questions about his frame and how it translates to a role at the pro level. Good performances in matchups like this will help him a lot.
Earl Little - S, Florida State (6-1, 199, rs-Junior)
Florida State has been a pleasant surprise this season and one of the players that has caught my eye is their safety, Earl Little Jr.
A former four-star recruit who began his career as a cornerback at Alabama, Little was finally given his opportunity to start for the Seminoles in Week 1 against his former team. He looked excellent throughout, flying all over the field and showcasing impressive quickness and toughness. His willingness to get downhill and lay hits on ball carriers is commendable.
Things have been a little more uneven since. His tackling has been a major problem. Despite commendable effort, his technique and angles are a little wild and have seen him miss 19.4% of his attempts already this season.
This week’s clash against Miami should be a great test for him. Scouts will be wondering which Earl Little is the real one – the one who starred against Alabama in Week 1 or the one who has been quiet since. A big game here against a top quality opponent in a rivalry game would no doubt get people talking.
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.