With conference play yet to get into full swing, it’s another mild slate of prospect matchups to watch, but that doesn’t mean you should take Saturday off and actually spend time with your family or anything like that. It just means you might have to dig a little deeper to find quality draft prospects facing off against one another. Luckily, I’m here to do that work for you. These are the matchups to watch for Week 2.
LSU CB Kristian Fulton vs. Texas WR Collin Johnson
The true marquee matchup of this weekend. Both Fulton and Johnson could end up being first-rounders when all is said and done. Johnson put together a fairly quiet four-catch, 55-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 1 against Louisiana Tech, while Fulton dropped an interception after he sat on a double move on his lone target against Georgia Southern. A dominant performance one way or the other will ring loudly come April.
LSU OLB K’Laivon Chaisson vs. Texas LT Samuel Cosmi
We didn’t even really get a look as Chaisson as a pass-rusher in Week 1 when he rushed the passer only twice. Cosmi, on the other hand, dominated Lousiana Tech to the tune of 0 pressures allowed. This will be a great proving ground for Chaisson, who, because of missing most of 2018 due to injury, has shown little production as a pass-rusher up to this point with only 16 pressures in his entire career.
Minnesota WR Tyler Johnson vs. Fresno State S/CB JuJu Hughes
Johnson is arguably the most dynamic slot weapon in the country after Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy. And he doesn’t kick outside too much. Last week, 46 of his 52 snaps came in the slot. Hughes is part safety, part slot corner and an all-around playmaker in the Fresno State defense. He earned an 89.5 coverage grade last season but struggled with his tackling against USC in Week 1. He missed three tackles on 11 attempts in the game, but only allowed one first down on five targets in his coverage.
Stanford CB Paulson Adebo vs. USC WR Tyler Vaughns
Vaughns' redshirt freshman year back in 2017 put him on the map, as he hauled in 57 catches for 809 yards. He failed to build upon that last year, though, with only 675 yards in 2018, but through one week this year, it appears the USC offense is going to be run through him. He hauled in 11 catches for 150 yards but had two unsightly drops and a fumble, as well. Adebo needs little introduction after he led college football last season with 19 pass breakups. The thing I love about this matchup is that it will be an every-down affair. Vaughns took 80 of his 82 snaps at right wide receiver in Week 1 while Adebo played 46 of his 63 at left corner.
Washington TE Hunter Bryant vs. California LB Evan Weaver
Tight end versus linebacker isn’t a matchup in the traditional one-on-one sense, but there will be a number of times throughout the game that Weaver is tasked with mirroring Bryant in coverage. The Washington tight end has little to prove in this matchup as his six catches for 81 yards against Eastern Washington showed once again that he’s arguably the most dynamic receiving tight end in the country. It’s Weaver’s coverage ability that has much to gain here as he’s on the borderline, athletically speaking, when projecting to the next level. They protect him a lot with spot drops in Cal’s defense, but if he can wrap up Bryant in space, there could be a role for him in the NFL.
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