2027 NFL Draft: Games, matchups to watch in Week 6 of the 2026 college season

• Alabama vs. Georgia: The two SEC programs combine for six of the top 50 prospects on PFF's 2027 NFL Draft Big Board, led by Georgia defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV.

• Premier coverage matchup: Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV has allowed a 48.5 passer rating when targeted and faces Alabama receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams.

• Texas-Oklahoma showdown: Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goosby, ranked seventh on PFF's 2027 Big Board, looks to rebound against Oklahoma edge defender Tyler Wein.

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Following what was largely a chalk weekend of college football, we’re due for some upsets in Week 6.

It’s rare to have 21 of the top 25 teams in the AP poll in action at this point in the regular season, when bye weeks become commonplace. So, if your NFL team is struggling and you’re already looking toward potential draft prospects who could alter the future of the franchise, the best place to start is this Saturday. And you should circle the SEC’s best game of the week.

Alabama vs. Georgia will always be the gold standard

These two programs have been the barometer for future NFL talent in recent seasons. You could rewatch any of their seven matchups since 2020 and find a field littered with current NFL players. This year’s edition is no different.

Some of the best players on the field, including Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. and Georgia defensive tackle Elijah Griffin, aren’t draft-eligible this year but could easily develop into blue-chip prospects further down the line.

Among the players eligible for the 2027 draft, these teams combine for six of the top 50 players on PFF’s Big Board and nine of the top 150. The two highest-ranked prospects on the field are both in the Georgia secondary: safety KJ Bolden and cornerback Ellis Robinson IV.

They’ll have their hands full defending the aerial attack led by Russell, whose offense has scored 45 or more points in all five games to start the season.

Ryan Coleman-Williams went from exciting freshman to hero two years ago with a twisting touchdown that swung this game back in the Crimson Tide’s favor. After a rough stretch that lasted for nearly an entire year, he seems to have found his form just in time to make another statement here.

Robinson’s lofty preseason draft status was based largely on projection and his pedigree as a top recruit, but so far he has matched, if not exceeded, those expectations. He is allowing a passer rating of just 48.5 when targeted in coverage and is one of the few cornerbacks in college football with the agility and lateral quickness required to handle a receiver as shifty as Coleman-Williams. This is a stellar matchup.

The only offense averaging more points per game than Alabama’s 49.6 is Georgia at 51.4. Running back Nate Frazier is the highest-graded running back this season among the players ranked in PFF’s top 150. He has been part of a very evenly split committee so far, but with Frazier averaging more than eight yards per carry, the Bulldogs may elect to give him a larger share of the backfield against this stiff competition.

Alabama’s defense answered the bell last week after we questioned whether it had the poise and discipline to cope with Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor. Yhonzae Pierre, Bray Hubbard and the rest of the defense did more than cope with Taylor — they dismantled him. Gunner Stockton is similarly elusive, but he’s playing behind a much stronger offensive line.

Can Texas’ Trevor Goosby get back on track?

The man tasked with protecting Arch Manning’s blindside is currently the seventh-ranked player on PFF’s 2027 Big Board. With the exception of Dylan Stewart, every other player ranked above Goosby has stepped up and lived up to their blue-chip billing through September.

Goosby hasn’t been bad overall, but he is coming off his lowest-graded game as a collegiate starter in the Longhorns’ win over Tennessee. He surrendered three pressures for the first time since last year’s SEC Championship Game and posted a PFF run-blocking grade in the 40s.

Looking to bounce back, Goosby now faces the difficult assignment of Oklahoma edge defender Tyler Wein. Wein entered the season 96 spots below teammate David Stone on PFF’s Big Board, but so far he has thoroughly outplayed his highly touted teammate. The two players’ draft stocks are trending in opposite directions.

Wein lines up across from both left and right tackles, so we’ll see how he fares against a mammoth like Goosby. His Sooners defense remains among the top five in the FBS in a range of metrics, including yards allowed per game and third-down stop rate.

It will be one of Arch Manning’s bigger tests of the year, and his favorite wide receiver, Cam Coleman, may not be fully healthy after recently sustaining a back injury.

Who is driving the Pitt machine?

Pittsburgh enters this weekend at 5-0 and ranked in the AP poll. All three Power Four teams it has defeated have winning records outside of their games against Pitt, and the Panthers open as 3.5-point favorites at home against Bill Belichick’s North Carolina.

This Pittsburgh squad doesn’t have a single player ranked among PFF’s top 150, but that could change soon if these players keep performing. In particular, defensive tackle Nick James and edge defender Isaiah Neal have turned this defensive front into a ferocious unit.

These are two veteran players enjoying breakout years. Neal has an 89.9 overall PFF grade after never previously posting a season grade above 67.0. The senior was elite against the run in last week’s win at Virginia Tech and also came away with nine total pressures and two sacks as a pass-rusher.

Can the Oregon defensive line live up to the billing?

We pegged this Oregon defensive front as the best in college football entering the season. The Ducks started the year with four defensive linemen ranked among the top 120 on PFF’s Big Board. Despite that pedigree, this defense has been walked over on multiple occasions. Aside from its shutout against FCS Portland State, Oregon has allowed 27 points in each of its other three games.

This week, Oregon faces a UCLA offense averaging 282 rushing yards per game. So far, the Bruins have run all over every defensive line they’ve faced. This is an opportunity for a statement performance from defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington and edge defender Teitum Tuioti.

UCLA running back Wayne Knight, who inflicted all this damage over the month of September, is listed at just 5-foot-7 and 193 pounds. Oregon has a size and athleticism advantage over UCLA across the field. The Ducks just need to start getting out of their own way.

Other draft storylines to watch this week include whether Dylan Stewart features heavily for South Carolina after returning to practice from his team-imposed suspension this week.

Oregon could face either Dante Moore or Dylan Raiola at quarterback, depending on Moore’s injury status. Raiola looked every bit as good as Moore in limited action against USC, but it’s likely he spends another year in the college ranks once Moore departs.