The best slate of bowl games is finally upon us. There were some head scratchers early on, but the homestretch features fantastic pairings night after night. Bowl games are great people, just embrace it.
On Monday, Auburn and Oklahoma will duel in the Sugar Bowl. These two teams are similar in many regards. Both had a slow start to the season but regained their footing as the year progressed.
The Sooners and Tigers are notorious for sending players to the NFL Draft. This season is no exception.
Here are the top NFL Draft prospects playing in the Sugar Bowl.
| Rank | Pos. | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DE | Carl Lawson | Auburn |
| 2 | WR | Dede Westbrook | Oklahoma |
| 3 | RB | Samaje Perine | Oklahoma |
| 4 | K | Daniel Carlson | Auburn |
| 5 | DT | Montravius Adams | Auburn |
| 6 | OG | Braden Smith | Auburn |
| 7 | FS | Jonathan Ford | Auburn |
| 8 | OG | Alex Kozan | Auburn |
We've talked about it all week long. Dominant pass rushers are one of the hottest commodities for NFL scouts, and Lawson's potential has no ceiling The issue is whether he is ready now or not.. The leader of the Auburn defense closed out the year with 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble. There are certainly question marks surrounding Lawson's ability to dominate right away at the next level, but there's no denying his future potential. If he declares for the NFL Draft, Lawson should get selected late in the first round. There is some speculation he will stay at Auburn for one more season, so we will wait and see.
There's a reason Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He probably wasn't ever in serious contention to bring home the honors, but this is clearly one of the top pass catchers in college football. Heading into the month of November, Pro Football Focus put together a list of the "10 biggest risers in the 2017 NFL Draft Class," and of course the Oklahoma wideout earned a mention. "The nation's most dominant receiver in recent weeks," Steve Palazzolo of PFF said, "Westbrook has built upon the flashes he showed last season to become the go-to-guy for Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield. He's shown the route running to get open at the short or intermediate level and the speed to create big plays down the field or after the catch." This kid could be special.
Sooners running back Samaje Perine is the No. 3 prospect competing in the Sugar Bowl. The Oklahoma tailback isn't going to woe NFL scouts with his speed or agility, but his bruising style speaks for itself.
"Perine is an aggressive, pounding runner who is very difficult to tackle one on one," Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com wrote. "He doesn't dance and waste time behind the lne of scrimmage. He is decisive and runs through contact."
Perine is a refreshing glimpse into the way running backs used to play. Guys like John Riggins and Tony Dorsett used their power to smash through the line of scrimmage. Just watch this guy for a moment.
