College Football: Where are the Giants scouts, and who are they watching?

Happy Saturday, everybody!

It’s once again time to take a break from the NFL and turn our attention to the college game, and as we did last week, let’s focus on what games we know that the New York Giants have credentialed scouts.

Thanks to the folks at College Football 24/7 and the NFL.com, we know that the Giants are going to be at two of the biggest games of the weekend.

Alabama at Ole Miss (9/17, 3:30 p.m. - CBS)

Alabama Players To Watch

• All of them - Seriously. As per usual, Alabama is loaded with NFL players, and just about every position is worth watching. But pay attention to offensive tackle Cam Robinson an defensive end Jon Allen. Robinson is generally considered the top offensive tackle in this draft class. While we might hope that the Giants won’t be in position to draft him, it still pays to be familiar with the best players. Allen is a curious defensive lineman. He looks like a stoutly build 3-4 defensive end, but he also has uncommon quickness and bend for a player with his build, and could be a complete defensive end in a 4-3 front.

Ole Miss Players To Watch

Chad Kelly - We might not want to think about it, but the Giants have to start planning for life after Eli Manning. A quarterback drafted in 2017 could replace Ryan Nassib in the near-term and hopefully be his successor when that bitter-sweet day finally comes. Kelly has the physical skills to be a franchise quarterback with a strong arm, quick release, and the athletic ability to make a defense pay for failing to account for him. He also has some maddening inconsistencies, fearlessness with the football, and refusal to give up on a play that are reminiscent of another certain Ole Miss quarterback. Chad Kelly behind center is always an adventure, but he has the ability to take over a game.

Evan Engram - Engram jumped off the screen whenever I would put Ole Miss’ 2015 tape on to watch LaQuon Treadwell. A new age "hybrid" tight end, Treadwell is too big for most defensive backs and far too athletic for most linebackers to cover. In the right offense he could be what Travis Beckum might have been in a different offense and without the career-ending ACL injury.

Ohio State at Oklahoma (7:30 p.m.- FOX)

Ohio State Players To Watch

All Of Them - Again, like Nick Saban at Alabama, Urban Meyer has done an amazing job of building a pipeline of NFL talent that runs through Ohio State. Raekwon McMillan is probably OSU’s top rated prospect right now. He has the prototypical size and instincts for a linebackerbut he will need to prove to scouts that he has the athleticism to stay on an NFL field for all three downs.

Oklahoma Players To Watch

Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon - Oklahoma’s talented running backs are the engines that drive the Sooners’ offense. Perine holds the NCAA record for most rushing yards in a game, and the athletic Mixon creates a contrast that can be difficult to stop at best.

Charles Walker - Walker doesn’t look like the type of defensive tackle with which the Giants have been stocking their roster. Walker, however, is a player who could ascend as the draft process goes on. His length and quickness give him the potential to be a disruptive force at the next level.

One More To Watch

Michigan State vs. Notre Dame (7:30 p.m. - NBC)

We don’t know that the Giants will have a scout in attendance, but the battle between Michigan State’s defensive line — notably defensive tackle Malik McDowell — and Notre Dame’s offensive line featuring offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey should be a must-watch. Like Oklahoma’s Walker, McDowell is a long, athletic defensive tackle who can wreak havoc on an offensive line. On the other side, McGlinchey combines athleticism with a hard-nosed playing style. This has the potential to be a fun game.

Mini Mock

*As with last week, I’m basing this off the Giants current average power (this week they are 14th overall, equating to the 19th overall pick). I’ll be using the CBS Sports big board, and limiting myself to a pick of the five prospects higher or lower than the Giants’ rating, unless I decide to "reach".

1st Round - 19th Overall

Lowell Loutelei (DT, Utah) - I pointed out above that the Giants seem to be stockpiling massive (yet surprisingly athletic) defensive tackles like John Hankins, Damon Harrison, and Montori Hughes, so they should be interested in Loutelei. Younger brother to Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Loutelei, Lowell is the same kind of player. Built like an ambulatory vending machine, Lowell is a powerful tackle who can impose his will on offensive lineman and win the line of scrimmage. Hopefully the Giants will buck their trend and re-sign John Hankins, but Loutelei is a fine addition either way.

2nd Round - 51st Overall

Nick Chubb (RB, Georgia) - It’s almost impossible to avoid picking a phenomenal running back in this draft. I was hoping to keep building the line of scrimmage, either the offense or defense, but when a prospect like Chubb is sitting there... It’s tough to resist. Chubb comes with a significant injury red flag after a knee injury ended his 2015 season, and he’ll need to prove that it isn’t a worry. However, before the injury he averaged 8.1 yards per carry and scored 7 touchdowns. He is a powerful, compact running back at 5-10, 220 pounds, but he also has impressive speed, quickness, agility, balance and vision. Chubb also shows enough in pass protection to think he can get on the field early. A running back stable of Chubb, Paul Perkins, and Shane Vereen behind Eli Manning, Odell Beckham, and Sterling Shepard should frighten every defensive coordinator.

3rd Round - 83rd Overall

J.J. Dielman (OT, Utah) - Back to line line of scrimmage in the third. Dielman might look like a big tight end out there, but the long and athletic 300 pound tackle is a mauler in the run game. He might need some development — particularly with his hand usage in pass protection — but his feet suggest an NFL tackle.

4th Round - 115th Overall

Quin Blanding (S, Virginia) - 6-1’, 210 pounds, Blanding looks like three of the Giants’ four safeties. Also in common with the Giants’ safeties he is a smooth athlete with a high football IQ, strong instincts, good ball skills, productivity (123 and 115 tackles in his first two years at Virginia), and is a good hitter. The Giants have a stout safety rotation with Landon Collins, Darian Thompson, and Nat Berhe, but why not improve on a strength?

So Giants fans, what games — and which players -- are you watching today?