College Football Week 10: It’s Alabama-LSU week

Happy Saturday, and welcome to Week 10 of the 2018 college football season!

The New York Giants are off this week, so we don’t have to look forward to an NFL game day with any trepidation. However, the reason for that trepidation, the 1-7 Giants’ play this year, gives us plenty of reason to pay attention to college football in advance of the 2019 NFL Draft.

I have already put out my first mock draft of the 2019 draft season, and it will be the last one until after the underclassmen declare.

Until then we have plenty of good games, and players to watch. So, let’s get to today’s slate of games!

(6) Georgia at (11) Kentucky

CBS - 3:30 p.m.

We’ve mentioned Georgia before, and that’s because they have a whole mess of talented players. Quarterback Jake Fromm is probably the most interesting, especially if the Giants wind up punting their quarterback decision to the 2020 draft.

Beyond Fromm, Georgia has a pair of defensive backs in CB Deandre Baker and S J.R. Reed who should interest a team that is starved for them. The Giants probably can’t afford to invest a premium draft pick in a receiver, but junior Riley Ridley could intrigue if he both declares and slips in the draft.

On the Kentucky side of things, the first player to watch is linebacker/EDGE Josh Allen. Like the similarly named rookie quarterback, Allen is big, long, and athletic. He isn’t the most devastating edge rusher in the class, but he has greater fluidity in space than many pass rushers have. The Giants might also be interested in CB Derrick Baity. Baity has the length and ability in press coverage the Giants need for their defensive scheme, but he isn’t the most physical player, nor is he as ‘twitchy’ as you would like to see from a corner.

Players to watch

Georgia

• Jake Fromm (QB)
• Riley Ridley (WR)
• Terry Godwin (WR)
• Deandre Baker (CB)
• J.R. Reed (S)
• D’Andre Walker (EDGE)
• Jonathan Ledbetter (EDGE)

Kentucky

• Josh Allen (LB/EDGE)
• Derrick Baity (CB)
• Mike Edwards (S)
• Benny Snell (RB)

Duke at Miami

ESPN 2 - 7 p.m.

We take a break from the ranked match-ups to check in on one that Giants fans should definitely be aware of. The future of the quarterback position is up in the air for the Giants, and Duke’s Daniel Jones could well be high on their radar. They have, after all, had a fair amount success with quarterbacks coached by David Cutcliffe in college. Jones has prototypical size and arm strength, athleticism, as well as generally solid accuracy and placement. He is also improving with regards to the finer points of the position, such as movement in the pocket, processing speed, and reading defenses before the snap.

Of course, there’s also the Miami Hurricanes. Despite not taking the expected step after their exciting 2017 campaign, they still have talent to interest scouts — particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Considering their ongoing issues at safety, Jaquan Johnson should be particularly interesting. Likewise, cornerback Michael Jackson (Odell Beckham Jr. might lobby for him to be drafted based on his name alone) should interest a Giants’ defense in need of big, long, athletic press corners. EDGE Joe Jackson has impressive upside as a long, lean, athletic edge defender, but he needs some development in the finer aspects of playing his position. On the offensive side of the ball, the Giants might also keep an eye on left tackle Tyree St. Lewis.

Players to watch

Duke

• Daniel Jones (QB)
• Joe Giles-Harris (LB)

Miami

• Jaquan Johnson (S)
• Michael jackson (CB)
• Joe Jackson (EDGE)
• Tyree St. Lewis (OT)
• Travis Homer (RB)

(1) Alabama at (4) LSU

CBS - 8 p.m.

This match-up gets circled on the calendar every year, and it turns out to be a great game almost that often.

As you would expect from both these teams, this game is going to be stacked with future NFL players. This game could use a post all its own to take a look at every prospect in the detail he deserves. Instead I’m going to make a quick rundown of the top players who should interest the Giants this year.

(Obviously, you should be watching QB Tua Tagovailoa for the same reasons as Jake Fromm in the Georgia game, but like Fromm, he won’t be draft eligible until 2020 at the earliest.)

Players to watch

*all of them

Alabama

• Quinnen Williams (DT)
• Jonah Williams (OT)
• Raekwon Davis (DL)
• Mack Wilson (LB)
• Deionte Thompson (S)

LSU

• Greedy Williams (CB)
• Devin White (ILB)
• Rashard Lawrence (DT)
• Garrett Brumfield (OG)