Bowl season opt-out tracker: Which top NFL draft potential customers are
Dec 13, 2023, 10:00 AM ET Much like marching bands and mayonnaise dumps, players pulling out of championship game has become a custom this time of year in college football.Here is a list of notable players who have actually chosen to skip their group’s postseason bowl game in favor of preparing for the NFL draft, along with where they suit ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper’s prospect rankings and other key information.More on the NFL draft: Mel Kiper’s Big Board |
Predicted draft order All times Eastern Starco Brands LA Bowl UCLA vs. Boise State Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+UCLA DL Laiatu Latu: The No. 10
general player on Kiper
‘s Big Board and his top-ranked outside linebacker, Latu won the Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s finest defensive lineman, and was called the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. – More on Latu Duke’s Mayo Bowl
North Carolina vs. West Virginia Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
North Carolina QB Drake Maye: Maye, a redshirt sophomore who was Kiper’s No. 3 overall possibility and No. 2 quarterback, started all 26 games of his profession at UNC.
– More on Maye
North Carolina WR Tez Walker: Walker played 8 games at UNC after transferring from Kent State.DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Louisville vs. USC
Dec. 27, 8 p.m., Fox
USC QB Caleb Williams: Williams is Kiper’s top-ranked overall draft prospect. He threw for 3,633 yards and 30 goals during USC’s disappointing 7-5 season.
– More on Williams
USC WR Brenden Rice: The child of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, Brenden Rice had 791 receiving yards and 12 goals this season and averaged 17.6 lawns per catch.
– More on Rice
TaxAct Texas Bowl
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State Dec. 27, 9 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper: The top-ranked off-ball linebacker on Kiper’s Big Board, Cooper was a first-team AP All-American this season. He led the SEC with 17 takes on for loss.
– More on Cooper
Pop-Tarts Bowl
NC State vs. Kansas State Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott: Listed as Kiper’s No. 2 fullback/H-back possibility, Sinnott made first-team All-Big 12 honors this season with 49 catches.
– More on Sinnott
Valero Alamo Bowl
Arizona vs. Oklahoma Dec. 28, 9:15 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+Oklahoma OL Tyler Guyton: Guyton is Kiper’s
No. 7 offending tackle.Oklahoma OL Andrew Raym: Raym started 12 games this season for the Sooners.Arizona OL Jordan
Morgan: Morgan is Kiper’s No. 6 offending tackle.Tony the Tiger Sun
Bowl
Oregon State vs. Notre Dame Dec. 29, 2 p.m., CBS Oregon State OL Taliese Fuaga: Fuaga is Kiper’s No. 17 general prospect and his No. 3 offending tackle.Notre Dame OL Joe Alt: Alt is Kiper’s No. 15 total prospect and his No. 2 offensive take on. – More on Alt Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman: Hartman had 2,689 passing lawns with 26 goals and eight interceptions in his lone season at Notre Dame after moving from Wake Forest. – More on Hartman Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Ole Miss vs. Penn State Dec. 30, noon, ESPN/ESPN+Penn State
DL Chop Robinson: A first-team All-Big Ten choice this season, Robinson is Kiper’s No. 4 outside linebacker. – More on Robinson Capital One Orange Bowl Georgia vs. Florida State Dec. 30, 4 p.m.,
ESPN/ESPN+Florida State
WR Johnny Wilson: The 6-foot-7 Wilson had 1,757 getting lawns and 8 goal catches and balanced 17.1 lawns per catch over 4 college seasons– two at FSU and two at Arizona State. – More on Wilson TaxSlayer Gator Bowl< img alt= ""src=
“https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/228.png&h=60&w=60″width=”30″/ > Clemson vs. Kentucky Dec. 29, midday, ESPN, ESPN+C lemson CB Nate Wiggins: Wiggins, who is Kiper’s No. 24 overall prospect and No. 4 cornerback, had two
interceptions and 2 forced fumbles this season. – More on Wiggins