Scout's Eye - 2026 College Football Week One Report
- John B. Everett
- 15 hours ago
- 9 min read
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Game of the Week |
Clemson @ #11 LSU |
Saturday, September 5, 2026 - Baton Rouge, La. 7:30 ET / 4:30 PT |
Clemson Watch List: |
WR TJ Moore |
WR Bryant Wesco |
EDGE Will Heldt (SNS No. 6 ranked EDGE) |
LB Sammy Brown (SNS No. 1 ranked LB) |
CB Ashton Hampton |
The game that potentially has the most impact on race for the 2026 playoffs in week one, Clemson travels to Death Valley (Baton Rouge version) to take on the No. 11 ranked Tigers of LSU. Clemson is coming off a disappointing 7-6 season and coach Dabo Swinney's seat is beginning to heat up. Clemson turns to long-time backup QB, fourth-year junior Christopher Vizzina to helm the team this fall. Vizzina's two best offensive options are junior WRs Moore and Wesco. Moore (6'3" / 200 lbs) is coming off his most productive season last year when he finished with 52 rec / 837 yds / 16.1 avg / 4 TD and proved to be a great complement to Antonio Williams (Commanders) last fall. Moore's combination of size, length, reach, and reliable hands gives Moore a solid third-round grade for next year's draft. Wesco (6'2" / 195 lbs) missed the last seven games last season and finished the season with 31 rec / 537 yds / 17.3 avg / 6 TDs but displayed less than reliable hands by dropping five passes in the seven games he played last year. Wesco's combination of length and vertical speed make him a dangerous downfield target but he needs to significantly improve his concentration as a junior. Heldt (6'6" / 260 lbs) transferred in from Purdue and was arguably the team's best DL last season (Peter Woods / Chiefs and TJ Parker / Bills) after recording 7.5 sacks and 15.5 TFL last fall. Heldt has the perfect frame for a 4-3 EDGE and has secured a borderline first-round draft grade from SNS this off-season. Brown (6'2" / 235), SNS' top ranked LB for next spring's draft, could be tasked with covering LSU All-American TE Trey'Dez Green, a matchup of potential top 20 talents for the 2027 NFL Draft. Brown has a near perfect set of skills for off-the-ball LB - desired size, length, range, agility and playmaking skill. When Brown is not handling Green in coverage, Hampton (6'2" / 205 lbs) could find himself tasked with that responsibility. Hampton's size, length, and strength allow him to matchup well with big WRs and Green is a HUGE TE. Regardless of how Clemson plans on neutralizing Green will be a fascinating subplot to watch unfold. |
LSU Watch List: |
QB Sam Leavitt (SNS No. 5 ranked QB) |
TE Trey'Dez Green (SNS No.1 ranked TE) |
OT Jordan Seaton |
EDGE Princewill Umanmielen (SNS No. 6 ranked EDGE) |
LB Whit Weeks |
LSU has been the center of the college football for the last few weeks after recruiting and signing at least two UDFA from the 2026 NFL Draft class after their NFL team released them recently - TE Dae'Quan Wright (Browns) and IDL Zxavian Harris (Saints) - and all the drama that has followed. Whether or not these players are added to LSU's roster prior to Saturday's game is TBD but from a talent stand point, their talent is not needed for the Tigers to win the national championship. This team is absolutely LOADED with NFL quality prospects. Leavitt (6'2" / 216 lbs) was the prize of the transfer portal class and brings a potential candidate to go number one overall next spring. Leavitt suffered a Lisfranc injury last season, eventually requiring season-ending surgery but reportedly has returned to full health and is ready for Saturday night. Leavitt has all the tools needed to succeed in the NFL but needs to become more consistent in his decision-making this fall. Green (6'7" / 237 lbs) is a power forward playing TE and is a physical mismatch against anyone trying to cover him. Green could be a top ten pick next spring if he can improve upon last year's numbers - 33 rec / 433 yds / 13.1 avg / 7 TD. Seaton (6'5" / 307 lbs) is another prized acquisition from the transfer portal (Colorado) who has flashed as the starting OLT in the Big 12 but needs to improve his consistency as a junior in Baton Rouge. Seaton could be a top ten pick and the first OT selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. Umanmielen (6'4" / 244 lbs) followed Kiffin from Ole Miss after the best season of his career last fall in Oxford, recording 9 sacks and 13 TFL, and could vault himself into first-round consideration with a strong senior campaign. Weeks (6'3" / 223 lbs) is returning after suffering an ankle injury and other assorted ailments last season that limited him to 31 tackles / 1 sack / 3 TFL. Weeks is hoping to have a healthy season that could earn him a top 100 ranking next spring. |
Other Games to Monitor: |
Sunday, September 6, 2026 - Nashville, TN. 7:30 ET / 4:30 PT |
Louisville Watch List: |
QB Lincoln Kienholz |
RB Isaac Brown (SNS No. 4 ranked RB) |
OG-OC Lance Robinson |
EDGE Clev Lubin |
LB Antonio Watts |
For the third straight season, Louisville turns to a transfer QB as they import Kienholz (6'2" / 215 lbs) from Ohio State to lead the Cardinals this season. Kienholz is a former 4-star recruit who could never capture the starting job in Columbus but was still a much sought-after portal target. If coach Jeff Brohm has similar success with Kienholz that he has had with Tyler Shough (Saints), Jack Plummer, and Miller Moss the last three years, the Cards may be a dark horse contender in the ACC. Brown (5'8" / 190 lbs) is an uber-quick and sudden big play threat out of the backfield who averaged nearly 9 yds per rush (8.88) last season. Unfortunately, Brown only played five games last fall and only had 101 carries on the season. Brown will be the focus of the Rebels' defensive game plan Sunday night. The best NFL prospect, and only returning starter, along the OL, Robinson (6'4" / 295 lbs) is switching over to center this year, and this versatility only adds to his draft profile. Robinson plays with natural leverage, uncorks a powerful punch to stun the defender, and possesses desired twitch and first step quickness to make sliding to center an easy transition. Perhaps the best pass rusher in the nation that no one knows is Lubin (6'3" / 260 lbs) who has a combined 18 sacks and 25.5 TFL over his last two seasons. Lubin is a well-rounded EDGE who possesses a powerful bull rush and is deceptively quick and sudden. Lubin could find himself a first-round draft candidate with a strong senior season in Louisville. Watts (6'2" / 225 lbs) has a fantastic athletic profile that should, at a minimum, make him a great special teams player. Watts has the athleticism, burst, range, and leaping ability to compete for a starting LB job in the NFL. Watts currently carries a late round draft grade and could work his way up draft boards, starting with Sunday's contest against Ole Miss. |
Ole Miss Watch List: |
QB Trinidad Chambliss |
RB Kewan Lacy (SNS No. 1 ranked RB) |
WR Deuce Alexander |
IDL Will Echoles (SNS No. 1 ranked IDL) |
LB Suntarine Perkins (SNS No. 2 ranked LB) |
Ole Miss enters the 2026 college football season as one of the preseason favorites in the loaded SEC and look to return to the college football playoffs under first-year head coach Pete Golding. Chambliss (6'0" / 205 lbs) returns to Oxford for his senior season after winning his court fight with the NCAA last winter. Chambliss was a revelation last year after transferring to Ole Miss from Ferris State (Mi), winning the starting job after Austin Simmons' injury, and then posting an excellent stat line of 294/445 (66.1%) / 3,937 yds / 22 TD / 3 INT through the air while adding 527 yds on the ground (4.0 avg) with 8 TDs rushing. Chambliss leads a loaded Ole Miss offense that features SNS' number one ranked RB, Lacy (5'11" / 205 lbs). Lacy finished third in FBS in rushing (1,567 yds) and led the nation in rushing TDs (24) last season in his first-year as a starter. Lacy's combination of contact balance, vision, agility, and explosiveness make him a strong candidate to be drafted in the first-round next spring. Alexander (6'0" / 180 lbs) enters the 2026 season as the Rebels' number one WR and currently carries a preseason mid-round grade from SNS. Alexander is a smooth athlete with very good speed and big play potential. Alexander has 82 career rec / 1,114 yds / 13.6 avg / 5 TDs and as the team's best WR, will face extra attention this fall. Echoles (6'3" / 315 lbs), the nation's top returning IDL is a well-rounded and dynamic force inside for the Rebels. Last season, Echoles finished with 68 tackles / 5 sacks / 11.5 TFL / 5 deflected passes last fall due to his special combination of size, natural power, and an impressive first step and closing burst. Echoles looks locked in as a top ten pick once he declares for the draft. Perkins (6'2" / 220 lbs) will be one of the most divisive prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft next spring. Perkins is a freak athlete and possibly the best pure pass rusher in the nation. His burst, bend, and finishing ability are elite. But he is too undersized to play as a base DE. Perkins played off-the-ball LB last year and posted respectable numbers - 81 tackles / 4.5 sacks / 12.5 TFL / 3 FF - but will transition back to EDGE this fall. |
#19 SMU @ Florida State |
Monday, September 7, 2026 - Tallahassee, Fl. 7:30 pm ET / 4 pm PT |
SMU Watch List |
QB Kevin Jennings |
RB Kendrick Raphael |
TE Randy Pittman |
OT PJ Williams |
EDGE Marques White |
In what should be a highly competitive ACC title race, the Mustangs draw a tough first assignment on the road against hungry Florida State, coming off a 34-17 week zero victory in over New Mexico State. SMU is led by one of the most battle-tested QBs in the nation in Jennings (6'0" / 192 lbs), who is entering his third year as starter in Dallas. Jennings is coming off a solid, yet disappointing junior season - 300/454 (66.1%) / 3,641 yds / 26 TD / 13 INT. Jennings wants to get the Mustangs back to the playoffs but he needs to take better care of the ball this season. That journey starts Labor Day night. Raphael (5'11" / 200 lbs) transfers in from California as one of the more overlooked prospets in the nation. At Cal last fall, Raphael toted the ball 232 times / 943 yds / 4.1 avg / 13 TD while proving to be a reliable receiver recording 34 rec / 245 yds / 1 TD. Most scouts are sleeping on Raphael but he has a chance to wake everyone up Monday night. Pittman (6'2 / 240 lbs), a multi-year starter at UCF then FSU, returns to Tallahassee as one of the nation's best receiving TEs - 74 career rec / 839 yds / 11.3 avg / 5 TD. Although undersized, Pittman is a competitive blocker as an H-back and should thrive as one of Jennings top targets this season. Williams (6'5" / 306 lbs) is a player to watch on Monday night. Jennings' blindside protector possesses the length, quickness, and lateral agility that may allow him to stay at OLT in the NFL. Williams could earn a top 50 grade next spring. White (6'2" / 250 lbs) transfers in from UMASS after flashing pass rushing upside last season for the Minutemen - 5 sacks / 11 TFL / 2 Forced Fumbles - and hopes to get on draft radars with a strong season in Dallas. FSU OLT Xavier Chaplin is an NFL quality OL and that should pose a strong test for White under the lights in Tallahassee. |
Florida State Watch List |
QB Ashton Daniels |
WR Duce Robinson (SNS No. 7 ranked WR) |
OT Xavier Chaplin |
CB Ja'Bril Rawls |
S Ashlynd Barker |
Daniels (6'2" / 225 lbs) was brought to Tallahassee as a game manager and he did an effective job last Saturday night - 17/27 (63%) / 202 yds / 1 TD / 1 INT while adding 30 yds and a TD on the ground in the victory over the Aggies. Daniels will need to be ready to try to match Jennings on Monday night. Daniels needs to do a better job of getting the ball to Robinson (6'6" / 230 lbs), who was severely underutilized last Saturday night - 3 rec / 50 yds / 16.7 avg / 0 TD. Robinson creates a mismatch against virtually any DB in football, although his inability to create separation is a concern. Regardless, Daniels needs to better utilize Robinson in the passing game to pull the upset on Labor Day. Chaplin (6'8" / 346 Lbs), as he is known to do, committed a false start penalty, but otherwise did a good job shutting down the pass rush against the Aggies. But the Mustangs bring a more dangerous and versatile attack that will challenge Chaplin with a higher caliber of talent than what he faced last weekend. Rawls (6'1" / 178 lbs) was hot and cold last Saturday. He broke up one pass and recorded five tackles. He keyed quickly on passes thrown in front of him and competes at the catch point. He is clearly a very good athlete. But he lacks focus - see the unnecessary roughness call against NMSU) and bites on double moves and can be too easily manipulated by a smart signal caller. And Jennings definitely has a high football IQ. Let's see if Rawls can adjust his game this week. Barker (6'3" / 217 lbs) is a second year starter with the size and range desired in an NFL safety and he recorded a solid initial season in Tallahassee - 48 tackles / 3.5 sacks / 5 TFL / 2 passes defensed - and followed that up with a solid game against the Aggies, finishing with 8 tackles and 1 pass defensed. Barker has the size and athleticism to matchup well in space with Pittman and could be used to neutralize the former Seminole TE on Labor Day. |
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