The college football bowl season is nearing its end. Nevertheless, on Friday at 2 p.m. ET, the Oregon State Beavers will take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on ESPN.
The Sun Bowl has a few key 2024 NFL Draft prospects waiting to show off. Which players in the bowl game will be drafted this year?
Top NFL Draft Prospects in Sun Bowl
Both teams will look quite a bit different in this one. According to College Football Network’s bowl game opt-out tracker, 24 players are slated to miss this game. That includes QBs Sam Hartman, DJ Uiagalelei, and Aidan Chiles.
Oregon State Beavers Prospects
Taliese Fuaga, OT
The best prospect playing in this matchup is right tackle Taliese Fuaga. The massive, 6’6″, 320-pounder has been a monstrous presence this season, improving his pass protection technique, fluidity in his kickback, and overall consistency.
Our team loved his traits and flashes in 2022, but he’s improved significantly to the point where he’s earning first-round projections in all our mocks.
Fuaga won’t be challenged by a speed rusher in this one, but Javontae Jean-Baptiste has the strength to get into his chest and give us a good look at whether Fuaga is ready for NFL-level strength.
Joshua Gray, OT
While Fuaga is the better pro prospect, Joshua Gray has been a fantastic left tackle throughout his career with the Beavers. The 6’4″, 305-pounder doesn’t have the length that NFL teams want to see at the position, so he’ll kick inside to guard, but a lot of Gray’s concerns disappear when he doesn’t have as much space to be concerned with.
Gray is a solid athlete with good hand strength, placement, and footwork. His lack of length shows at tackle, but he’ll be a long guard who can lock out defenders. We have a Day 2 grade on Gray and expect him to start early in his career.
Anthony Gould, WR
Only 5’8″ and 165 pounds, Anthony Gould would normally be far too small to consider a full-time receiver in the NFL. Tank Dell’s rookie success might open the door, but Gould is a different type of player. He’s fast but not super quick, and he’s more of a vertical threat than a quicker slot option who wins with route running.
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Gould’s abilities on special teams are just as important as his talent as an outside receiver. He’ll have to master routes with his small frame and limited catch radius, but he could earn a late-round look.
Kitan Oladapo, S
A large 6’1″, 210-pound safety with terrific production throughout the last three seasons, Kitan Oladapo was impossible to miss as the defensive captain. Oladapo has done a little bit of everything for the unit, but he specialized as a downhill thumper. His tackling ability and closing speed are desirable traits in any scheme.
The concern with Oladapo is his inability to hold up in man coverage. He struggles with quick, twitchy slot threats and doesn’t have the long speed to catch up if he loses early. A Vic Fangio-esque scheme that keeps him as a two-high safety or as a third, robber presence would be happy with Oladapo on Day 3.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Prospects
Benjamin Morrison, CB (2025)
Notre Dame still has plenty of talent to boast, but the team’s best remaining NFL Draft prospect is a name for the 2025 cycle.
Benjamin Morrison broke out as a true freshman with six interceptions in 2022. This year, he came back with two picks and 10 pass breakups in another stellar campaign. Early on, the CB1 title in the 2025 NFL Draft will be between Morrison and Michigan’s Will Johnson.
At 6’0″ and 185 pounds, Morrison is hard to beat with his man coverage skills. He’s fleet-footed, explosive, elastic, has a wide disruption radius, and is as proactive as defenders come at the catch point.
Xavier Watts, S
An All-American and Butkus Award winner in 2023, Xavier Watts’ 2024 NFL Draft decision still awaits. But for teams searching for an instinctive second-level rover with rare passing-lane vision and playmaking ability, the 5’11”, 199-pound Watts presents a lot of appeal.
He had seven interceptions in 2023, routinely hawking in front of ill-advised passes.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste, EDGE
Ohio State transfer Javontae Jean-Baptiste didn’t break out as a pass rusher the way many hoped he would in 2023, but the 6’5″, 260-pound EDGE and team captain put together a strong final season at Notre Dame, regardless.
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Jean-Baptiste’s explosiveness, length, and power capacity should earn him late-round or PFA interest, and he’s an active pursuit defender.
JD Bertrand, LB
JD Bertrand is a tackling machine, with 259 takedowns over the past three seasons for the Fighting Irish.
He’s a bit underweight by NFL standards, but Bertrand’s ability to flow to the ball and finish plays could earn him looks.
Bertrand also improved his playmaking in coverage in 2023.