Good morning New York Giants fans! Happy Saturday and welcome to Week 7 of the 2026 College Football season!
We have an incredible slate of games this week with the potential to be one of the two or three most consequential weeks on this year’s schedule. There are several match-ups this week that have the potential to shape, or reshape, the landscape of the College Football Playoffs.
As always, we’re going to try to focus on players who could fit the Giants’ needs as we perceive them at the moment.
And as things stand now, their biggest needs seem to be:
- Interior offensive line – The center position in particular here, as John Michael Schmitz seems to be on his way out and Bryan Hudson might not be a long-term answer.
- Defensive tackle – Pretty much chalk since Dexter Lawrence forced his way out the door.
- Wide receiver – The Giants currently have three (3) true or pure wide receivers on their roster, and just two under contract beyond this year. Malik Nabers is great, but his history of shoulder injuries is a concern.
- Running back – Cam Skattebo and Najee Harris have the power back rotation nailed down and they’re good for a high-volume grinder of a running game. But the Giants need a dynamic change of pace to create explosive plays on the ground. Tyrone Tracy is more dynamic, but he may also be too valuable as a returner to give significant reps as a runner.
I’m going to break with my usual format and highlight a running back who’s caught my eye: UCLA back Wayne Knight.
Knight is a fifth-year senior who followed Bob Chesney from JMU to UCLA and he has absolutely exploded this year. Knight was always a dynamic back, averaging 6.3 yards per carry (though just 10 touchdowns), with 61 receptions at JMU. At UCLA, he’s averaging a fantastic 7.7 yards per carry and already has 10 touchdowns. Knight is an “undersized” running back at 5-foot-6, but is also stoutly built at (roughly) 195 pounds. He has good speed and will likely run a low 4.4-second 40, but also runs with fantastic toughness, great vision, quickness, burst, and contact balance. Combined with his low center of gravity, he’s tough to find and tough to bring down.
I wouldn’t be surprised if guys like Jadan Baugh (Florida) or Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) wind up high on the Giants’ draft board, but a player like Knight could be a great complement to Skattebo and Harris, while being a great value as a likely Day 3 pick.
I’ll probably circle back to Knight when UCLA and USC play in the final week of the season. For now, however, let’s get to this week’s games.
(5) Indiana vs. (4) Ohio State
Fox – noon
I said today’s slate is fantastic, and we’re starting off with a (potential) banger. This game has the potential to be a preview of this year’s national championship, and features the reigning National Champion going against the best player in all of college football.
This game is so big that I never even thought about featuring (7) Texas vs. Florida or (22) LSU vs. (16) Mississippi State.
In addition to the stakes, this game features the two best wide receivers in football in Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Charlie Becker (Indiana). However, I’m going to hope that the closest the Giants get to being able to draft either of those players without a costly trade up is looking at them longingly from the stands at the 2027 NFL Scouting Combine.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s neigh impossible to watch anything besides Jeremiah Smith when Ohio State has the ball — he might actually be Captain America out there. Likewise, Becker would likely be in the conversation for WR1 in almost any other year. But I want to focus on the “other” receiver on the field.
Player highlight: Nick Marsh (WR, Indiana)
Marsh is probably the best “1B” receiver in the draft. He has prototypical size for the outside at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and combines his catch radius with great body control, and track speed. Marsh is a multi-sport athlete who played both basketball and ran track (100m) in high school, both of which are evident in his tape. He has much more shiftiness than you’d expect from a receiver his size (as a former basketball player) and he reportedly runs in the low 4.4’s or 4.3’s, and can simply run past corners who underestimate his long speed.
Marsh is also physical wideout who can fight through tight coverage and win contested catches. His skill set gives him options to beat man coverage, bust zone coverage, be a deep threat (he already has 3 catches of 35+ yards), and a threat after the catch.
Add to all that, Marsh is very well coached in Curt Cignetti’s Indiana program. Maybe not quite as well coached as in Brian Hartline’s “WR-U” when he was at Ohio State, but well coached nonetheless.
Expect to hear Marsh’s name with “first rounder” buzz as the season, and then the Draft Process, unfold.
(9) Ole Miss vs. (13) Missouri
SEC Network – 3:30 p.m.
I normally don’t like spotlighting games that not everyone has access to, however this really could decide whether Trinidad Chambliss gets to the College Football Playoffs. Missouri isn’t to be taken lightly, but Chambliss is just a gamer. I expect the Giants to be very interested in the running backs in this game, but I want to circle back to a player we’ve already looked at.
Player spotlight: Will Echoles (iDL, Ole Miss)
The Giants’ defensive tackles have been playing better than anticipated before the season began, but we should still expect a significant investment in the position going forward. We’ll see what happens over the remainder of the season and free agency, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see a defensive tackle pick to be included in just about every mock draft for the Giants going forward.
If we’re looking at first round defensive tackle prospects, Will Echoles is right near the top of the board. He possesses prototypical traits at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, with a very good first step, agility, and short-area quickness. He also plays with a red-hot motor as well as plenty of nasty to his game. Echoles has the play strength and anchor to eat blocks one-on-one, but he’s at his best when he’s attacking into the backfield and can be disruptive against both the run and the pass.
Echoles will get plenty of opportunities to show both aspects of his game against Missouri. The Tigers feature a potent rushing attack, as well as the interesting dynamic of Austin Simmons at quarterback. Simmons is an incredibly intriguing player and was a teammate of Echoles in 2024 and 2025. He’s the former Ole Miss starter who was groomed to take over for Jaxson Dart before being injured early in 2025.
Echoles is currently considered a first round prospect and has the potential to be a Top-15 pick. Defensive tackle draft stock can be volatile, however, and it’s entirely possible that he could fall into the Giants’ lap if they’re drafting in the 20’s.
(8) BYU vs. (2) Notre Dame
ABC – 7:30 p.m.
All eyes at the national level will be on Notre Dame C.J. Carr, who has risen to the top of many quarterback rankings this year. Carr is an advanced processor who is just carving up the competition, but level of competition has been a question for the Irish so far this year.
However, my eyes will be on the guys in front of Carr, and his left guard in particular.
Player spotlight: Anthonie Knapp (OG, Notre Dame)
Knapp wasn’t highly recruited out of high school, but immediately made an impact when pressed into service as a rookie when he was forced to start at left tackle as a rookie. He played well and held onto the job until this year, when he transitioned inside to left guard.
Knapp is somewhere around 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, but has a reputation as a gym rat and plays with excellent power. He’s emerged as a solid Day 2 prospect and could be in the mold of Zack Martin, Justin Pugh, or Joel Bitonio. My question is whether he can transition further inside and move to center in the NFL. As a lineman with solid movement skills and play strength, but is undersized for tackle and potentially guard, he has the traits that could translate well to center.
Knapp has also been lauded for his character on and off the field, and his list of accolades while playing out of position is impressive. Likewise, Notre Dame generally coaches their linemen well and it isn’t unreasonable to wonder if he can handle the mental load of playing center.
