What is the story about?
Bears general manager Ryan Poles was in attendance for Stanford’s game against No. 7 Miami (FL) on Friday, Bonta Hill of NBC Sports Bay Area reported.
College football is officially in full swing, and with it comes the in-person visits from NFL scouts, coaches, and executives. Poles is hitting the trails early, and as of this writing, he’s watching Miami blow out Stanford. This is thanks largely in part to the performance of sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is not eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Upon seeing this news, I took to Twitter/X to share some notable 2027 draft prospects from the game, which was predictably dominated by Miami’s roster:
Here are some quick notes on each player I have listed, along with two guys I couldn’t fit in the tweet:
- Ahmad Moten Sr., DT: Pro-ready defensive tackle who’s best over the guard as a 2-tech or 3-tech. Explosive off the snap, diverse in the move he uses to stack and shed blocks. Powerful lower body, has good spatial awareness as a run defender. Ranked No. 11 in the FBS last year in PFN DT Impact Scoring. Has missed 21.1% of his career tackling attempts, heading into 2026. A little too upright at times. Round 1 player.
- Justin Scott, DT: Best as a 3-technique but can kick inside as a 1-tech or a nose, too. Very good short-area quickness than better agility than most interior defenders. Has a low center of gravity and lands his strikes accurately in the run game. Impressive combination of speed and power. Only two career sacks going into 2026. Spatial awareness against the run and counters as a pass rusher both need work. Round 1 tools but Day 2 tape; I tend to think he’s more of a Round 1 guy.
- Damon Wilson II, EDGE: Really broke out at Missouri last year. Impressive speed rusher with a dynamic first step and flexibility turning the corner. Diversity as a pass rusher took a big leap in 2025. Doesn’t have typical Dennis Allen size or strength, but he’s very good at getting to the quarterback. Probably an early Day 2 guy as things stand.
- Darian Mensah, QB: Has excelled everywhere he’s gone and has looked good in Miami’s game against Stanford. Ranked No. 11 in PFN QB Impact Scoring last year. Throws with impressive touch and anticipation. Elastic arm with good timing at all levels of the field. Good athlete. A little skinny and could use an extra 10-15 pounds on his frame. Pocket poise and maneuvering ability under pressure needs some work. Not a Round 1 quarterback but certainly one who could become a starter someday.
- OJ Frederique Jr., CB: Impressive technician along the perimeter. Has some really intriguing snaps from 2025 blanketing the likes of Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Charlie Becker, and Elijah Sarratt. Fluid hips with good agility in coverage and impressive assignment awareness in vertical zone shells. Very good deep speed with an aggressive mindset in coverage. Misses too many tackles and a little too skinny. Round 2-3 guy with potential to go Round 1 if he gets stronger.
- Mark Fletcher Jr., RB: Big-bodied running back. Physical, tough runner who keeps his legs churning through contact and doesn’t shy away from defenders. Has underrated agility with good tempo variance in between the tackles. Doesn’t seem to have elite breakaway speed, which could limit his perceived upside a little bit. Could be a late Day 2 pick based on minimal evaluations.
- Cooper Barkate, WR: Standout performer at Duke who transferred to Miami along with Mensah. One of the more refined route runners in the class. Quick coming out of his breaks with good leverage obtainment through his stems and good tempo variance against different coverage looks. Questionable exactly how well he’ll test. Could go early Day 3 or late Day 2, but my evaluation of him is in the very early stages.
- Mohamed Toure, LB: Eighth-year linebacker who will enter the NFL much older than the average prospect. Has two season-ending injuries to his name. Physical, hard-hitting linebacker with solid closing speed and good stack-and-shed abilities in the run game. Comfortable in the box. Upside is limited because of his age. Likely a Day 3 guy.
- Samson Okunlola, OG/OT: Plays left tackle for Miami but projects best as a guard in the NFL. Rotational player in 2025. Has stellar size at 6’6” and 330 pounds with better flexibility than most his size. Physical with underrated short-area quickness. Strike placement and timing both need a lot of work. Upright in his pads when he gets out in space. Day 3 guy currently with starting upside down the line.
- Matt Rose, Stanford LB: Good athlete with underrated agility out in pursuit. Capable open-field tackler who plays with a noticeable edge when chasing down ball-carriers. Could be a Day 3 type.
