As the 2025 season rolls along, so will our weekly previews of games and NFL prospects to watch. This will come in addition to our NFL Draft coverage over the course of the fall and winter. Whether you’re
a fan of the draft or just a college football fan, this series looks to give you an idea of what to watch each week. Windy City Gridiron’s Lead Draft Analyst, Jacob Infante, will be taking a look at what to expect in Week 10 of this year’s college football campaign.
Blue-chip of the week
No. 13 Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey @ Kansas State, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, 2:30 p.m. CST
I’d keep an eye out for fellow Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height in this battle, as he’s broken out in a big way to generate Day 2 consideration. But David Bailey is the star of the show here, having stood out at Stanford in 2024 and dominating since his transfer to Texas Tech this season. Entering Week 10, he leads the FBS with 10.5 sacks in just eight games, and he’s tallied 13.0 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles in the process.
You can’t talk about Bailey without mentioning his pass-rushing ability. He’s a tremendous athlete off the edge with a quick first step and very good flexibility turning the corner on outside speed rushes. I’ve been most impressive with the development of his pass-rushing IQ from last year to this year. Bailey demonstrated flashes at Stanford and always had good quickness in his hands, but his precision through his timing, placement, and understanding of when to use which moves has been tremendous in 2025. He’s a little smaller for an NFL edge rusher, but his skill set is the real deal.
Prospect matchup to watch
No. 9 Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers vs. No. 20 Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. and S Michael Taaffe, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, 11:00 a.m. CST
Admittedly, I’m late getting this article out because I had family in town on Friday and didn’t have much free time to get this article written beforehand. Even at my Lois, I’m still a Family Guy. Texas has shut down Vanderbilt pretty convincingly at the time of this writing, but that won’t stop me from breaking down a guy matchup between some talented draft prospects. Eli Stowers is currently my TE4 in the 2026 draft class. I liked him as a fringe Day 2 prospect last year, but I think he’s solidified himself as a pick in the first three rounds this year. He’s an athletic move tight end with natural ball skills who can separate from man and pick apart zone better than most at his position.
The Longhorns’ defense has been great through the first two quarters, and Anthony Hill Jr. and Michael Taaffe are two of their top contributors. I see Hill as a potential late first-round pick. A three-year starter with MIKE/WILL versatility, he’s an explosive athlete who plays with impressive physicality and has tremendous blitzing capabilities. His instincts are hit or miss, but he’ll contribute early off of pure elite physical traits. Taaffe is a bit of the opposite, as he’s a former walk-on who’s a high-floor prospect with how sharp his processing skills are. He communicates well on the back end, has fluid hips in coverage, and times his jumps on routes effectively, even with average speed.
Sleeper highlight
San Diego State CB Chris Johnson vs. Wyoming, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, 6:00 p.m. CST
Through seven games in 2025, Chris Johnson has seven pass deflections and three interceptions, two of those having been returned back for touchdowns. He’s the Mountain West’s leader in return yards on interceptions, and he leads the nation with his two pick-sixes. As of this writing, he has the highest PFF grade among cornerbacks in the FBS at 91.0, along with the highest coverage grade at 91.3.
Johnson is somebody who first got on my radar before the start of the season, but I’d put off watching him until recently for whatever reason. I’m certainly glad I got around to watching him, as he’s an intelligent processor with inside-outside versatility who picks up on route concepts very well in coverage. He’s crisp coming out of his breaks and plays with an aggressive ball-hawking mentality that helps him maximize his instincts to make plays on the ball. I’m not sure how high his athletic ceiling is, as he’s skinny with average deep speed, but he’s a sound football player with a high floor who could push for Day 2 consideration.
