If Week 0 was the appetizer and Saturday, September 5th is the entree, then Thursday, September 3rd is the unlimited bread that is served at the table. College football is back, and it’s looking to be an exciting season full of storylines galore.
But if you’re an Atlanta Falcons fan, you’re looking for more. You’re looking for a potential new quarterback, an offensive tackle to finally let Jake Matthews rest or upgrade after Kaleb McGary’s retirement, a safety to usurp the Jessie Bates role when he retires
or his play falls off, another defensive tackle in case the trades involving Gervon Dexter Sr. or Maason Smith don’t work out, etc. There are plenty of avenues this Falcons team can take, but for now, here are five 2027 NFL Draft prospects to watch this Thursday as college football season returns.
KJ Duff, WR, Rutgers vs. UMass, 6 pm, Big Ten Network
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 219
By the end of this cycle, Duff will probably have played his way into the back half of the first round, but if he’s there at the top of the 2nd (or the back half of the 1st, depending on how this season goes), Duff would be a great addition to the receiver room beside Drake London and Zachariah Branch. Duff has unbelievable size that amounts to an enormous catch radius. Add in his movement skills being akin to someone about three inches shorter, and you have a dangerous weapon on the outside. A dangerous enough weapon that you fully unlock London’s potential as a power slot.
Davaughn Patterson, Safety, Wake Forest vs. Akron, 7 pm, ACC Network
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 215
With offenses becoming bigger, the defenses have to keep up and get bigger themselves. You see these big nickel players: Nick Emmanwori, Kyle Hamilton, even Cooper DeJean, bigger defensive backs that can play the run like a safety and cover tight ends and slot receivers like a cornerback. Safety Davaughn Patterson is one of those players. At 6’1”, 215, Patterson is a safety who has shown the ability to do just that. He is one of the more important players on the Deamon Deacons defense and you will see him all over the field for them this season.
Malachi Carney, OT, Georgia Tech vs. Colorado, 8 pm, ESPN
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 345
The search for the next offensive tackle is on for the Falcons, and there really may be no wrong answers as they look to find the future at both the right and left tackle positions. Malachi Carney is a former South Alabama transfer who benefited from the physical style of play at Georgia Tech in his first season. While he’s an inconsistent pass blocker, he already has a physicality in the run game and a massive frame that will turn heads. This year is all about potentially taking that next step toward becoming a more complete tackle in both aspects.
Cayden Green, OL, Missouri vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 8 pm, SEC Network
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 324
Cayden Green is the type of offensive lineman you want to draft. Played well at left guard, played well at left tackle, has upside at both positions in both the run and passing game. It’s the kind of bet that teams will want to take ten times out of ten. He transitioned to left tackle last season and will likely continue to play it this season. It will be interesting to see where he projects in the NFL, probably guard, given his effectiveness in the running game, but for now, just enjoy him mauling opposing edge rushers.
Katin Houser, QB, Illinois vs. UAB, 9 pm, Big Ten Network
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 225
Oh, you thought you were leaving without a quarterback? No sir, we don’t even have one as a captain this season. We have to have one in each of these articles. Two of them play at 9 pm and while Utah’s Devon Dampier is a whole lot of fun, the one that will translate the best to the league will probably be Illinois’ Katin Houser. Big arm, fearless thrower over the middle of the field with a bit of athleticism, in a class littered with potential NFL talent at the position, go ahead and remember this name as well.
