College Football Week 8: NFL Draft prospects to watch

Game: Florida State at Clemson

Player: Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd

Boyd was a project quarterback early in his career.

That project is close to being completed.

Interestingly, two things stand out when I watch Boyd play; he's a pocket passer with the ability to escape, much like Ben Roethlisberger, and he's from Hampton, Va., the backyard of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

While the former is likely over-praise and the latter may not matter much, they are both things the Steelers will remember when evaluating the 6-foot-1, 225 pound senior.

He easily has the physical potential to be a first-round pick. The question with him is likely to be his footwork, which is something fixed through practice and time - two things he'd be able to work on as an understudy, should the Steelers be interested in him at some point in the upcoming draft.

Player: Florida State left tackle Cameron Erving

A converted defensive tackle, he's massive (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) and has great athleticism for the position. Even better, he has the tenacity and quickness of a defensive lineman still, and considering he was moved initially from defensive tackle to guard, then to offensive tackle, the fact he doesn't look completely lost is a compelling trait.

Considering his need to develop a bit, it wouldn't be a surprise if he waits to enter the draft, but he has loads of potential as a pro.

Player: Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan

He looks more like a prototype 4-3 under tackle, but he's an impressive player. In fact, it will be hard to watch this game and not notice him. He moves like a player 50 pounds lighter, but has heavy hands. He's well-proportioned, and his long arms made him a defensive end at one point. The pace he's on, he'll be a top 10 pick and is one of the best defensive tackles in this draft.