College Gameday Potential Draft Prospects + NFL Preseason Open Thread: August 26

Welcome to Week Zero + Saturday’s Week 3 preseason games!

As we patiently wait for September 10th and the home opener against the San Francisco 49ers, the college football season has crept in the back door. In it’s unofficial start to the 2023 college season there will be a handful of games to watch this weekend. The official start of the season begins on Thursday August 31st with games slated all the way into Monday.

I have a question for you before we get started, do you know what conference your favorite college team is playing in? Well if you do, don’t blink because the conference landscape appears to be an ever changing entity. Throw in the transfer portals and it gets very complicated to track the game. The good news is, I’m not going to pass along any of that information, and to be honest, it gets rather nauseating watching the all mighty dollar complicate a great game.

On to why the majority of you folks are here!

The future looks real promising for the Black and Gold and I know some struggle with looking ahead being as this season hasn’t officially started but the train must continue to roll. So what position group could use an influx of talent? That’s right, all of them! You can never have enough talent and if Omar and Company has taught us anything he isn’t afraid of stacking depth.

Not to jinx Kenny Pickett but for now we will hold off on talking about the first round quarterbacks but everything else is open for discussion although as a North Carolina fan you Maye here me mention a certain players name a time or three. Some have already mentioned the Safety position as a possible need in the near future. The good thing about that is the 2024 draft class is very top heavy with varying skill sets and play strengths. Where does Inside Linebacker fall on your needs list? All I can say is E Rob has a new member in his fan club, talk about making a statement in the final preseason game. I’m sure everyone’s list of wants and needs will change throughout the long season, good thing is we have all year.

Weekend Schedule of Games

Navy vs 13 Notre Dame 2:30 pm NBC (being played in Dublin)

Notre Dame - Joe Alt #76 OT 6’7” 317lbs - Hopefully we don’t have a shot or to be honest a need for this talented young man but he has plenty to offer as a Left Tackle prospect. Size and length are obvious but he has great movement skills for a man that size, probably better suited in a zone style system.

It looks as if Dan Moore Jr. will win the blind side job for now even with the draft pedigree of Jones. I’m not giving up on the former Bulldog but It won’t stop me from continuing to look at that position.

Notre Dame - Blake Fisher #54 OT 6’6’ 326lbs - Great to be a QB in South Bend. Can Fisher finally put it all together.

Notre Dame - Cam Hart #5 CB 6’3” 198lbs - Love the god given abilities, will be keeping an eye on him all year.

UTEP at Jacksonville State 5:30 pm CBS Sports Network

UTEP - Praise Amaewhule #23 EDGE 6’3” 250lbs

UMass at New Mexico State 7:00 pm ESPN

Ohio at San Diego State 7:00 pm FOX Sports 1

Ohio - Kurtis Rourke #7 QB 6’4” 218lbs

Hawaii at Vanderbilt 7:30 pm SEC Network

San Jose State at USC 8:00 pm PAC 12 Network

Obviously Southern Cal has a myriad of draft eligible players, including the potential #1 overall selection but I don’t have the Pac 12 Network so I will highlight that talented roster another day.

Florida International at Louisiana Tech 9:00 pm CBS Sports Network

Let us know what games you are watching and what prospect(s) you wouldn’t mind seeing in the Black and Gold.

As always stay safe and GO STEELERS!