7 College Football Players to Watch in Week 1

The first full week of college football is here, and even though fans are glued to their televisions, they are not alone.

Numerous NFL decision makers will also be watching, including Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys management.

It's never too early to start thinking about the upcoming draft class. Here are seven names on the Cowboys to keep an eye on this weekend.

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Dallas finally signed CeeDee Lamb, meaning they'll have one of the NFL's best wideouts for the next four years, too. The problem is they don't have a legitimate No. 2 option beyond 2024.

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There's always a chance that Jalen Tolbert or Jalen Brooks take a big step forward this year, but if not, WR will be an early target, so we should keep an eye on Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka.

At 6'1″ and 200 pounds, Egbuka has NFL size and seems to be open all day long. Pairing him with Lamb would be unfair.

His Buckeyes will face Akron on Saturday, August 31st.

Dallas hopes Mazi Smith will prove himself as a nose tackle, but they may need a plan B. That's why they'll have to keep an eye on Deone Walker.

A promising player at 6'6″ and 365 pounds, Walker can play either D-tackle position. He recorded 7.5 sacks last year and the biggest concern is that he could perform so well in 2024 that he becomes unattainable for the Cowboys.

His Wildcats will play against Southern Miss on Saturday, August 31st.

Emeka Egbuka isn't the only Ohio State product to keep an eye on. Another player who fits the roster is Quinshon Judkins, the former Ole Miss running back who transferred to OSU this year.

Judkins is a 220-pound running back who can do it all. He rushed for 2,725 yards for the Rebels and is aiming for even more in his new home.

His Buckeyes will face Akron on Saturday, August 31st.

Another wide receiver on the list is Luther Burden III from Missouri.

A highlight just waiting to happen: Burden managed 725 yards after the catch and achieved numbers that led to a comparison with Deebo Samuel.

His Tigers will play against Murray State on Thursday, August 29th.

At 6'4″ and 280 pounds, Nic Scourton is the perfect addition to Dallas' four-man line. A pass rusher doesn't seem to be their primary need, but you can never have too many players who can attack the quarterback.

Scourton had 10 sacks for Purdue in 2023 and is transferring to Texas A&M this year.

His Aggies will face Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31st.

Ollie Gordon II is arguably the best running back in his class and is a perfect fit for Dallas.

At 6'2″ and 215 pounds, Gordon is built to handle the rigors of being an NFL running back. He has excellent vision and has 21 touchdowns and 2,062 yards from scrimmage in 2023. He would have to be acquired with a first-round pick, but there's no doubt he would be worth the price.

His Cowboys will face South Dakota State on Saturday, August 31st.

Until the Cowboys sign Dak Prescott to a long-term contract, the idea of ​​Shedeur Sanders taking over the starting quarterback position remains.

Shedeur, the son of former Dallas superstar Deion Sanders, has established himself as one of the top talents in the class. The Cowboys would have to make a big move up to get him, but that's exactly the kind of splash Jerry Jones would need to make to make fans forget the botched Prescott negotiations.

After following his father from Jackson State to Boulder, Sanders has 3,230 passing yards with 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

His Buffaloes will face North Dakota State on Thursday, August 29th.

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