NFL Draft Prospects to Watch in College Football Week 1: Jamari Johnson, Luke Reynolds and More

It's officially Week 1 of the college football season—although it's really week two, because last week was “week 0” which doesn't make any sense, but OK, we'll pretend (I promise, this is my last time griping about the “week 0" thing, this year).

Regardless, we are already on the countdown to the 2027 NFL Draft and thus are already looking at players who can be promising pro prospects. The one thing we do know about this week is everybody's playing, and we have our choice of prospects to spotlight—like two tight ends from blue-blood programs that many evaluators are waiting to see take the field.

Let's check out this six pack of prospects.

Jamari Johnson | TE | Oregon

What if I told you Kenyon Sadiq was not the best tight end prospect on Oregon’s roster last year? That distinction goes to the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Jamari Johnson. In 2025, his first season with the Ducks after two seasons at Louisville, Johnson caught 32 passes for 510 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 15.9 yards per reception, introducing himself to the college football world as a big-play tight end.

He is built like a traditional inline-Y tight end, but he moves like an oversized slot receiver. It is similar to New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely when he was at Coastal Carolina: he creates mismatches. He is too big for nickel safeties to match up against him, and he is too athletic for most linebackers. Contested catches are almost guaranteed to go his way, and he is an effective perimeter run blocker.

Luke Reynolds | TE | Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin seems to find success converting high school quarterbacks into college tight ends. Current Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren was a quarterback who converted to the position, and now Penn State tight end Luke Reynolds looks to follow in Warren's footsteps.

He's a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete who can move like a receiver but has the physicality to make it a long night for safeties and corners. Flex ends have become en vogue in the NFL, and Reynolds embodies that NFL archetype.

A former high school quarterback who developed into an explosive flex tight end, Reynolds creates separation out of breaks like a wide receiver, possesses high-point ball skills in the red zone and has added functional play strength to survive in-line as a blocker.

Kelley Jones | CB | Mississippi State

Going into year four in college, Jones has 27 games of experience where he has proven to be a formidable run defender. But in 2025, he proved that he could be dynamic in pass coverage as well. He finished the season with two interceptions and 11 passes defensed, both career highs.

Jones will make scouts double-take when they see him, just based on his 6-foot-4 frame. It is such an outlier to see defensive backs that tall that you almost wonder why he did not become a receiver. Jones offers the kind of length NFL defensive coordinators salivate over when they think about who they want in press-man coverage.

Charlie Becker | WR | Indiana

In 2025, Charlie Becker gobbled up 20 yards per reception on the way to 34 catches for 679 yards. That is elite production on what amounts to half of the opportunities afforded to the two receivers now playing in the NFL.

In 2026, the runway is clear for Becker to become the focus of the passing game. At 6-foot-3, he is surprisingly fluid with his length, and he has a catch radius that can make up for throws that are not the most accurate. He is sneaky fast, using long strides to eat up cornerbacks' cushions before they realize he's about to go by them. He tracks the ball over his shoulder well, and he's great on the 50-50 passes. He's a major red zone target and someone who will be relied on to be a consistent chain mover.

Romanas Frederique | CB | Miami

Over his first two seasons in college, Romanas Frederique has been one of the most consistent and explosive defensive backs in the Miami secondary. He is an extremely tough and fierce competitor, something that NFL scouts look for in defensive backs. He's a rare true junior who could be ready to ascend to the NFL in only three years of collegiate action.

As a technician, he uses his quick-twitch ability to show advanced levels of mirror-and-match techniques in his coverage. As a man defender, he stays sticky to receivers. When they are able to create separation, he has the athleticism and burst to recover when the ball is in the air. He can overcome false steps, and at 6-foot he has the length to play through the hands at the catch point or to snatch the ball away altogether.

Trevor Goosby | OT | Texas

If you're looking for the prototypical offensive tackle prospect in 2027, Trevor Goosby is going to check every physical box. He's 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds. He is another in a long line of Texas offensive linemen with futures that point toward the NFL. He should step into a more spotlighted role along the Longhorns' offensive line protecting Arch Manning.

Goosby has a naturally fluid pass set that is able to extend vertically or at an angle to cut down wide-9 technique edge rushers utilizing their speed to get around the edge. He has a strong, stun-gun-like punch to go with that fluid movement and good recovery balance to take on pass rushers who want to work multiple moves inside and out.