NFL Draft Prospects to Watch in College Football Week 11: CJ Carr Elevates Heisman Buzz

Week 11 in college football comes on the heels of the announcement of the college football playoff expanding to 24 teams. That will undoubtedly change how teams set up their schedules going forward. For scouts, it should result in more competitive schedules for teams as they try to position themselves to make the expanded tournament.

Watching NFL Draft prospects play against better competition will give us all a better understanding of their skills. We witnessed that in week 10 as Notre Dame faced Miami to headline a week of highly competitive matchups of teams with several NFL prospects. This week we take a look at a quarterback who stood out in that marquee game, two G6 backs who have effectiveness in different ways and two defensive players working against elite competition.

Week 11 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch in College Football

CJ Carr | QB | Notre Dame

CJ Carr is playing with an extreme amount of confidence, coming off the heels of a big victory over the University of Miami. He is playing with poise, and he has showcased his ability to anticipate throws while using high-level processing and mechanics within a clean pocket. He knows how to get the ball out of his hands and distribute it to the playmakers who can do damage after the catch.

He enters Week 11 having elevated his Heisman buzz and getting the ball rolling on his first-round draft momentum. Scouts will continue to watch his eye discipline against secondaries and take a look at his arm talent when trying to drive the ball into tight windows.

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Jahiem White | RB | North Texas

Simply put, Jahiem White is a weekly home run hitter: someone you can always count on for an electric play that changes the momentum for his team. He is electric in his ability to be an explosive, space-creating element for North Texas. He has excellent change of direction, and he can get to top speed in the snap of a finger.

He's one of the most explosive backs in the game, and Week 11 will offer him an opportunity against UTSA's defense, where he will be needed to once again have success against the Roadrunners. Scouts will continue to look at his contact balance, vision and ability to set up and explode on zone runs, diagnosing cutback lanes. Even more importantly, he will show his abilities as a third-down element in the offense.

Dylan Riley | RB | Boise State

Riley has become another in a long line of Boise State workhorse running backs who dominate on the blue turf. He leads the nation with over 1,200 rushing yards and has continued to be effective while operating as the main focus of defensive coordinators over the last couple of seasons. This week he faces Oregon State, who will no doubt load the box and try to make anybody else for the Broncos beat them besides the prolific running back.

Evaluators will be watching to see how effective Riley is at pressing the line of scrimmage, diagnosing where the sliver of daylight is and exploding through the hole. They will see how he deals with the second level and whether or not he can consistently break arm tackles and create yards after contact.

Ellis Robinson IV | CB | Georgia

Nobody is surprised when you tell them that a defensive player from the University of Georgia is good, and Robinson is no different. He possesses all of the skills necessary to be an elite cover cornerback in the NFL. He has shown that he has fluid hips that allow him to get in and out of breaks and pattern-match receivers. If a receiver does create separation, he possesses quick-twitch recovery athleticism to close the distance and make plays before the ball arrives.

Robinson has dealt with some injuries, and Week 11 will be an opportunity for him to show his physical resilience. Scouts still want to see his discipline on the boundary. We know he has press-man instincts, but we still want to see him be more disruptive at the catch point.

Kamarion Franklin | DL | Ole Miss

At 6-foot-5 and 274 pounds, Franklin is the prototype of what you look for in a defensive end. He has position flexibility that allows him to operate outside in an even front or across the interior of a defensive line in an odd front. He provides a heavy-handed, disruptive spirit that permeates across the Rebels' defensive front.

Scouts still want to evaluate his pad level and his ability to destroy blocks, especially at the point of attack. They also want to see him utilize his lateral quickness against gap schemes and man blocking. Can he anchor against double teams consistently? Can he displace the line of scrimmage on interior pass rushes? These are questions they will want him to answer.

Published Nov 12, 2026, 9:24 AM ETUpdated Nov 12, 2026, 9:38 AM ET