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We are at the halfway mark of the college season, and underclassmen with NFL aspirations have big decisions to make soon; will they enter the 2024 draft or return for another year on the college field?
Word has been leaking out as to which direction several players may be headed, and while nothing has been written in stone, there are a few surprises.
College football players entering the 2024 NFL Draft
Word in the scouting community is that the following players are leaning towards entering the draft and are expected to make themselves available in April 2024.
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Emeka Egbuka/WR/Ohio State
It’s a given that Buckeyes receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will enter the 2024 NFL Draft and end up with a top-five selection. Yet I’m also hearing Egbuka is meeting with agents and will also head to the NFL with his teammate, and why not?
Egbuka is the second-rated receiver on my board after his teammate and holds a first-round grade. I’m told his testing numbers won’t be anything spectacular, yet Egbuka’s consistency and reliability will be attractive in a subpar receiver class.
Andrew Mukuba/S/Clemson
For years, Dabo Sweeney did a masterful job recruiting underclassmen and keeping them at Clemson, but he may be losing his touch. Mukuba, a Week 3 riser, actually ranks below linebacker Barrett Carter as well as cornerback Nate Wiggins on my list of Clemson juniors.
Mukuba is an instinctive defensive back who displays a lot of skill in coverage and presently holds a third-round grade on my board. Word is he may have already chosen an agent.
Zemaiah Vaughn/CB/Utah
Despite being a fourth-year junior, scouts graded Vaughn as an early Day 3 prospect before the season started; and he’s played better in 2023. Vaughn, who became a full-time starter this season, leads all Utah corners with 19 tackles and four PBUs. He measures over six feet tall and has a size similar to former Utes corner Jaylon Johnson, who is presently starting for the Chicago Bears.
Andru Phillips/CB/Kentucky
Phillips is another fourth-year junior graded by scouts entering the season, though he received a fourth-round grade. He has a compact build and excellent athleticism with decent ball skills. If Phillips meets the graduation criteria, expect him to be invited to a postseason All-Star game.
Malik Nabers/WR/LSU
Nabers, who is in the midst of a breakout campaign, has been meeting with agents, and the belief is he may be close to choosing representation.
The underclassman wideout has watched his game take off this season and has totaled 52 receptions for 860 yards and seven TDs during the Tigers’ seven games. He presently grades as a third-round pick on my board, though a move North is in the works if Nabers tests well before the draft.
College football players ditching the NFL in 2024
Some star players are considering an NFL snub next year, per sources:
J.J. McCarthy/QB/Michigan
This will surprise some, but sources tell me that the present feeling around Ann Arbor is that McCarthy will return for another year at Michigan in an attempt to get bigger and stronger.
The junior signal caller is universally graded as a Day 2 pick. If he stays at UM, it makes complete sense, as my main criticism of McCarthy is average arm strength; returning to improve that aspect of his game could vault him into Round 1.
Ultimately I believe the final decision depends on how Michigan finishes the season. If they make it to the college football title game and win, I could see McCarthy entering the draft. If they fall short, I absolutely believe he would return to Michigan for another season.
Luke Lachey/TE/Iowa
Lachey, a fifth-year senior, entered the season as a Day 3 prospect, but he played just two games before being lost to an ankle injury. He caught 10 passes for 131 yards during those two games.
The injury to his right ankle required surgery, and though it’s been reported that Lachey will “likely” miss the rest of the season, I’m told he will be sidelined the rest of the year and is expected back at Iowa in 2024.
