The college football Week 9 schedule didn’t look all that electrifying on paper, but Saturday’s action delivered again — especially in the SEC, which produced four high-profile games that went down to the wire plus Texas A&M’s statement win at LSU.
Which 2026 NFL Draft prospects stepped up on the final weekend of October? Our draft experts, Dane Brugler and Nick Baumgardner, sort through the latest action:
1. There was no shortage of standout performers for Texas A&M. Which prospect are you most excited about on the Aggies’ roster?
Brugler: Texas A&M has sent a lot of players to the NFL over the years, but it has produced only one top-40 pick at wide receiver — Mike Evans. KC Concepcion is playing like a guy who wants to change that. He was electric against LSU, with or without the ball. He gets off the line in a hurry, shows separation quickness in his routes and then works back to the ball to finish grabs (see his first-quarter touchdown).
He showed off his return skills Saturday, as well, with a 79-yard punt return touchdown that felt like the knockout blow in Texas A&M’s win. Concepcion looked like a future top-100 draft pick when he was at NC State, and he is only boosting that projection with the Aggies.
KC PUNTCEPCION pic.twitter.com/HKEUJRIBh5
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 26, 2025
Baumgardner: Athletic pass rusher Cashius Howell had two more sacks Saturday, bringing his total to 10 on the season. This is Howell’s second season in College Station after starting his career at Bowling Green, and — after a relatively quiet 2024 — he’s exploded as a full-time starter this year. He’s had at least one sack in six of his team’s eight games and has been one of the country’s most consistent pass rushers.
2. LaNorris Sellers finally looked more like the prospect we thought we’d see this year, only to make a killer turnover late. Ty Simpson delivered in some big spots as Alabama rallied to knock off South Carolina. What were your takeaways from how those QBs performed?
Dane Brugler: Simpson’s accuracy was slightly off on some key throws, but I continue to be impressed by his poise and ability to create second-chance plays. He has a great understanding of where everyone is on the field, which allows him to quickly find outlets. Despite having just eight starts to his name, Simpson operates like an NFL quarterback — and there were several reminders of that in the win over South Carolina.
Sellers makes for the tougher discussion. On one hand, the athleticism and balance he shows at his size are incredibly rare and consistently rescued the Gamecocks from hapless situations Saturday. But his ball placement and field vision as a passer remain inconsistent. The NFL isn’t a developmental league and, ideally, Sellers will spend more time in college. Given his connections to South Carolina’s program, I don’t think he would transfer, but Sellers owes it to himself to examine his options and make sure he is in a situation that will maximize his talents.
Nick Baumgardner: Sellers is still more a collection of (really talented) tools than a finished product, but he’s a young player (he won’t turn 21 until June). He has plenty of time, if he wants it. The killer turnover in the killer moment popped up against Alabama, and he’s had similar problems in the past — 11 fumbles last year and three this season prior to Saturday. He’s just not good enough yet to get away with the hiccups he has, including his reads and general accuracy, on top of ball security.
Simpson’s whole thing comes down to his ability to process quickly and anticipate better than most any QB in the country. Even when he’s struggling, he can still recenter himself and focus on making the next right read. Saturday wasn’t his cleanest day, but he was in a very hostile environment against a desperate team.
3. We haven’t talked much about BYU, but it’s now 8-0 after a win over Iowa State and withstood the loss of dynamic RB LJ Martin to injury Saturday. Which players should NFL fans know on that roster?
Brugler: Linebacker Jack Kelly is a possible late-rounder, but BYU might have lost him to injury, as well.
Wide receiver Chase Roberts is a big-bodied target. He might not have the best speed, but he shows quickness at the break point to snap his routes and give his quarterback a target, especially versus zone. He projects as a sure-handed, reliable possession receiver who can win with size and strength. Safety Tanner Wall is a borderline pick — he’s an instinctive defender with average speed but physicality in the box.
Baumgardner: The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Roberts is an interesting prospect. He has size with some wiggle and an ability to win in the air, and he can be a serious big-play weapon — so long as he’s catching the football (five drops this year). Kelly (6-2, 242) is a big, stack linebacker who has notched nearly 30 career sacks (between BYU and Weber State) as a versatile front-level defender. He can rush and play off the ball.
4. Nick already took a look at the performances of QBs Trinidad Chambliss and John Mateer, so let’s give some love to Ole Miss edge Princewill Umanmielen (six tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss). Does the brother of 2025 third-rounder Princely Umanmielen have NFL upside?
Brugler: Since coming over from Nebraska, Princewill Umanmielen has been more of a splash player than a consistent presence. But he put consistent heat on the Oklahoma backfield in what was his best game with the Rebels. I still have questions about him as a run defender and whether or not he can be a true every-down player. At the very least, though, Umanmielen should be an impactful subpackage rusher.
He likely will spend another year in Oxford, so there will be plenty of time to figure that out.
Baumgardner: The cool thing about Umanmielen is that he’s a bit more than a really talented edge rusher. He also played in the box a bit while he was at Nebraska and made plays as a coverage defender. He’s also been really productive for Ole Miss this year, in a part-time role. The more he plays, the higher his stock goes.
1⃣’s having a DAY 😌@hoodiiewill | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/xF46vOHTbz
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 25, 2025
5. Which other prospects stood out to you this week?
Brugler: QB Fernando Mendoza is really good, but I’ll continue banging the drum for Indiana’s “other” prospects. I think this is the fourth game in a row that left tackle Carter Smith was near-perfect in both pass protection and the run game. He shut down UCLA’s pass-rush attempts with calm feet, well-timed hands and stubbornness to finish. He has allowed only three pressures all season, none in four games in October. And in the run game, Smith goes into “Hulk smash” mode. He latches, pumps his legs and stays balanced through engagement to move bodies away from the run lane.
Smith doesn’t get talked about nearly enough as one of the main reasons for Indiana’s success this season, but he might be the second-best NFL prospect on the roster.
Baumgardner: We’ve mentioned him before, but Alabama receiver Germie Bernard continues to be one of the best “get-it-done” guys in the country. He’s not going to make some of the circus plays teammate Ryan Williams makes, and his numbers — while good — are not overwhelming. But almost every time Alabama needs something to happen offensively, the ball finds its way to Bernard.
We saw it again Saturday afternoon, as he’s continued to move around and offer value in different ways. Bernard also has 12 carries for 71 yards this season, including three for 23 yards and a touchdown versus South Carolina. A really tough player with the clutch gene, Bernard gets better and better every week.