While the Atlanta Falcons will play their third primetime game in as many weeks on Sunday night, they're far from the only must-watch game the football world should take note of this weekend. There's Week 5 against the Ravens of course, but college football Saturdays are just as important.
Even though the Falcons are winners of two straight and are no longer guaranteed to be picking near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft, that doesn't mean scouting just evaporates, If anything, it makes things more important since they'll have to capitalize on later picks in every round if this holds.
Ian Cunningham and this Falcons brass will be sending scouts all over the country to do their homework, so I've got you covered for a watch guide so you don't have to do as much homework as an NFL front office does. Low bar, I know right? But all jokes aside, if you have free time today, listen closely:
And while this weekend's slate of games isn't necessarily as weak as last week's, there are still three games that stand out with intriguing draft implications not just in Atlanta, but across the NFL.
The college football games with the most NFL Draft implications for the Falcons this weekend
1. No. 2 Georgia at No. 6 Alabama--- 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
You just know I couldn't leave the biggest game of the weekend off the list. Georgia and Alabama have had their fair share of elite matchups in recent years (like the 2024 game), so that's part of it, but these rivals are also two of the schools pumping out the most NFL talent on a year-by-year basis.
Let's start with the local Bulldogs, who I mentioned last week are led by a trio of elite defenders: safety KJ Bolden, linebacker Chris Cole, and cornerback Ellis Robinson IV--all of whom are expected to be first-round picks this April--plus a plethora of later-round talent on offense which includes RB Nate Frazier.
Alabama is being led by young quarterback Keelon Russell, but he's not draft-eligible until 2028. However, they do have star wideout Ryan Coleman-Williams and pass-rusher Yhonzae Pierre expected to go in the top 50--plus the safety duo of Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard later on.
And given this game is going to take place in a massive storm, things could get messy.
2. No. 21 UCLA at No. 13 Oregon--- 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Oregon is another team who's been a factory for NFL talent--and that's due to more than just being Nike's top school. While Dante Moore won't play due to a concussion, former five-star QB (and Patrick Mahomes clone) Dylan Raiola will start after transferring in from Nebraska this offseason. And while Dakorien Moore and Brandon Finney Jr. are 2028 prospects, they still have a lot of 2027 guys.
For starters, 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end Jamarri Johnson has been a revelation after replacing Kenyon Sadiq as the TE1, and they have three top prospects on the defensive line in Bear Alexander, Matayo Uiagaleilei, and A'Mauri Washington--and that's not all. Evan Stewart has been great now that he's healthy, and Koi Perich has been great as Dillon Theieneman's replacement at safety.
Meanwhile, UCLA has been a pleasant surprise in Year 1 under Bob Chesney. Nico Iamaleava is looking to re-establish himself on the NFL radar after a rough season in 2025, but the former five-star recruit has the upside to shock the world at Autzen Stadium.
3. No. 1 Texas at Oklahoma--- 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
And you know this list wasn't gonna be complete with the most intense rivalry showdown of the weekend. The top-ranked Texas Longhorns haven't looked great these last couple of weeks after beating Ohio State, and now they have a test in the Red River Rivalry against an Oklahoma team that's been even worse.
Arch Manning needs to prove to NFL scouts he deserves the No. 1 pick buzz this weekend, and Cam Coleman hasn't been involved much since transferring over from Austin either. Basically this entire team is crawling with future pro talent, so they all have a lot on the line against the Sooners.
Coleman and Ryan Wingo will see a lot of face time with star Oklahoma DBs Eli and Peyton Bowen, while the DL duo of David Stone (a consensus top 10 prospect) and Jayden Jackson is a key piece of a pass-rush looking to give Arch problems--so the offensive linemen, namely tackles Melvin Siani and Trevor Goosby-- have a lot to prove in Dallas, which is good news for Atlanta's left tackle issues.
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