Championship weekend is upon us! Nine conference title showdowns will be contested in college football on Friday and Saturday. It qualifies as the final on-field opportunity to strengthen their argument as speed toward the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. It also represents an under-the-bright-lights chance for 2025 NFL Draft prospects to impress scouts in big-game moments.
Pre-draft stocks will undeniably be impacted by this weekend's outcomes. Resumes will be defined. We've identified three prospects in particular who could benefit from an impressive performance.
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks are rightful favorites in their Big Ten Championship challenge versus Penn State. If the Nittany Lions are to upset the top-ranked program, it'll be partially because pass rusher Abdul Carter makes impact plays. Carter, the consensus No. 1 EDGE in the class, possesses the tools required to defeat offensive tackles one-on-one.
Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. will likely draw the majority of matchups with Carter. Conerly Jr. has allowed just one sack this season and it was an early-season one. He's pitched a shutout since Week 2, ascending in a muddied offensive tackle class with plenty of positional value questions at the top.
A standout showing by Conerly Jr. could continue elevating his stock into the first-round conversation. In Carter, he'll be tasked with facing a versatile, athletic, and rangy defender that blends power with speed. Conerly Jr. possesses the lateral agility needed to match Carter stride for stride.
Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
It's been an interesting season for Georgia outside linebacker Jalon Walker. Playing in an expanded role at EDGE rusher as opposed to stack linebacker, Walker began the campaign slowly. After recording 1.5 sacks in the season debut versus Clemson, he went sack-less over the next five.
Then came a potentially resume-defining opportunity versus the then-top-ranked Texas Longhorns in mid-October. Walker exploded to accumulate three sacks. It was a showing that will be constantly referenced throughout the pre-draft process.
Walker's gone cold since that triumph, totaling one sack in the next four contests. A rematch versus Texas in the SEC Championship should bring up good memories. The versatile front-seven defender will square off with tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams, who also have plenty to gain. There are a ton of edge defenders jockeying for draft position in this draft class, and Walker is looking to set himself apart.
Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter underwent a position change in 2022, making the move from wide receiver. It's been a future-altering decision. Porter has really thrived at cornerback for the Cyclones.
Porter is an extremely long and speedy defender at 6-foot-3 and 192 pounds. The Bettendorf, Iowa native has totaled eight pass breakups over the previous two campaigns. He's done an improved job converting those opportunities into takeaways this year, recording the first three interceptions of his career in 2024.
Porter has allowed completions on just 28.6% of passing attempts thrown in his direction, per ESPN Stats & Info. He's already accepted his invite to this year's Senior Bowl. Saturday's Big 12 Championship showdown versus Arizona State should be a high-scoring affair with chances to make game-swinging plays.
