Which small-school prospects can help their stocks in Week 2? USF's Byrum Brown leads the list.

Brown will take on Alabama, while Bowling Green's Harold Fannin has a big opportunity against Penn State.

Everyone has Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty circled this weekend as they travel to Eugene to face No. 7 Oregon. But there are plenty other smaller school prospects with opportunities to buoy their draft stock, both at the Group of Five level and FCS level.

Week 2 of college football is here, and while the headliner this weekend is No. 10 Michigan hosting No. 3 Texas, there’s several other games, that will likely be lopsided, that should draw some intrigue. Especially for smaller-school prospects, facing a Power Five team is usually the first piece of tape teams want to take a look at, as the talent they face in these games are more comprable to the NFL level.

Here are a few names to watch this weekend featuring small school prospects.

USF QB Byrum Brown vs. No. 4 Alabama

When Byrum Brown and South Florida faced off last season against Alabama, Brown’s dual-threat talents were on full display. Though he managed just 87 passing yards on 14 completions, Brown was consistently under duress in the pocket, and just wasn’t as comfortable as he moved off his spot quite often. But the game provided a growth point for the then sophomore signal caller, who finished with over 4,000 total yards and 37 TDs in his first full season as a starter.

Though he is just a junior and is unlikely to come out in the 2025 NFL draft, Brown’s talent will need to take the next step, especially as a passer, where he needs to throw with more anticipation on a down-to-down basis. The ball flies off his hand, apparent in the film above, especially showing touch on deep balls. He finished 2023 on a heater, and can give Bama’s defense fits. He’ll have two shots at P5 opponents this season with Miami coming to town in 2 weeks as well.

Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. vs. No. 8 Penn State

Since I’ve been scouting the NFL draft, this is the second time Bowling Green as a legit tight end prospect. Quinton Morris was a player who I liked coming out in the 2021 NFL draft class, he ended up going undrafted but has made the Bills 53-man roster the last few seasons. Current TE Harold Fannin Jr., though, has legit NFL talent and is one of the best players in the MAC.

Though his stats were modest last season (44 catches, 623 yards, six scores) it’s what Fannin does with the ball in his hands that excites you. He’s listed at 230 pounds, but plays incredibly physical, running through arm tackles, and can turn on another gear in the open field. He’s a legit vertical threat, and projects more as a H-back/second receiving tight end at the NFL level.

He’ll be going against a pair of really good Penn State, with Kevin Winston Jr. getting a lot of preseason buzz and Jaylen Reed, one of my standouts in Week 1. If Fannin can put together a solid performance, it will go a long way for his stock.

William & Mary OT Charles Grant vs. Coastal Carolina

With reportedly 35 5/8 inch arms, William & Mary offensive tackle Charles Grant is a bit light for the position (was 275 pounds in the spring) but has excellent movement skills and plays with an edge to finish through the whistle. His arm placement is a bit wide and his pad level needs to improve, but the talent is apparent.

In W&M’s season-opener against VMI, Grant was moving bodies several yards off the line of scrimmage. In the second play above, Grant drives the VMI defensive end to the ground after taking him for a ride.

Overall, I think Grant is likely a developmental player who has some tools worth developing. He will need to continue to add to his frame but a good performance against Coastal Carolina could continue to build a potential late-round resume for him.