As the NFL season sees the first official Sunday action of the season on September 13, the college football world continues their slate as week two kicked off with a 77-7 Miami (Fl.) drubbing of Florida A&M.
Week two offers plenty of intrigue, with multiple teams bypassing a traditional lower level or Group of Six opponent and tuning up. Three of the most notable games this week include SEC vs. Big Ten, with Michigan and No. 11 Oklahoma kicking things off at noon EST.
This is followed by Minnesota and Mississippi State at 3:30 p.m. EST, and capped off with No. 1 Ohio State facing No. 4 Texas at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Who are some players that the Detroit Lions must keep an eye on during the slate?
The middle aforementioned matchup of Minnesota and Mississippi State is being overlooked in this contest, as two of the top cornerbacks in the early projections for the 2027 draft class square off. Jones is a widely projected first round pick, with a prototypical build at 6-foot-4.
The former high school quarterback has the athleticism and range needed to attract eyes, and his production (Third Team All-SEC honors last season) make him a player slated for a breakout 2026. Jones also will be patrolling against the active arm of Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey , with the quarterback being viewed as a sleeper pick for the NFL Draft this year or in the future.
Jones has tight coverage, with two interceptions and multiple pass breakups last season, and allowed the same percentages of catches that as passes that he got his hands on. However, he did allow three touchdowns last season.
As mentioned above, this game is in the 3:30 p.m. EST slot.
Nestor is the other half of the corner battle on Saturday, with the Gopher bursting onto the scene in 2025 with a six interception campaign. The former Iowa transfer stood out in his first season as a starter, and recorded a PFF coverage grade of 81.4.
Nestor is an intriguing player , but this is only his second season of action, with projections varying from ranking him as a top 10 corner in the class to a fringe draft pick. This season will go a long way in determining his stock, and Mississippi State is Nestor's first true test.
He makes tackles in space and crashes downhill, with some projecting him as a safety at the next level after a high run defense grade in 2025. At 6-foot-1, he has the size that teams would expect out of an outside corner or safety in the NFL.
Nestor has his work cut out for him, as Mississippi State Bulldog quarterback Kamario Davis totaled over 350 yards passing and had five total touchdowns last week.
Stone is a name many in the Michigan area may be familiar with, as Michigan State football heavily prioritized the interior defensive lineman during the 2024 recruiting cycle. Ultimately, he chose to stay closer to home as Michigan State football also moved on from head coach Mel Tucker.
Stone has competed at a high level since stepping onto the field with the Sooners, and is rated as the top defensive lineman in the draft with multiple sources, including CBS. His run-stuffing ability is his calling card, with an 80.7 grade last season. Against Michigan, that will come to play early and often with the Wolverines trying to get Jordan Marshall and freshman Savion Hiter involved.
His one struggle has came against the pass, as a sub-10% win rate when rushing the passer would be on the lower end for defensive tackles in the class. As a result, he only had two sacks on the season, which is not a rate the Lions would likely justify a first-round pick with after taking Tyleik Williams in 2024.
Overall, Stone is a strong player and will get plenty of draft looks, and his matchup with eh Wolverine offensive line will be one of the top stories at noon EST.
One of the top storylines of the weekend is Simmons squaring off against Ohio State. The Longhorns' star pass rusher gets to face one of the best offensive lines in the nation to try to disrupt the rhythm of a future NFL starter in Julian Sayin .
Simmons has been a force of nature since committing to the Longhorns, with 21 sacks over his first two seasons. Simmons will be a first-round selection in next year's draft, and he is looking to make a statement about how early his name is called on Saturday night.
His calling card is an absurd true pass set win-rate at over 29%. The only measured concern for Simmons is his nine penalties, which are easily offset by his pure production. His athleticism also has teams eyeing a move to linebacker to be equally disruptive when farther from the quarterback.
Madsen is the top Group of Six prospect to watch this week, as the Broncos ' quarterback will be facing Memphis in a matchup among College Football Playoff hopefuls.
The Broncos and Tigers each hope to be the Group of Six representatives in the CFP this winter, and this game serves as a de facto elimination game for the pair. Madsen has impressed during his tenure as a starter, with 41 passing touchdowns between the last two years.
He had a three-touchdown week against National Champion hopeful Oregon , as the Broncos put the Ducks on upset alert in week one. Now, Madsen gets a chance to right the ship and put the Broncos back in contention for their second playoff berth in three years.
The Broncos lose the production of NFL Draft pick Kage Casey at tackle, and that is a weakness that Tiger EDGE J'Mond Tapp (highlighted by Lions On SI in week zero) will look so exploit. Tapp has 2.5 sacks through two games so far, but Madsen will be the best quarterback he has played during the young season.
The Tigers and Broncos match up at 6:00 p.m. EST on Saturday.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as 5 Players Detroit Lions Must Scout in College Football 2026 Week 2 .
