On Sunday, the Detroit Lions take on the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. EST in a matchup between two teams headed in opposite directions. For Lions fans in the Mitten State, it has the chance to be a special weekend following the yearly Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy between Michigan and Michigan State on Saturday.
While this rivalry does not have the same hype as in most years, with the Spartans possessing a paltry 2-6 record and Michigan sitting at 5-3, the game still matters for in-state supremacy and bragging rights.
This game, along with multiple other premier matchups this weekend, will draw in NFL scouts to check out the myriad of players that will become draft picks this upcoming NFL Draft.
Here are five players the Lions must keep an eye on.
Fraley, the son of Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, is a player that the Lions obviously have some of the best intel on. However, this is to introduce the younger Fraley to the fans, considering the season the Spartans are having.
Trent Fraley earned FCS All-American honors with North Dakota State, starting alongside Mason Miller, a stalwart of the practice squad in his two years with Motown. For his final season, Fraley headed to East Lansing, located roughly 90 minutes from the Allen Park Performance Center and Ford Field.
A draft selection of Fraley would be far from nepotism, as the center currently is ranked in the top five on Pro Football Focus for overall center grades. He has only allowed two pressures on the season and a single penalty through eight games for MSU. Michigan's defensive line will be one of his best tests of the year.
With the center room holding the expiring contract of Juice Scruggs, the Lions could be looking for a backup center behind Cade Mays. The Spartans kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST in the Big House.
Although it has not been the dominant senior season that Hill was expected to have, the cornerback is still viewed in the early Day 3 range of the NFL Draft as things stand. Hill will be tasked with shutting down a Spartans receiver core that has struggled mightily this season and will be potentially trotting out a true freshman to start.
Hill has the ideal size at 6-foot-2 that teams want in a corner, and his year has not been shabby, either. His yardage allowed is only at 173 yards on the season, alongside one touchdown allowed (offset by an interception). However, his penalty count, at five, is by far the worst of his collegiate career.
Considering the lack of production from the Spartans receivers group entering the contest, an off day from Hill should be treated with alarm. The Lions need corner help as much as they can get, and they double-dipped on Michigan defenders during the last NFL Draft cycle .
The Notre Dame vs. Miami matchup is one of the most intriguing battles of the weekend, but the excitement was dampened following a practice injury that is holding Hurricanes star receiver Malachi Toney out.
Moore was a player identified as a super star and top-five draft pick early in the season, and had been chosen to be a headline player for this week's matchup in the scouting guide. Moore will be tasked with shutting down the No. 4 passing offense in the country, led by potential first-round pick Darian Mensah.
The corner has gotten routine praise from analysts, his coaches, and opposing coaches alike, including Pat Fitzgerald calling the corner a player that "should be the top overall pick" before his Spartans battled Notre Dame in September.
Moore is a player that, barring significant injury or extreme underperformance in the final few games of the year or the pre-draft cycle , the Lions would need to move extreme capital for. That said, he is called the top corner in the draft for a reason.
The Fighting Irish host the Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. EST.
The Utah Utes have been on fire to start the season, being one of the last remaining teams with a perfect record. That will be put to the test in their rivalry "Holy War" matchup with BYU.
A main reason for the Utes success this year has been from Wayshawn Parker, the third-year back in his second season with Utah. Parker ranks out as the second-best rusher in all of college football right now on PFF, and his 726 yards sit just outside the top 25 in the nation.
Parker is a compact back, at 5-foot-10, and shifty enough to make players miss, forcing 39 failed attempts this year. He is a threat out of the backfield as well, with 26 catches for 264 receiving yards, alongside making another 16 tackle attempts fail as a pass catcher.
Those scores combine to make him the top running back in all of college football, per PFF's grading system. While Parker has likely talked him out of draftable range for what the Lions would need to give up, he is a star that teams will be dying to lay eyes on.
The "Holy War" commences at noon EST.
Jackson has had a long-traveled career, now at his fourth school in five seasons. The Group of Six representative for this list recorded nearly 1,000 yards as a true freshman with St. Francis (PA) before heading up a level to Appalachian State, where he recorded over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns between two campaigns.
That caught the eye of Curt Cignetti, but Jackson was buried on the depth chart behind multiple NFL Draft picks, including Omar Cooper Jr. and potential first-rounder Charlie Becker. By the fifth game of the season, Jackson was no longer on the Hoosier football roster .
That led to a bump back down the group of six for Jackson, where he has soared with the Flames.
Amidst their 7-1 start, Jackson has added 626 yards on under 30 catches, with his 21.6 yards per catch ranking sixth in the country. He ranks in the top 20 among over 500 qualified receivers in this season on PFF. All this has came with the Flames not passing much, as the receiver has been on the field for 173 passing snaps this year, which is outside the top 500 for receivers.
Jackson has rebuilt his career with the Flames, but it will be an interesting pre-draft cycle regarding the pass catcher not finishing the 2025 season with Indiana. He has the talent, but the mental element will be the top question for Makai Jackson.
The Flames kick off against New Mexico State at 8 p.m. EST.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as 5 Players Detroit Lions Must Scout in College Football Week 10 .
