It might be hard to believe, but the start of the 2025 college football season is here with a couple of matchups this weekend. The Cleveland Browns have their final preseason game on Saturday, but there is also a Top 25 matchup to get things started as Kansas State takes on Iowa State at noon.
Looking at the rosters for this game, it isn't full of NFL draft prospects, but there are a couple that I have my eyes on with the 2026 NFL Draft in mind. Here's a look at three prospects that stand out in this weekend's Top 25 matchup.
Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State
Domonique Orange is a big, powerful defensive tackle at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds and is one of the more intriguing interior defensive tackle prospects in this year's class. Going into the season, he is ranked in my top five at the position.
The first thing that jumps off the tape is how explosive and athletic Orange is despite his size. He has a tremendous first step off the line of scrimmage that he pairs with a lot of raw power in his upper body. He has excellent closing speed when he is pursuing run defenders and is at his best when playing as a nose tackle.
It's evident that he has rare physical tools if he can put it all together consistently. The production as a pass rusher isn't there yet, but he has some impressive wins if he can get more consistent and close the deal to convert reps into more pressures and sacks.
He has to work on his pad level; he often stands straight up after the snap, which really hurts him because he has shorter arms. But he has the upside to play his way into the first round and is a guy I will be watching closely all season long.