College football is finally back, and it's starting on foreign soil. Kansas State and Iowa State will kick off the Week 0 festivities in Dublin, offering a taste of Big 12 action in the best game of the weekend.
Both enter the season as conference title contenders, ranked 17th and 22nd, respectively, in the AP poll. These rosters have real talent, and with that comes expectations for April and the 2026 NFL Draft.
There's plenty of time to figure out which guys will be Sunday players, but on Saturday, they'll get a chance to make a strong first impression.
Top prospects to watch in Week 0
Kansas State
Austin Romaine, LB
The Wildcats' top prospect may very well be Romaine, who brings a polished, physical presence to the front seven. He projects to be a between-the-tackles run stopper, boasting a 6'2", 245-pound frame.
Romaine's limited athleticism hinders his pursuit and coverage (and thus, his upside). If he proves to be a more consistently tackler in 2025, though, he could earn himself an earlier selection on Day 3.
Avery Johnson, QB
As things stand, Johnson isn't a draftable quarterback prospect. Entering his age-21 season, that isn't the end of the world. Johnson has impressive physical tools, including double-plus athleticism and decent arm talent. He can create explosive plays, attack the middle of the field, and work to the checkdown while looking the part within structure.
With that said, he has real turnover warts. His decisions against trap coverage are particularly poor. Likewise, his processes break down under pressure, and he'll miss the occasional layup. The upcoming season is important for Johnson's development, although he's unlikely to declare in 2026.
Jayce Brown, WR
Like his battery mate, Brown will enter the year as a priority UDFA on my board. Still, his ability to make plays underneath and over the top will earn him praise throughout the cycle.
Kansas State WR Jayce Brown’s biggest play against Arizona. Good route, adjusts to throw, smooth transition into YAC, lets his athleticism win in the open field.
Fun player who’s worth keeping an eye on this year. pic.twitter.com/Rl76WyBrmK
— Anthony Licciardi (@ALiccScouting) August 20, 2025
At 5'11", 179 pounds, Brown is undersized -- and it shows. He struggles playing through contact, might be limited to the slot, and has a nagging drop issue. There's upside to watch, but with mitigating factors in his profile, he'll need to turn his flashes of strong route running into a consistent presence to get drafted.
Iowa State
Domonique Orange, iDL
The best player on the field Saturday will be Orange, who has real Day 2 aspirations thanks to his versatility and pro-ready run defense.
MORE: Sporting News 2025 college football Preseason All-American team
At 325 pounds, Orange has a knack for disrupting zone runs. He generated five tackles for loss in 2024, and while he has just one sack to his name, there is some juice to tap into as a pass rusher. He has decent burst for his size and can win with flashes of strong technique. Orange's motor runs hot, too. While he's not going to threaten double-digit sacks, doing enough to stay on the field for more passing downs could be the defining factor for his stock.
Jontez Williams, CB
Another Sunday player on the Cyclones' defense is Williams, whose willingness to get his hands dirty stands out among boundary corners. There are questions about his burst and long speed, raising concerns in man coverage, but he's proficient in zone and can make plays at the catch point.
Williams profiles as a steady backup corner with quality processing to raise his floor. As a mid-Day 3 prospect, a strong showing this season would be meaningful. A dangerous Kansas State team offers him quality competition to start the season.
Benjamin Brahmer, TE
As a slot-only option, Brahmer is inherently limited. He's simply not an NFL-level blocker at this point, even through the lens of his alignment. If he does enough as a receiver, it might not matter.
Brahmer stands at 6'6" and has the length to match. His catch radius and strong hands boost his stock. It's easy to see him threatening the seam and making plays in the red zone, although he wasn't very productive in 2024. He relies on his strength to separate (without much success) and needs more polishing to land on NFL Draft radars. In line for a bigger role this season, Brahmer has the look of a project TE that dominates the pre-draft circuit.
Rocco Becht, QB
Life is rarely easy for short passers like Becht, and it's about to get more difficult with his favorite targets catching passes from NFL quarterbacks this fall. Yet, there's reason to believe he gets drafted in April. His ability to recognize opportunities to scramble helps optimize his athleticism, and his ball placement stands out within structure, particularly on shorter passes.
There are intangible questions to answer. He makes some irresponsible throws out of structure and in the red zone when the margins for error are slim. His escapability clouds his pocket presence, and he doesn't play particularly well under pressure.
Even so, Becht has a handle on the offense and a little more upside left in his physical tools.
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