BTB draft radar: Week 2 college football preview

Every week here at Blogging the Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide. GAME OF THE WEEK This matchup features two iconic […]

Every week here at Blogging the Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide.

GAME OF THE WEEK

This matchup features two iconic programs with newfound offensive weapons. Oklahoma is riding the wave of QB John Mateer’s record-setting debut, and Michigan is showcasing a promising freshman quarterback of their own alongside a powerful rushing duo. With College GameDay on-site, national spotlight, and implications for College Football Playoff positioning, it’s one of the marquee games of Week 2.

Game Overview

Matchup: Michigan Wolverines (15) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (18)
September 6, at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Stadium.
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Oklahoma favored by 3.5 points
Mateer set an Oklahoma school record for passing yards in an Sooners debut. He completed 30-of-37 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns.

Player Watch

Michigan:

Derrick Moore, DE

Moore is the embodiment of raw speed fused with explosive power off the edge. At 6′3″ and around 256 pounds, he bursts into gaps with athleticism that routinely leaves linemen trailing. The main critique against Moore is not effort, it’s polish. His burst is elite, but when he’s met with a well-anchored blocker, his pass rush often stalls.

Think of Moore as a live wire that’s unstoppable at times, electric by nature, and captivating to watch. He brings an energy to the Michigan defense that’s infectious, setting the tone from the first whistle. There’s an impatient beast within him, ready to attack, chase, and dismantle. If he sharpens his craft, adds technical counters, refines hand usage, and layers in brute strength, he could evolve into much more than just a spark plug.

Justice Haynes, RB

Haynes brings an electrifying blend of burst, power, and vision to Michigan’s backfield. A transfer from Alabama with a pedigree as a high school five-star standout, he lit up his Michigan debut by rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries. Beyond the box score, Haynes thrives in space, his low center of gravity, physicality, and open-field agility make him dangerous every time he touches the ball. His issues lay in pass protection and route concepts as a receiver. While his physical tools and yards production are evident, offensive coaches will want to see growth in his blocking technique and ability to read blitzes, critical for three-down responsibilities.

Oklahoma:

R Mason Thomas, DE

Thomas emerged as a dominant force for Oklahoma’s defense last season. Featuring in all 13 games, he led the team with nine sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and added two forced fumbles and two recoveries, cementing his presence as a game-wrecking edge rusher. He possesses elite explosiveness off the edge (clocking a 4.62-second 40-yard dash), which highlights his rare twitch and burst for his size. Though explosive and high-motor, Thomas plays with a compact, but not elite frame, with room to pack on strength and mass to better anchor against the run and bully blockers. Refining his hand technique and counter-moves will be key to translate his athleticism into consistent production at the next level.

Gracen Halton, DT

Halton is a concentrated, small but explosive tackler, who brings plenty of heat from the interior. His 2024 play showcased his ability to not just participate in chaos, but manufacture it. With added strength and broader technique, Halton has the upside to become an interior disruptor who runs entire blocking schemes off their feet and forces offenses to game-plan around him.

Deion Burks, WR

Burks plays with high energy, route finesse, and speed. He turns short throws into explosive plays and immediately opens up space for his teammates. If he continues to strengthen his technique and add physicality, he has the tools to become a dependable slot threat and a creative nightmare for defenses, a quick-cut maestro with deep-play potential (think Hollywood Brown). Smooth, dynamic, and never predictable, Burks is the kind of player opponents must game-plan around, not just plan for. His last game against Illinois State, Burks caught seven passes for 88 yards and touchdown, he even added a 14-yard rush.

Iowa vs Iowa State (16)

Week 2 gives us the Cy-Hawk Showdown as the Iowa Hawkeyes head to Ames to face the Iowa State Cyclones in the annual rivalry game. Under the guidance of head coach Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes are looking to rebound after a narrow 20–19 loss to Iowa State in 2024. Despite leading at halftime, Iowa couldn’t capitalize on key opportunities. As for the Cyclones, led by head coach Matt Campbell, they enter the game with momentum after a thrilling win over Kansas State in Week 0 followed by a huge 55-7 win against South Dakota.

Game Overview

Matchup: Iowa vs. Iowa State(16)
September 6, at Jack Trice Stadium
Kickoff Time: 12:00 p.m. (EST)
Iowa State favored by 2.5 points
Iowa State aims to continue its dominance in the rivalry and extend its winning streak against the Hawkeyes.

Player Watch

Iowa:

Gennings Dunker, OT

Dunker is part gentle scholar, part earth-moving enforcer, basically a rare blend of intellect and gristle. He anchors Iowa’s right side not through flash, but through finish, each play marked by violent control and mental clarity. If he can polish his pass-blocking nuances and adjust to elite speed-rusher tactics, he projects as a zone-heavy scheme anchor, or a guard in pro systems who brings both smarts and nastiness.

Aaron Graves, DT

Graves is the kind of defensive tackle who operates best when everyone else follows his rhythm. Rugged, reliable, and mentally sharp he combines physical toughness with quiet professionalism. If he adds a counter-move or two and maintains his motor, he projects as a rock-solid NFL interior option. One who can clog lanes, collapses pockets, and consistently sets the tone for a front-seven defense.

Iowa State:

Dominique Orange, DT

We wrote on Orange for Week 0 and his physical conditioning continues to be a strength, reflected in his ability to handle a high snap count effectively. While his stat line is modest through two games, his early-season workload and effort suggest he’s anchoring the interior defense as expected, even if the box score hasn’t yet captured highlight-worthy plays. Orange recorded two tackles in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic opener against Kansas State, and has yet to record any sacks or tackles for loss.

Kansas vs. Missouri

Game Overview

Matchup: Kansas vs. Missouri
September 6, at Memorial Stadium
Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Missouri favored by 6.5 points
Missouri quarterback, Sam Horn is expected to be out indefinitely, paving the way for Penn State transfer Beau Pribula as the starting QB.

Player Watch

Kansas:

Jalon Daniels, QB

Another player we assessed in Week 0 was Jalon Daniels and he has been playing great so far after a bumpy 2024 sequel, returning with swagger and surgical precision. His early-season play showcases elite accuracy, clutch decision-making, and an ability to elevate teammates. If he keeps this up, Kansas looks poised to ride his re-discovered brilliance all season long. Against Fresno State, Daniels performance earned him Big 12 Player of the Week honors. He completed 18 of 20 passes (90%) for 176 yards and three touchdowns, with zero interceptions, and added eight rushes for 47 yards. Then last week against Wagner, Daniels threw for 280 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.

Dylan Brooks, DE

While he has been absent from the playing field, Brooks’ continued absence highlights Kansas’ depth challenges up front. His return would bring size, experience, and athleticism, qualities highly missed by the Jayhawks defense. Brooks remains a raw potential energy source waiting to be unleashed. He has the physical tools and instinctual burst to disrupt plays, but with two missed games to start the season, his impact remains speculative, for now, he’s hope, not hero.

Missouri:

Cayden Green, OG

Green is organizational glue in Missouri’s offensive line, and so far this year it looks to be lacking cohesion. His snap count and versatility (guard-to-tackle adaptability) speak of a cerebral athlete who anchors the offense with both presence and polish. This season, his growth is as much about mental reps and nuanced technique as it is about raw strength. If he sustains his improved footwork and continues to quell pressure with poise, Green can emerge as a rare interior lineman who can dictate the line of scrimmage while elevating everyone around him.