10 Underrated Prospects to Watch in the College Football Playoff

Welcome back to The McShay Report! We’ve made it to the College Football Playoff and I couldn’t be more excited to catch all the action, beginning with Alabama-Oklahoma on Friday night. A quick reminder that Steve Muench and I will be live on YouTube this Saturday starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT to react to all the first-round games and preview the second-round slate. Join us in the chat! 

For today’s newsletter, I want to dive into some under-the-radar prospects that will be playing in this weekend’s games. There’s been plenty written in this space about the top prospects in the NFL, but now is a great time to highlight a handful of players who could see their stock rise with strong playoff performances.

Before I get to the list, I have to mention how talented and deep the linebacker group is in this playoff. Each of the following off-ball LBs could wind up being drafted come April:

We’re 10 deep! That’s a wild number. Oklahoma’s Sammy Omosigho could use another season in college but is highly thought of as well. It’s also worth noting that two of the highest-graded specialists in the 2026 class—OU kicker Tate Sandell and UGA punter Brett Thorson—will be performing in the CFP. 

I’m not going to profile any of the above prospects in this piece, but they’re all poised to make strong impressions on scouts over the next few weeks.

Hunter is a 6-foot-4, 330-pound 1-technique (NT). He’s a well-traveled senior (Auburn to UCF to Texas Tech) who’s having the best season of his career, and is now considered—by two scouts I’ve spoken to—to be a top-100 prospect. 

He’s a bit top-heavy, but Hunter has a really impressive combination of hand usage, play recognition, and agility for his size. He doesn’t have the fastest first step but he’s so damn quick and strong with his hands, he locates the ball in a flash, and he moves weirdly well for his body type. 

Hunter has been overshadowed on the Texas Tech D by David Bailey and Romello Height—and even fellow IDL Skyler Gill-Howard early in the season—but he has emerged as a legit Day 2 prospect. 

Freeling is a 6-foot-7, 315-pound tackle with a thick, broad build. He struggled in Georgia’s CFP loss to Notre Dame last year, but he was playing with a shoulder injury that required surgery. He’s come back with a vengeance in 2025 and has been an outstanding starter at left tackle for the Bulldogs.  

He plays a little high at times and could stand to become more efficient with his movements, but Freeling has the length, strength, and toughness to succeed at the next level. And I love the way he uproots defenders from the ground when he gets into their pads.  

You can’t coach his frame, and his development this year has been eye-opening for NFL scouts. Freeling’s safely in the Round 2 discussion but could rise even higher with a strong CFP showing and predraft process.

Tuioti has been awesome this season, with 57 tackles and team highs in tackles for loss (13.5) and sacks (seven). He also has three PBUs and two forced fumbles. 

At 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, Tuioti is primarily a stand-up outside linebacker, but he wears multiple hats along Oregon’s front, showcasing a versatility that’s coveted by NFL scouts. He’s a physical, instinctive player with power, quickness, and a relentless motor. Tuioti has an effective dip-and-rip move as an edge rusher and fast eyes to locate the ball in coverage and against the run. The best tape I’ve seen so far was against Indiana, but he’s been outstanding throughout the season.

Tuioti is one of the most underrated prospects projected to be in the 2026 class. If the draft were tomorrow, I can’t imagine he would get out of the second round.  

Jackson is a 6-foot-5, 265-pound senior who has showcased versatility for Ohio State by playing in several spots along the Buckeyes’ multiple front. He’s had his best performances in the biggest games, with a combined 27 pressures and five sacks against Texas, Washington, Penn State, Michigan, and Indiana. He looks like a top-100 prospect. 

Daniels transferred from Liberty (where he had 55 receptions for 1,067 yards in 2023) to LSU (42 receptions for 480 yards in 2024) to Miami over the past three years. He had 30 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns in his first six games for the Hurricanes, but had his season derailed by a lower-leg injury that cost him three games. Daniels returned to the starting lineup in the regular-season finale against Pitt, when he tallied two catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. With a few additional weeks to prep with the first-team offense heading into the playoff, I expect his production to look like it did early in the season. 

The sixth-year senior is flying a bit under the NFL draft radar for the national media—but not for scouts. He’s 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds with 4.4 speed that allows him to stretch the field vertically. I won’t be surprised if a strong combine performance gets him drafted in the top 100. 

The 6-foot, 210-pound back, who missed the Aggies’ last six games with a leg injury, was back at practice this week and carries a “questionable” injury tag heading into A&M’s first-round matchup with Miami. Moss was averaging 5.6 yards per carry over his first six games prior to injury and had six touchdowns. A healthy Moss would be a boost for the Aggies’ title chances, and a deep playoff run would be a great opportunity for the senior RB to give scouts some final tape to assess before he enters the 2026 NFL draft. 

Moss runs high but is a bigger back with good contact balance. His jump-cut and lateral agility—combined with his initial acceleration—also stands out. I see some Josh Jacobs–like traits here. 

Injury history will work against him, but Moss could create some positive momentum heading into draft season if he finishes the year healthy and with a strong playoff showing. He looks like an early Day 3 pick. 

The Alabama tight end injured his foot in practice before the Eastern Illinois game and went on to miss that contest and two others late in the year, including the Iron Bowl and the SEC championship. But he’s reportedly making “great progress” in his return from injury and is tracking to play against Oklahoma. 

Cuevas is a huge part of Alabama’s offensive success, having recorded 30 receptions for 341 yards and four touchdowns across 10 games this season. He’s an H-back type who flexes out and even lines up at fullback at times.  

In the passing game, Cuevas is a big target and smooth strider who showcases soft, reliable hands (but not necessarily elite ball skills) and an ability to get in and out of breaks quickly. He isn't an overly effective blocker, but he works on that part of his game and has become adequate when on the move.

I think he’s an underrated draft prospect who could work his way into the Day 2 or 3 conversation along with several other tight ends who will look to separate themselves during the predraft process. 

The Ole Miss QB has fast eyes, good zip on his throws, and is confident in his reads, with the ability to get the ball out on time and with a compact, lightning-quick release. While he’s not nearly as sudden with his first step and doesn't have the lateral agility of Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed, Chambliss is a smooth runner and is every bit as fast. I’m very curious to see how Chambliss performs without Lane Kiffin during the playoff—both with his game-week preparation and his in-game adjustments.

I would take a chance on Chambliss with a Day 3 pick. He has shown immense growth as a one-year starter in the SEC and has enough tools worth developing as a practice-squad reserve in the NFL. It helps his cause, assuming he doesn’t get an additional year of collegiate eligibility, that he’s in a 2026 QB class that has taken some massive hits (Garrett Nussmeier injuries, Cade Klubnik and Drew Allar regression, underclassmen returning to school, etc.) since the beginning of the season.

Tucker is a 6-foot, 302-pound junior who began his career at James Madison with Curt Cignetti and followed Cignetti to Bloomington in 2023. 

He was a really solid player for the Hoosiers last year but has taken his game to another level in 2025, with 33 tackles (including a whopping 11.5 TFL) and 5.5 sacks (which is tied for third on his team) from the defensive tackle position.  

He has a stout build, keeps his balance and stays on his feet, and has done a really good job of playing with gap discipline and proper leverage. Tucker also showcases good pop in his hands, block-shedding ability, and power at the point of attack as a tackler. He’s at his best at nose tackle, where he stands centers up in a flash and works to locate the ball. Tucker would probably be a middle-round pick if the draft were today, but his stock is rising. 

The 6-foot-2, 292-pound senior has a smaller frame but has added 20-plus pounds over his four seasons at Oklahoma. He’s tallied 31 tackles (seven for loss), 3.5 sacks, six hurries, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 12 games in 2025. 

Halton has been one of the steadiest—and certainly one of the most overlooked—players on this talented Oklahoma defense. He’s a 1-technique who is built low to the ground and boasts a plus motor to go along with a super-quick first step. Halton can get enveloped at times, but he’s a highly active and disruptive player with good range. I have an early-Day 2 grade on him. He got his Senior Bowl invite this week, so I’ll be able to get a good look at him in Mobile. 

NFL scouts are really warming on this guy. He’s been outstanding in pass protection all season and is a technically sound, smart, and dependable player. I’m told his character is off the charts, too. Nwaiwu could wind up being a great Day 3 value for whatever team drafts him.