CFB Title Game Forecasts the NFL Draft Round 1

NFL Draft Prospects in CFB Championship

The Matchup

The college football championship game is a bonanza for NFL evaluators. It features two highly effective teams with differing approaches to the sport. Washington will have on display its explosive vertical passing game coupled with a grind-it-out-from-the-front running game behind the best offensive line in the country.

Michigan wants to run and control the clock and keep it out of the hands of the Washington offense. The defense is solid and has some contributors that might be able to slow down the Huskies passing game for a bit. However, if Washington takes the lead, it will be difficult for Michigan to come out of its shell with explosives in order to keep pace.

The NFL has similar questions to answer for many franchises, and this will shape the 2024 NFL Draft.

The QBs

The quarterback battle is the top build matchup of this ball game. Can Michael Penix Jr prove to be the elite passer he has been all season when the championship is on the line? He has a significant injury history, but the last two seasons at Washington have proven that from the pocket, he possesses rare arm talent.

In the semifinal, he was also able to show his mobility and ability to gain yards with his feet when he had to. Will the championship game be another instance that can answer that question much, as CJ Stroud did in last season's CFB playoffs?

 If Penix can perform up to expectation and take home the national title, he will clearly plant himself in the top three quarterback selections of the NFL draft.

The real question for Michigan is, will they let JJ McCarthy loose? McCarthy has not been asked to lead with his arm in order to get Michigan to this championship game. He has had games where his arm was a complete afterthought to the staff and their game plan. He has great arm strength. The question will be anticipation and decision-making in this particular ball game.

At this point, a number of NFL evaluators, along with myself, need to see more from McCarthy to feel secure in spending a top-ten pick and pleasing him as a franchise quarterback of the future in the NFL. The talent around him doesn't necessarily lend itself to him displaying enough in this championship game to turn that around.