Vikings Draft 2024: Prospect matchups to watch in CFB Week 2
By Luke Parrish
Game No. 3
Matchup: Miami (FL) vs. Texas A&M
When: Saturday, September 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Prospects to Watch: Kamren Kinchens - S and Leonard Taylor III - IDL (Miami)
Miami once again has a lot of NFL talent on the defensive side of the ball, and these two players stand out. Kamren Kinchens is going to challenge Minnesota's Tyler Nubin for the top safety spot in the 2024 NFL Draft, while Leonard Taylor III is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the country.
Both Kinchens and Taylor are looking to lock themselves into the first round of the draft, and both are currently hovering around the 20-30 range on most big boards at this stage. On Saturday, they take on a ranked Texas A&M team led by 2025 QB prospect Conner Weigman. Texas A&M also has Ainias Smith as a weapon on offense after he returned for an extra year.
While the Aggies do not have a super explosive offensive attack, they do have some pieces that can make things difficult for Miami's loaded defense. This will be the first real test of the young season before the Hurricanes run into an ACC schedule that features North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, and NC State, with Clemson being the only home matchup for the 'Canes.
Still, Kinchens is excellent in coverage and has some insane ball production on the back end of the defense. He is certainly a player to watch as this season unfolds.