Future Broncos: 3 Prospects to Watch in Week 12 of College Football

In this week’s installment of Future Broncos, Christopher Hart gives you three more prospects to watch in Week 12 of College Football.

Week 12 of the College Football Season is upon us, and you know what that means. Another installment of Future Broncos. Here are three prospects to keep your eyes on in today’s slate of games.

Jared Wilson, Center — Georgia Bulldogs

The Broncos have one of the highest graded offensive lines in the National Football League this season. Nevertheless, I’m always a fan of adding more talent on that front. Offensive line coach Zach Strief deserves credit for the job he has done with player development.

Center isn’t a position that the Broncos have to be proactive addressing early in the 2025 NFL Draft. They have Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth under contract for next year. However, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say it is the most upgradable position on the unit. Also keep in mind Head Coach Sean Payton has drafted numerous early round centers.

Georgia Bulldog center Jared Wilson is a prospect that has earned a lot of praise lately. After spending multiple years as a reserve player, Wilson finally got a shot to start this year for the Bulldogs replacing 2024 fifth-round pick Sedrick Van Pran. Don’t fret about him being a late bloomer and one-year starter. This is a program that has sent over ten offensive linemen into the NFL the past five drafts—three of them at center.

First things first, Wilson checks the physical boxes at 6’3” and 310 pounds. He also earns plus marks for his premier athleticism. The Bulldogs run a lot of inside zone concepts and occasionally sprinkle in outside concepts. I feel some of his best tape is on the move getting to the second level thanks in part to his lateral agility and quickness.

While he could stand to get stronger at the point of attack, he does a good job sustaining blocks by playing with good leverage and hand technique. His coaches and fellow players have praised his football IQ and diligence to improving his craft. Overall, I think he is a pretty well-rounded player given his lack of starting experience.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t bank on him being a Day 1 starter in the NFL, but he has top-tier physical traits and has a lot of room for growth. As far as draft position, I think he will likely go early on Day 3. You can catch him tonight when the Bulldogs host the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kyle Kennard, EDGE —South Carolina Gamecocks

Last week you saw me write about T.J. Sanders and how he would be an upgrade to the Broncos’ defensive line. But he isn’t the only player in the Gamecocks’ defensive front seven that has early round potential. His teammate Kyle Kenard, who was just named as a Walter Camp Award semifinalist and is their defensive Spirit Award winner is skyrocketing up draft boards.

Kennard played four years at Georgia Tech before transferring to South Carolina. Last season with the Yellow Jackets he had 54 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks in 12 games. But I don’t think anyone could have imagined how well he would play this year.

Through 9 games, he ranks second in the SEC in sacks with 9.5. He has the most tackles for loss in the conference with 13.5. On top of that, he has a penchant for causing turnovers with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on the year.

At 6’5 and 254 pounds he has pro-ready size, but the frame to get bigger and stronger. His get off at the line of scrimmage isn’t elite, but it’s very good. He covers a lot of ground quickly as a long-strider and has a big wingspan and reach. His experience shows by his quality play diagnosis ability and instincts. On tape, he is rarely caught out of position and certainly isn’t fooled by misdirection attempts by opposing offense.

I’d like to see him play with better pad level, add more lower body strength, and diversify his pass rush moves. But overall, he is an ascending player with a lot of experience who went from a late Day 3 pick at the start of the season to a potential Top 64 pick come April. The Broncos have a nice trio with Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto, and Jonah Ellis—but what does Denver have to lose with adding another pass rusher to the mix? He’s definitely on my list of players

You can see him play against Missouri tomorrow afternoon.

Tai Felton, Wide Receiver — Maryland Terrapins

We’ve looked at a handful of the top wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft class over the past few months, but I haven’t delved too deep into the second and third tier of receivers available in this year’s class. Senior wideout Tai Felton of Maryland is a player that has improved each season and will likely merit Top 75 consideration from a lot of teams.

Last season with the Terrapins, Felton started 13 games and came away with 48 receptions for 723 yards and six touchdowns. His 15.1 yard per catch average demonstrates his playmaking ability. In 9 games this year, he already has 80 catches for 979 yards and six touchdowns. He has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the entire country and is zeroing in on several of D.J. Moore’s program records.

At 6’1” and 185 pounds, Felton is a bit on the small size, but he certainly plays a lot more physical than his weight would suggest. He’s got great contact balance and is hard to tackle. The film shows a knack for making defenders miss and extending plays after the catch. I think he does really well on 50-50 balls and attacking the ball in the air.

He isn’t a burner by any means but has deceptive long speed and has the ability to take it the distance. I also think he is a pretty accomplished route runner who can work all three levels of the field. I believe he would add a unique dynamic to the Broncos’ offense and be a player who offers a bit of a different skillset than some of those on the roster.

The Broncos could really use a good yard after catch prospect, and he is one of the best in this year’s class at that. If he finishes strong in the last few games, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name called on Day 2 of the draft. You can see him in action against Rutgers this evening.