They Might Be Giants: Emerging Draft Prospects from the CFB Championship Game

Congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes, FBS 1 champions, following their 34-23 win over Notre Dame on Monday night. Hopefully, those Giants fans who tuned in took much out of that classic battle, which put some of tomorrow's NFL stars on display.

With the college football playoffs in the books, draft talk, which has already begun to pick up, will ramp up even further as the college all-star games are officially set to get underway, starting with the Shrine Bowl on January 30 and the Senior Bowl on February 1.

In the meantime, we look at those who “might be Giants” from the championship game.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the third quarter during the College Football Playoff championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

QB Will Howard, Ohio State

On the biggest stage in college football, with the entire football world watching, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard played one of his best games of the season.

He finished the game 17-21 for 231 yards and two passing touchdowns. Howard tacked on 14 carries for 61 yards and eight first downs. His timely runs came at the right times to keep the offense on the field and move the chains.

Howard's next test is at the Reese's Senior Bowl. With his strong college football playoff run and a good performance at the Senior Bowl, Howard can raise his stock into a possible first-round pick.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State

Tyrone Tracy earned the trust and faith of the Giants coaching staff to maintain the RB1 title, but adding a powerful running mate makes plenty of sense.

Quishon Judkins is a physical and punishing-style runner with a mean, stiff arm. No matter who the quarterback is for the Giants in 2025, leaning on a strong rushing attack only makes their life easier.

Pairing Judkins with Tracy would give this offense a two-headed monster with complimentary play styles to change the pace and keep defenses on their heels.

Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) participates in a drill during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

SAF Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

Xavier Watts projects as a box safety with some nickel coverage principles. He is a good tackler in space and can be a plus-one defender in the run game.

Watts's ball production and ability to generate turnovers rank high among his peers in this draft class.

Since 2023, he has 13 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, and two fumbles forced. Against Ohio State, he finished with seven tackles and a pass breakup on a highly contested wheel route to the uber-talented running back TreVeyon Henderson.

Watts is one of the best defensive back prospects in the draft and will improve an NFL defensive secondary.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) and safety Sonny Styles (6) celebrates a defensive stop during the first half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

One of the most athletic defenders on Ohio State's defense made a positive impact throughout the game.

Linebacker Sonny Styles made his presence felt against the run and pass. He finished with three tackles, one quarterback hit, and a sack.

Styles flashes coverage ability as a converted safety to linebacker. He is still learning the position, but his ceiling is high.

Edge J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

J.T. Tuimoloau showcased his pass-rushing ability off the edges in the National title game. He was a difficult blocker for Notre Dame at times.

Tuimoloau finished the game with one sack, a quarterback hit, and a hurry, with a pass rush win rate of 14.8%; on true-dropback sets, his pass rush win rate rose to 40%.

Tuimoloau was not 100% in this game as he suffered an ankle injury the week prior against Texas in the Semifinal round. Still, he has been a disruptive defender all season.

If the Giants want to add more pass-rush talent to their defense, Tuimoloau would be a nice potential day-two option to bolster their depth and athleticism to deal with Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and Jayden Daniels.