A draft's-eye viewers guide to Thursday Night's college football slate

Labor Day weekend is here and that means college football is back in full swing. Sit back, relax and enjoy five straight days of college football, starting with tonight’s slate that features four Top 25 teams in action.

Matchup of the Night

Kaimon Rucker, Edge, UNC vs. Minnesota’s OTs

The best game of the night also features the best matchup of the evening. Rucker, the edge rusher for the Tar Heels will be squaring off against the Golden Gopher’s offensive tackle tandem of Aireontae Ersery and Quinn Carroll.

At 6-6, 337 pounds, Ersery is a mountain and he moves like a tight end. The Missouri native has started 26 games at left tackle and one game at right tackle. The Golden Gopher left tackle is powerful and creates surge as a run blocker. With his frame and athleticism, Ersery has all the tools that NFL teams covet.

Since transferring from Notre Dame to Minnesota in 2022, Caroll has started 26 games at right tackle for the Golden Gophers. The Edina, Minnesota native has an NFL frame, plays with good knee bend, and gets proper depth in his sets.

Trying to get past those two behemoths, will be Rucker. The Tar Heel product is coming off a season in which he recorded 61 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 60 pressures. Rucker competes with consistent effort and has a radar for the football. As a pass rusher, Rucker wins with his quickness and it will be interesting to see his approach tonight against Ersery and Carroll.

Prospect to Watch

Grey Zabel, OL, NDSU

Zabel and the Bison head to Boulder to take on Colorado this evening. Zabel enters tonight’s contest with 22 career starts to his name. Zabel is likely the next NDSU OL to hear his name called during draft weekend. The South Dakota native is a technician and has tackle-guard versatility.

“Small School Prospect”

Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State

Slater enters tonight’s matchup against San Jose State with 35 career starts under his belt. With 33 of those starts coming at left guard and the other two at left tackle. A four-sport athlete in high school, Slater was listed on Bruce Feldman’s Annual Freak’s list this summer. From Feldman:

“He power cleaned 405 pounds and squatted 635, and he moves very well for his frame, topping out at 19.96 mph.”

Slater is regarded as one of the top prospects in the Big Sky Conference and is coming off a season in which he gave up zero sacks and 10 pressures.