Western Michigan player to watch: Jordan White, WR, Senior
At 6’0" 215 pounds, White is definitely a guy who is under the NFL radar right now, but a big game on national television could vastly improve his stock. White leads the nation right now with 127 receptions, but he is unlikely to break the record of 155 catches in a season set by Bowling Green’s Freddie Barnes.
White could struggle to get separation at the NFL level, but at least for this game against Purdue, he has a tall enough task and should be one of the stars of the game. If he can show some quickness and good upper-body strength at the NFL Scouting combine, he could be an interesting player going forward because his size and production are certainly there.
White is a Cleveland, Ohio native and has been dominating at Western Michigan the last couple of years, catching 274 passes since 2009.
Purdue Player to Watch: Kawann Short, DT, Junior
Short is an NFL-ready defensive tackle who was really productive as a sophomore but has been even better as a junior, racking up 53 tackles, 17.5 for a loss, and 6.5 sacks to go along with a blocked kick and a forced fumble.
At 6’3" 310 pounds, this is a guy who could really wind up surprising some people and pop up in the late first round discussion, but I think he would go no later than the third round if he were to declare for the 2012 NFL Draft. He should get a lot of opportunities to get to the quarterback with the potent passing attack of Western Michigan.
You can catch these players and the rest of their teammates on ESPN at 4:30 ET. It might not be the premiere bowl you are all waiting for, but if you are a fan of college football or the NFL, it’s a game worth watching.