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5 Matchups in College Football’s Week 5 Impacting 2015 NFL Draft

5 Matchups in College Football's Week 5 Impacting 2015 NFL Draft

Cedric Ogbuehi Texas A&M
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

With conference play underway, familiar foes and rivals take the field against each other. Conference play also allows talent evaluators to see who has improved over the last year and who can make the adjustments needed to beat the guy across from them. Here are five conference games and matchups that will impact the 2015 NFL Draft.

5. Boise State RB Jay Ajayi vs. Air Force Run Defense

Jay Ajayi Boise State
Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports

5. Boise State RB Jay Ajayi vs. Air Force Run Defense

Jay Ajayi Boise State
Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports

Boise State RB Jay Ajayi has had an up-and-down year. My No. 6 RB has run for 86, 219, 39 and 150 yards in four games this season. Following that pattern, Saturday will be a down week for Ajayi. That wouldn't be much of a surprise as Air Force currently has the sixth ranked run defense in the country. The most impressive performance came against Wyoming when the Cowboys only managed 51 yards rushing; well under the 190 the team averaged in 2013.

4. Nevada QB Cody Fajardo vs. San Jose State Pass Defense

Cody Fajardo Nevada
Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

4. Nevada QB Cody Fajardo vs. San Jose State Pass Defense

Cody Fajardo Nevada
Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

In another Mountain West showdown, Nevada travels to San Jose to take on the Spartans. Nevada's Cody Fajardo has surpassed Utah State's Chuckie Keeton as the best QB prospect from outside the power five conferences. San Jose State possesses the second best pass defense in the nation; allowing only 89.3 yards per game. Nevada won this game last year as Fajardo finished with 310 total yards and two touchdowns.

3. Texas A&M LT Cedric Ogbuehi vs. Arkansas DE Trey Flowers

Trey Flowers Arkansas
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

3. Texas A&M LT Cedric Ogbuehi vs. Arkansas DE Trey Flowers

Trey Flowers Arkansas
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Being played at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, this game features a great matchup on the left side of the A&M offensive line. Cedric Ogbuehi is one of the best tackles in the country and figures to be a top-10 lock. Trey Flowers was given a third-round grade by the NFL Draft Advisory Committee last year, but decided to stay in school. Even one sack against Ogbuehi would go a long way in improving that third-round grade.

2. Stanford WR Ty Montgomery vs. Washington CB Marcus Peters

Ty Montgomery Stanford Marcus Peters Washington
Getty Images

2. Stanford WR Ty Montgomery vs. Washington CB Marcus Peters

Ty Montgomery Stanford Marcus Peters Washington
Getty Images

In Stanford's 31-28 win in last year's matchup, Ty Montgomery returned the opening kickoff for a score and added a receiving touchdown. Despite the two scores, Marcus Peters played well against Montgomery. The Stanford WR finished with three catches for 56 yards. NFL scouts will be all over this matchup as Montgomery, my No. 3 WR, and Peters, my No. 5 CB, are both late first- to early second-round picks.

1. South Carolina LT Corey Robinson vs. Missouri DE Shane Ray

Shane Ray Missouri
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

1. South Carolina LT Corey Robinson vs. Missouri DE Shane Ray

Shane Ray Missouri
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Corey Robinson may be the most undervalued LT in the country. RB Mike Davis and LG A.J. Cann receive most of the spotlight when the Gamecocks are on offense. While they are great players, Robinson should not go unnoticed. At 6-foot-7, 348 pounds, Robinson is the No. 9 OT on my board. He'll face DE Shane Ray, who is second in the nation with six sacks. Ray has excelled as a starter now that Michael Sam and Kony Ealy are in the NFL.

Shawn Spencer is an NFL Draft writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Spencer_NFL, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

Related: Missouri Tigers DE Shane Ray Seeing His NFL Draft Stock Soar

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