This year's Holiday Bowl should be an interesting one between Northwestern and Utah, quality clubs that lost in conference title games earlier in December.
While not an outing oozing with draft prospects, the Wildcats quarterback is certainly on the NFL radar, as is the Utes' springy tackling machine.
We're going game by game during bowl season to let you know exactly who you should watch to get ready for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Northwestern
Clayton Thorson, QB
The 6-foot-4 pocket passer has been a well-known name in the draft community for years because of what he did as a sophomore in 2016 when he tossed 22 touchdowns to just nine interceptions at close to 60 percent completion rate. But Thorson didn't really improve from there. He can have short stretches of brilliant quarterback play, but he severely lacks in the consistency department with his decision-making and accuracy. At his size, with over 1,600 attempts at the collegiate level, Thorson will likely get drafted. He needs to iron out some key issues in his game to succeed at the next level.
Utah
Chase Hansen, LB
Hansen is a good-sized, twitchy off-ball linebacker who covers well, is efficient as a blitzer, and has the speed to run down ball-carriers. He had 90 tackles, three picks, nine pass breakups, and three forced fumbles in 2016, and after a down 2017 improved his tackle number to 114 while registering 22 tackles for loss. He snagged two interceptions and broke up four passes too. The only problem with Hansen as a prospect: he's already 25 years old.
