NFL prospect watch: Aztecs’ Owen Chambliss, Broncos’ Kage Casey on display in Mountain West showdown

A win over Boise State at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night will put San Diego State in the driver’s seat to host the Mountain West Championship game in the Aztecs’ final season as a member of the conference. Here’s a look at five potential NFL prospects to watch:

Owen Chambliss, LB, San Diego State, So.

Chambliss has risen to the occasion with the vaunted Aztecs’ defense dealing with injuries. He has 26 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception in the last two games. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s ranked as the fourth-best linebacker in the country with an 85.6 defensive grade and is the eighth-best linebacker in coverage (minimum 400 snaps).

Dwayne McDougle, S, San Diego State, Jr.

McDougle ranks fourth on the Aztecs with 34 tackles, and the only player on SDSU besides Chris Johnson to have multiple interceptions this season. He also returned a fumble  for a score in the 34-0 shutout of Cal in September. The 6-foot, 205-pound McDougle transferred from Idaho after spending two seasons with the FCS program. He prepped at Oakland’s McClymonds High School, a Northern California powerhouse, where he helped lead the Warriors to a CIF Division 3A State Championship in 2021. McDougle currently ranks as the 45th-best safety in the nation with a 76.4 defensive grade, with PFF grading him 19th against the run (minimum 400 snaps).

Kage Casey, T, Boise State, Jr.

The 6-5, 316-pound Casey was the only Group of 5 player on the Walter Camp preseason All-America first team after not allowing a sack in 440 opportunities as a sophomore. He was just as dominant as a run blocker, helping Ashton Jeanty run for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns and finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting. Despite some regression in pass protection, the two-time All-Mountain West selection looks like a top-100 prospect in this year’s draft class. He’s an old-school bookend who can move a pass rusher out of the way, but he’d prefer to bury them. The sky is the limit if he can find consistency in his footwork in pass pro.

Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Edge, Boise State, Jr.

247Sports.com listed Virgin-Morgan as a four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. He was a three-phase contributor at Mt. Carmel High School, with snaps at running back, tight end, edge and linebacker, and blocked three punts as a senior. Virgin-Morgan had a breakout sophomore season for the Broncos, who led the FBS with 55 sacks as a team. He contributed 40 tackles, 15½ tackles for loss, 10 sacks and a forced fumble en route to first-team All-Mountain West honors. His size (6-3, 260), strength and athleticism show up against the run and pass.

A’Marion McCoy, CB, Boise State, Sr.

McCoy emerged as the Broncos’ top cover cornerback last season, producing 60 tackles, 13 pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception — a 35-yard pick-six in a 56-24 win over the Aztecs. He already has four interceptions this season, including two more pick-sixes, against UNLV and Appalachian State. According to PFF coverage grades, McCoy is the 10th-best-rated cornerback this year. His ball skills play anywhere, but if he doesn’t add weight to his frame (he’s 6-foot, 176 pounds), he’ll likely get pigeonholed as a nickel or dime back in the pros.