There are 11 bowls kicking off from Jan. 1-4. I plan on watching them all, ravenously and diligently taking notes on all the NFL prospects in each game.

Here is one player from each game to focus on from a scouting perspective and how to watch them a little differently than in just casual football observation.

Outback Bowl

The new year of football kicks off with Auburn and Wisconsin. There will be many future NFLers on the field for both teams. The first one to get picked in April will almost certainly be Auburn wideout Sammie Coates.

Physically, Coates echoes of Julio Jones or Andre Johnson, bigger guys with exceptional open-field speed for their size. He’s got excellent strength in his routes but can also pull away with a savvy change-of-gears move. Auburn’s strength coach is on record stating Coates can bench over 400 pounds and has run in the 4.25 range, with a 44” vertical leap. He’s shown those attributes off in several games.

Notice I didn’t mention the primary function of being a wide receiver--catching the actual football. Coates isn’t a drop machine by any means, but he often battles the ball before securing it away. That’s a lot easier to do in college than the pros. He has a bit of the Braylon Edwards disease, the baffling ability to make difficult and contested catches in heavy traffic but bobble away or completely misjudge passes when he’s wide open.

Coates projects as a first-round pick, and if he rocks the workout circuit like many believe he will he could be the first wideout taken. The potential is certainly there for Coates to be a star in the NFL. Watch how he handles those open opportunities in this game. If the Ohio State game is any indication of how Wisconsin’s corners cover, he’ll have plenty of them in this one.

Cotton Bowl

The best bowl game not part of the playoff system takes place in Jerry World, even though the eponymous Cotton Bowl stadium sits a few miles away. Michigan State and Baylor are two of the more exciting teams in the nation.

Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman (who announced he’s returning to school) gets all the attention, but the Bears have a linebacker I’m watching intently. Bryce Hager is a rangy inside backer and consummate field general in the middle of the defense. He’s smart, instinctive and moves laterally quite well to get to the point of attack.

What Hager doesn’t have is a lot of power. Michigan State will test him with an aggressive run-blocking scheme and a powerful runner in Jeremy Langford. Watch and see how well Hager takes on blocks and gets himself in position to snuff out plays between the tackles, including screens and quick slants.

He’s a difficult projection to the next level because he’s undersized to play inside, both size and strength-wise. While he’s fast, he’s not as fluid or comfortable in coverage as most teams want from their outside backers. He’s also not a pass rusher, getting most of his QB pressures and limited sacks (3 in two years) in spying situations or on broken plays more than being a great blitzer. Connor Cook is a quality, future NFL QB (he’s wisely staying in school), and the Spartans offer a balanced offense which will test Hager’s all-around skills.

Citrus Bowl

Missouri and Minnesota isn’t the most glamorous game, but you might be surprised at the NFL talent on both rosters. Missouri’s defense continues its tradition of versatile pass rushers with Markus Golden and Shane Ray, both of whom figure to be top-75 picks. Minnesota has this draft’s top tight end in Maxx Williams, who could be (and should be) the only TE taken in the first two rounds.

My focus in this game will be Golden Gophers RB David Cobb. He’s overshadowed by outstanding B1G backs Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah and Tevin Coleman, but Cobb is going to make some team in the middle rounds very happy. I love this description of Cobb from SB Nation:  David Cobb, a 5'11, 220-pound, no-nonsense senior back who has rushed for 1,594 yards on about 25 carries per game. Cobb follows his blocking and falls forward; he's not as explosive as Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, but he's efficient and powerful. He would make a decent line look good and a good line look very good.

Missouri’s defensive line loves to attack gaps and try to disrupt runs in the backfield. This is a good test for Cobb, who isn’t twitchy-quick but has very little wasted movement and outstanding vision to the hole. Keep an eye on how well he picks up yards when his initial option is taken away and he has to manufacture on his own. He’s struggled with that at times, though he does have good balance when hit.

Rose Bowl

The Granddaddy of Them All pits Oregon and Florida State in one of the two College Football Playoff semifinals. There are at least 20 future NFL players between these two rosters, so choosing just one is like taking a 6-year-old to Baskin Robbins and hoping to get out quickly. Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Eddie Goldman, Arik Armstead, Jake Fisher, Hroniss Grasu, P.J. Williams. So. Many. Choices.

The focus here will be on Florida State center Cameron Erving. He was an underwhelming prospect while playing left tackle, but when moved into the middle thanks to injury Erving’s play improved dramatically. So did his NFL prospects; he was a 5th-6th round talent at tackle (though he likely would have been drafted higher than that) but will now battle Grasu and Auburn’s Reese Dismukes to be the first center off the board, probably in the early 2^nd round. Erving is tall for a center at 6’5”, but he naturally bends his knees and keeps his feet and shoulders square. His snapping has been just fine so far.

Making all the defensive reads and line calls is his primary challenge. Oregon is an aggressive, attacking defense with a lot of speed. It’s up to Erving to quickly diagnose what’s coming at them and get his experienced line around him to adjust. Both guards are future NFL players, too. If Erving can pick up on the Ducks D, it will reflect very well on his intelligence and adaptability at the next level.

Sugar Bowl

The other Playoff semifinal pits Ohio State and Alabama. Again, there will be a plethora of future NFL players on both sides of the ball for both teams. With so many great options, it’s tough to zero in on just one.

My choice here might surprise the more casual draft fan: Alabama QB Blake Sims. He’s only started for one season, and that season hasn’t always gone swimmingly for Sims. He’s small at a listed 6’0” and 208 pounds, though he might actually be one of the rare prospects who measures bigger than the program says. What I like about Sims is that he got better in every game. From his accuracy to his ability to read and manipulate coverage to his decisions on where to throw and when not to throw, Sims in December is a significantly better QB than the September version.

Yet he hasn’t seen a defensive front like Ohio State’s. That’s right, I said it: no SEC team compares to the Buckeyes in terms of defensive front talent. Missouri and Florida are the closest, and Mizzou did get a lot of pressure on him in the SEC Championship game. But Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington and Co. are a major challenge. Sims will have to show he can deliver an accurate ball under duress. He must also resist the urge to throw every ball to Amari Cooper even though the talented first-round wideout is the biggest advantage the Crimson Tide has in this game. Ohio State’s secondary is opportunistic and pounces on mistakes, so Sims must be sharp. If he passes this test--and I’m not sure he will--his draft stock moves from 6th-7th round to perhaps the top of the 4th. Outside of Winston and Mariota this QB class is almost terrifyingly bad, leaving real opportunity for a relative outsider like Sims to step into the void.

Armed Forces Bowl

Houston and Pittsburgh square off in Fort Worth in a game I’m fairly certain you won’t be watching unless you are from the 412 or 713. If you happen upon it, you will see a player I think is going to be one of this draft season’s biggest surprises in Pitt RT T.J. Clemmings.

It’s unusual for a top-shelf tackle prospect to play on the right side, but Clemmings isn’t your typical prospect. He’s only been playing offense for two years after converting from defensive end. His inexperience does show at times, notably when he has rushers on both sides. He can also get beaten by outside-in moves, though Houston doesn’t have anyone who offers much in that ability.

Where Clemmings really shines is as a run blocker. He uncoils power from his hips and through his shoulders, not just with his chest and arms. That’s the difference between a great one like Jason Peters and an average one like David Bakhtiari. He doesn’t just block people, he wants to bury them, and he always finishes his blocks. He could very well be my top-rated tackle in this draft (I haven’t seen enough of some guys yet), and if he lights up the Combine he could sneak into the top 10. My friend Pete Smith from With The First Pick agrees in his comprehensive scouting report.

TaxSlayer Bowl

What you probably know as the Gator Bowl pits Tennessee and Iowa, two of the least interesting BCS power conference teams for my money. The Volunteers are very young, while the Hawkeyes lack impact talent on both sides of the ball.

Defensive tackle Carl Davis is Iowa’s best player, but in this one keep an eye on his inside running mate Louis Trinca-Pasat. He’s the consummate junkyard dog type of player, a physically limited overachiever but just athletic enough to catch the offense by surprise. Davis is more of an anchor and tactician, while Trinca-Pasat is the penetrator and energy guy. As a result of his upfield quest, he can lose sight of the ball and take himself out of plays.

The Vols have a very physical running back in true freshman Jalen Hurd, who is bigger than most linebackers. He presents a stiff challenge for the 285-ish pound Trinca-Pasat, who doesn’t have a lot of functional power for his position. If the veteran Hawkeye can’t shed and bring down a guy like Hurd, his current 4th-5th round draft stock might be too optimistic.

Alamo Bowl

This is a game definitely worth your attention, as both Kansas State and UCLA are talented, well-coached teams who were in the playoff picture until the final week. UCLA’s defense features future NFL starters in LB Eric Kendricks and DE Owamagbe Odighizua, who will find a real challenge in K-State LT Cody Whitehair (just a junior not expected to declare).

The player I’m focusing on in this one is Wildcats WR/RS Tyler Lockett. He put on quite a show in last year’s bowl game against Michigan (remember when they went to bowls?) and has carried over his dynamic playmaking skills. I’ve watched every KSU game this year but two (SFA and UTEP), and Lockett’s fingerprints are all over those games. He’s small-framed and just 5’11” in cleats, but he has potential to be an excellent slot receiver at the next level. Lockett is freakishly quick in and out of his breaks and also has impressive top-end speed when being chased.

His draft status is a bit muddy, however. One of the reasons is that he’s had issues with drops. He appears to have small hands and doesn’t have a lot of strength, frequently pinning the ball to his pads to complete the catch. Because he’s small, staying in control after contact is a big issue. He needs to show the ability to pluck the ball and tuck it away quickly against a hard-hitting Bruins secondary. It’s always fun to watch Lockett operate as a punt returner, too. That dual-threat ability likely keeps him as a 3^rd or 4^th round pick even with his iffy hands.

Cactus Bowl

This used to be the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which used to be the Insight Bowl, which used to be the Copper Bowl. This year’s game pits Washington and Oklahoma State in the late time slot on Friday night.

Washington has a few top 103 prospects, though stud corner Marcus Peters is no longer with the team. My personal favorite is man-mountain DT Danny Shelton, but the spotlight in this game falls to OLB Hauoli Kikaha. He is a pure pass rusher with explosive burst off the edge and around the corner. Kikaha bagged 18 sacks this season, and at 6’3” and 250 pounds he’s got the build to play either DE or OLB at the next level. It was an impressive season for a player who missed all of 2013 with a knee injury.

It’s how well Kikaha plays when he’s not rushing the passer that bears watching. To say he’s apathetic in run support is dishonest, but he’s certainly not as aggressive or quick to the ball as he is when he’s chasing the quarterback. I want to see his instincts and anticipation in run defense.

Birmingham Bowl

East Carolina and Florida is a better matchup than it might first appear. The Pirates have a strong passing attack with QB Shane Carden and WRs Justin Hardy and Cam Worthy. Hardy gets more of the attention--as he should for being the NCAA’s all-time receptions leader--but Worthy might actually be the better NFL prospect.

Worthy is a bigger receiver who does his work down the field while Hardy (an NFL slot receiver) operates underneath. He missed two games with a suspension and will not back down from post-whistle chatter, but he’s very strong with the ball in the air. When you watch him against talented Gators CB Vernon Hargreaves, check out how he uses his body to shield the defender from the ball and how far he extends out to make the catch. I also want to see him show an extra burst, as he tends to play at just one speed.

Keep an eye on Florida edge rusher Dante Fowler, too. He’s going to be a top 50 pick and is one of the more exciting players to watch in all of college football.

GoDaddy Bowl

The bowl season (mercifully) concludes in Mobile with Arkansas State meeting Toledo. I’m looking forward to this for a couple of reasons. First, Arkansas State is one of two FBS teams I haven’t seen play at all this season (Middle Tennessee is the other). Secondly, Toledo is a pretty darn good football team with a handful of later-round prospects.

Center Greg Mancz will likely be the first Rocket drafted, perhaps as high as the 5th round. Linebacker Junior Sylvestre has a higher ceiling, however. He flies all over the field with a great nose for the ball. Toledo uses him in every imaginable role for a linebacker--blitzing, coverage, striker vs. the run. While that will help them win games in the MAC, it makes finding a role for the 225-pound backer in the NFL a bit of a challenge.

I’m hoping the Red Wolves force him into coverage situations. My read on Sylvestre in watching the Rockets play Cincinnati, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois is that he’s very quick to react in coverage but not very instinctive. I also want to see how he stacks and sheds against the perimeter run, where he can get washed out if he doesn’t beat the blocker to the point of attack. One NFL scout pegged him as a great sleeper candidate, so you can wake up before your friends on a guy who could be a 5th or 6th round pick.