It has been a while since Auburn has been one of the dominant power five schools in the country. The SEC is always dominant, but it’s more fun when Auburn is in the mix.

Part of the reason that the SEC has gone to the next level is the addition of some impressive football schools. One of those is Oklahoma, who will be facing Auburn this weekend.

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With each of these teams playing well, both ranked, there is a ton of NFL talent just waiting to be scouted by the Chicago Bears and the rest of the NFL. These are the four to watch extra close this weekend:

John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma

The Bears have a lot invested in quarterback Caleb Williams. They have given him weapons, a genius of an offensive-minded head coach, and the keys to the franchise. However, the early returns are up and down. So far, you can’t say firmly that Williams is the guy in the long term. However, it is fair to still have hope. No matter what, though, they need to be thinking in the back of their minds about the potential future without Williams.

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If he doesn’t take significant steps this season, they need to think about hard decisions. Ben Johnson also has nothing to do with Williams being on the team (although he did choose the Bears in large part because of Williams). While highly unlikely, if Chicago were to consider moving on as early as the 2026 NFL draft, John Mateer may be the best option. He is worth watching against Auburn, even if it is extremely unlikely that the Bears decide this. Mateer has been impressive so far this season, and he should be a highly-drafted player next spring.

Connor Lew, IOL, Auburn

The Bears rebuilt their offensive line during the offseason. They have a new center, a new left guard, and a new right guard. Only right tackle Darnell Wright and left tackle Braxton Jones remain on the roster from last season. So far, on the inside of the line, they haven’t seen the great returns on investment that they were hoping for. Jonah Jackson, in particular, hasn’t had the best start to the season. If the Bears did want to address the offensive line further with a highly touted player, Connor Lew may be an option for the interior. He could be a guy who goes late in the first round or early in the second.

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Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn

Speaking of the offensive line, the Bears want to upgrade at left tackle as well. Xavier Chaplin may be able to create that for them. Like his teammate Lew, Chaplin will likely be selected in the early stages of the second round, if not in the first. Chaplin has what it takes to be an impact player at the NFL level. The Bears must be scouting Auburn all year long due to their incredible duo that helps them protect their quarterback.

Peyton Bowen, S, Oklahoma

The Bears may also want to address their secondary. If they did, but their early picks are used to address other issues, they may consider Peyton Bowen in the later stages. He is a solid player who will be given a chance at the NFL level following the draft. Keep up with him in this game against Auburn to see how he responds to some of their great weapons on offense. Bowen is going to face high-end wide receivers like Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman, so scouts will see him against top-tier talent to see how he responds.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Auburn vs. Oklahoma: Draft prospects to watch