College Football 2023 Stock Up, Stock Down Week 6: Jared Verse, Jordan Morgan, Malachi Corley & More

Many 2024 NFL Draft prospects saw their stock rise in Week 6 of college football, but a few suffered through tough weeks

Outside of two close games in the Saturday noon window, Week 6 of college football was a wash of blowouts, sloppy football, and turnover battles until the night slate saved the day with a few must-see upset bids. Many 2024 NFL Draft prospects saw their stock rise, but a few suffered through tough weeks.

Only draft-eligible players appear in this series. I tried to avoid picking prospects from blowouts or “tune-up” games against lesser competition.

Feel free to tell me in the comments or on Twitter @Sam_Teets33 if you saw a player that deserves to be on this list.

Stock Up: Malachi Corley, WR Western Kentucky

I already featured Corley in previous editions of this series, but it’s impossible to breeze by his performance against Louisiana Tech casually. He had eight receptions for 207 yards and three touchdowns, generating well over 100 yards after the catch.

Corley’s night included this 70-yard score that featured a hit stick on a would-be tackler. His combination of acceleration, agility, contact balance, density, and speed make him one of the most versatile weapons in the 2024 class.

Corley’s second touchdown showcased his speed as he pulled away from several Louisiana Tech defenders before breaking two more tackles on his way to the end zone after a 48-yard catch and run. The thrilling receiver’s third touchdown during his career night was a rare 29-yard downfield shot (it looked longer on tape). Corley caught the ball through contact on a great throw from Austin Reed.

The 2024 wide receiver class is deep and loaded with top-75 talent. Corley should be a second round pick.

Stock Up: Interior defensive linemen

What a week for some of the top interior defensive line prospects. LSU’s Maason Smith was a consensus early first round pick going into the year, and he disappointed analysts significantly through the season’s first month. Fortunately, the redshirt sophomore made some noise in LSU’s close win against Missouri.

Smith tallied four pressures, including a sack, four tackles, and batted down a pass on Saturday. He hasn’t vaulted himself back into the first round discussion, but he finally showcased the burst, speed, and game-wrecking athleticism everyone expected.

Speaking of a game-wrecker, T'Vondre Sweat combines fierce hand and elite power with surprisingly loose hips and acceleration for a mammoth lineman. According to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, Sweat is 6' 4 1/4", weighs 346 lbs., and has 33 1/4-inch arms. The fifth-year lineman put his powerful long-arm move and leg drive on tape early against Oklahoma.

Check out this rep of Sweat charging down the line to hold a run play for little gain. Very few nose tackle-sized players can reach that speed so quickly.  

Clemson’s duo of Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro had strong days defending Wake Forest’s long mesh offense. Davis doesn’t have ideal arm length, but he has arguably been Clemson’s most consistent defensive lineman over the past two years. He can clog the middle by absorbing multiple blockers or penetrate into the backfield to disrupt exchanges.

Orhorhoro netted a sack for the second consecutive week. The athletic prospect isn’t as polished as most fifth-year linemen, but he has all of the physical tools NFL teams want.

Stock Up: Tyler Guyton & Christian Jones, RTs

Left tackles are all the craze, but how bout’em right tackles?! The Red River Rivalry was another classic in a storied matchup, but most fans probably weren’t watching the trenches too closely. Guyton, who might be the most physically gifted tackle to suit up for the Sooners in recent history, and Jones had excellent showings.

Saturday’s game wasn’t the best of Guyton’s career, but he only allowed one pressure despite facing a deep Texas defensive line with plenty of pass rushers and toolsy players. The TCU transfer used his superior length and play strength to lock out the Longhorns. Texas’ defenders just couldn’t play through his frame.

Jones is one of the biggest risers this year, and this is his second consecutive week appearing in this series. The fifth-year tackle has impressive measurements (10 5/8-inch hands, 35 1/8-inch arms, and an 83 3/4-inch wingspan) and the play strength to absorb and anchor against would-be power rushes. Jones also has impressive footwork for someone his size. He allowed one pressure on 48 pass blocking snaps against the Sooners.

Stock Up: Jacob Cowing, WR Arizona

Cowing hauled in not one, not two, not three, but FOUR touchdowns against the No. 9 team in the country. The fifth-year receiver gained 1,354 yards on just 69 receptions at UTEP in 2021 before he posted 1,034 yards with Arizona in 2022. Cowing scored seven touchdowns in both of his 1,000-yard seasons. He already has eight touchdowns this season despite not posting eye-catching yardage totals.

Cowing excels at finding space against zone coverage, like he did against USC for his first touchdown. The slot receiver is also a fantastic route runner who generates plenty of natural separation against man coverage with his sharp cuts and jumps.

When Arizona needed a score in overtime to force double-OT, Cowing adjusted to a back shoulder throw for an easy one-play touchdown against tight man coverage. He came back on the following drive with an awesome route that showed off his acceleration and soft hands and resulted in his fourth touchdown.

Cowing projects as a late third or early fourth round selection.

Stock Down: Notre Dame’s offensive tackles

Louisville’s defensive line looked across the field at Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Blake Fisher and shrugged. They attacked Alt and Fisher all night, making Sam Hartman feel pressure like he hasn’t felt all season. Both tackles surrendered three pressures, including two sacks each. Fisher committed two penalties.

Louisville took advantage of Alt’s size and the balance concerns that come with it. They also ran stunts that fooled Alt and strained his lateral agility. The All-American tackle ended up on the ground several times as the Cardinals toppled the mountainous lineman along with the No. 10 team in the country.

Stock Up: Jordan Morgan, LT Arizona

Morgan is a future first round selection dominating in his fifth college season. He doesn’t generate much displacement in the run game, but he is one of the best technicians in pass protection in the country. After facing Bralen Trice and Washington’s pass rushers, battling USC’s defensive front was child’s play for Morgan.

Power is sometimes an issue for Morgan, but he has quick, powerful hands and sudden, corrective footwork. The Arizona left tackle is so calm, controlled, and patient in pass protection. He allowed no pressures on 46 pass blocking snaps against the Trojans.

Stock Up: Trey Benson, RB Florida State

Benson was my top running back over the summer because his burst and contact balance allow him to pick up tough yardage or break long runs. He had a slow start to the year, averaging under four yards per carry in four of his five appearances. Benson turned everything around on Saturday, rushing for 200 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries.

Benson fired up the jets on an 85-yard touchdown blast around the outside to shut down any chance of a Virginia Tech comeback. That run bested his 62-yard touchdown from earlier in the half. Benson’s vision and burst defined the game.

Stock Up: Jared Verse, Edge Florida State

Verse entered this past weekend with only half a sack through his first four appearances. He picked up a reasonable number of pressures during those games and showcased a growing appetite for run defense, but the sacks were just out of his reach. He got to Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones twice.

Virginia Tech’s tackles couldn’t deal with Verse’s explosive first step and outside speed rush. His overwhelming burst off the line and complementary hand usage kept the Hokies on their toes throughout the day. Verse used a two-handed swipe and his lateral agility to finish his second sack.

Stock Down: QBs with turnover questions

Dammit guys, we were all rooting for you.

A couple of veteran quarterbacks who were building positive momentum ran into pitfalls of their own making over the weekend. I don’t want to overreact to one game, but these performances were disheartening and built upon concerns that already existed for these players entering the year.

Washington State’s Cameron Ward has been one of my favorite players for a while now, but it’s hard to find a bright spot in his game against UCLA. Against the best defense he’s faced this year, Ward completed under half of his passes for 197 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions.

K.J. Jefferson’s turnover concerns already struck Arkansas in one-score losses against BYU and LSU. They showed up again in an early interception against Ole Miss that eventually led to a Rebels touchdown. Another interception with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter sealed the game. Jefferson has thrown six interceptions and lost a fumble this year while putting the ball on the ground six times.

Tyler Van Dyke showed promise in 2021, struggled to be a capable starter in 2022, and came out on fire in 2023. Unfortunately, he and Miami ran into a roadblock against Georgia Tech, of all teams. Have some dignity man! It’s the Yellow Jackets! Van Dyke threw three interceptions, bringing his season total to four.

Notre Dame barely lost to Ohio State after a poor offensive performance. That loss can be excused. Losing to Louisville however, that’s an unexpected surprise. Sam Hartman completed 22 of 38 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions and lost two fumbles against the Cardinals. His turnovers led to 13 points for Louisville, including the first touchdown of the game and a late fourth quarter field goal to make it a three-score lead for the Cardinals.

Hartman’s interceptions were his first of the season. Missouri’s Brady Cook, who completed some big passe early against LSU, also tossed his first turnovers of the year. Cook entered the game with the SEC record for consecutive passes without an interception, but he made two horrendous decisions that sunk Missouri’s upset bid by gifting LSU a pick-six and the field positioning to score an additional touchdown on offense.

Quinn Ewers almost made this list after one of the worst interceptions I’ve ever seen. Thankfully, he recovered and put together a strong remainder of the game. Ewers did throw a second interception, but it wasn’t entirely his fault.

The Kentucky version of Devin Leary is a shell of the 2021 North Carolina State version. He completed ten of 26 pass attempts for 128 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia the week after going nine for 19 for 69 yards and a score against Florida. He hasn’t thrown an interception in either game, but he hasn’t played winning football either. Leary’s sudden trend of inaccurate play is startling.

Stock Up: The mobile Heisman contending quarterbacks

Will either Jayden Daniels or Dillon Gabriel be top 100 picks? No. Will they be viewed as viable long-term starters in the NFL? No. Then why are they here? Both college veterans authored late-game heroics to beat ranked opponents on the road. Daniels and Gabriel put their mobility on display as they escaped pressure and breathed life into dead plays.

Daniels battled through an apparent injury in the second half to electrify LSU’s offense and respond to multiple scores allowed by his team’s defense. The Arizona State transfer’s arm strength allows him to make all of the major downfield throws, and his vertical accuracy has jumpstarted Brian Thomas Jr.’s draft stock. Daniels and Thomas connected for a 42-yard score in the third quarter that gave LSU its first lead of the game.

The most unique elements of Daniels’ game are his acceleration and speed. Giving him a rushing lane is no different than giving a punt returner an open lane because that’s the level of angle-erasing explosiveness Daniels brings to the field. He sprinted for a 35-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.

It took some guts from Gabriel to hang in the pocket and deliver the game-winning touchdown with less than 20 seconds remaining against Texas. Injuries cut his 2021 campaign short and limited him in 2022, but he’s reached a new career peak after overcoming some obstacles.

Gabriel carried the ball 14 times for 113 yards against Texas. He doesn’t have the same top speed as Daniels but is still lethal if left along in space.

After watching both veterans on Saturday, I wonder why more colleges don’t heavily focus on developing mobile quarterbacks. They erase so many mistakes by the offensive line and give teams a second chance at generating yards on busted plays.

Stock Up: The blue blood wide receiver programs

Alabama, LSU, and Ohio State are firmly in the Wide Receiver University debate. All three programs got big performances in Week 6 from their top skill players.  

Malik Nabers produced six receptions on ten targets for 148 yards and a touchdown. He generated 58 yards after contact. Nabers has pulled away from the field to solidify himself as the second-best receiver in the 2024 class.

Brian Thomas Jr. caught four receptions on five targets for 66 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown. Thomas entered the season without any serious draft hype after he generated under 400 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons. Thomas has emerged as a big play, vertical threat for the Tigers. He has nine touchdowns in six games this year. 

Jermaine Burton tallied nine receptions on 12 targets for 197 yards and two touchdowns against Texas A&M. It was far from a perfect game for Burton, but it was the performance he needed to start delivering on some of the draft hype he received entering the 2022 season.

Some analysts mocked Burton in the first round when he transferred from Georgia to Alabama in 2022. He’s not that caliber of player, but he could be a quality draft pick. Burton has the speed to threaten teams over the top and enough acceleration to cover ground quickly after the catch. He scored on a nice 46-yard stutter-go with 2:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Finally, Marvin Harrison Jr. took over the game when Ohio State was struggling to move the ball and overcome Maryland. He caught eight of 13 targets for 163 yards and a touchdown. Harrison wins at all three levels and is the rarest prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Stock Up Week 6 Honorable Mentions

Jonathon Brooks, RB Texas

Brooks was Texas’ best weapon against Oklahoma. He carried the ball 22 times for 129 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Brooks’ footwork, deceleration, and rapid re-acceleration made the touchdown possible. His performance this year has some analysts wondering if he will be the top running back prospect selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Laiatu Latu & the Murphy Twins, Edges UCLA

UCLA might have the best pass rushing trio in college football. Latu is firmly in the first round discussion as far as I’m concerned, and Gabriel and Grayson Murphy are going on three years as two of the nation’s most productive pass rushers. Together, the three totaled 18 pressures, including two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble against red hot Washington State.

Latu is one of the most technically developed, hard working pass rushers in the 2024 class. The Murphy brothers are explosive linemen with the speed and first steps off the edge to outrace tackles upfield. UCLA occasionally lines them up off-ball or as stand up linebackers in the A-gap to create athletic mismatches.

Carson Beck, QB Georgia

Beck will likely return to school and work toward the 2025 NFL Draft, but he is eligible for 2024 if he wants to leave. Saturday was his best game as a Bulldog as he completed 28 of 35 passes for a career-high 389 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception against No. 20 Kentucky. The Georgia dynasty is alive and well if Beck can stay this hot.

Georgia incorporated a fair amount of schemed touches against the Wildcats, but Beck showed off his accuracy and velocity on a bunch of throws outside the numbers. He also created a few looks by rolling out and working off-platform.

Jawhar Jordan, RB Louisville

Jordan is an undersized but explosive running back averaging 7.5 yards per carry this season. He demolished Notre Dame’s defense, rushing for 143 yards and a pair of scores on 21 carries. Jordan broke an incredible 45-yard touchdown run that showed off his angle-erasing speed and rapid acceleration. He also split the defense with his burst for a 21-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to extend Louisville’s lead to two scores.

Jordan’s size and lack of power seemed to limit his effectiveness against North Carolina State, but it didn’t slow him down against Indiana or Notre Dame.

Elijhah Badger, WR Arizona State

The 2024 wide receiver class is deep. I currently have 12 in my top 55 prospects for the class, 16 in the top 100, and 22 in the first four rounds. Badger has a third round evaluation, and he is earning it this year. Despite injuries and inconsistent play at quarterback, Badger is on pace to nearly match his 2022 totals.

Badger caught 12 of his 15 targets against Colorado for 134 yards. He was money from the very start of the game. The star receiver excels at breaking tackles and generating after the catch, which he proved by generating 130 YAC on Saturday night.

Ethan Downs, Edge Oklahoma

Downs was a big get for Oklahoma in the 2021 recruiting class. The four-star recruit flashed late in his freshman season but didn’t quite reach expectations as a sophomore. Downs is off to a better start this year. He picked up four pressures, including two sacks, in the Red River Rivalry. Down also tossed star Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. in a goal line situation to assist on a key stop in the fourth quarter.

Erick All, TE Iowa

All was a hot name after the 2021 season, but injuries and competition limited him to just 36 receiving yards in 2022. The injury to Luke Lachey at Iowa created a path for All to be an uncontested TE1 for the first time in two years. All made the most of the situation against Purdue, producing 97 yards and a touchdown on five receptions, which included this contested grab.

Jordan Whittington, WR Texas

Lots of Texas and Oklahoma players this week. Whittington is Texas’ go-to option in third down situations. The former high school All-State wide receiver, defensive back, and return man excels at making himself available, creating after the catch, and taking care of the dirty work while Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell capture headlines.

With Oklahoma focusing on Mitchell and Worthy, Whittington snagged ten of ten targets for 115 yards, including 51 yards after the catch. Whittington is a day three prospect.

Devontez Walker, WR North Carolina

Welcome back to football Mr. Walker! After finally being ruled eligible by the NCAA, Walker caught six of eight targets for 43 yards against Syracuse, including this beautiful leaping snag. Walker’s combination of size and speed makes him a likely third round selection.

Stock Up Week 6 More Names of Note

Kris Abrams-Draine, CB Missouri

Ulysses Bentley IV, RB Ole Miss

Beau Brade, S Maryland

Mitchell Evans, TE Notre Dame

Jalil Farooq, WR Oklahoma

Ashton Gillotte, Edge Louisville

Alijah Huzzie, CB North Carolina

Brennan Jackson, Edge Washington State

Steve Linton, Edge Texas Tech

Lathan Ransom, S Ohio State

Brenden Rice, WR USC

Will Sheppard, WR Vanderbilt

Davin Vann, Edge North Carolina State

James Williams, S Miami