College Football 2023 Stock Up, Stock Down Week 13: Xavier Carlton, Jaden Hicks, Payton Wilson & More
College football rivalry weekend gave us some great finishes, close calls, and impressive showings from 2024 NFL Draft prospects
College football rivalry weekend gave us some great finishes and close calls. Prospects are running out of opportunities to make positive impressions on evaluators for the 2024 NFL Draft. Today, we’ll cover roughly two dozen players who made the most of the holiday weekend by driving their draft stocks in the right direction.
Only draft-eligible players appear in this series. I tried to avoid picking prospects from blowouts or “tune-up” games against lesser competition. All heights and weights are unofficial unless specified.
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: Xavier Carlton, Edge Cal
Carlton wasn’t one of the prospects that jumped off the tape during write-ups this past summer and early in the fall, but I might need to revisit his report. The fourth-year junior has four games with seven or more pressures this year, including a dominant performance against UCLA. Carlton amassed eight tackles, eight pressures, 1.5 sacks, and two passes defensed against the Bruins.
Carlton is gifted with long arms, which he uses to access the tackle’s chest and create knockback. On this sack, Carlton stabs his right hand into the tackle’s chest while using his left hand to catch and nullify the tackle’s outside arm. The initial force of the contact sends the tackle backward, creating separation, and allowing Carlton to use his superior athletic ability to win around the outside.
Carlton’s best rep of the game came early in the first quarter. He used speed to power to put the right tackle on skates before sending him flying and laying into quarterback Ethan Garbers. Carlton’s pass rush arsenal is still a work in progress, but he has effective long-arm, swim, and push-pull moves.
Carlton also has the size (6'6", 270 lbs.) and explosiveness to work down the line and impact the run game. He needs to get better at holding the point of attack when offenses run directly at him.
Stock Up: Jaden Hicks, S Washington State
Hicks is arguably the best player on a defense with Brennan Jackson and Ron Stone Jr. The redshirt sophomore has great size (6'3", 212 lbs.) and plays to it with his excellent open field tackling and powerful hits. Hicks is an impactful blitzer with his size and play strength, and those traits translate to positive plays in run defense.
However, Hicks really excels working in zone coverage, where he can keep his eyes on the quarterback and jump or undercut routes. His pick-six against Colorado State earlier this year was a work of art. Hicks knows how to make a play on the ball at the catch point in man coverage, even if it isn’t his forte.
Matched up with projected top-50 pick Ja'Lynn Polk in the slot in the Apple Cup, Hicks patiently waited for Polk to come to him and wrestled the ball away from the big receiver for an interception. Here’s a closer look at the play. Hicks finished the game against Washington with an interception, a sack, and four total tackles.
Stock Up: Michael Hall Jr. & Jack Sawyer, DL Ohio State
The Ohio State defensive linemen not named JT Tuimoloau are finishing the year strong. Over the past four games, Sawyer has applied pressure on 16.25% of his pass rush attempts. He’s also showing improved effort and instincts in run defense. Hall has been quieter after a strong middle stretch to the season, but he made several timely stops against Michigan and applied pressure twice on just 14 pass rush reps.
Hall and Sawyer produced five pressures, a sack, and ten tackles on Saturday. They combined to sack J.J. McCarthy late in the second quarter. Sawyer used a long-arm move to push vertically before tossing the right tackle with a hump move and redirecting into the B-gap for a clean-up sack. Hall applied the initial pressure by swiping Zak Zinter’s outside arm, swimming over the top, and blowing by the All-American candidate with his closing speed.
Hall is undersized for an interior lineman, but his supreme athleticism makes him a mismatch nightmare for guards. He wins quickly with his fast hands and explosive burst. Hall’s swims and clubs allow him to penetrate and create big plays without taking on too much contact.
Ultimately, Hall and Sawyer might be best served returning to Ohio State for their senior seasons. I know Buckeyes fans wouldn’t be disappointed if that’s the case. The two could contend for first round selections if they turn their flashes into consistent play across a full year.
Stock Up: Jordan Burch & Brandon Dorlus, DL Oregon
Another star pass rush duo appears in this week’s column. Burch and Dorlus looked like they were trying to eat DJ Uiagalelei alive on Friday night. The two combined for eight pressures, six tackles, and two passes defensed. The actual game tape is far more impressive than the stat line suggests.
Burch didn’t get credit for even half a sack on this play, even though he contributed to making Uiagalelei fall down. The South Carolina transfer beat star right tackle Taliese Fuaga with an inside spin and sideswiped the quarterback with his left arm. Later in the game, Burch pressed the left tackle vertically and used an inside swim to get home and drag down Uiagalelei.
Burch earned the No. 4 spot on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List for his feats in the weight room and almost hitting 21 miles per hour despite weighing more than 290 lbs. His production hasn’t reached the level of his tools, but he’s still applying pressure on 13.79% of his pass rush attempts over the past three weeks. Burch also has the physical skill set to be an impact run defender.
Dorlus didn’t have as many wins as a rusher as Burch, but he got his hands on two of Uiagalelei’s passes. He knocked down this throw on 4th & 17 late in the fourth quarter to kill an Oregon State drive. Dorlus is a monster when it comes to timing and batting down passes. He has eight such plays this season, tying him for fifth among ALL PAC-12 DEFENDERS.
Dorlus is a wrecking ball with tweener traits that make it possible for him to rush from anywhere along the line. He has at least 42 pressures in each of the past three seasons. Dorlus wins around the outside and up the middle with his awesome combination of power, lateral quickness, and active hands. Dorlus has a bull rush, two-handed swipe, killer swim move, club-swim, and rip move in his arsenal. He doesn’t have elite bend, so it’s doubtful he kicks all the way outside full-time in the NFL.
Stock Up: Jeremiah Hunter, WR Cal
Jack Plummer transferring to Louisville neutered Cal’s passing game and impacted Hunter’s ability to match his production from last year. Fortunately, he saved the best for last as he caught eight of 12 targets for a season-high 101 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter has great size (6'2", 200 lbs.) and thrives beating opponents at the catch point and in the red zone. He is one of the best back shoulder receivers in college football.
Hunter got going early against UCLA. He ran a perfect stutter-go that got the cornerback to bite and cleared the way for a 49-yard play. It might have gone for a touchdown if the quarterback threw a better ball. His first touchdown came on a really well-designed play where he ran a slant under the shallow corner route to access plenty of open space.
Hunter’s second touchdown was a red zone fade that he high-pointed and controlled through contact. He has excellent ball tracking skills and body control to punish defenses downfield or in the red zone.
Hunter might return to school and aim for a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft instead of challenging a tough 2024 class.
Stock Up: Payton Wilson, LB North Carolina State
Medicals will be key for several big names this year, including Laiatu Latu, Michael Penix Jr., and Wilson. The veteran linebacker has a significant injury history but is playing like a man possessed this season. He was the star of the show against North Carolina, amassing 15 tackles, including two for loss, three pressures, a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception.
The team captain put together a memorable performance in his final home game. He pulled away from a Willie Lampkin block early in the first quarter to chase down Drake Maye and rip the ball out on the tackle attempt. Wilson victimized Maye later in the game on a diving tip-drill interception.
Wilson is more than just a savvy veteran racking up tackles. Back in 2021, Wilson clocked in at 22.3 miles per hour during the program’s summer speed testing. That number jumped to 23.4 miles per hour in-game against Notre Dame earlier this year on a chase down play. Wilson ran a 4.49 40-yard dash before the 2023 season.
Wilson is an explosive linebacker with sideline-to-sideline range. North Carolina State loves to take advantage of those traits by blitzing Wilson and turning him into a downhill missile. He’s developed some good pass rush instincts over the years. That speed and experience also translate to positive plays in coverage.
Stock Up: Ruke Orhorhoro, DL Clemson
Calling Orhorhoro just a defensive tackle wouldn’t be fair. He might line up at 5-tech one play and 0-tech (nose tackle) the next. The Tigers take advantage of his athleticism and multi-positional build (6'4", 290 lbs.). Orhorhoro’s pass rush plan is still developing, but he’s applying pressure on 10.21% of his pass rush attempts this year (a single-season high over the past three years).
Orhorhoro closed the regular season strong with five pressures, including a sack, on 20 pass rush reps against South Carolina. He looked like a defensive end on his takedown of Spencer Rattler, showing some quick feet to break down the left guard before using a club-rip to win the rep just before teammate Xavier Thomas arrived.
Orhorhoro is an explosive, linear athlete who chains swims and swipes off speed to power rushes. We’ve also seen him use club and long-arm moves in the past. Despite his build, Orhorhoro has been a reliable run defender when operating between the tackles.
Stock Up: Lots of Cornerbacks
Most of the attention this year has gone to the outstanding wide receiver class, but the draft-eligible cornerbacks were more impressive this past weekend. Let’s just group seven of them together for my sanity’s sake.
BYU cornerback Eddie Heckard joined the Cougars as a transfer from Weber State this past offseason. The former FCS All-American’s success didn’t fully translate to the next level, but he finished the regular season strong with two interceptions, including a pick-six, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble against Oklahoma State.
Heckard broke on the ball for his pick-six, reading the quarterback the whole way. It helped that the receiver never saw it coming. The other interception was a little more skilled since it required Heckard to mirror the slot receiver’s out-breaking route and undercut it for a juggling pick. He’s an instinctive corner with good ball skills who excels at reading the quarterback. Heckard is also a willing and helpful defender against the run, screens, and throws to the flat.
Rutgers star cornerback Max Melton projects as a top 100 pick. He only allowed two receptions for five yards against Maryland and intercepted his third pass of the year. Melton was playing off the line, which let him keep his eyes on Taulia Tagovailoa the whole way. He maintained excellent form with inside leverage before using his closing speed to break on the route at the top of the stem and step in front of the receiver.
Melton is a smooth athlete and one of the smartest day two cornerback prospects in the class. He’s also an ace on special teams.
Jarrian Jones plays in the slot for Florida State, but he played outside corner for the first four years of his career. Jones hasn’t allowed a touchdown over the past two seasons and played a significant role in jumpstarting FSU in each of the past two games.
Jones forced and recovered a fumble on a strip-sack against North Alabama when the Seminoles trailed 13-3 to get the team back on track and set the tone for his teammates when Florida State trailed 15-14 late in the third quarter against Florida. Jones blew past his blocker on a running back screen and leveled Trevor Etienne in space for a five-yard loss. The defense didn’t allow a score the rest of the game.
Arizona State’s Ro Torrence is a tall corner with excellent size (6'3", 200 lbs.) and arm length. The Sun Devils didn’t put up much of a fight against Arizona, but Torrence only allowed one reception on five targets. When matched up with superstar sophomore Tetairoa McMillan, Torrence allowed one catch for nine yards and broke up a pass on three targets.
Torrence has a nice feel for zone coverage and loves to read the quarterback’s eyes. He baited Michael Penix Jr. into targeting Rome Odunze earlier this year, easily intercepting a pass that he read the whole way. Torrence projects as a traits-based day three pick.
Very few cornerbacks have made my jaw draw this season as often as Kansas’ Cobee Bryant. He came down with a one-handed interception against Cincinnati that you have to see to believe. Bryant lined up in soft-shoe press against Xzavier Henderson, lost his inside leverage early in the rep, got back into the play with his recovery speed, located the ball seven yards before it arrived, and beat the larger receiver at the catch point.
Earlier this season, Bryant created a fumble-six with a thundering hit. The fourth-year corner is productive in coverage and plays above his weight in run defense. He continues to improve each season and is a candidate to return to school in 2024.
This year, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold has arguably been more impressive than teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry. His productive season got a stat boost with interceptions as time expired in the first and second halves against Auburn. A big part of that is luck, but those plays also showed off Arnold’s ball tracking and awareness.
Arnold didn’t allow a catch against Auburn. He has four interceptions, three passes defensed, and a forced fumble in his last three games against SEC opponents (Auburn, Kentucky, and LSU).
We’ll close the cornerback discussion by looping in Virginia Tech’s Dorian Strong for the second time in the past three weeks. Virginia targeted Strong seven times, but he broke up two passes and only allowed two receptions for five yards. He has allowed 83 yards in coverage this season, the fewest by any FBS cornerback with at least 300 defensive snaps.
Stock Up Week 13 Honorable Mentions
Jared Verse, Edge Florida State
Everyone has been chattering about Verse’s 2023 season being a disappointment. It’s true that he didn’t show as much improvement this year as analysts and fans hoped, but he’s still in contention for the top edge spot in the 2024 NFL Draft. Verse is applying pressure on 16.03% of his pass rush reps this year (including 21.37% over his past five games) compared to 17.56% in 2022.
Verse took over late in the Florida vs. Florida State game, showcasing one of the nastiest speed to power reps this season. He used the left tackle to sack the quarterback. Verse’s explosiveness off the line, quick hands, and elite closing burst have him poised to be a first round pick this coming spring.
J.J. McCarthy, QB Michigan
McCarthy’s season was trending in the right direction for most of the year. He was earning first round buzz and appeared in the top five or six spots on several Heisman Trophy boards. Unfortunately, Michigan’s decision not to throw the ball against Penn State, followed by McCarthy’s awful performance against Maryland, set the junior back significantly.
However, McCarthy pulled everything together in Michigan’s biggest game of the year. His 16 completions on 20 pass attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown will hardly sway all doubters, but he put some NFL-caliber throws on tape. The ball placement on the touchdown to Roman Wilson was elite. The same can be said for this on-the-move throw along the sideline to Cornelius Johnson.
Ray Davis, RB Kentucky
Davis went over 1,000 yards for his second consecutive season in a tremendous game against No. 10 Louisville. He carried the ball 14 times for 76 yards and a touchdown and caught four of four targets for 51 yards and two scores. All three of his scores came in the second half and boosted him to 20 total touchdowns on the year, the most in the SEC (second place has 16).
Saturday’s game highlighted Davis’ value as a pass catcher. His first touchdown was a 20-yard completion where he beat two defenders on the route, tracked the ball well, and controlled the catch through contact along the end zone’s sideline. Davis made a defender miss in space before bursting through to daylight for the go-ahead score later in the game.
With under two minutes remaining, Davis put the game away with a 37-yard run where he punished defenders for taking poor angles. He will be a day three pick who helps a team with his creativity and vision.
J.J. Weaver, Edge Kentucky
I haven’t been a huge believer in Weaver’s NFL upside across the course of his career, but he dominated against No. 10 Louisville. The redshirt senior and two-time team captain produced eight tackles, four pressures, a sack, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Weaver has long arms to separate from blockers and set up counters as a pass rusher. He still needs technical development, but there are plenty of physical tools to build on.
Tahj Brooks, RB Texas Tech
Brooks and Texas Tech faced an uphill battle in the run game against the dominant Longhorns front, which features multiple future NFL players. It wasn’t a great game for Brooks, but 19 carries for 95 yards, including 64 yards after contact, eight forced missed tackles, and three runs of ten or more yards isn’t bad considering the circumstances.
Brooks’ highlight of the game was a 25-yard run late in the first quarter. He bounced away from a pile of bodies and broke through a head-on tackle attempt to pick up extra yardage. Brooks’ patience, vision, power, and contact balance pop, but he can also put his foot in the ground, cut, and accelerate away from defenders.
Brooks is second in the Big 12 in rushing yards with 1,443, trailing only sophomore stud Ollie Gordon. Brooks’ 919 rushing yards after contact are third-most in the country, and he leads all FBS running backs with 94 forced missed tackles on carries. Second place only has 75.
Ricky White, WR UNLV
White is this week’s small school prospect to keep an eye on. He caught five of ten targets against San Jose State for 111 yards, including a 68-yard play to open the second half. The former Michigan State transfer leads the Mountain West Conference in receiving yards and has six games with 140 or more receiving yards this season.
White is a speedster capable of stretching the field vertically and creating with the ball in his hands. He has another year of eligibility if he wants to return to school and target a weaker wide receiver class in 2025.
Dontay Corleone, IDL Cincinnati
Corleone is undersized, but “The Godfather” is an athletic ball of muscle capable of reaching speeds of 18 miles per hour, squatting 605 pounds, and deadlifting 700 pounds. Corleone picked up a tackle for loss and forced fumble as Cincinnati put up little resistance against Kansas. The nose tackle hasn’t been quite as dominant in 2023 as in 2022, but he’s still an elite run defender and can push the pocket.
Corleone projects as a third to early fourth round selection. He won’t be for everyone, but the flashes of disruptive dominance against centers are hard to ignore.
Emani Bailey, RB TCU
TCU’s offense has been a mess after many of the team’s stars went to the NFL last year. Thankfully, Bailey picked up where Kendre Miller left off. The former Louisiana transfer has more than 1,200 yards this season after carrying the ball 21 times for 150 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma. Bailey also caught four passes for 24 yards and a score. He generated 94 rushing yards after contact, ten forced missed tackles, and five runs of ten yards or more.
Bailey pairs good vision with the contact balance to break tackles and find hidden yardage consistently, but he can also explode into the defense’s second and third levels. He flashed that burst on his 32-yard touchdown run and 49-yard run against the Sooners.
Bailey has plenty of other highlights throughout the season, including this hesitation move to freeze a defender against SMU, the jump cut on this long run against Colorado, and busting through a tackle to score against Houston.
Jacob Cowing, WR Arizona
Cowing projects as a late third to late fourth round selection. The slot receiver won’t hit 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive year, but he still showed all of his best traits this season. Against Arizona State, Cowing caught nine of 11 targets for 157 yards, including 95 yards after the catch, a score, and seven first downs.
Cowing is a detailed route runner who snaps off his route at the top of the stem to create separation. He has the speed and twitch to elude defenders after the catch and cover ground quickly. The Wildcats scheme Cowing touches to get the most out of his athletic traits. Teams will knock Cowing for his size, but he has natural hands to high-point the ball.
Audric Estime, RB Notre Dame
I’m not sure that Stanford knew there was a football game on Saturday. If they did, everyone opted out of tackling Estime because he ran for 238 yards and four touchdowns on just 25 carries (9.5 yards per attempt). The night included 140 yards after contact, 15 forced missed tackles, eight runs of ten or more yards, and 14 first downs.
The impressive outing made Estime the ninth running back in the FBS to cross the 1,300-yard threshold this year. He showed off his vision and patience on several of Notre Dame’s red zone possessions, but he also knew when to build a head of steam and rumble downhill. Despite his powerful frame (5'11", 227 lbs.), Estime has the burst to punish defenders for taking poor angles and break chunk plays.
Estime projects as a late third to mid fourth round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Trey Benson, RB Florida State
Benson put Florida State’s offense on his back in their comeback win against Florida. He carried the ball 19 times for 95 yards and three touchdowns. Despite raiding the transfer portal, Florida State’s offensive line hasn’t been a strong point in the running game. Benson is making the most of an underwhelming situation that only became more difficult after Jordan Travis suffered a devastating injury.
Benson produced 94 yards after contact, nine forced missed tackles, and four runs of ten or more yards on Saturday night. He exploded for a 36-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to give Florida State its first lead of the game. Benson has tremendous burst and speed, but his contact balance and agility are also elite, as shown on his game-sealing fourth quarter 19-yard touchdown.