College Football 2024 Stock Up Week 6: Walter Nolen, Jalen Royals & Aireontae Ersery

It's an offense-heavy edition of Stock Up as we examine the best 2025 NFL Draft prospects from Week 6

It was a big weekend for offensive prospects. Some defensive stars flashed, but they’ll have their time to shine in later editions of this column. This week, we’re primarily focusing on offensive players who brought their 2025 NFL Draft stock up with big performances in Week 6 of the college football season. Check out 20 of the top players from this past weekend.

I try to avoid including top prospects like Mason Graham and Tetairoa McMillan in this series because their stock can’t get much higher. This column doesn’t highlight consensus top ten prospects. Instead, I try to mix in late Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 players to present a diverse collection of talents.

Week 0 l Week 1 l Week 2 l Week 3 l Week 4 l Week 5

Only draft-eligible players appear in this series. All heights and weights are unofficial and shared by football programs unless specified. Pressure data, targets, and snap counts are courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Sacks and other official stats are from publicly available box scores.

Follow @Sam_Teets33 on Twitter for the latest updates on content and additional football analysis.

Stock Up: Oregon’s Offensive Line

Oregon’s offensive line had me worried through the season’s first month. The unit didn’t perform well against Boise State and Idaho but seems to have turned the corner. Oregon dominated UCLA last week and found similar success against Michigan State. It’s good timing for the Ducks. They face Ohio State next week.

Oregon’s starting linemen didn’t allow a single pressure against the Spartans and cleared the path for Jordan James to set a new career-high with 166 rushing yards. Left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (Scouting Report) helped the running game pick up steam early by flattening the play side cornerback on a 41-yard run. Tight end Terrance Ferguson (Scouting Report) also made a crucial block on the defensive end.

Right tackle Ajani Cornelius (Scouting Report) made his presence felt shortly after the big gain. With 8:43 left in the first quarter, Cornelius climbed to the second level and displaced a linebacker ten yards downfield before pancaking him. Ferguson also made a good block to keep the C-gap open. James gained 18 yards on the run.

The combination of Conerly’s mobility and Cornelius’ finishing power give the Ducks a diverse set of talents. Conerly has the burst to execute reach blocks while Cornelius drops the hammer on gap runs or provides the push on inside zone. He and Marcus Harper II (2024 Scouting Report) combine for some lethal combo blocks.

Ferguson deserves credit for making several key blocks. He had a 62-yard catch and run in the win too. Harper pulled to shore up the backside on that play while Cornelius and the center led the convoy of blockers downfield.

Michigan State doesn’t have the talent they did three or four years ago, but that shouldn’t diminish Oregon pushing around another Big Ten team. The Ducks got basically anything they wanted on the ground and were rarely challenged by the Michigan State pass rush.

I have top 100 grades on Conerly and Cornelius, a Day 3 grade on Harper, and a third round grade on Ferguson. There’s a chance both Conerly and Cornelius kick inside to play guard at the next level.

Stock Up: Walter Nolen, IDL Ole Miss

We’ve been waiting for first round pick Walter Nolen to show up. He had flashes and a few big games with Texas A&M in 2023 but hadn’t posted a dominant outing against a meaningful opponent with the Rebels. That changed when he amassed seven pressures, including two sacks, an additional tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery versus South Carolina.

Nolen is an explosive athlete with the closing burst to hunt down quarterbacks on stunts and defensive games up front. His power also popped against the Gamecocks. He stunned a few offensive linemen with his heavy hands and create displacement with speed to power and powerful arm extensions. Nolen shot a few gaps with his speed and swim move to generate disruption in the backfield.

Nolen’s second sack came on a stunt. He blew up the center, completely knocking him off balance before redirecting to bring down South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers by his right ankle as the quarterback attempted to step up and run.

Stock Up: Aireontae Ersery, LT Minnesota (Scouting Report)

The Golden Gophers and Ersery gave USC a proper welcome to the Big Ten. Minnesota ran more than 30 designed runs as they pounded the Trojans for roughly 200 yards on the ground. Ersery had an impressive day, routinely driving the 5-tech or wide-9 toward the sideline and out of the play.

Devin Jackson was right on the money with his analysis. Ersery’s leg drive and core strength helped him torque USC defenders to break their anchors, and he flashed the raw power to dig out defenders and displace them horizontally along the line of scrimmage.

Ersery isn’t the best mover in space, but he had a lot of success combo blocking and climbing to the second level against USC. He took good angles to pick off linebackers and create space downfield for Minnesota’s running backs. Ersery also got a reach block or two off, which isn’t his specialty. You can see the full highlight reel of Ersery in the run game here.

The Trojans didn’t test Ersery’s anchor in pass protection and failed to beat him around the edge. He has heavy hands to combat pass rushers and the range to carry defenders up and around the arc. Ersery is high-cut but doesn’t suffer many breakdowns with his base. USC didn’t have big or powerful enough defenders to challenge Ersery.

Ersery hasn’t dominated this season. He struggled last week against Michigan but put together some impressive tape versus Iowa, North Carolina, and USC. All of the performances net out to suggest that Ersery is still a top 30 prospect and a likely first round pick in this weak offensive line class.

Stock Up: Jalen Royals, WR Utah State (Scouting Report)

Royals had a few nice moments against USC and Utah earlier this year, but his supporting cast didn’t give him many opportunities to impact those games. The quarterback play and offensive line just couldn’t generate anything downfield. Royals has more than 300 yards in his past two games now that Utah State is past its Power Four opponents.

Utah State was out of its game against Boise State by halftime, but none of the blame falls on Royals. He made nine receptions on 15 targets for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Most of that production came on four plays. The first was a 59-yard touchdown where Royals just blew through the off-man defender who tried and failed to slow him down at the top of the stem.

The second play was a screen where Royals broke a tackle and almost went the distance if not for a safety getting the angle on his back leg. The third was just a slant that Royals broke open for 75 yards and a score using his game-changing speed. The final play was a bit of an adlibbed slot corner route.

Royals is an explosive athlete who will run in the 4.3s at the NFL Combine. His burst off the line and acceleration out of route fakes take defenders by surprise. He’s springy through his routes, which helps with generating natural separation. Royals sells his route fakes well because of his sudden, twitchy footwork that helps him break down and juke would-be tacklers and corners at the top of the stem.

Utah State runs a ton of screens and other schemed plays for Royals. There’s nothing wrong with Royals’ route running, the offense just can’t throw a steady diet of real passing concepts. Unfortunately, this has a negative impact on Royals’ development. He might need a little extra time to get up to speed in an NFL offense.

Stock Up: Kurtis Rourke, QB Indiana

Rourke popped up on my radar when he led the MAC in passing and won the conference’s Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards in 2022, but I didn’t give him much thought over the past year. Injuries combined with poor 2023 tape to tank his stock. It seems like I jumped ship too early.

Rourke has guided the Hoosiers to a 6-0 for the first time since 1967, making them bowl-eligible just over a month into the season. He completed 25 of 33 pass attempts (75.8%) for 380 yards and three touchdowns against Northwestern on Saturday.

Rourke is poised under pressure in the pocket and has enough arm strength to throw touch passes outside the numbers on the opposite side of the field. He doesn’t do much damage with his legs, but he rolls out to extend plays and create some second chance opportunities for the offense. Rourke plays with no fear, willingly attempting off-platform throws on the move or under pressure.

Rourke anticipates and fits the ball into tight windows over the middle of the field. He knows when to drive the ball to his receiver and when to lay off and play with touch. Rourke shows his veteran savvy in how he recognizes and throws to the receiver’s leverage to protect the football and his targets from defenders. He throws a very natural back shoulder ball on go routes.

Rourke doesn’t have “do-everything” arm strength, and that shows up on some of his off target downfield throws. His lack of elite traits puts a cap on his ceiling as an NFL prospect. He needs to clean up some of his throws to the flat and avoid throwing off his back foot when in a clean pocket.

Rourke and his top target, Elijah Sarratt, are on pace to earn All-Big Ten honors.

Stock Up: Tory Horton, WR Colorado State

Horton looked like his usual self against Oregon State after missing some time with a groin injury earlier this season. He caught nine of his 13 targets for 158 yards and a touchdown and drew a defensive pass interference call in the end zone late in the game. Six of his receptions went for ten or more yards.

Horton has the speed to stack corners and threaten defenses vertically. He uses double moves and stutter-goes to pull corners in before accelerating past them. Corners in off-man coverage need to be ready to carry him vertically, or he’ll pull away on post or go routes. Horton tracks the ball well to make difficult snags over his shoulder or in contested situations.

Horton also separates on crossing routes and short routes like drags or speed outs. He’s such a smooth mover that defensive backs struggle to remain attached when he breaks toward the sideline. Horton doesn’t run the most diverse route tree, but he has the physical tools to threaten defenses at all three levels.

Since the start of 2023, Horton has 130 or more receiving yards in four games. He posted back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023. Horton projects as a Day 2 pick who could fall to the top of the fourth round at worst.

Stock Up: Quentin Skinner, WR Kansas (Scouting Report)

Skinner is a tall, lean receiver with a track background as a high jumper. He plays a niche role that will translate to the NFL as a field stretching vertical threat. Skinner’s production this season hasn’t popped because of Kansas’ offensive struggles, but he produced half of his team’s yards through the air against Arizona State.

Skinner caught six of his nine targets for 130 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas fell to a last-minute Sun Devil touchdown. I gave Skinner a Day 3 grade over the summer because of his explosiveness off the line, acceleration & speed, catch radius, outstanding work at the catch point, and body control along the sideline. He might be a better receiver in the NFL than in college.

Skinner uses hesitation moves and route fakes in his release to lull defenders and open the door for vertical shots. His long arms make catches over and around corners. They’re also good for getting physical and generating separation at the top of the stem.

Skinner’s biggest play of the day was a 34-yard touchdown to give Kansas the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Here’s a field level view of the play that puts Skinner’s ball tracking and concentration in perspective.

Stock Up: Eli Stowers, TE Vanderbilt

A new challenger has entered the crowded tight end arena. Stowers began his college career as a four-star quarterback recruit committed to Texas A&M. He transferred to New Mexico State in 2023 still planning to play quarterback before transitioning to tight end. Now, he’s leading all SEC tight ends in receiving yards.

Stowers caught all six of his targets for 113 yards in Vanderbilt’s historic upset of No. 1 Alabama. Five of his receptions went for ten or more yards, and the sixth went for nine yards. It’s his second 100-yard performance in the past three games.

With Alabama closing the score to two points near the end of the third quarter, Vanderbilt pitched the ball to Stowers. He took off, erasing several pursuit angles and eluding a few stumbling tackle attempts before dragging two Alabama defenders into field goal range. Stowers later picked up 11 yards on a crucial 3rd and 2 in the fourth quarter to eventually set up a Vanderbilt touchdown.

Stowers is tall and lean with long arms. He doesn’t have the size or experience to be a consistent in-line presence, but he offers untapped potential as an F tight end. Stowers’ speed with the ball in his hands is impressive. He dives or falls forward to pick up extra yardage.

Stowers has forced nine missed tackles, run for 180 yards after the catch, and generated 14 first downs in Vanderbilt’s last three games.

Stock Up: Ricky White, WR UNLV

White made ten receptions on 11 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown against Syracuse. It was his third game this season with more than 100 yards but his first outing against a Power Four opponent with more than 15 receiving yards. He had very limited showings against Houston’s and Kansas’ talented cornerbacks earlier this year.

To start the second half, Syracuse played a lot of off coverage, and White took advantage of the massive pockets they left available to generate chunk plays. He works back down the stem to the ball and has the contact balance to slip away from cornerbacks. White makes strong open field cuts to elude defenders and generate extra yardage.

White shakes and freezes corners to win inside leverage quickly in short-yardage situations. He’s at his best with the ball in his hands when his acceleration, creativity, and sharp cutting ability shine.

You can’t overlook White’s special teams contributions either. He blocked a punt late in the third quarter that resulted in a touchdown for UNLV to tie the game. White scored on a blocked punt last week against Fresno State. That special teams value will help White secure a Day 3 draft spot and stick on an NFL roster.

Stock Up Week 6 Honorable Mentions

Derrick Harmon, DT Oregon

Dane Brugler for The Athletic recently highlighted Harmon as one of his top risers for the season, along with offensive linemen Josh Simmons (Ohio State) and Cameron Williams (Texas). Harmon got into the stat sheet early on Friday with an unblocked sack rushing from his 3-tech role. He showed off nice closing burst for a big man.

Harmon finished the game with five pressures and a pass defensed. He’s applying pressure on 23.36% of his pass rush snaps this season. His pass rush arsenal is still developing, but he has all of the physical tools to become a high-impact rusher.

Harmon’s long arms help him stack and shed blocks at the line of scrimmage and drive offensive linemen backward. His short-area closing burst is excellent for a player with his build. Oregon lists Harmon at 6-5, 310 lbs. but he plays low to the ground and looks much stouter than 310 lbs.

Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State (Scouting Report)

Boise State shut Jeanty down at halftime after building an insurmountable lead over Utah State. Jeanty carried the ball 13 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He generated 168 yards after contact and forced five missed tackles in the process. The junior is now the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. It’s easy to see why when you compare his first five games to those of past Heisman running backs.

Jeanty’s first carry of the game was a 63-yard touchdown that showed off his contact balance and angle-erasing speed. That wasn’t even his longest run of the day. Check out this 75-yard sprint to the end zone that leaves every Utah State defender eating dust. Jeanty is making it look easy at this point.

If Jeanty stays healthy, he will be a first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s just a matter of how high he can climb the rest of the way.

Harold Fannin Jr., TE Bowling Green (Scouting Report)

The most versatile tight end in college football continued his All-American season against Akron. Fannin caught all nine of his targets for 135 yards and popped a 31-yard rushing touchdown to give the Falcons a 27-20 lead with under three minutes remaining in the game. What’s Fannin’s only game without 100 yards this season? The season opener against Fordham of all teams.

Fannin’s acceleration and fluidity make him a threat with the ball in his hands. His contact balance and stiff arm are too much for many defensive backs to handle, but linebackers struggle to match his speed. That combination makes Fannin an offensive gold mine. He’s also a willing blocker, although his 2024 tape in the run game is a significant step down from 2023.

Fannin has firmly solidified himself as a top 100 prospect. He will be a scheme/role specific option for some teams but could be a second round selection for the right franchise.

Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State (2024 Scouting Report)

Everyone wants to talk about freshman Jeremiah Smith understandably, but Egbuka deserves his flowers for bouncing back from a down season and injuries in 2023 and solidifying his stock as one of the best receivers in the 2025 class. He caught nine of 11 targets for 71 yards and three touchdowns against Iowa. All three scores were contested catches.

On the first touchdown, Egbuka used route tempo to hold Quinn Schulte before breaking and accelerating to the front pylon. The second catch was a wheel route he made a nice adjustment for against Kyle Fisher. The third was an out route from the slot against tight coverage by Sebastian Castro. That catch also required a significant adjustment.

Egbuka primarily lines up in the slot, which is where he’ll play in the league. According to Brugler, the redshirt junior’s verified measurements (6-0 7/8, 203 lbs.) meet NFL thresholds but obviously fall below elite standards. Some teams won’t be interested in a slot-only prospect in the top 30 picks, but Egbuka’s savvy route running and natural separation skills make him a go-to option with the ceiling to handle a heavy workload. Did I mention he’s willing to block?

Egbuka projects best as a team’s secondary or tertiary receiving threat to open his career. There aren’t many true WR1 options in this class, and it’s commonplace for teams to select WR2 targets in the first round.

Will Lee III, CB Texas A&M

Someone sent Missouri wide receiver Theo Wease a blanket and note that appeared to come from Lee. Lee, whose nickname is “The Blanket,” said he didn’t send the note, but it’s still a funny story. I’m not sure who started the trash talk, but Lee backed it up as the Aggies routed the Tigers.

Lee had a few miscues in coverage. He drew one flag, should’ve been penalized another time, and allowed a little too much separation on a target but came out of the day looking good for the second straight week. Lee didn’t allow a reception on his five targets and knocked away two passes. He has six pass breakups in the past two weeks.

Additional Names to Know

Simeon Barrow Jr., IDL Miami

Barrow is an undersized lineman who the Hurricanes move all over the formation. He primarily makes an impact as a pass rushing penetrating 3-tech. Barrow was one of the only Miami defenders to do his job against Cal. He had four pressures, including this sack where he fires through the B-gap. Here’s another angle of the play.

Barrow and Derrick Harmon were teammates at Michigan State for several seasons before the program experienced a massive talent exodus.

Phil Mafah, RB Clemson

Mafah picked up his third 100-yard performance in five games as Clemson defeated Florida State. The Seminoles might need to put a tombstone on the field because Mafah buried safety K.J. Kirkland on this run. He’s a powerful running back who defenders struggle to bring down in the hole, but he also turns his power into speed for some long runs.

Jermari Harris, CB Iowa

Harris received credit for two passes defensed in Iowa’s third and fourth games of the season. No such luck against Ohio State, but Harris only surrendered one reception for nine yards. Many other Iowa defensive backs received more attention over the summer and are underperforming this year while Harris quietly keeps playing at a high level.

Big Time Players Making Big Time Plays

Le'Veon Moss, RB Texas A&M

We highlighted Moss last week for his efforts late in Texas A&M’s win against Arkansas. He had an even better day as the Aggies tossed around Missouri 41-10. Moss scored three touchdowns and produced 173 yards from scrimmage. Most of his rush yards came on a 75-yard touchdown to open the third quarter that required Moss to make the safety miss in space.

Ja'Corey Brooks, WR Louisville

Brooks is Louisville’s new big play threat. His average depth of target against SMU was 17.4 yards. Watch Brooks beat an SMU defender at the catch point and survive the tackle attempt on an 86-yard touchdown. Per PFF, he’s making 75% of his contested catches this season.  

Jarquez Hunter, RB Auburn

Hunter has been one of the few bright spots for the Tigers since he arrived on campus in 2021. He ran through a tackle attempt on his way to a 38-yard touchdown against Georgia. Hunter’s footwork and burst make him Auburn’s most electric player. He’s rapidly approaching his 2023 totals for forced missed tackles and runs of ten or more yards.

Upon Further Review

This section acknowledges prospects who had outstanding performances the previous week but weren’t included as Stock Up players. Basically, players who I needed a few extra days to get to on film.

John Williams, LT Cincinnati

I apologize John Williams, I wasn’t familiar with your game. For my money, the redshirt senior left tackle is the top prospect on a talented Cincinnati offense that features several potential draft picks on the offensive line. Last week, he held Texas Tech’s defenders to zero pressures despite taking 50 pass sets.

Williams’ hand usage, explosiveness, and foot speed all fall short of elite, but he’s an extremely well-rounded blocker with a good technical foundation and the build to survive off physical tools in the NFL. His questionable arm length might necessitate a move inside to guard. That transition would mitigate some of my concerns with his profile and amplify his strengths.

Williams combines his thick upper frame, impressive posture in pass protection, and wide base to create an impenetrable brick wall. Defenders struggle to play through his frame, and he has the power in his hands to punish anyone who gets too close. There’s enough explosiveness in his initial kick step for him to protect his outside shoulder. His football IQ flashes in how he recognizes and adjusts for blitzes, counters, and stunts.

Heisman Ladder

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State

2. Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado

…

3. Cam Ward, QB Miami

4. Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama

…

5. Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado

6. Quinn Ewers, QB Texas

7. Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona

8. Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss

9. Harold Fannin Jr., TE Bowling Green

10. Kurtis Rourke, QB Indiana