College Football 2025 NFL Draft Stock Up Week 8: Deontae Lawson, Marcus Mbow & Jalon Walker

Week 8 of college football turned in too many star studded performances to write about

Week 8 of college football generated some of the best performances we’ve seen from 2025 NFL Draft prospects this fall. I’d argue, too many prospects played well. I couldn’t even get to the film for some teams because of the depth the 2025 class showcased this weekend (sorry Notre Dame). Hopefully, that’s a positive sign for things to come.

Week 0 l Week 1 l Week 2 l Week 3 l Week 4 l Week 5 l Week 6 l Week 7

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: Marcus Mbow, RT Purdue (Scouting Report)

Mbow projects as a guard at the next level but has authored some special performances at right tackle over the past two seasons. He suffered a catastrophic leg injury midway through last year but looks back to full strength after a standout showing against the Oregon Ducks. Mbow allowed one pressure all night (I believe it was a Derrick Harmon stunt).

Mbow’s explosive kick step helped him match the width and depth of Oregon’s smaller pass rushers. He worked them up the arc and around the pocket with his impressive range and smooth movement skills. Mbow is on the lighter side for a college tackle (6'5", 300 lbs.) but deploys a stout anchor that stalls bull rushes.

Mbow’s hands are his most impressive asset in pass protection. He packs a punch and constantly refits his hands or uses counters to attack the pass rusher. This makes him one of the most aggressive offensive tackles at the college level. He is addicted to the snatch-trap, as Harmon found out the hard way.

Mbow also made a significant impact in the run game. Purdue put him on the move a lot, especially early in the game with a combination of pulling across the formation and working to the second level. He escorted linebacker Devon Jackson on a ten or 15-yard trip to the sideline. Mbow plays with a nasty demeanor and wants to finish blocks through the whistle. He’s a quick mover with impressive open field speed.

Mbow is also adept at securing the backside on run plays. His mobility, motor, and toughness make him uniquely suited for this unrewarding role.

Stock Up: Jalon Walker & Mykel Williams, LB/Edge Georgia

Georgia’s defensive front had Quinn Ewers in a straight jacket by the end of the night. Warren Brinson, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Christen Miller, and sophomore Damon Wilson Jr. contributed to the chaos, but Walker and Williams led the charge with five combined sacks as part of their 11 pressures. Both prospects are trending toward being first round selections if they declare.  

This is Walker’s third time appearing on Stock Up. His previous notable performances came against Clemson in Week 1 and Kentucky in Week 3. The edge rusher turned off-ball linebacker is undersized for a sack artist, but his explosiveness, bend, and pass rush arsenal scream top 32 selection. You can view all of his and Williams’ sacks here, including one by Williams that got eliminated for a face mask.

Walker amassed seven pressures, including three sacks, and a fumble recovery against the Longhorns. He’s a threat to rush the passer as a 5-tech or to blitz from his off-ball role and come screaming downhill with his elite speed. Walker is applying pressure on 18.09% of his pass rush attempts this season.

Walker is raw as an off-ball linebacker. He has the range and athleticism to perform well in coverage and operate sideline-to-sideline but needs to develop a natural feel for the role. He’s still working on his run fits but had a nice rep stacking and shedding Texas’ Jake Majors when the center climbed to the second level. Walker’s hand usage makes up for his lack of elite length.

The NFL team that drafts Walker needs to have a clear vision for his role and show patience as he develops. Walker has fewer than 700 defensive snaps under his belt in college.

Williams is only slightly more experienced than his fellow junior. He’s approaching 900 career defensive snaps with only 100 of them coming in 2024 following his injury in Georgia’s season opener. Williams lacks Walker’s bend and developed pass rush plan, but scouts salivate over his 6'5", 265 lb. frame and arm length.

Williams totaled four pressures, including two sacks, and a forced fumble against Texas. I thought Kelvin Banks Jr. won the majority of their matchups, but Williams still created some significant disruption.

Williams uses a polished inside swim move to attack the B-gap and drives nice power through his long limbs. The timing on his two-handed swipe has really improved this year, which helped clear that way for this strip-sack on Ewers. Williams is still perfecting his hand usage, but he constantly battles for positioning and has the power to drive through some offensive tackles’ outside shoulders on his way to the quarterback.

Williams would benefit from another year at the college level, but the push to declare might be too strong to resist.

Stock Up: Deontae Lawson, LB Alabama

Jihaad Campbell is the more athletic member of Alabama’s star linebacker duo, but Lawson’s football IQ pops. He contributed 11 tackles and four pressures, including a sack, against Tennessee. Occasionally his run fits get shaky, but he was on fire against the Volunteers. Lawson fit the correct gaps while challenging offensive linemen.

Lawson’s struggles defeating blocks at the second level was one of the concerns I noted when evaluating him earlier this year. The size and strength difference between him and offensive linemen leads to some problems, but this issue didn’t pop up much against Tennessee.

Lawson was already making plays just a few minutes into the game. He quickly surveyed and bounced between gaps, anticipating run lanes and moving to beat offensive linemen to their landmarks. Check out his best plays coming downhill to defend the run. There’s a sack in that highlight reel too.

Lawson doesn’t have tremendous size or range, but he’s a patient player with impressive acceleration when he triggers downhill. His awareness and recognition skills in zone coverage are easily some of the best in the class. Man coverage isn’t really in the cards for him, but his read and react speed in zone is a unique strength.

Stock Up: Texas Longhorns Defenders

The Texas offense struggled to find direction against Georgia, but the Longhorns defense did everything it could to help its team win. Four separate Texas defenders popped during my live viewing of the game, and the All-22 confirmed their strong showings.

Let’s get things started with Jahdae Barron. The former slot/safety is spending most of his time outside at cornerback this year. That’s not his ideal role at the next level, but he’s still performing admirably. Barron allowed six receptions on ten targets for 74 yards against the Bulldogs but generated two interceptions and a pass defensed.

Barron’s vision and anticipation are impressive and will help him fulfill a more traditional safety role in the NFL. He’s an aggressive defensive back who quickly triggers to jump throwing lanes or come downhill and attack screens or run plays. Barron drove on and broke up a slant intended for Dillon Bell (Scouting Report) and came close to punching out a reception on a comeback route.

Andrew Mukuba was one of my favorite Clemson players during his time with the Tigers before he transferred home to Texas. He suffered a knee injury in this game. I’m praying it’s nothing long-term because he deserves to finish his college career on the right note, especially after starting the year with such impressive outings against Georgia and Michigan.

Watch Mukuba’s movement on this interception. He drifts down into the box before dropping back out, reading Carson Beck’s eyes, and perfectly undercutting the route for a leaping interception. Beck never even saw him. Mukuba frequently played in the slot during his Clemson days, but playing a more traditional safety role helped his ball production balloon this year.

Mukuba is a fluid athlete with the recovery speed and range to surprise offenses. He mirrors and matches routes well in zones and off-man against tight ends. When healthy, Mukuba is a top 100-caliber prospect.

Alfred Collins was built in a lab with a 6'5 2/8", 307 lb. frame that sports 35 1/4-inch arms per Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy. He hasn’t developed a well-rounded pass rush plan across his five-year career, but his run defense looks downright dominant when he harnesses his physical gifts. He made six tackles and recorded three pressures against Georgia.

Collins uses his ridiculous arm length to stack and shed blocks. He locks out offensive linemen to prevent them from displacing him or having any access to his frame. Collins finishes plays by using his impressive upper body strength to push-pull or torque blocks out of his path. Check out him rag-dolling Georgia right tackle Xavier Truss on this play.

Collins isn’t a pumpkin as a pass rusher either. He explodes out of his stance with rare quickness for his size. His rush moves are sudden with eye-catching ferocity in his hand usage. He has the power to push the pocket and the burst to split gaps and win quickly.  

Barryn Sorrell is making a run at his best college season. The senior tallied three pressures and a tackle for loss against Georgia. A facemask penalty was one of the only negative plays he suffered during the game. Sorrell bursts off the line and attacks the offensive tackle with combative hands. His speed up the arc gave Truss some problems on the right side of the line. He has a solid bag of pass rush moves and wins in space with his closing speed.

Sorrell uses his hand placement to stack and peak blocks in the run game before shedding with a rip move. He’s a high motor defender who projects as a Day 3 selection along the edge.  

Stock Up: Grey Zabel, LT North Dakota State

Per Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, Zabel is 6'5 4/8", 304 lbs. with 32 1/4-inch arms. He projects as a guard at the next level, but I’ve been impressed with the strides he’s shown at left tackle this season dating back to his opening night performance against Colorado.

Zabel allowed his first quarterback hit of the season on a stunt South Dakota State ran on Saturday night, but he dominated for most of the game. The Jackrabbits didn’t have anyone capable of testing Zabel’s range or anchor in pass protection. The fifth-year lineman gains good width and depth in his pass set to protect his outside shoulder.

Zabel appears to have upgraded his anchor this year. Speed to power rushes gave him issues in 2023, but part of that could be attributed to him playing with an inconsistent base and poor footwork. Those technical concerns haven’t popped up as often this year. I wouldn’t qualify his anchor as elite, but defenders haven’t challenged it nearly as much as last season.  

Zabel is an impressive athlete with the straight line speed and motor to hunt down defenders in space and lead block. He finishes reps through the whistle in the run game. Zabel took linebacker Adam Bock for a long ride that ended with the Jackrabbit eating turf.  

If there’s one knock I have on Zabel, it’s that he doesn’t play with ideal balance when working vertically in the run game. This leads to him falling off blocks.

Stock Up: John Michael Gyllenborg, TE Wyoming (Scouting Report)

After a high ankle injury derailed the start of his season, Gyllenborg has quickly settled into his role with the Cowboys. He’s produced plays of over 30 yards in three of their past four games, including a 63-yard catch and run touchdown against San Jose State. Gyllenborg stretched the defense vertically up the seam before completing the catch with a defender in his face and eluding another would-be tackler on his way to the end zone.

Gyllenborg finished the game with five receptions on ten targets for 137 yards. He’s an explosive athlete with the burst to overtake defenders and stress defenses downfield. Gyllenborg is a smooth mover who covers ground quickly and has the top speed to stack linebackers and some nickel defenders on vertical routes.

Gyllenborg possesses alignment versatility to line up in-line, in the slot, and at H-back. He can improve as an in-line tight end by adding more weight, which shouldn’t be an issue for his frame. Gyllenborg is still developing his route tree, but the flashes of separating with quick cuts and manipulating defenders with route fakes hint at a potential mismatch nightmare.  

It’s important to note when examining Gyllenborg’s profile that this is his first season as Wyoming’s full-time starter, and the Cowboys are an objectively bad team that struggles to throw the football. It’s also worth noting that Gyllenborg is still new to the sport. He only appeared in four games in high school.

There’s a ton of athletic upside to Gyllenborg’s game, and he’s just scratching the surface of what he could become.

Stock Up: James Pearce Jr., Edge Tennessee (Scouting Report)

I know I usually don’t highlight top draft prospects in the Stock Up section, but Pearce’s stock wasn’t doing so hot through the season’s opening weeks. He found his rhythm over the past month, amassing three games with seven or more pressures in Tennessee’s past four games, all of which were against SEC opponents.

Pearce lit Alabama up for nine pressures, including 1.5 sacks. He might’ve gotten away with an early jump on the one sack, but his explosiveness off the line is one of his best traits. Despite his lean frame, Pearce funnels power through his hands to drive offensive tackles backward and pry open the B-gap. He earned at least one pressure against right tackle Elijah Pritchett that way.

Pearce is athletic enough to match Jalen Milroe and make a play on the quarterback in space. He almost recorded a safety in the fourth quarter, but Milroe spun out of the sack at the last second. Alabama just didn’t have an offensive tackle with the explosiveness and range to silence Pearce.

Tennessee’s Dominic Bailey also had a day against the Crimson Tide. He applied five pressures, including a sack and this great rep beating left tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Pearce is applying pressure on 22.2% of his pass rush attempts this season. His 30 total pressures are tied for the fourth-most in the FBS among edge rushers. He and West Virginia’s T.J. Jackson are the only edge rushers with 25 or more pressures and fewer than 150 pass rush attempts.

Stock Up: Bhayshul Tuten, RB Virginia Tech

Tuten ran for a Virginia Tech record 266 yards against Boston College on just 18 carries. Eight of those runs went for ten or more yards, including 83 and 61-yard touchdowns. Tuten also caught a 20-yard touchdown. He accounted for 53.76% of Virginia Tech’s total yards in the 42-21 win. He’s averaging 124.4 rushing yards per game this season and leads all FBS running backs with 29 runs of ten or more yards. Here are all of his best plays against Boston College.

Tuten is an explosive running back with a background as a big-play kick returner. If you let him see green, he has the burst and long speed to go the distance. His impressive vision finds cutback lanes, and he has the change of pace and loose lower half to execute sharp jump cuts, throw dead legs, and make defenders miss one-on-one in space.

Tuten doesn’t have the power to overwhelm would-be tacklers, but he slips through arm tackles and is willing to absorb and play through contact. Tuten hasn’t caught many passes this year, but he beats linebackers in coverage and catches the football well.

Tuten did lose a fumble during the game. It was his fourth fumble of the season and his ninth fumble in the past two years. That many fumbles are just unacceptable and will impact him on draft day.

Stock Up: Cobee Bryant, CB Kansas

Houston targeted Bryant six times. That was probably six times too many. Bryant allowed two receptions for 35 yards but intercepted Donovan Smith three times, meaning he caught 12.5% of Smith’s 24 total pass attempts. This was a big rebound week for Bryant after he committed three penalties in Week 6 against Arizona State.

Bryant’s ball tracking is among the best in college football for a cornerback. His last interception this week was particularly impressive because he didn’t turn to locate the ball until it was already descending from the throw’s apex. Bryant completed the catch while being tackled by the intended receiver.

Bryant primarily played off Houston’s receivers and let them come to him. This let his vision and instincts go to work while inviting Houston to push the ball downfield and make mistakes. Bryant can play in soft-shoe press and be sticky in man coverage because of his fluid hips and light feet, but he’s more naturally disruptive with his eyes on the quarterback and the route in front of him in zone.

Bryant is very lean, and his weight would be considered light for a slot corner. However, he plays with impressive aggression working downhill to attack screens, short throws, and even help in run defense.

Stock Down: These Darn Quarterbacks

What. Are. We. Doing? What are we doing?! The 2025 quarterback class implodes every time it begins to build momentum. We saw several prospects collapse this weekend as multiple projected first round picks playing replacement-level football. Let’s look at the full extent of the damage.

Quinn Ewers (Scouting Report) settled down in the second half against Georgia but still seemed determined to throw the ball to Bulldogs defenders. Over the last two weeks, he’s played arguably his eight worst quarters of football since the mid-point of his redshirt freshman season. Fans aren’t going to stop calling for Arch Manning anytime soon.

Ewers’ pocket management was an aspect of his game I appreciated last year and earlier this season, but the Bulldogs had him terrified to step up. His pocket control on Saturday was nightmarish, and that contributed to a lot of back-foot, floated, and off-target throws. It also made life hard on his offensive tackles.

Carson Beck (Scouting Report) did a good job rehabbing his image after the first half meltdown against Alabama earlier this year by beating up on bad Auburn and Mississippi State programs. He turned back into a pumpkin when Georgia faced another talented defense.

Beck threw a pick to Andrew Mukuba while challenging a tight window. I’m not sure he even noticed Mukuba drifting into the throwing lane. Tight end Lawson Luckie tipped a high pass from Beck into Jahdae Barron’s hands, and Beck played pitch-and-catch with Barron on a play that wide receiver Arian Smith likely botched with shoddy route running (it wasn’t DPI). Georgia couldn’t buy an explosive downfield pass.

I subscribe to the trucks vs. trailers philosophy with quarterback prospects. Trucks can carry teams; they’re offensive elevators. Trailers are passable starters but are reliant on the scheme and surrounding talent. Beck is a trailer, in my opinion.

The other quarterback from that Alabama vs. Georgia game isn’t doing much better. Jalen Milroe (Scouting Report) might’ve had the best game of his career against the Bulldogs, but he’s 1-2 in the past three weeks with back-to-back poor performances. His decision-making, vision, and pocket management are causing issues.

Over the past two weeks, Milroe has thrown red zone interceptions to South Carolina’s O'Donnell Fortune and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. He also threw an interception right before halftime against South Carolina to gift the Gamecocks a field goal and tossed a game-ending interception to Tennessee on 1st and 10 in a seven-point game with 1:24 remaining. It’s just not acceptable.

I can pile on the 2025 class by adding that Conner Weigman threw two bad interceptions against Mississippi State. The first was an overthrown pass that was behind his intended target and went right to the safety. The second was the result of a lapse in vision on what should’ve been a no-throw that gifted the Bulldogs a red zone possession and eventual touchdown.

I had a late Day 3 grade on Houston’s Donovan Smith (Scouting Report) over the summer, but some people were really pumping his draft stock. He looks undraftable. Cobee Bryant intercepted 12.5% of Smith’s pass attempts on Saturday.

Stock Up Week 8 Honorable Mentions

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge Virginia Tech

Fans might see Powell-Ryland’s four sacks on the box score against Boston College and wonder why he’s only an honorable mention. One of those sacks should’ve just been a tackle for loss in my opinion, and offensive tackles Jude Bowry and Ozzy Trapilo gave him some real battles. They fought Powell-Ryland to a draw on most plays, but the All-American candidate broke through for a few big plays.

Here's a highlight reel of Powell-Ryland’s best moments from the win. He made a few hustle plays but also showed off his active hands with swipes and rips. Powell-Ryland doesn’t have high-end bend in his hips but still tightened his rush angle with a low pad level for his third sack of the game. He sets up his rushes well with his footwork and has the power in his hands to drive offensive tackles backward before countering with other moves.

Powell-Ryland has 11 sacks this season and is applying pressure on 16.46% of his pass rush attempts.

Brandon Adams, CB UCF

Adams had a near-perfect night against Iowa State. He allowed zero receptions on four targets and returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown. You can see from a wide view of the play that Adams had his eyes in the backfield, read the play perfectly, and beat the intended target to the catch point. He has two interceptions and a pass defensed in his last two games.

At 6'3", 190 lbs., Adams has the size and arm length to match up against Iowa State’s 6'4", 215 lb. potential top 100 pick Jayden Higgins. Adams played Higgins well throughout the day but got called for a penalty while covering the Iowa State star with less than a minute remaining in the game.  

Adams maximizes his arm length in press coverage with powerful jams and independent hand usage. His movement skills and corrective footwork are surprising for a player with his size, and he has enough speed to carry smaller, twitchier receivers vertically. Adams grabs and pulls on some sharp routes because his frame limits his ability to gear down quickly.

Jalen Travis, LT Iowa State

Travis attracted attention going into the 2023 season at Princeton, but he only appeared in six games and didn’t have the year he was looking for. He transferred up to Iowa State in the hopes of building a stronger NFL resume. The matchup against UCF was a good launchpad for the second half of his season.

Travis was late to recognize and adjust for a few stunts, but he kept the left side of the line clean and gave Malachi Lawrence fits for most of the night.

Travis appears to have improved his anchor and the explosiveness of his kick step, and I was impressed with his use of tempo to match the rusher’s speed and plan. His framing and hand counters in pass protection seem to have taken another step forward too. Travis attacked UCF’s pass rushers with attempted snatch traps and swipes.

His size (6'7", 340 lbs.) showed up in the run game a few times. He’s really upgraded his power to create displacement and seal run lanes. Check out this wicked finish against Lawrence. That large frame creates some limitations. It causes Travis to bend at the waist and limits his foot speed and agility, which is why he’s a projected Day 3 prospect.

Aeneas Peebles, IDL Virginia Tech

Peebles is an undersized, penetrating interior lineman. His box score against Boston College looks mundane, but he created a lot of disruption. Peebles explodes off the snap to exchange or shoot gaps and threaten linemen vertically. His spin move leads to several clean wins as a rusher, and he uses a club-swim to discard blockers in the run game. He’s hyperactive with a tremendous motor and ferocious hands.

The concern with Peebles is what happens on the plays between his splash moments. He struggles to hold the point of attack and get off blocks against NFL-sized linemen because of his size disadvantage. For this reason, he projects as a rotational piece at the next level.

RJ Harvey, RB UCF

Harvey is following up his 2023 season when he produced 1,654 yards from scrimmage by averaging 155 yards from scrimmage per game this year. That’s up from 127.2 yards per game in 2023. He produced 196 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries against Iowa State’s defense. The performance included 103 yards after contact, eight forced missed tackles, and four runs of ten or more yards.

Harvey isn’t a big back (5'9", 208 lbs.), but he makes up for his lack of size with impressive speed. He hit 20.8 miles per hour on a touchdown against Colorado earlier this year, and I’d wager he came close to that on his 80-yard touchdown run against Iowa State. During the long run, Harvey used his burst to punish the play-side safety for taking a steep downhill angle and completely erased the nickel defender’s angle downfield.

Harvey has the speed to win to the outside and turn the corner. He prefers to run off-tackle, where there’s more green grass and opportunities to use jump cuts on defensive backs, but he has the footwork and control to run against crowded boxes.

UCF has ramped up Harvey’s involvement in the passing game this year, and he’s performed well in these opportunities. He projects as a complementary, slashing running back at the next level.

Harvey’s 27 runs of ten or more yards this year are tied with Washington’s Jonah Coleman and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton for the second-most in the FBS.

Kaden Prather, WR Maryland

Tai Felton captured all the headlines for Maryland’s wide receivers through the season’s first month, but Prather is quickly increasing his target share as his teammate’s early season dominance fades. He hauled in nine receptions for 111 yards and a two-point conversion against USC. The senior could’ve had even more yards, but his quarterback led him too far on a hole shot between the corner and safety with just under four minutes left in the second quarter.

At 6'3", 210 lbs., Prather has the size and arm length to control the catch point but also flashes the speed to overtake and stack off-man defenders. His body control stands out on some of his go routes and red zone targets as he positions himself to make difficult receptions, like this 33-yarder he made over USC’s Jaylin Smith.

Prather also made a twirling 13-yard reception on a poorly placed pass. Smith had the coverage but played so far off that he didn’t have a shot at the football. Smith continued to play off, which gave Prather inside access for this 17-yard reception before halftime. Prather lacks blazing speed to scare defenses into off coverage, but he’s definitely a height, weight, speed mismatch for many defensive backs.  

Dylan Sampson, RB Tennessee

A fumble marred an impressive showing for Sampson against Alabama, but he deserves recognition for the massive role he played in upsetting the Crimson Tide. Sampson ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, including four carries of ten or more yards. He only has one game this season with under 100 rushing yards (92 vs. Oklahoma).

Sampson only had eight carries for 35 yards in the first half, and his offensive explosion in the second half fueled Tennessee going from down 7-0 to scoring 24 second half points.

Sampson slips between narrow gaps and finds small holes to fire through. His footwork is measured and patient between the tackles to pick his way through the mass of bodies. He has the burst to hit the edge and erase the pursuit angles of second level defenders. Sampson absorbs and bounces off contact high on his frame and churns his legs through lower body arm tackles.  

Malachi Moore, S Alabama

Moore’s college career has been a roller coaster. He looked like the next big thing as a freshman, trailed off as a sophomore and junior, and rebuilt his draft stock as a viable Day 3 selection over the past two years. He made several splash plays in Alabama’s loss to Tennessee.

Moore forced a fumble on Dylan Sampson early in the first quarter. Here’s a closer look at him ripping the ball out. He also pulled down an interception. Moore rotated to the middle of the filed post-snap in a single-high look that was shaded toward the right side of the field. He rolled with the quarterback and showed off his range to secure the pick.  

Jalen Royals, WR Utah State (Scouting Report)

Royals is starting to get the help and targets he needs after his supporting cast at Utah State crumbled against Power Four opponents early in the year. Royals caught all 11 of his targets against New Mexico for 188 yards and a touchdown. He has 666 yards in the past four games and now ranks fourth in the FBS in receiving yards and sixth in receptions.

Royals has such smooth speed and fast footwork to stack cornerbacks or set defenders up at the top of the stem with route fakes. Utah State schemes him touches on screens because he erases angles and shakes defenders one-on-one in space to break chunk plays. Royals is also competitive at the catch point and tracks the ball well in contested situations.

Unfortunately, he did appear to need help leaving the field at the end of the game. Hopefully, it’s just a short-term injury because he is cooking this season.

Additional Names to Know

Lee Hunter, IDL UCF

Hunter had his best game of the season, amassing six pressures, including a sack, and an additional tackle for loss against Iowa State. Hunter is a thick interior defender with what appear to be long arms. He applied pressure on a club-rip, two-handed swipe, and a bull rush. He had right guard Brendan Black in hell all night.

Nick Emmanwori, S South Carolina

Emmanwori was all over the field against Oklahoma. The 6'3", 227 lb. safety amassed 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and two interceptions, one of which he returned more than 60 yards for a score. His first interception was more skilled. Emmanwori picked up the crossing wide receiver on the right side of the field and carried him to the numbers on the opposite side of the field before breaking in front of the route and intercepting the pass.

Emmanwori’s size and play strength help him contribute in run defense, but he’s also a clean enough mover to handle some tight coverage assignments, take away tight ends, and quickly close from range to muddy throwing lanes. He projects as a top 100 pick.

Matthew Golden, WR Texas (Scouting Report)

Golden is often overlooked in draft circles in favor of fellow Texas receiver Isaiah Bond. Bond is the better prospect, but Golden has legitimate second round potential. He was the only Texas wide receiver who could get open against Georgia. Golden made three receptions of ten or more yards, including a 34-yarder that required an awkward adjustment.

Golden made another good adjustment later in the game to catch a throw that was behind him over the middle of the field. He’s a loose, agile athlete who naturally separates with his quick footwork, burst, sudden deceleration, hip sink, and sharp breaks at the top of the stem.

Golden had a long kick return, but a holding penalty brought that play back. He returned two kicks for touchdowns last year and has excellent YAC speed.

DJ Wingfield, RG Purdue

Wingfield had one or two miscues on pulls where he missed his ideal assignment, but he mostly stayed clean in true vertical pass sets against Oregon’s talented defensive interior. The former New Mexico right tackle only surrendered one pressure in the loss. Derrick Harmon got him good with a club once, but the rush didn’t result in pressure.

Wingfield plays low to the ground with a thick frame and wide base. He re-anchors against bull rushes and adjusts his body’s angle quickly to protect his quarterback from stunts or blitzes. Wingfield has heavy hands and deploys a snatch-trap to counter linemen. The redshirt senior projects as a Day 3 selection.

Ollie Gordon II, RB Oklahoma State

Gordon entered the season as a Heisman hopeful and was the RB1 on some big boards for the media. His season has been nothing short of disastrous, but he deserves credit for turning in his best performance of the year against BYU.

Gordon generated 88 of his 107 rushing yards after contact while averaging a season-high 5.5 yards after contact. He broke six tackles on his 16 carries and scored a 17-yard touchdown through the air. Gordon showed off his explosiveness on the catch and run by cleanly leaping over a would-be tackler on his way to the end zone.

David Bailey, Edge Stanford

I first highlighted Bailey for his performance in Week 4 against Syracuse. The junior could declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, but the emergence of stars like Donovan Ezeiruaku, Kyle Kennard, and Bradyn Swinson might push him to set his sights on the 2026 draft. Whenever he declares, Bailey will be in contention for a top 100 selection.

Bailey is an explosive and bendy edge rusher with the speed to run the arc and the natural fluidity to counter inside. He’s agile enough to stem his rush vertically, recognize a wide receiver screen, and redirect to bring down the ball carrier in the course of a single play. Bailey can also work speed to power through a long-arm.

Against SMU, Bailey totaled six pressures, including a sack that showcased his acceleration and ability to alter his rush tempo. He’s applying pressure on 23.17% of his pass rush attempts this season.

Trevor Etienne, RB Georgia

Etienne transferred from Florida to Georgia for the 2024 season with the hope of solidifying himself as a top 100 prospect. He got off to arguably the worst start of his career and should still go back to school, but he looked much more like himself against Texas. His fluidity and explosiveness are starting to pop again.

Big Time Players Making Big Time Plays

Elijhah Badger, WR Florida

Badger was a walking big play for the Gators. His three receptions against Kentucky went for 50, 58, and 40 yards against the Wildcats. Those were his only three targets in the game, and they all came on touchdown drives. Badger was a YAC monster at Arizona State but hasn’t filled that role at Florida. Instead, he’s serving as the team’s vertical threat.

Kaleb Johnson, RB Iowa

Johnson had a light, 14-carry game against Michigan State but totaled 147 yards from scrimmage while averaging 8.1 yards per touch. Most of that production came on a 75-yard burst to the end zone. Johnson’s acceleration is impressive for a running back his size, and, while his speed isn’t top-shelf, it’s good enough to break some big runs.

Caullin Lacy, WR Louisville

A broken collarbone delayed Lacy’s Louisville debut, but the South Alabama transfer made some big plays the past four weeks. Just when the Cardinals went down 14 points vs. Miami, Lacy returned a kick 100 yards for a score. Lacy led the Sun Belt Conference in receiving yards and punt return yards in 2023.

Evan Pryor, RB Cincinnati

Many college football fans are familiar with Pryor’s teammate Corey Kiner. Kiner is Cincinnati’s bellcow back, but Pryor is the team’s most explosive weapon. The 5'10", 198 lb. redshirt junior split Arizona’s defense for a 55-yard touchdown on Saturday.

Jaydon Blue, RB Texas

I can almost guarantee Blue will return to school instead of declaring for the draft. Injuries have limited him this season, but he’s still good for some highlight moments. Blue is an elusive running back who breaks down and shakes defenders in space and offers third down value running routes out of the backfield.  

Heisman Ladder

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State

…

2. Cam Ward, QB Miami

3. Travis Hunter, CB/WR Colorado

…

4. Kaleb Johnson, RB Iowa

5. Dillon Gabriel, QB Oregon

6. Dylan Sampson, RB Tennessee

7. Harold Fannin Jr., TE Bowling Green

…

8. Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado

9. Bryson Daily, QB Army

10. Tre Harris, WR Ole Miss