The College Football Playoffs second-round kicks off on New Year’s Eve. For many players, this will be the last snaps of their football careers. But if history repeats itself, a good playoff run can increase your draft stock. Stetson Bennett, Roman Wilson, and Quentin Johnston are some recent examples.
With a new 12-team format, five players could dramatically boost their stock in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon Quarterback
Gabriel finds himself in a very similar position as his predecessor Bo Nix. Both quarterbacks are transfers who strived under Danny Lanning, set the records for most college starts by a quarterback, and finished as Heisman finalists. But Gabriel has already outdone Nix by finishing the season undefeated, winning the Big 10, and giving the Ducks a chance to play for their first National Championship. So why was Bo Nix the 12th overall pick in 2024, and Gabriel is viewed a third round pick in 2025?
It’s for the same reason many media outlets didn’t have a first round grade on Nix. Since Gabriel set the record for most college starts by a quarterback, he’s viewed as an old prospect with little room for growth. But Gabriel is actually younger than three first round QBs from last year; Bo Nix. Michael Penix, and Jayden Daniels.
Nix and Daniels have both made rookie of the year cases and have shown tremendous improvement in year one, and Penix just took over for veteran Kirk Cousins. So with the age-factor debunked, a good playoff run could raise Gabriel to first round status.
He checks a lot of boxes when it comes to quarterback prospects. He rarely turns the ball over having a 4.8-1 touchdown to interception ratio. Even though Gabriel doesn’t have a rocket arm, he’s extremely accurate on short and intermediate passes. Overall as a passer, he processes defenses quickly and is a sure decision maker.
Although Gabriel isn’t necessarily a dual threat with his legs, he’s got enough mobility to create time in the pocket and can scramble for first downs. He was just as good of a passer out of structure as he as with a clean pocket.
If Gabriel can lead the Ducks on a deep run, there’s a good chance he’ll be the third quarterback off the board in 2025.
Cam Skattebo, Arizona State Running Back
Cam Skattebo is arguably the best player in the playoffs, and yes that includes Ashton Jeanty. He has put up ridiculous numbers everywhere he’s been. He began his college career at Sacramento State where in two season he put up 2,387 total yards and 17 touchdowns. He got even better when he transferred to Arizona State, putting up 3,161 total yards and 32 touchdowns in two years.
Skattebo is the modern day NFL running back, and it’s only a matter of time before teams notice that. He already lit up Big 12 defenses, and now he gets a real opportunity against Texas in the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns give up an average of 104.5 rushing yards a game, ranking tenth in the nation.
Skattebo has a rare combination of speed and power. He ranks third in the nation in forced missed tackles. He truly is a bowling ball with the football in his hands.
CAM SKATTEBO, WHAT A RUN 💪 pic.twitter.com/cVbN94l4xA
— ESPN (@espn) December 7, 2024
Skattebo won’t blow you away with his speed, but there’s no doubt that in the open field he can turn on the second gear and get in the end zone. Skattebo has been a bell cow running back everywhere his been, and done it at an extremely high level. He’s currently projected to be a late third round pick and barley viewed as a top ten running back in the class. Skattebo is one of the best players in college football, and he’ll put that on display in the playoffs.
Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State Cornernback
Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) waves his finger after a defensive stop during the first half of their game against Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 at Ohio Stadium.
Igbinosun flew under the radar at the beginning of the season. Denzel Burke was considered the Buckeye’s top corner and many thought would be a first round draft pick. But throughout this season Igbinosun has been the best corner in Columbus.
Where Igbinosun lacks in quickness he makes up with incredible coverage skills. He is not afraid to get physical. He’ll use his entire 6’2″ frame to jam receivers and create tough throws for opposing quarterbacks. On top of that Igbinosun has fantastic ball skills, he gets his hands on the ball when it’s thrown in his direction. He may not have the speed and twitch to be a top corner in the league, but he has the skillset to be a starter.
Currently projected as a third or fourth round pick, Igbinosun has a golden opportunity to raise his stock. He won’t raise it much against an average Tennessee passing offense, but if the Buckeyes win, Igbinosun has a chance at redemption. Dillon Gabriel tore up this daunted Buckeye’s secondary earlier in the season. But in a rematch against a Heisman finalist and two future NFL receivers in Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart Igbinosun capitalize and dramatically raise his stock. And if he can run a sub 4.50 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, he could sneak into the first round.
WHAT AN UNREAL INTERCEPTION 🤯
How did Davison Igbinosun even catch this for @OhioStateFB?! pic.twitter.com/YlvorsDzSE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024
Mitchell Evans, Tight End Notre Dame
Mitchell Evans had a quite opener against Indiana in the playoffs only racking up two catches for 17 yards. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise as Evans had a modest stat line in 2024 coming off of a torn ACL in October of 2023.
Notre Dame eased Evans back into the offense and now he looks to show off that tight end one potential in a huge Sugar Bowl match up with Georgia. There were many fans arguing that Evans should be tight end one on that draft before the season started, but much of his 2024 season was spent recovering from his knee injury and fitting back in with the offense.
But Evans is an ideal fit for an NFL team. He’s great at using his 6’5″ frame to box out defenders and find open space. He was a safety blanket for Sam Hartman in 2023 and Riley Leonard in 2024.
And much like his receiving stat line, numbers don’t tell the whole story for Evans. He’s also a fantastic blocker. On top of his 6’5″ frame he also weighs 260 pounds, so he can move edge defenders and create running lanes for an offense.
Blocking tight ends will always have a place in the NFL, but if Evans shows off his receiving upside against an elite Georgia secondary, he may climb up into the second round.
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