We are in the final stretch run of the college football season. Draft season will be starting up in full in the next couple months as well. Lets talk about whos stock is up and whos is down.
Stock Up
Jihaad Campbell and Devonte Lawson-Alabama: Both Alabama linebackers had big games this past weekend against LSU. Campbell probably had the bigger game stat wise. He chipped in 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and a PBU. Lawson had the bigger play with the game sealing interception. He still finished the day with seven tackles and the interception.
This draft class really needs some linebackers to step up. Harold Perkins tore his ACL early in the season and no many linebackers have come along and pushed themselves to the top or near the top to create a better class. After Barrett Carter and Jaishawn Barham there weren’t many stand out linebackers in the class. Campbell and Lawson were both highly recruited, but until this season hadn’t shown much.
Campbell is a freaky athlete who could really test out of this world at the combine and Lawson isn’t far behind him. If both declare they could add some depth and talent to a group that was lacking some. Campbell could even end up as the first linebacker drafted.
Nick Nash-San Jose State: Nash is an interesting story. He is a 6th year senior and has been at San Jose State all six years. He is having a huge year this season with already 86 catches for 1,156 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is also 6’3 195. People may wonder why isn’t he a bigger name? why didn’t he transfer up? Well he was a quarterback his first three seasons at SJSU. His first year at wide receiver he had just six catches all season. The following season he finally became a starter and had 48 catches for 728 yards and eight touchdowns.
Not exactly eye catching, but showed signs of talent. As stated before he is having a breakout season this year and had moved himself from probably a UDFA entering the season to a mid round pick. He has the size the NFL likes and he is versatile in that he can be used in trick plays and even carry the ball sometimes. He is a guy to keep an eye on.
Michael Green-Marshall: Green was a bit of an unknown entering the season. He spent his first two years at Virginia collecting a total of four tackles and one sack as a redshirt freshman. He transferred to Marshall last season and showed some flashes despite having just 4.5 sacks he continuously got pressure on the quarterback, collecting 29 pressures per PFF. He wasn’t even a starter last season due to the depth Marshall had at edge. He had shown flashes on film and I had marked him down as a potential riser.
He has been more like a rocket this season. Green has 13 sacks to date. Some may look at the conference he plays in and discount his numbers, but he did have back to back games against power four teams. He played Virginia Tech and Ohio State. Green put up three sacks in those two games combined. He is a bit undersized at around 235, but he has the speed, bend, and skill to be a big time riser if he comes out.
Ollie Gordon-Oklahoma State: Gordon has had a hell of a year, and not in a good way. He was arrested in the offseason and just couldn’t get it going after an ok first game against South Dakota State. His stock took a dive. He didn’t break 75 yards in six straight games and most were 50 or less. While he isn’t putting up the numbers he did in 2023, he has played a lot better lately and has looked a lot closer to the guy who ran for 1,700 yards last season.
Gordon just had one of his best game of the season with 25 carries, 121 yards and a touchdown. Oklahoma State has two games left against Texas Tech and Colorado and will have a change to break a 1,000 yards on the season. He is at 714 right now. He could also of course return for his senior season and transfer to another power four program and try and boost his stock even more. If he came out he could still go on day two.
Stock Down
Kobe Hudson-UCF: Hudson was seen as the Robin to Javon Baker’s Batman in 2023. He had a career year averaging over 20 yards a catch. It was thought with Baker moving on to the NFL that Hudson would be able to claim that #1 receiver spot and have a big season in 2024. That hasn’t happened and while its not completely his fault that KJ Jefferson would completely fall apart and UCF would have to play musical chairs with their quarterbacks he still failed to step up in any significant way.
It looks like Hudson probably is what he was in 2023 and solid #2, nothing more. He has shown flashes in a couple games this season, but not enough to move him up and likely to move his stock down from where some people might have had him in the summer.
Jordan Waters-North Carolina State: Waters had a nice season for Duke in 2023. His numbers weren’t eye catching, but he was also splitting duties. He had 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards a carry. He even averaged 15 yards a catch (although it was a small sample size). He transferred to North Carolina State with Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina. It was thought he could have a big season in 2024, but McCall got injured early and ended up retiring.
NC State has also for some reason decided to rotate their backs. Waters has just 82 carries on the season despite being healthy the whole season. He broke 100 yards twice. With the depth of the running back class his stock has dropped to probably undrafted range.
Carson Beck-Georgia: I didn’t want to have any “repeat offenders” here, but Beck has been so bad this season. If he had eligibility left he would be an automatic return to school and maybe even transfer candidate. He seems to have lost the player he was in 2023. Beck was looked at at probably the top senior quarterback, now he probably won’t go until day three. It would be best for him to sit a year behind an established veteran so he can do a mental reset because he has the talent to be a starter in the NFL.
Kaden Prather-Maryland: Coming off the summer there was some talk that Prather was getting day two grades from NFL teams. What’s not to like? he’s 6’3 210 and moves like someone that’s 6’0 190. He was a bit raw, but showed flashes in 2023. His numbers are actually down in 2024, despite playing with Billy Edwards who is a better passer than Taulia Tagovailoa was.
His teammate Tai Felton also has had a breakout season in 2024. Prather still has those flashes like the big 33-yard touchdown he had against Indiana. He also has just three touchdowns on the year and for a guy as big as he is and physically gifted as him, he should have more touchdowns. His stock has gone down. He broke 100 yards only once this season. He is just not there yet and teams will take that into consideration. He is still a project.
For More Great Content
Follow me on Twitter @bmaafiNFL and follow us @GridironHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in NFL and College Football, Click here!
