Where Draft Stock is Heading for Arizona State Stars
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TEMPE -- One of the major themes of the coming weeks for the Arizona State football program outside of the transfer portal, recruiting class, and bowl game will be the ultimate decisions that draft-eligible players make regarding the 2026 NFL draft in April.
A hefty number of players will officially run out of eligibility following the upcoming postseason game - including Chamon Metayer, who already declared for the draft, while others will have the ability to do so with remaining eligibility.
ASU on SI explores a pair of current stars for the program and where their stock stands below.
Jordyn Tyson's Overall Stock Unclear
ESPN's Matt Miller questioned whether Tyson's injury history will negatively impact his draft stock in the coming months - particularly after the star exited the loss to Arizona.
"After missing four weeks with a hamstring injury, Arizona State wide receiverJordyn Tyson left Friday night's game against Arizona with what looked like a reaggravation of that injury. Teams are going to have to weigh these injury concerns. He was seen as the top receiver in the class, but based on the total picture of his game and health, Tyson probably projects more as a mid-to-late first-rounder than top-10 talent."
It's difficult to deny that Tyson's injury fortunes are a bit of a concern, as he has suffered significant setbacks due to knee, shoulder, and hamstring ailments.
However, Tyson's production, leadership skills, and ceiling are enough to overcome the questions - it also has to be considered that NFL training staffs will likely be able to provide even more advanced treatments moving forward.
Is Raleek Brown Experiencing Draft Stock Rise?
Miller also believes that the junior running back is experiencing a bump in draft stock after extending the Arizona State streak of having a 1,000 yard rusher to five seasons.
"Arizona State running back Raleek Brown went off against Colorado on Saturday night, rushing for 255 yards and scoring two times -- once as a rusher and once as a receiver. The 5-foot-9, 195-pound back is electric in space with deep speed to run away from defenses and exceptional lateral quickness. The feedback from scouts is that Brown would be a Day 3 pick, but his stock continues to rise each week."
The former USC stud is the most recent in a lengthy line of running backs that have found breakouts under RB coach Shaun Aguano. Head coach Kenny Dillingham even compared the 5'9" back to current NFL player Kenneth Gainwell - this should be an undeniable sign that he is on his way to playing on Sundays - whether that is in 2026 or 2027.
As for the season at hand, the Sun Devils are set to find out their bowl game fate next Sunday in the hours following the College Football Playoff selection show.
Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.