College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 9
As we await the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings this Tuesday (which will likely be known by the time this piece drops), the field of potential schools hasn’t narrowed as much as you’d expect. Some combination of Georgia, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State, and Michigan State will be in the initial top four, but there is a lot of football left to play.
For the teams that are already out of the CFP hunt, it’s all about improving and ending the season on a high note. There’s no draft in college football, but building momentum for your program is a massive part of the sport.
On the contrary, there is a draft in the NFL, and I’m back yet again to bring you some players who have either helped or hurt their cause in recent weeks.
STOCK UP: RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
Michigan State, as previously mentioned, is currently 8-0 under Mel Tucker and indeed in the hunt for one of the CFP spots. Quarterback Payton Thorne has a chance to be a sleeper prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft, but the engine of this offense is Kenneth Walker, arguably the clubhouse leader for the Heisman at present.
A junior Wake Forest transfer, Walker III has made the most of his opportunity during the 2021 season. Playing in all eight games for Sparty so far, his 175-1194-14 rushing line is the most important part of the MSU offense. He pretty much single-handily led them to victory this past weekend against Michigan, rushing for nearly two hundred yards with a handful of scores.
In terms of his draft prospects, Walker III looks like the most efficient running back in the nation. He combined great explosiveness off the snap and trusts his eyes to make the proper cuts to gain extra yards after contact.
A shorter back, Walker III is extremely sturdy and doesn’t shy away from contact. His pass pro reps have looked solid as well, and despite being a zero in the receiving game so far, he hasn’t had the chance in that department.
Given his relatively fresh legs and fantastic skillset + performance this season, not only is Kenneth Walker III a candidate for the Heisman Trophy, but he also may be the first running back selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
STOCK DOWN: QB Demond Ridder, Cincinnati
Cincinnati's Demond Ridder is a perfect example of why you should never be a box score scout and actually take time to watch guys play to see their strengths and weaknesses.
It does feel strange to put Ridder in this category, as he’s been the leader of a Cincinnati team that is likely to be one of the four initial CFP programs. Yet, in terms of Ridder as a draft prospect, the first-round hype he receives is insane.
Credit him for utilizing a more conservative playstyle for himself, as his accuracy has increased nearly ten percentage points from recent seasons. However, the jump in his play is still lacking. He still massively overthrows passes more than ten yards down the field, and despite his mobility and potential to sense pressure and make a play with his legs, Ridder hasn’t done so as much as you’d like to see this year.
His ESPN Total QBR is down ten points from last season, and with as many technical flaws as he possesses, I’m not sure I would take a risk on Riddder before Day 3.
STOCK UP: LB Jestin Jacobs, Iowa
Last year, we saw an incredibly athletic yet raw linebacker shoot up draft boards and wind up as a Round 1 pick in Jamin Davis. This year, we may have a similar situation, but instead of Kentucky, we’re heading to the Big Ten to check in on Iowa linebacker Jestin Jacobs.
A redshirt sophomore and Ohio native, Jacobs has taken some of the glory that his teammate and linebacker buddy Jack Campbell (another stud LB) and has had a terrific season. Jacobs has 37 tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception this season, and when you watch the Iowa defense, you could make a solid argument that Jestin Jacobs has been the best coverage linebacker in the nation.
A freaky athlete with the smoothness to flip his hips and match up easily with tight ends, and even wide receivers, Jacobs’ prowess in man coverage should not be overstated. He has fantastic length to make plays on the ball, and his instincts are top-notch as well.
Jacobs needs to get a fair bit stronger, and being only an rSO means he could easily return in 2022, but his stock is on the come up, and he has a good shot, as noted earlier, to replicate what Jamin Davis did and garner some first-round recognition.
STOCK DOWN: OT Obinna Eze, TCU
Texas Christian University has been in the news waves over the past few days, as longtime coach Gary Patterson has decided to step away from the program after 22 years. Patterson did more than his fair share of getting the Horned Frogs into the national limelight, but now the program is in flux.
The team has been mediocre and disappointing, and a lot of TCU’s top talent hasn’t played to their potential, including Memphis transfer Obinna Eze.
In the Frogs' recent contest in which they were destroyed 33-12 by Kansas State, Eze had a very rough go of it, allowing seven total pressures and four sacks. While his pass protection grading from PFF hasn’t been poor this season, he is not a great translation to the NFL given his technical issues.
Eze plays way too stiff and upright and does not possess the overall athleticism to adjust to speed rushers. He’s a huge player, about 6’7” and 330 pounds, but Eze has failed to get stronger at the point of attack, and when you combine that with his leverage issues, a move inside feels like malpractice. In a deep offensive tackle class upcoming, Eze has failed to make his mark.
STOCK UP: Edge Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
I believe that the single deepest position for the 2022 NFL Draft as of right now is the edge defender class. Not only is there incredible top-end talent, but the depth is outright absurd as well.
One guy who has seemingly burst onto the scene and is now pushing for potential Round 2 buzz is Notre Dame’s, Isaiah Foskey.
A super-long and athletic defensive end, Foskey has stepped up as a starter this year for the Irish, and the results have been fantastic to say the least. With eight sacks on the season, including 4.5 over the last quadrant of contests for ND, Foskey has been able to utilize his fantastic first step and the ability to produce using his inside-out and vice versa playing style.
His bend is optimal, and he has the foot speed and hand usage to rattle offensive lineman. He’s a guy who is maybe just beginning to hit his ceiling and, as stated earlier, could skyrocket up draft boards.
STOCK DOWN: S Isaiah Pola-Mao, USC
Every year, draft analysts and the NFL scouts fall in love with safeties who are humungous yet great athletes. This year, we’re seeing it with Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton, granted he’s a top-3 talent in the upcoming draft.
USC has someone similar stylistically in Isaiah Pola-Mao, but the production hasn’t been close.
Standing in at 6’4”, Pola-Mao has the size and range to potentially be a Swiss-Army knife for an NFL defense, but it still hasn’t come all together for him. With only eight pass breakups and five interceptions across his five-year career for the Trojans, Pola-Mao is a very vanilla player, given his measurables.
His demeanor on the field makes him very wild, and he misses a ton of tackles on tape. He has the speed to catch up to guys and perform decently in coverage, but outside of 2019, Pola-Mao looks to be just a good depth piece for a defense.
Related
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 8
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 7
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 6
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 5
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 4
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 3
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 2
- College Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers from Week 1
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