2023 NFL Draft: Week 5 Stock Report

It is the official start of college football's second quarter and the biggest rivalry week we have seen thus far. So whose stock is rising and who is going down?

It’s officially the second quarter of the 2022 college football season as we have entered October, and this was easily the biggest rivalry weekend we have so far. Not only were most teams beginning their conference schedule, it really seemed like every matchup was a big rivalry. 

What made this week even more significant is the fact that many of the games had both teams ranked or at least undefeated. We saw UCLA become 5-0 for the first time under coach Chip Kelly after beating undefeated and 15th-ranked Washington, as well as a battle of ranked opponents with Ole Miss beating Kentucky. 

Is it also time to start talking about a resurgence of Florida State? Syracuse and Kansas are both still undefeated. Can they be this good? If this next month of football can keep up with what we have already seen, then buckle up because it will be a bumpy ride. 

Trending Up

Kansas State Ground Attack

If you have watched college football the past few weeks, then you probably have heard a good amount about the Kansas State offense. The Wildcats are now 4-1 with their only loss coming against very pesky Tulane. Besides the one they lost, Kansas State has scored over 30 points in every game. However, for such a high-powered offense, you will probably be shocked to find out that quarterback Adrian Martinez has not thrown for over 300 yards in any game. Instead, we have seen them dominate with an old-school ground attack. Martinez, who is a transfer from Nebraska, is finally having his best attributes being used and we are seeing the best version of him that we have ever seen. In the past two weeks, he has scored seven touchdowns with his legs, one of those games being a big upset against Oklahoma. We haven’t mentioned Deuce Vaughan yet, but he is arguably the top running back prospect in this class. If you have been following this series of articles, you have heard me talk a lot about Vaughn. He is an all-around fantastic running back and can control the pace of the game because he rarely loses yards. Kansas State has one of the least flashy offenses and yet, these two players have them so exciting to watch.

LB Dorian Williams, Tulane

The past few years have seen Tulane become the team you hate to see on your schedule. They might not be a top-25 team, but they have shown time and time again that they can play with just about anyone. They are one of those teams that always has good players, but just not enough to get over the threshold, but they are extremely well-coached and have a tough defense. Williams is a perfect example of this because he is one of the most underrated linebacker prospects in the entire country. Williams is a sure tackler and a very smart player, who has made his presence felt in every game one way or another. He seems to be near the top of the stat sheet every time for tackles and in the one game he wasn’t, he had a massive momentum-changing interception. Williams has been known as a great run-stopper, but he has elevated his game this year and has shown he can be an every-down player. Seeing the progression he has every season, there is a very good chance he is going to be known as a steal in this class for whatever team gets him.

WR Jake Bobo, UCLA

This one is a bit of a surprise because UCLA hasn’t had a top-flight receiver in a long time, but Bobo is a true star in the making. He is a big-bodied receiver with tremendous route-running skills. This game was his first 100-yard performance of the season, but he looked unguardable against Washington and should be able to continue dominating the rest of the Pac-12. He works hard every snap whether it’s getting open on a broken play or just blocking for a running back. He plays a very comparable game as Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, but Bobo is a bigger and more polished athlete. He is a matchup nightmare for any team because he is much too big and powerful for a small cornerback to cover and too fast and athletic for a big yet slower cornerback.

Clemson Defense

In a battle of undefeated teams, Clemson’s defense stole the show. This is a team that was coming off of a rough 2021 season and there were still questions even with the 4-0 start, so playing No. 10-ranked North Carolina State was a big opportunity to prove themselves. Clemson took full advantage of the opportunity and controlled the entire game, and that was with several defensive starters not playing. The depth of their defensive line was too much for N.C. State to handle and it shut down the whole offense. They were led by linebacker Tyler Venables, who is a very smart and aggressive player and is like having a coach on the field. This was a clear indicator of how well that team is, because it didn’t matter who was in the game, they were always confident and made the right play.

Trending Down

QB Will Levis, Kentucky

This is a player who was garnering a lot of attention as a top quarterback prospect and he didn’t have a terrible game against Ole Miss. However, he does need to be held accountable because that loss was directly on him. He had a very bad fourth quarter that led to two late lost fumbles, both of which were his fault. He showed terrible ball security and shaky decision-making, not to mention having no pocket presence in crunch time. This isn’t to say he is a bad player and you shouldn’t draft him; it’s only one game. These are glaring issues though and not things that are a single-game problem. Look at a player like New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. He has the same deficiencies and it has cost his team too many times during his still young career. That is why this game hurts Levis; the mistakes were too severe to ignore.

Texas A&M Offense

This is one of the most confusing teams in the country. The Aggies came into the season with high expectations and have the pieces to be good, but they just can’t find any rhythm on offense. They have changed quarterbacks multiple times and still can’t get it going. What makes the game against Mississippi State a very bad loss is the fact they were playing a team that hasn’t had a strong defense in years and still couldn’t score. They have Alabama ahead and even if reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young doesn’t play, the Tide’s offense is still powerful. There is a lot of heat between A&M and Bama too, so if they lose to the backup quarterback, that could be a detrimental loss for the program as a whole. Max Johnson is still their best option at quarterback because he can make every throw that is asked of him. However, the thing that hurts him is he is not a great athlete and gets happy feet when under pressure, which is something that plays right into Alabama’s hands. 

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