NFL Draft: Three Prospects on the Rise

College football NFL Draft prospects that have seen their names jump up draft boards.

Chris Spooner | Nov 3, 2021

We are getting into the thick of it now, college football — and NFL Draft — fans! The very first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings came out last night. The NFL season has passed its usual halfway point. From here on out, the talk — and banter — about programs and prospects is only going to ramp up exponentially!

The calendar has turned to November. This is the time where the cream of the crop usually rises to the top. Some players will see significant buzz and maybe a bump to their stock after bowl games and during Combine season. But by and large, the homeward stretch of the college football season is where prospects are made or broken.

It's going to be a fun few weeks and an even more fun offseason as fans and scouts alike sit down with what should be a historically large pool of prospects this season. Who is positioning themselves to climb up boards in the last months of the season? Let's look at some prospects who should be rising up boards after this week!

Kenneth Walker - RB, Michigan State

Kenneth Walker might not have been on many folks' radar before the season after transferring from Wake Forest. After everything he's done this season, he's firmly on people's radars now. If he's not the clubhouse leader for the first running back off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft, he's at least very much in the conversation.

Walker had another outstanding performance for the Spartans, this time against a top-10 team in the Michigan Wolverines. Walker showed that he's not just feasting on bad defenses. On the contrary, Walker put up arguably his most impressive game of the season. He's had higher rushing totals on the season, but putting up nearly 200 yards rushing and five touchdowns on Michigan is impressive no matter how you cut it.

Kenneth Walker III was turning heads in a Heisman-level performance against Michigan.

🟢 5 TD
🟢 197 YDS

WOW 😤 pic.twitter.com/x9eVYVqx0z
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2021

Walker already has 1,194 yards on the season and 17 touchdowns. Michigan State still has four games left on the schedule. Walker may not run roughshod on the likes of Ohio State and Penn State like he did to Michigan, but he continues to put on display all the traits scouts want from a top-flight running back. He's showing great vision, great contact balance, good explosion and speed. He can contribute in the passing game, as well. He's made a great case for the top of the class with the likes of Isaiah Spiller.

Jaivon Heiligh - WR, Coastal Carolina

Coastal Carolina has been one of the most fun programs to watch over the past few years. Their ascension from obscurity to a nationally-relevant program has been arguably the best story in college football recently. But the Chanticleers are much more than just a feel-good story. They have legitimate, next-level talent, especially on this year's iteration of the team.

This year's Coastal Carolina team may not be knocking on the door of the College Football Playoff as they have in years past, but they may have the most talented team they've had in terms of future NFL projection. That list starts with their quarterback Grayson McCall and a likely top 3 tight end in Isaiah Likely. But don't overlook the wide receiver McCall calls on when he needs a big play, Jaivon Heiligh.

Grayson McCall ➡️ Jaivon Heiligh for the 66 yard TD!#Troy #CoastalCarolina

https://t.co/IHaTJziEIh
— CFB Country (@_CFBCountry) October 29, 2021

The combination of Heiligh and Likely has been lethal for opponents over their time in the program, and both have NFL aspirations. Heiligh showed again this week that he has the tools needed to be a solid prospect at the next level. He's not going to contend with being at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft wide receiver class, but with his body control, soft hands, and solid route running, he'll make a solid WR2 or WR3 at the next level and a nice option for a team on day 2 or 3 of the NFL Draft.

David Ojabo - EDGE, Michigan

The two most important positions in football are the quarterback and the guy trying to sack the quarterback. High-quality EDGE players are something that every team in the NFL is constantly searching to have. The Michigan Wolverines have not one, but two high-quality players who could wind up being high draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

While Aidan Hutchinson gets the lion's share of the publicity — and deservedly so — his running mate on the opposite side has quietly had himself an outstanding season. David Ojabo has flown somewhat under the radar to this point, but he's starting to break out and garner the attention he deserves.

David Ojabo started playing football in 2017#CFB

pic.twitter.com/TWgoVkROBp
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 30, 2021

Not much went right for the Wolverines' defense on Saturday against Michigan State. As mentioned earlier, Spartans running back Kenneth Walker destroyed the Wolverines' defense all day. But one of the few bright spots for Michigan on a tough day was the play of Ojabo. While Hutchinson got the attention of the offensive line, Ojabo was busy getting the attention of the quarterback — and pro scouts in attendance.

Ojabo finished the game with four tackles and two sacks. He also threw in a forced fumble for good measure. Ojabo recorded his second multi-sack game on Saturday and now has seven sacks on the season, with three forced fumbles. He's proving to be a dominant force on a dominant defense and showing that he can be a game-changer in multiple ways. Hutchinson will be drafted before him, but Ojabo may give him a run for his money before all is said and done.