NFL Draft 2015: Updated Prospect Radar, Post-Week 2
There weren’t many marquee college football games on the schedule this past weekend, but that opened up an opportunity for prospects on rising teams, such as Virginia defensive end Eli Harold, to stand out and elevate their profiles as potential 2015 NFL draft picks.
The Southeastern Conference battle between Georgia and South Carolina was certainly one for scouts to keep a close eye on, as it featured numerous potential early-round picks on both teams.
But there were also players who made names for themselves in some of the week’s more surprising games, such as Boston College upsetting USC and East Carolina topping Virginia Tech after the Trojans and Hokies had earned marquee wins just one week earlier.
It’s still early in the football season, but there are some players who have already generated clear reason for movement—either upward or downward—in their draft stocks. The following draft-eligible collegiate players were among those who did the most to help or hurt themselves during this most recent weekend’s slate of games.
Stock Up: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia, Sr.
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This Week: 13 receptions, 216 yards, 1 TD
Opponent: Maryland
There might not be any college football senior who has done more to make a name for himself so far this season than West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White.
He wasn’t very well-known coming into this year. A junior college transfer from Lackawanna College, White had just 35 receptions for 507 yards and five touchdowns in his first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013.
In just three games so far as a senior, White has already come close to matching his 2013 statistics. He has had at least nine receptions and 100 yards in each of West Virginia’s first three games—he had only one 100-yard game and never more than seven receptions in a game last year—and ranks second in the FBS with 32 receptions and 460 yards.
White’s statistical spike has been in part because of the progression of WVU quarterback Clint Trickett, but the 6’3”, 210-pound wideout has been putting real NFL tools on display.
For a receiver of his size, White demonstrates impressive speed and agility. He’s been running sharp routes this season and takes advantage of his height by attacking the ball in the air.
A player who is seemingly far more polished after having only flashes of brilliance in his first season of major college football, White is quickly emerging as one of the best players at his position in the country. He has the potential to be an NFL starter on the outside.
Current Draft Projection: Round 2-3
Stock Up: Eli Harold, DE, Virginia, Jr.
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This Week: Three total tackles, two sacks
Opponent: Louisville
Virginia pulled off a big conference win on Saturday with a 23-21 victory over Louisville, and a big factor in the team's success was the play of defensive end Eli Harold.
Harold, who has been a disruptive presence in all three of Virginia’s games to start the year, had two big sacks in Saturday’s game.
Early in the second half, Harold had a great effort when he chased down Louisville quarterback Reggie Bonnafon from the backside to track him down at the right sideline for a one-yard loss.
Later, on Louisville’s final possession of the game, Harold exploded inside Louisville left tackle Jamon Brown with a strong swim move and then chased down Cardinals quarterback Will Gardner for a 10-yard sack.
The Virginia junior, who has five total tackles for loss on the season and also had a 22-yard fumble return off his own strip sack against Richmond, is emerging as one of the nation’s dynamic pass-rushers.
Long-limbed and athletically nimble, Harold can win with his speed and burst while his pass-rushing moves are developing impressively.
Listed at 6’4” and 250 pounds by Virginia’s official athletics website, Harold would benefit from adding some bulk and can be overmatched by strength at times. Nonetheless, he has the upside to be a significant difference-maker as either a 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker.
Current Draft Projection: Round 3
Stock Up: A.J. Cann, LG, South Carolina, Sr.
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This Week: Star of the offensive line behind which the Gamecocks posted 447 total yards
Opponent: Georgia
With five touchdowns and 447 total yards, South Carolina’s offense led the Gamecocks to a victory over Georgia in Saturday’s most prominent matchup. Senior left guard A.J. Cann proved to be a big factor in the Gamecocks’ offensive success.
The Gamecocks rushing attack consistently went at the left side of Georgia’s defense behind South Carolina’s tandem of senior offensive line prospects, Cann and left tackle Corey Robinson. Robinson has significant NFL potential in his own right, but Cann showed Saturday why he could be a first-round pick and possibly the top guard in the 2015 draft class.
Cann consistently controlled his opponents at the line of scrimmage to give quarterback Dylan Thompson time in pass protection and to open holes for the ground game. He was almost never pushed backward off the line of scrimmage while he showed he could accelerate to the second level to pick up key downfield run blocks.
A 6’4”, 311-pound interior lineman who is powerful and has good feet, Cann has the skill set to be a Day 1 starter at the next level.
Current Draft Projection: Round 1
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Stock Down: Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia, RS So.
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This Week: Three total tackles
Opponent: South Carolina
After a season-opening performance in which he wreaked havoc on the Clemson backfield, Georgia redshirt sophomore Leonard Floyd earned a place in the Stock Up category of our first stock report of the year. Two weeks later against South Carolina, however, Floyd failed to stand out at all.
Floyd made very few appearances in the Georgia backfield against the Gamecocks and didn’t do much to disrupt plays at the line of scrimmage. After a two-sack performance in Georgia’s opener, Floyd wasn’t able to generate any significant pressure off the edge.
Part of the reason Floyd’s impact was neutralized was South Carolina’s game plan. While Floyd spent nearly the entire game lining up opposite the right tackle, the Gamecocks consistently ran the ball left.
That’s no excuse, however, for his minimal impact as a pass-rusher. South Carolina redshirt junior Brandon Shell certainly deserves a great deal of credit for shutting Floyd down, but the burst, speed and swim move that Floyd demonstrated against Clemson never quite showed up in this contest.
In only his second playing season at Georgia, Floyd could afford a bad game. If he can get back on the right track the rest of the season, and continue to showcase his explosive athleticism and ability to make plays in the backfield, he’s still a likely first-round pick if he declares for the 2015 draft.
Size and strength are concerns, however, for the 6’4”, 230-pound edge defender. Those concerns were validated on Saturday, as he was too easily made a non-factor in the game, so he must continue to develop.
Current Draft Projection: Round 1
Stock Up: Ramik Wilson, ILB, Georgia, Sr.
5 of 14
This Week: 13 total tackles, 2.5 total tackles for loss
Opponent: South Carolina
While Saturday’s game went poorly for the Georgia defense as a whole, one player who was able to stand out for that unit was senior linebacker Ramik Wilson.
Wilson’s range was on full display as he used his instincts and speed to track a number of plays outside from the middle to make tackles. He also did an excellent job attacking the line of scrimmage as a blitzer, using his burst and hands to beat blockers and make plays in the backfield.
His 13 total tackles were the most of any player in Saturday’s game.
The athletic linebacker also held his own in coverage. On one play where he dropped back to cover Gamecocks tight end Jerell Adams, he stayed stride for stride with the pass-catcher then got a hand up to force the pass incomplete.
Wilson had a quiet season opener against Clemson, a game in which he had to split repetitions with sophomore Tim Kimbrough, but he showed the skills Saturday that made him a first-team all-SEC selection in 2013.
Listed at 6’2” and 237 pounds, Wilson projects best to a 3-4 defensive scheme as an inside linebacker but could also play middle or strong-side linebacker in a 4-3 defense.
Current Draft Projection: Round 3-4
Stock Down: Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina, Jr.
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This Week: 17 carries for 66 yards, 2 receptions for 16 yards
Opponent: Georgia
While South Carolina junior running back Mike Davis was able to play a role in the Gamecocks’ impressive offensive output and victory against Georgia, he did not do much to distinguish himself as a top draft prospect at his position.
Davis’ toughness was certainly on display on Saturday. He twisted his ankle at one point in the game, but returned to play, while he also showed his willingness to take on contact and ability to trudge through it.
Davis also had a couple of big fourth-quarter runs and caught the ball cleanly on two receptions out of the backfield.
The performance of Davis on Saturday wasn’t bad, but he still winds up in the Stock Down category for this week because he did not look like a runner who should be garnering consideration as a potential first- or early second-round draft pick.
In comparison to Georgia running back Todd Gurley, a spectacular back who continued his outstanding start to the season with 131 rushing yards Saturday, Davis did not look like a special runner in this game. He’s a big back who looks the part, listed at 5’9” and 223 pounds by South Carolina’s official athletics website, but he doesn’t have the explosiveness or transcendent skill set needed to be a first-round player in modern times.
Davis’ health has seemingly not been at 100 percent yet this year, as he started the year battling bruised ribs and might now have a lingering ankle injury. But those injuries bring up durability questions of their own that could also negatively affect Davis’ draft stock.
The South Carolina back has a well-rounded skill set that gives him NFL feature back potential, and should still make him a second-day selection if he declares for the 2015 draft, but he needs to improve upon his slow start.
So far this season, Davis has accumulated just 227 yards from scrimmage. He has been outgained by fellow South Carolina junior running back Brandon Wilds.
Current Draft Projection: Round 2-3
Stock Up: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington, Jr.
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This Week: 36-yard INT return TD, 52-yard fumble return TD, four total tackles, 3 rush for 16 yards
Opponent: Illinois
Linebackers don’t typically get many chances to score, but don’t tell that to Washington junior Shaq Thompson, who has scored three total touchdowns in the past two weeks.
With two defensive touchdowns against Illinois on Saturday, Thompson had a performance to remember that earned him Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Neither of Thompson’s takeaways were spectacular plays—the interception was thrown straight to him, while the fumble was caused by a teammate and left for him to scoop and run with—but both gave him opportunity to put his impressive athleticism and big-play ability on display.
Thompson is known in infamy by baseball fans for going 0-for-39 during a brief minor-league stint in 2012, but he’s a far better football player.
A tremendous athlete at 6’1” and 228 pounds, Thompson has experience playing both linebacker and safety and utilizes his range well as both a run defender and in coverage. Thompson also plays occasionally on offense: he had a 13-yard run against Illinois, one week after scoring a 57-yard rushing touchdown versus Eastern Washington.
Thompson’s NFL future lies on the defensive side of the ball, but his versatility is part of what makes him a highly intriguing professional prospect.
He projects best as a 4-3 outside linebacker, but could also play inside in a 3-4 or be moved back to safety, as he has enough athleticism and coverage ability to play a role similar to that of Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor.
Current Draft Projection: Round 1-2
Stock Up: Hau’oli Kikaha, OLB/DE, Washington, Sr.
8 of 14
This Week: Six total tackles, 3.5 total tackles for loss (three sacks), fumble recovery
Opponent: Illinois
Shaq Thompson wasn’t the only standout performer among Washington’s top defensive prospects against Illinois. A spectacular outing was also put together by Hau’oli Kikaha, who continued to establish himself as one of the nation’s best pass-rusher by recording three sacks on Saturday.
A hybrid pass-rusher playing the “Buck” linebacker position in the Huskies’ new defensive scheme this year, Kikaha has thrived so far this season in his new role. The explosive edge defender has been bringing pressure around the corner all season and ranks third in the FBS through three games with five sacks.
Kikaha hasn’t had to go up against any top competition yet this year—a struggling Illinois program was no exception—but his burst and ability to bend around the edge has been evident. He has adequate size, listed at 6’3” and 246 pounds, and he is able to drive through opponents with a powerful bull rush.
CBS Sports’ Rob Rang was among those impressed by Kikaha on Saturday. He described the senior playmaker as “powerful, tenacious” and having a “tendency to get sacks in bunches.” Draft Ace’s Ryan McCrystal, meanwhile, compared Kikaha to Green Bay Packers star Clay Matthews, describing both outside linebackers as “extremely explosive, high-energy players.”
Kikaha could be tagged with injury red flags by NFL teams, as he missed nearly two full seasons with knee injuries, but he’s been consistently improving since and is playing at a very high level to start his senior year.
Best suited to play his current role as an outside linebacker for a 3-4 defense in the NFL, but also having enough strength to play as a 4-3 defensive end, Kikaha’s stock should continue to rise if he stays healthy and keeps getting to the quarterback.
Current Draft Projection: Round 2-3
Stock Down: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington, Jr.
9 of 14
This Week: Suspended
Opponent: Illinois
The Washington Huskies have four defensive players who are projected to be early-round draft picks. Shaq Thompson and Hau’oli Kikaha stood out this past week, while Danny Shelton’s early-season dominance was recognized in last week’s stock report. Junior cornerback Marcus Peters, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to stand out versus Illinois because he was suspended.
When Peters is on the field, he’s one of the most impressive cornerbacks in the country. Despite being only 6’0” and 190 pounds, he’s a physical cornerback. He has quick feet, fluid hips and excels at making plays on the ball. He recorded three pass breakups in Washington’s first two games.
Peters was benched in Washington’s second game against Eastern Washington, however, after he picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for headbutting an opposing player.
Making matters worse, Peters “was seen arguing with assistant coaches on the UW sideline” and “threw his gloves and helmet to the ground” after being benched, which prompted his suspension for Saturday’s game, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times.
Asked about Peters’ status after Saturday’s game, Washington coach Chris Peterson said he had “nothing new” to say, according to Jude, which brings into question whether Peters will be back in the starting lineup against Georgia State this week.
If Peters returns to the field and goes back to being one of the best cornerbacks in the country, the incident could soon be forgotten. The fact that it was enough to prompt disciplinary action from Petersen, however, could bring up questions about Peters’ maturity for NFL teams to dig into in the pre-draft process.
In his scouting notebook last week, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller wrote that Peters was labeled by an NFL scout as “a ‘stay-away’ character player,” so Peters might already be fighting a bad perception. He cannot afford to have any more incidents that raise red flags.
Current Draft Projection: Round 1-2
Stock Down: Noah Spence, DE/OLB, Ohio State, Jr.
10 of 14
This Week: Suspended, might not be able to return for Ohio State
Nine months ago, Ohio State edge defender Noah Spence was one of the most intriguing pass-rushing prospects in the nation and looked like a future first-round pick. Two failed drug tests later, however, it’s unclear what the future holds for Spence as an NFL prospect.
Spence, who tested positive for ecstasy prior to last year’s Orange Bowl, was expected to be activated and play against Kent State after serving a three-game suspension. That changed, however, when Spence failed another drug test, according to Patrick Maks of Eleven Warriors.
The junior’s parents told Tim May of The Columbus Dispatch that Spence is seeking treatment for a “medical illness.”
Spence’s parents said they are hopeful their son can resume his career with the Buckeyes, but the Big Ten handbook states that any student-athlete who tests positive twice for a banned substance is “declared permanently ineligible for all further intercollegiate competition in all sports,” according to ESPN.com’s Austin Ward.
Should that be the case, Spence could look to transfer to a FCS school to play in 2015, but it’s more likely he will declare for the 2015 draft.
If he can overcome his issues with drugs and get himself back in shape for pre-draft workouts, he should still draw interest from NFL teams. An explosive athlete with adequate strength, he has high upside as either a 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker.
No longer, however, will Spence be in the first-round conversation. His draft stock should plummet into the later rounds or possibly out of the draft altogether. At this point, however, his focus needs to be on treatment before he can even be viewed as a serious NFL prospect again.
Current Draft Projection: Day 3, contingent on recovery and no further issues
Hidden Gem of the Week: Cam Worthy, WR, East Carolina, Sr.
11 of 14
This Week: Six receptions for 224 yards
Opponent: Virginia Tech
In one of the week’s most stunning upsets, East Carolina took down Virginia Tech, who won convincingly against Ohio State one week earlier, with a 28-21 victory. One of the big reasons why was the play of senior wideout Cam Worthy.
Worthy’s not even the most highly touted receiver on his own team—fellow senior pass-catcher Justin Hardy is the Pirates’ top prospect—but Worthy took the starring role as the deep threat of the ECU offense on Saturday.
The 6’3”, 220-pound wideout showed good downfield speed as he beat Virginia Tech cornerbacks deep on a number of occasions, while he also showed some ability to extend plays after the catch. Each of his six receptions went for at least 28 yards.
Saturday’s game was truly a breakout performance for Worthy, a junior college transfer who caught just 24 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns in his ECU career prior to his most recent game.
He has some very intriguing physical tools, however, including a 43” vertical jump and a 10’9.5” broad jump, according to ECU’s official athletics website.
One big game does not make an NFL prospect, but Saturday’s game should put him on scouts’ radars as a sleeper prospect to keep an eye on.
Current Draft Projection: Round 7
Small School Stud of the Week: Chris Bonner, QB, Colorado State-Pueblo
12 of 14This Week: 20-of-32 passing for 255 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Opponent: Sam Houston State
Colorado State-Pueblo pulled off an upset on Saturday when the Division II school defeated Sam Houston State, a program that made it to the Football Championship Subdivision’s national championship game in 2012 and was one week removed from having played LSU.
The key catalyst in the ThunderWolves’ upset victory was a strong performance by senior quarterback Chris Bonner, a big signal-caller listed at 6’7” and 235 pounds.
Coming from the Division II level, Bonner might be an NFL long shot, but he has intriguing tools.
Bonner has 532 passing yards for seven touchdowns with just one interception between his first two games of the year, and the strong-armed quarterback has been garnering attention from scouts, according to Benjamin Allbright of 94.1 FM Denver.
In a senior class of quarterbacks that has limited talent, Bonner is a sleeper to keep an eye on.
Current Draft Projection: Round 7 or Undrafted Free Agent
Correction: A previous version of this slide stated that Bonner had completed 532 passes. He has completed 36 passes for 532 yards.
Other Notable Performers
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Boston College pulled off the most shocking upset of the weekend when it defeated USC, fresh off a victory over Stanford one week earlier, by a score of 37-31 on Saturday. The star of the game for BC was senior outside linebacker Josh Keyes, who had a whopping 5.5 tackles for loss, including one sack, among eight total tackles.
The game was truly a breakout performance for Keyes, who had just six total tackles for loss for his entire career prior to Saturday’s game. Completely off the NFL draft radar prior to this past weekend, the 6’2”, 223-pound linebacker showed some serious playmaking ability but will have to prove he’s not a one-hit wonder.
One of the most impressive players early this season has been Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman. He’s a rare physical specimen, an explosive athlete listed at 6’9” and 280 pounds, and has huge potential that could make him a very high draft pick.
Oakman hasn’t had to go up against any top competition yet this year, but it looks as though his technique has significantly improved from 2013. He had two total tackles for loss against Buffalo on Friday and has already recorded three sacks this season, one more than he had all of last year.
Three commitments and one transfer removed from being one of the top quarterbacks in the high school class of 2012, Gunner Kiel finally saw the field for Cincinnati on Friday against Toledo in the Bearcats’ first game of the year.
Kiel’s passing potential was immediately evident as he completed 25 of 37 passing attempts for 418 yards and six touchdowns, the most touchdowns ever for a FBS quarterback in his career debut.
Kiel has three remaining years of eligibility after a mandated redshirt year last season following his transfer from Notre Dame, but he’s eligible to declare for the 2015 draft.
He’s probably better off planning to play at least two seasons at Cincinnati, but he’ll establish himself as a significant NFL prospect if he continues to play as well as he did in his first game.
NFL Draft Injury Notes
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Saturday was a rough day for two of the Pac-12’s top quarterbacks.
UCLA junior Brett Hundley, a potential first-round pick, was forced out of the Bruins’ game against Texas with an elbow injury. His being sidelined opened the door for backup quarterback Jerry Neuheisel to step in and be the hero, but the Bruins will still want Hundley, an athletic, strong-armed passer with huge upside, back as soon as possible.
According to Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, Hundley hyperextended his left elbow but is expected to return by the end of this week.
Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly had the potential to end up as one of the top quarterbacks in the senior class, but that effort might be derailed by a foot injury that left the signal-caller on crutches and in a walking boot during Saturday’s game against Colorado.
He will not play against UCLA on Sept. 25 but could return to play USC on Oct. 4, according to Doug Haller of USA Today Sports.
Another taleted senior quarterback to go down with injury Saturday was Utah State’s Chuckie Keeton. He re-injured his left knee, in which he tore his ACL last season, and was seen on crutches after leaving the Aggies’ contest against Wake Forest, according to Lya Wodraska of The Salt Lake Tribune.
It’s uncertain whether the injury will cause Keeton to miss time, but durability is starting to become a serious concern for the dynamic dual-threat.
Oregon left tackle Jake Fisher is quickly becoming a favorite of some draft analysts, but the senior was carted off with a knee injury during Saturday’s game versus Wyoming. According to Aaron J. Fentress of CSNNW.com, Fisher was “spotted walking on crutches while wearing a large knee brace” after the game.
Texas senior defensive tackle Desmond Jackson also had an early exit on Saturday, as he was carted off from the Longhorns’ loss to UCLA with an injury believed to be a sprained ankle, according to Jeff Howe of Horns247.
Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman was held out of Saturday’s game against Kent State with a foot injury. The big, athletic senior is considered to be one of the top 2015 draft prospects at his position, but he has yet to catch a pass this season.
On a more positive note, the most impressive return from injury this past weekend might have been by Iowa left tackle Brandon Scherff. The potential top-five overall pick suited up and had a solid performance against Iowa State on Saturday, just four days removed from knee surgery.
All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com, and all measurables courtesy of official school athletic websites, unless otherwise noted.
Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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