NFL Draft 2015: Updated Prospect Radar, Post-Week 3

From Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and safety Landon Collins shining against Florida to Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston being suspended for his off-field antics, this past week was an eventful one for some of the 2015 NFL draft’s projected top prospects.

With most collegiate players now three or four games into their 2014 seasons, there’s been enough on-field action to get a sense of where each prospect currently stands in his development as a player. While some players, such as Cooper, are clearly playing at a higher level this year, there are others who need to step up their play after disappointing starts.

This past week featured a number of prominent matchups, from the aforementioned Alabama-Florida game to the prime-time showdown between Florida State, sans Winston, and Clemson. In the following slides, we take a look at which players took advantage of those opportunities to stand out, and which prospects were exposed in playing below expectations.

Stock Down: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State, RS So.

This Week: Suspended

Opponent: Clemson

The prospect radar doesn’t usually start on a negative note, but there was no bigger story surrounding an NFL draft prospect this week than Florida State’s suspension of quarterback Jameis Winston for its prime-time game against Clemson.

If Winston’s draft stock was to be determined only based upon his on-field play, he’d be a clear-cut early first-round pick. The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner has the physical tools and passing skills to be an excellent pro quarterback.

That said, Winston’s off-field behavior has prompted red flags. His character concerns became amplified this week when FSU decided he should be suspended—for one of the team’s biggest games of the year—after an incident this past week in which he reportedly stood on a table and yelled a profane, sexually explicit phrase from an Internet meme.

If that inappropriate outburst was Winston’s only incidence of misbehavior, it would likely be written off as a moment of immaturity. Ultimately, teams will have bigger reasons to question his character, including a shoplifting citation this April and sexual-assault allegations levied against the quarterback last year.

The fact that FSU felt the incident warranted suspending Winston gives NFL teams one more reason to be leery about investing a high draft pick in the quarterback. And FSU increasing that suspension late Friday night, after initially suspending him for a half, reportedly because he lied about jumping on a table during the incident, according to CNN’s Rachel Nichols, doesn't help his case.

One NFL scout told Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman last week that Winston’s character concerns, in that scout’s eyes, have dropped Winston “from a top-three pick to a late second-rounder." Freeman reported that he is “already hearing that a few NFL teams, no matter what happens from here, are strongly considering removing Winston from their boards completely.”

In a time when off-field issues have become the forefront news story in the NFL, Freeman reports that teams are more likely than ever to pass upon draft prospects who have histories of off-field issues.

That leaves Winston, despite his immense talent and on-field accolades, in a position to potentially plummet in the 2015 draft, should he declare.

Winston could still go as high as the No. 1 overall pick if a quarterback-needy team believes he is the draft’s best signal-caller and is confident he can mature. But it would also no longer be a shock if he fell out of the first round entirely.

Current Draft Projection: Round 1 but no longer a sure bet to be a top pick

Stock Up: Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson, Sr.

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This Week: Eight total tackles, two tackles for loss (one sack), two quarterback hits, one pass breakup

Opponent: Florida State

In a close losing effort for Clemson on Saturday night, no Tigers player stood out more than senior middle linebacker Stephone Anthony, who proved himself as an NFL prospect in one of the best games of his career.

Anthony, a 6’3”, 245-pound thumper, has been a presence as a between-the-hashes run-stopper throughout his collegiate career. The question scouts might have about Anthony is whether he can contribute as a pass defender at the next level.

On Saturday, against one of the most athletic and talented teams in college football, Anthony was excellent in both coverage and as a pass-rusher.

Anthony and the Tigers defense exposed the middle of Florida State’s offensive line on three separate occasions on which Anthony blitzed through the A-gap and hit the quarterback, once sacking him and twice forcing incomplete passes.

In coverage, Anthony was often asked to go up against Nick O’Leary, one of the most talented tight ends in the country. While he was beaten by O’Leary on one 10-yard catch, he also made plays against him on a number of occasions, including one pass deflection that ended up in the hands of teammate Jayron Kearse for an interception.

The senior linebacker also showed good range as a run defender on Saturday, as he made some tackles outside the hashes including one play he chased down close to the left sideline for a four-yard tackle for loss.

All in all, the big, athletic defender’s performance might have been the most impressive of any NFL draft prospect in college football this past week.

Current Draft Projection: Round 3

Stock Up: Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson, Sr.

RICHARD SHIRO/Associated Press

This Week: Three total tackles, two sacks, one pass breakup

Opponent: Florida State

A quiet performance for Vic Beasley in Clemson’s season-opening loss to Georgia was viewed as a disappointment by many, but the senior defensive end made a flashier impact on Saturday for the Tigers, despite his team’s loss to Florida State.

Lined up primarily against senior left tackle Cameron Erving, one of the best offensive linemen in college football, Beasley made his mark on the battle with a number of big plays.

Utilizing his exceptional first-step quickness and quick, strong hands, Beasley would twice go right around Erving’s outside then close with his speed to FSU quarterback Sean Maguire and bury him for a sack. On another occasion, Beasley got to the quarterback as he threw to break up a pass, creating a deflection that was nearly intercepted by one of Beasley’s teammates.

Beasley only made one tackle against the run in this game, and it remains questionable whether the 6’3”, 235-pound edge defender can be more than a situational pass-rusher at the next level. But while he only showed up in the box score once as a run defender, he helped redirect a number of other plays with his pursuit.

Size and consistency remains valid reasons for concern with Beasley, but he showed with his highlights on Saturday how he’s the most gifted pass-rusher in the 2015 draft class, which is likely to entice a team into making a very high draft pick.

Current Draft Projection: Top 15

Stock Down: Cameron Erving, LT, Florida State, Sr.

Mark Wallheiser/Associated Press

This Week: Gave up two sacks

Opponent: Clemson

When Florida State played Clemson in 2013, Cameron Erving was widely considered the winner of that year’s battle with Vic Beasley, as the then-junior left tackle held Beasley without a sack for the game. In this year’s matchup, however, Erving was on the wrong end of Beasley’s aforementioned highlights.

In a matchup against an explosive speed-rusher like Beasley, an offensive tackle must be consistently quick out of his snap to stand any chance in pass protection. A late reaction to the snap by Erving allowed Beasley to blow right by his outside on the Clemson pass-rusher’s first sack of the game.

Later in the first half, Beasley was able to work Erving back off a great burst and then disengage from the left tackle with his hands, allowing him to notch a six-yard sack at Erving’s expense.

When Erving was able to establish a solid block on Beasley, he was able to utilize his physical advantages over the undersized pass-rusher and win with strength. The 6’6”, 308-pound left tackle, who was a second-team AP All-American in 2013, is expected to be an early-round selection in the 2015 draft.

That said, the way Beasley was able to run right around him on a number of plays could leave scouts questioning whether Erving is capable of handling the fast outside rushers he would face on a consistent basis as an NFL offensive tackle. He has enough athleticism to stay on the edge at the next level, but he must become more polished in his technique to avoid being exposed like he was Saturday.

Current Draft Projection: Round 2

Stock Up: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama, Jr.

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This Week: 10 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns

Opponent: Florida

Saturday’s game against Florida was expected to be a battle for Alabama junior wide receiver Amari Cooper, going up against a defense that includes one of the best cornerbacks in college football, sophomore Vernon Hargreaves III.

Instead, Cooper overmatched the Gators secondary as he caught 10 passes for 201 yards, the most among all Football Bowl Subdivision pass-catchers this past week, and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 42-21 win over its SEC rival.

Cooper didn’t end up having to go up against Hargreaves, who was in and out of the game with an injury and spent most of the game playing in zone coverage, as much as anticipated. Nonetheless, Cooper had a highly impressive performance that showed why he should be a first-round pick in the 2015 draft.

The biggest play of Cooper’s game, a 79-yard touchdown, came as a result of a coverage bust that left him wide-open and able to stroll into the end zone with ease. But he made a number of receptions with higher degrees of difficulty, including a four-yard jump-ball touchdown catch over Hargreaves in the end zone during the third quarter.

It stands out how naturally Cooper makes plays on the ball; he can make even the tough receptions look easy. Cooper has a clean, fast downfield stride, can make sharp breaks without losing speed, excels at tracking the football in the air and displays soft hands in plucking the football out of the air.

A disappointing sophomore season left Cooper’s draft stock in flux coming into the year, but he’s already more than made up for it. After finishing last season with just 45 receptions for 736 yards and four touchdowns over 12 games, he leads all FBS players with 43 receptions for 655 yards. He also already has five touchdowns in just four games this year.

Current Draft Projection: Top 10

Stock Down: Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn, Jr.

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

This Week: Two receptions for 24 yards

Opponent: Kansas State

It was Sammie Coates, not Amari Cooper, who was generating the most buzz among collegiate wide receivers in the state of Alabama coming into the 2014 season. But while Cooper has established himself as the star for the Alabama Crimson Tide offense, Auburn’s Coates has failed to stand out so far this year.

Through Auburn’s first three games this season, Coates has accumulated only three receptions for 37 yards.

That’s partially because Coates has been less than 100 percent healthy, as he sat out Auburn’s second game against San Jose State with a knee injury. That said, he looked to be running well against Kansas State on Thursday; he simply couldn’t catch the ball with any consistency.

Coates was targeted eight times in Thursday’s victory but only corralled in two passes. There were a couple of deep balls from Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall that went slightly too far for Coates to catch up. Perhaps, the misses were a result of Coates being just a step slower than usual due to his ailment.

But he also had multiple catchable balls go off his hands, one of which nearly resulted in an interception for Kansas State.

A 6’2”, 201-pound wideout with terrific speed, Coates established himself as a major weapon for the Auburn offense during the Tigers’ run to the national championship game in 2013. Coates’ impressive physical traits and big-play ability make him a potential first-round draft pick.

If he intends to declare for the 2015 draft, however, he needs to start producing this year and proving he can make the tough catches in order to be a top-32 selection.

He had a couple of impressive moments on Thursday, including a tackle when he chased Kansas State speedster Tyler Lockett to bring him down at the end of a 21-yard punt return, but he hasn’t done anything to assert his status as a top prospect yet this season.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 1-2

Stock Up: Landon Collins, S, Alabama, Jr.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

This Week: Five total tackles, one assisted tackle for loss, one interception, two pass breakups

Opponent: Florida

While Amari Cooper took advantage of Saturday afternoon’s showcase game against Florida to prove he should be a high first-round pick in the 2015 draft, fellow Alabama junior Landon Collins did the same on the defensive side of the ball.

Collins, a big safety listed at 222 pounds by Alabama’s website, put his athleticism and range on full display Saturday as he lined up at both free and strong safety and made plays all over the field, including five total tackles and three total passes defensed.

In the first half, Collins made a tremendous play when he covered significant ground from the left middle of the field to near the right sideline and then leaped above both a Florida wide receiver and one of his own teammates to knock a pass away, nearly intercepting it.

He made an even better play in the second half when he broke in front of a pass, got one hand up and used that hand to pull the ball in, securing an interception and then weaving around the field to gain 12 yards on the return.

Closer to the line of scrimmage, Collins was also a big-time presence. He helped teammate Trey DePriest snuff out an Andre Debose screen for a three-yard loss, while he shut down another run at the line of scrimmage on the corner blitz. Collins has the strength to mix it up with bigger blockers, while his closing speed allows to get into position for stops, on which he is a sound tackler, in a hurry.

Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo, who graded the game as PFF’s College Game of the Week, gave Collins an overall grade of 6.9, the best score achieved by any player on either side.

Collins’ versatility and ability to impact plays in a multitude of ways make him a strong bet to be the top safety in the 2015 draft class if he declares.

Current Draft Projection: Top 15

Stock Up: Kris Frost, LB, Auburn, Jr.

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

This Week: Six total tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble

Opponent: Kansas State

Auburn was able to survive and advance in its victory over Kansas State largely because of its defense, which put together a solid four-quarter effort in which junior linebacker Kris Frost played a starring role.

Rated as a 5-star recruit by Rivals.com out of high school, Frost is a very good athlete who seems to be putting it all together on the field in an increased role this season. The rangy linebacker, who is listed at 6’2” and 234 pounds, put his range on display Thursday night.

Frost lines up on both inside and outside for the Auburn defense, and he made plays from both spots against Kansas State.

He used his explosive speed on a number of occasions to break free and pressure the quarterback, which led to a sack and multiple inaccurate throws, including one that was intercepted, from KSU quarterback Jake Waters under duress from Frost.

Frost flows to the football fast and can chase down running plays or screens from the inside out toward the sideline. He also came up with a strip-sack late in the first half of this game (Kansas State recovered the fumble) on a delayed blitz from the middle linebacker spot.

The junior is still a raw, developing talent who would likely be best suited by returning to Auburn for his senior season and continuing to grow as a prospect for the 2016 draft. That said, he is an intriguing physical specimen who could shoot up boards if he continues to make plays.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 3-4

Stock Down: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon, Sr.

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This Week: Nine total tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup

Opponent: Washington State

The box score of Saturday’s 38-31 win by Oregon over Washington State suggests that Ducks senior cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu had a highly productive game. Ekpre-Olomu’s stat line was impressive enough that he was actually among the nominees for this past week’s Lott IMPACT Player of the Week, an award bestowed upon the best defensive player each week of the college football season.

Despite the numbers he posted, there was more to dislike than like about Ekpre-Olomu’s performance, from a scouting standpoint, in Oregon’s closer-than-expected game Saturday night.

Ekpre-Olomu drew praise two weeks ago for a strong performance against Michigan State, but he uncharacteristically struggled in coverage against Washington State. The cornerback was beaten on a number of big plays, including two touchdown receptions by Dom Williams and a 24-yard catch up the sideline by River Cracraft.

The biggest question mark about Ekpre-Olomu as a prospect is his size, as he is listed at only 5’10” and 195 pounds, and his size was an evident impediment on Saturday. The cornerback had good inside position in coverage on both Williams’ second touchdown and Cracraft’s deep catch, but in each case, the receiver was able to use his size to box-out Ekpre-Olomu and make the play over the smaller defensive back.

That said, Ekpre-Olomu was simply out of position on a couple of other occasions.

On Williams’ first touchdown, an 18-yard catch going to the back of the end zone, the receiver ran right by Ekpre-Olomu. He also was caught looking off the play, allowing Vince Mayle to get by him on what would have been a third touchdown against Ekpre-Olomu. However, Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday missed with an inaccurate throw from 30 yards out.

Ekpre-Olomu was an active tackler, as evidenced by his tally of nine, but many of those tackles came well downfield, and some came on plays after he allowed receptions.

Overall, Ekpre-Olomu had the ball thrown at him more than usual in this game, and it became noticeable that his size could be a real drawback for him at the next level. He’s one of the most talented cornerbacks in college football and remains a likely first-round pick, but Saturday’s game was not one of his finer outings, regardless of what the folks who put together the Lott IMPACT Trophy nominations saw.

Current Draft Projection: Round 1

Stock Up: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska, Jr.

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This Week: Seven total tackles, two sacks, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble

Opponent: Miami (Fla.)

During ESPN2’s broadcast of Nebraska’s 41-31 win over Miami on Saturday, analyst Brock Huard brought up a comparison to the most recent No. 1 overall pick when he described Nebraska junior Randy Gregory as “basically Jadeveon Clowney minus 15 pounds.”

While that might be a slight exaggeration of Gregory’s skill set, it’s not necessarily inaccurate. Gregory is lanky for a defensive end, listed at 6’6” and 240 pounds (26 pounds lighter than what Clowney weighed in at during this year’s NFL Scouting Combine), but he is a tremendous athlete who showed Saturday how he can explode into the backfield and make plays all over the field.

On a number of occasions where Miami’s offensive line made the mistakes of not getting a big body of Gregory, the edge defender made them pay. He recorded one of his two sacks by hurdling over a cut block attempt from a Miami running back and accelerating straight at Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya to bury him for a 10-yard loss.

That’s not to say Gregory can’t also break down offensive tackles. He beat Miami right tackle Taylor Gadbois in the fourth quarter, utilizing both great speed around the edge and active hands, to hit Kaaya and knock the ball out of his hands for a strip sack that ended up recovered by Miami but a 15-yard loss. 

Gregory also forced a first-quarter incompletion by bull rushing left tackle Ereck Flowers, a junior who is a potential early-round NFL pick in his own right, back to the quarterback.

If Gregory is going to be an every-down defensive end at the next level, he’s going to need to bulk up and become a stronger point-of-attack run defender.

That said, he did a good job setting the edge against Miami’s big offensive tackles in this game. One exception came on Miami running back Duke Johnson’s first-quarter two-yard touchdown run, a play on which Johnson easily scored on a toss outside left while Gregory was driven inside by Flowers.

Given his exceptional all-around athleticism, Gregory can also line up as a linebacker, which he did on a number of occasions Saturday. He didn’t make any significant plays from that capacity this past week, but his game as a whole was impactful and showed why he could be a very high choice if he declares for the 2015 draft.

Current Draft Projection: Top 20

Hidden Gem of the Week: Taylor Heinicke, QB, Old Dominion, Sr.

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This Week: 27-of-43 passing for 430 yards, five touchdowns; eight rushes for 36 yards, one touchdown

Opponent: Rice

Taylor Heinicke began making a name for himself in his sophomore year in 2012, when he set Football Championship Subdivision records with 398 passing completions and 5,076 passing yards. His biggest opportunity to establish himself as an NFL quarterback prospect comes in his senior year, however. It will be Old Dominion’s first season playing with the big schools at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

Heinicke’s first three games of the year got him off to a shaky start, as he threw four combined interceptions and just five touchdowns between those contests. Making matters worse, the quarterback bruised his shoulder in ODU’s third game against Eastern Michigan, which initially put his status for this past Saturday’s game against Rice into question.

That said, Heinicke did not play Saturday but was at his best, as he averaged 10 yards per passing attempt and had five completions reach the end zone as Old Dominion won its Conference USA opener.

Heinicke—who also punted on Saturday, placing two of his three punts inside the 20-yard line and averaging 44.7 yards per boot—does not have the size or arm strength of a prototypical NFL quarterback. That said, he’s a smart passer and sound decision-maker who has run the Monarchs offense efficiently since his freshman year. He also has feet quick enough to make some plays on the ground.

If he continues to play as well against Conference USA defenses as he did Saturday, he should draw consideration from NFL teams as a potential Day 3 pick with the necessary components of a quality backup QB.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 6-7

Small School Stud of the Week: Kyle Emanuel, DE, North Dakota State, Sr.

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This Week: Three tackles, three quarterback hits

Opponent: Montana

In a matchup of teams ranked in the top three of the Football Championship Subdivision’s coaches’ poll, North Dakota State maintained its status as the juggernaut of its division by defeating Montana, 22-10, and extending its winning streak to 28 games.

The Bison defense had a dominant performance, holding Montana to 256 total yards of offense and just one touchdown for the game, and one of the key players in North Dakota State’s strong defensive effort was senior defensive end Kyle Emanuel.

According to FootballGameplan.com’s Emory Hunt, who was in attendance for the battle of FCS powers, said Emanuel stood out as the “best player on the field” in the game:

"

On the 1st three plays of the game, Emanuel either made or disrupted the play. He has a great inside move and uses his hands extremely well to play the run. Emanuel is a fundamentally sound player that is able to get of blocks, re-direct and accelerate to the QB. I saw a player that excelled on both ends of defense.

"

Saturday wasn’t Emanuel’s first strong performance of the year. Through four games, the edge defender has already accumulated 21 total tackles, with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, along with two forced fumbles.

Those numbers didn’t all come from stat-padding against inferior competition, either, as Emanuel recorded nine total tackles with four for loss (two sacks) in the Bison’s season-opening win against Iowa State.

Appearing best suited to play defensive end at the next level, Emanuel’s outstanding production to start his senior year should have NFL scouts taking notice.

“If he’s not playing on an NFL/CFL team next year, it’s a crime,” Hunt wrote.

Current Draft Projection: Round 7 or undrafted free-agent signing

Other Notable Performers

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Down the stretch of Florida State’s victory over Clemson on Saturday night, no one came up bigger for the Seminoles than junior defensive tackle Eddie Goldman.

Following a Clemson interception late in the fourth quarter, Goldman got the ball back for the Seminoles when he forced a fumble on a C.J. Davidson run up the middle.

In overtime, Goldman shut down Clemson’s opportunity to score by getting off a block to sack Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson on second down and then bringing penetration that enabled two FSU teammates to make a stop on 4th-and-1 that gave the Seminoles the opportunity to win the game.

Goldman’s most notable moments in the first three quarters of the game were an offside penalty and a missed sack, but he certainly made a name for himself with his clutch performance down the stretch. The massive, agile interior defensive lineman has huge upside and could be a Day 2 pick if he declares for the 2015 draft.

After a slow start to the season, Wisconsin junior running back Melvin Gordon made an emphatic case against Bowling Green on Saturday as to why he should be a first-round pick.

The running back put his speed, agility and moves on display as he rushed for a whopping 253 yards and five touchdowns on 13 carries, while he also led Badgers quarterback Tanner McEvoy to the end zone with a lead block on Wisconsin’s first touchdown.

Gordon did fumble for the first time in his collegiate career, and Bowling Green’s rushing defense is no formidable unit. However, Saturday’s performance was still fantastic by any measure for Gordon, a dynamic offensive playmaker with enough talent to potentially challenge Georgia’s Todd Gurley to be the top running back selected in the 2015 draft.

Another running back who stood out Saturday—and has been fantastic all season—was Nebraska senior Ameer Abdullah.

Featured as a "stock-up" selection two weeks ago, Abdullah continued to stand out by rushing for 229 yards and two touchdowns against Miami (Fla.) on Saturday. A well-rounded back who bounces off contact well and has good agility, Abdullah is making a strong case of his own to be a first- or second-round draft choice.

While Sammie Coates has been underwhelming so far this season, junior college transfer D’haquille Williams has broken out as the star of Auburn’s receiving corps. Williams displayed impressive acceleration, strong route-running and a good ability to extend for catches away from his body as the 6’2”, 216-pound wideout caught eight passes for 110 yards on Thursday.

Williams also had a couple of passes go off his hands on Thursday, so he needs to be more consistent, but the talented junior should certainly be on the radar of NFL scouts after making some impressive plays versus Kansas State.

NFL Draft Injury Notes

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Rutgers junior running back Paul James got his season off to a great start when he ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Washington State, but his year came to an abrupt end Saturday when he suffered a torn ACL versus Navy.

James was a Day 3 prospect who was best suited to return for his senior season anyway, but his stock for the 2016 draft will now be contingent on how well he bounces back from this injury.

It was announced this past week that Texas State senior linebacker Mike Orakpo, the younger brother of Washington Redskins outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, suffered a torn ACL and MCL against Navy the previous Saturday.

The younger Orakpo is a freak athlete like his brother, but he has bounced between multiple collegiate programs and has not had much production. Ineligible for a medical redshirt, Orakpo will likely have to fight his way onto a roster as an undrafted free-agent signing to make it in the NFL.

Georgia junior running back Keith Marshall, who suffered a torn ACL during the 2013 season, suffered an injury to his right leg and was seen on crutches during Saturday’s game against Troy. The injury is being described as “not real serious” by Georgia coach Mark Richt, according to Seth Emerson of The Macon Telegraph.

However, it’s another setback for Marshall, who did not show much explosiveness in his return from injury earlier this season, and he has been buried on the Georgia running back depth chart behind fellow junior Todd Gurley and freshmen Sony Michel and Nick Chubb.

Florida senior right guard Trenton Brown suffered a high ankle sprain against Alabama on Saturday, according to Daniel Morales of InsideTheGators.com. A massive man listed at 6’8” and 361 pounds, Brown has enough potential to be a mid-round draft selection if he can stay healthy and prove himself to be at a sustainable weight during predraft testing.

Florida State junior defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. made some plays in the first half against Clemson as he did a good job holding the edge versus the run, but he suffered a concussion that ended his game early.

Edwards has been an inconsistent performer throughout his Seminoles career, but his combination of size, strength, athleticism and pass-rushing ability gives him first-round potential if he can get back on the field and perform well the rest of the season.

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.

Follow @Dan_Hope