NFL Draft 2015: Updated Prospect Radar, Post-Week 11

Saturday was an eventful day for some of the 2015 NFL draft’s top prospects, especially its running backs.

Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon had one of the greatest individual performances in college football history and was one of three draft-eligible running backs to rush for more than 300 yards on Saturday. On the other end of the spectrum, Georgia’s Todd Gurley suffered a devastating injury in his return from suspension.

Running backs weren’t the only ones to have big days for better or for worse Saturday. While one quarterback’s Heisman Trophy hopes and draft stock took big hits in a battle of top-five teams, another signal-caller showed why he could be the most overlooked passing prospect eligible for the upcoming draft. A couple highly regarded offensive tackles struggled against talented senior pass-rushers.

More than anything, however, this past weekend could be remembered as the one that shaped the competition to be the top tailback selected come April.

Stock Up: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin, Jr.

This Week: 25 carries for 408 yards, four touchdowns; two fumbles lost, one fumble recovery

Opponent: Nebraska

Melvin Gordon ran for more yards than anyone ever had before in a Football Bowl Subdivision game when he rushed for 408 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday.

It only took him three quarters.

The Wisconsin junior running back turned a top-25 matchup into his own personal highlight reel as he followed up big-play runs with more big-play runs over the first 45 minutes of his Badgers’ 59-24 blowout win.

In just 25 carries, he topped a mark previously set by TCU legend LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 406 yards on 43 carries against Texas-El Paso in 1999.

Gordon, who leads all FBS players with 15 plays of 40 or more yards from scrimmage this season, according to CFBStats.com, had five such plays (plus a 39-yard run) in Saturday’s game alone.

With his blistering speed and ability to make defenders miss with sharp cuts in open space, Gordon ran by and away from the “Blackshirts” all game. He showed impressive balance staying in bounds on multiple runs along the sideline—including one on which he hurdled a low tackle—and displayed his ability to bounce off contact, without slowing down significantly, to extend gains.

The only blemishes on Gordon’s day were a pair of first-half fumbles. However, he saved Wisconsin from another turnover on a fumble by quarterback Tanner McEvoy as he accelerated quickly from blocking a defender to diving on the loose ball before a Nebraska defender could secure it.

Gordon did not catch any passes Saturday, leaving questions about his receiving skill afloat, but his dominance on the ground negated any need for Wisconsin to use him as a receiver in the game.

Even with some perceived limitations, Gordon is a special talent—Saturday’s record-breaking performance proved that. With Todd Gurley injured, Gordon has emerged as the clear-cut front-runner to be the first running back selected in this year’s draft.

Current Draft Projection: Round 1

Stock Down: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia, Jr.

This Week: Suffered torn ACL

Opponent: Auburn

It was exciting for Georgia fans and draftniks alike as junior running back Todd Gurley made his return Saturday from a four-game suspension for improper benefits. That excitement evaporated in the fourth quarter when Gurley went down with a non-contact knee injury, confirmed to be a torn ACL by Georgia’s athletic department Sunday.

Seemingly a sure bet to be a first-round pick if he stayed healthy—even with the suspension—Gurley’s draft stock is now very uncertain.

Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole tweeted Sunday that he received “two text messages from NFL folks saying Georgia RB Todd Gurley will still likely be a first-round pick even with ACL injury.” Former NFL scout John Middlekauff, however, said he “can't see him off the board before the fourth round now.”

The reality likely lies somewhere in between.

Possessing a rare combination of size, power, speed, agility and catching ability, Gurley is a special talent who at least one team, in spite of the injury, is likely to be willing to take chance on in Round 2.

It’s difficult to imagine, however, that a team would take Gurley in Round 1 following his injury.

In addition to the fact that he will not be healthy again until after the draft and that there is no guarantee he will return with the same explosiveness he previously had, he plays at a position that is valued far less than it was when the Buffalo Bills drafted Willis McGahee with a torn ACL in 2003.

Furthermore, the depth and talent of this year’s running back class further affects Gurley. While he stood out as a top prospect prior to the injury, teams will now have to make tough decisions between drafting Gurley with an injury or selecting one of the draft’s other top backs, such as Miami’s Duke Johnson, Indiana’s Tevin Coleman or Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah.

Gurley has the option to return to Georgia for his senior season should he so choose, but that seems especially unlikely considering the trouble he has already run into with the NCAA.

Current Draft Projection: Round 2

Stock Up: Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana, Jr.

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This Week: 32 carries for 307 yards, one touchdown

Opponent: Rutgers

Melvin Gordon wasn’t the only running back in the Big Ten to have a spectacular performance Saturday. Another was Indiana junior Tevin Coleman, who shredded the Rutgers defense for 307 yards.

Highlighted by a 67-yard touchdown and another run that went 68 yards, Coleman continued to put his breakaway speed on display with a performance that increased his rushing yardage total for the season to 1,678, second only to Gordon’s 1,909.

Coleman doesn’t quite have the elite acceleration that Gordon does, but with 12 plays from scrimmage of 40 yards or more—again second only to Gordon—he’s shown plenty of speed and agility to make big plays happen this year. He exhibits very good vision in following his blocks, and the 6’1”, 210-pound back displays that he can bounce off contact to extend plays.

Rutgers’ run defense has been abysmal in recent weeks—it’s allowed at least 292 rushing yards in each of its past four games—but Coleman ran for more yards Saturday than Gordon (19 carries for 128 yards) against Rutgers earlier this month.

Like Gordon, Coleman is an infrequent pass-catcher, and he did not have any catches on Saturday. Still, his ability to run the ball is enough to make him an early-round draft choice.

Some have suggested that Coleman is actually a better back than Gordon, considering how comparable their statistics are despite Gordon having more talent on the offense around him. That might be a stretch, but it’s safe to say Coleman belongs in the conversation to be one of the top running backs in the 2015 draft.

Considering Gurley’s injury, Coleman has a chance to go as high as being the second running back selected, assuming he declares for the draft.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 2-3

Stock Down: Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State, Jr.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

This Week: 27-of-48 passing for 290 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions; 22 rushing attempts for 82 yards

Opponent: Alabama

Mississippi State suffered its first loss of the season against Alabama on Saturday, and the struggles of its quarterback, junior Dak Prescott, were a big reason why.

The Crimson Tide defense gave Prescott problems all day, as he never seemed to get into a rhythm passing the ball while he also struggled to find room to run it.

Though he made a couple nice downfield strikes, he had more bad throws, including three that were intercepted and one inside the 10-yard line that missed a wide-open receiver on what would have been a touchdown connection.

Prescott’s first interception came as a result of trying to force a pass through triple coverage. On the second pick, he tried to hit De’Runnya Wilson for a 19-yard touchdown up the left sideline but was picked off by Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones, who had Wilson blanketed in coverage.

The third pick, which left Mississippi State down 12 points when it really needed a scoring drive late in the game, was made by Alabama safety Landon Collins off a tip by defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.

The turnovers increased Prescott’s interception total to eight over the past five games alone, a span in which he has only thrown seven touchdown passes.

Among the flaws that were exposed in Saturday’s game was his slow delivery, as he had trouble getting passes out accurately and on time under the frequent pressure he was dealing with, while his footwork was sloppy throughout the game, especially against the rush.

A 6’2”, 230-pound signal-caller with a good arm and dual-threat ability, Prescott has some intriguing upside, but it’s become clear in recent weeks—and especially on Saturday—that he still has a long way to go in his development and remains a project who would be best served by returning for his senior season with the Bulldogs.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 5-6

Stock Up: Cody Kessler, QB, USC, Jr.

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This Week: 31-of-42 passing for 371 yards, four touchdown, one interception

Opponent: California

USC’s Cody Kessler hasn’t gotten nearly as much attention as Dak Prescott and many of the other top quarterbacks in college football this season, but his performance Thursday against California continued a strong junior season that has quietly shown that he could be one of the 2015 draft’s top quarterback prospects if he declares for early entry.

Kessler was in rhythm throwing the ball to all levels of the field, especially in the first half (he only attempted nine passes in the second half), as he led USC to a 38-30 victory in a game the Trojans led 31-2 in the first half.

As Kessler led his team to a big early lead, he did a great job keeping his eyes downfield and using his feet to maneuver the pocket and roll out to extend plays when necessary. He displays a clear understanding of how to throw the ball and place passes properly to hit receivers in stride on their routes.

Among the many nice throws Kessler had Thursday, his first two touchdowns stood out. The first scoring pass required Kessler to be precisely accurate as he bulleted the ball between two defenders to hit wide receiver Nelson Agholor on a 10-yard angle route.

On his next series, Kessler put more points on the board when he delivered a perfectly placed high-velocity throw from the 40-yard line off play action, caught by wideout George Farmer going to the back of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown.

The one big error of the game for Kessler came in the second quarter, when he stared a target down over the middle and ended up throwing the ball straight to California linebacker Hardy Nickerson.

In the big picture, however, that mistake is acceptable, as it was only Kessler’s third interception of the season compared to 29 touchdowns. Among quarterbacks who have thrown 13 or more touchdowns this season, only Oregon’s Marcus Mariota—a projected first-round pick—has a better touchdown-to-interception ratio than Kessler.

It would be easy to discount Kessler’s performance Thursday, considering it came against the defense that has allowed the most passing yards per game in the FBS, but his season to date backs up that his display against Cal was no fluke.

Kessler’s not as big or athletic as the quarterbacks who have gotten more attention than him as potential early-round draft picks, but his consistent play all season has shown his polish and pro potential. In a class that lacks star passing prospects outside of Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston, Kessler is a real candidate to be the No. 3 quarterback off the board if he enters the draft.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 2-3

Stock Up: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC, Jr.

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This Week: 16 receptions for 216 yards, two touchdowns

Opponent: California

Like his quarterback, USC junior wide receiver Nelson Agholor deserves credit for an outstanding performance Thursday night. Even though it came against a very weak passing defense, the skills that enabled his performance have been on display in other recent games as well.

The Golden Bears had no answer for the Trojans’ top receiving playmaker, as he caught 16 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Considering he already had 13 of those receptions, including the two scores, for 177 yards at halftime, his numbers likely would have been greater had USC’s offense not become run-heavy in the second half.

He ran sharp routes throughout the game, including the aforementioned 10-yard angle route between two defensive backs on his first touchdown. With a 34-yard-deep catch over coverage from a defensive back, numerous wins on intermediate slant and drag routes and a bunch of screen passes that he turned into significant gains, Agholor displayed his ability to make plays at all levels of the field.

Both shifty and fast, Agholor can be a dynamic playmaker in space. He’s not a particularly big receiver, listed at 6’1” and 190 pounds, but he has quality ball skills.

Having clearly developed chemistry with Cody Kessler, Agholor has gone for at least 110 receiving yards in his past four games and at least 216 yards in his past two. For the season, Agholor ranks fifth nationally with 82 receptions, eighth with 1,079 receiving yards and ninth with 10 receiving touchdowns.

Also a dynamic returner who has housed four punts in the past two years, Agholor has enough playmaking ability to potentially be a first-round pick. It’s more likely, however, that Agholor goes in a similar draft position to two recent USC wide receivers, 2014 No. 39 overall pick Marqise Lee and 2013 No. 41 overall pick Robert Woods, if he declares for the draft as a junior like each of them did.

Current Draft Projection: Round 2

Stock Up: Nate Orchard, DE, Utah, Sr.

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This Week: 10 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, forced fumble

Opponent: Stanford

This past week got off to a great start for Utah defensive end Nate Orchard when it was announced that he had received and accepted an invite to the 2015 Senior Bowl. The end of Orchard’s week was pretty great too, as his dominant performance on the Utes defensive line led his team to a double-overtime win over Stanford.

Having earned his way to All-Star Game recognition by emerging as a sack master in his senior year, Orchard continued to excel as a pass-rusher Saturday. In recording 3.5 quarterback takedowns on Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, Orchard increased his season total to 16.5 sacks, moving him into a tie for the national lead with Washington’s Hau’oli Kikaha.

Two of those sacks came against one of the nation’s mostly highly touted offensive linemen, Stanford junior left tackle Andrus Peat. He ended the first half by knocking Peat to the ground and rushing inside to track down Hogan for a 14-yard loss. In the third quarter, a simple bull rush was all Orchard needed to drive Peat back and bury the quarterback eight yards behind the line of scrimmage.

When he got a free rush off the right edge on the first play of double overtime, Orchard showed his ability to accelerate in pursuit and track down Hogan for an eight-yard sack, which helped force Stanford to settle a field goal and allow the Utah offense to win with a touchdown on its next possession.

Another big play from Orchard came early in the second quarter, when he chased down Stanford tight end Austin Hooper from behind and hit him while getting his hand on the ball to force a fumble. Orchard also made some quality stops against the run to accumulate 10 total tackles for the game.

The only clear mistakes Orchard made in Saturday’s game were on a couple outside pitch plays to Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, plays on which Orchard was supposed to hold contain on the edge but instead pursued the backfield and enabled McCaffrey to beat him wide for big gains. Going forward, Orchard will need to become more disciplined when he is expected to play in that capacity.

Bringing pressure as a pass-rusher, however, is an area in which Orchard has displayed skill week in and week out, even when going up against top opponents.

An athletic 6’4”, 255-pound player who shows the ability to make plays downfield and occasionally drop back into coverage, Orchard could project to playing either 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. A relative unknown coming into the season, he has now emerged as one of the 2015 draft’s top edge defender prospects.

Current Draft Projections: Round 2

Stock Up: Markus Golden, DE, Missouri, Sr.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

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

Opponent: Texas A&M

He’s been overshadowed by fellow defensive linemate Shane Ray for most of this year, but on a night where each of Missouri’s star defensive ends recorded two sacks, it was senior Markus Golden who stood out for the Tigers in their win over Texas A&M on Saturday.

Golden was at his best on Saturday, as he displayed a lightning-quick first step, impressive acceleration and the skills to work through blockers, including Texas A&M right tackle and potential first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi, with his hands.

Turning the corner like a pro, Golden used his both his arcing speed and well-developed pass-rushing moves to go around a tight end for his first sack—on which he also forced a fumble—and then to beat Ogbuehi to the quarterback on his second sack.

Golden showed excellent effort and terrific closing speed for a 6’3”, 260-pound edge defender when he chased down Malcome Kennedy—all the way from the line of scrimmage out to the right sideline—17 yards downfield off a short pass.

The defensive end also made a big play late in the game when he exploded inside to the middle of backfield to shut down a 3rd-and-1 run for no gain at the 2-yard line, which led to Texas A&M turning over on downs and enabling Missouri to run out the clock in a 34-27 win.

Ray was impressive Saturday too, and he’s showed the skills all year to end up being a first-round pick. But Golden made it clear in a dominant performance this past week—in which he spent most of his time going against a tougher opponent than Ray playing Texas A&M left tackle Jarvis Harrison—that he belongs in the early-round conversation too.

Current Draft Projection: Round 2

Stock Up: Cameron Erving, C/OT, Florida State, Sr.

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

This Week: Made first start at center

Opponent: Miami

After two-and-a-half years of starting at left tackle for Florida State, senior offensive lineman Cameron Erving became the team’s new center as the Seminoles realigned their front five prior to Saturday’s game against Miami.

Should he continue to show the ability to play center that he did on Saturday night, the move to the middle could be a much-needed boost to a draft stock that had been declining.

Projected as one of the 2015 draft’s top offensive tackle prospects coming into the year, Erving’s senior season had not been living up to the hype. He struggled on the edge against top pass-rushers, like Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Notre Dame’s Sheldon Day, leaving reason to question whether Erving is actually capable of playing outside in the NFL.

That said, the 2013 second-team AP All-American is an intriguing physical specimen, an impressive athlete at 6’6” and 308 pounds, who has promising upside and has shown the ability to be an impactful blocker. If he can establish his versatility to play both inside and outside, his stock will gain back at least some of what it has lost.

Erving looked very good as a run-blocker on Saturday, showing his ability to turn out on defenders and open some significant holes in the middle of the line, while he did not allow much pressure up the middle. He was off the mark on a few of his shotgun snaps, but that’s to be expected of a player making his first career start at center.

The move to center from left tackle is an unusual one, but it has been done before; doing so at Oregon helped Max Unger become a second-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft, and he has been one of the NFL’s best centers for the Seattle Seahawks ever since.

That’s not to say that Erving’s future necessarily should be at center, but regardless of whether NFL teams believe Erving is best suited to play tackle, center or even guard, his ability to play both outside and in the middle should increase his value.

Current Draft Projection: Rounds 2-3

Stock Down: Frank Clark, DE, Michigan, Sr.

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This Week: Arrested for alleged domestic assault

The play of senior defensive end Frank Clark had been one of the few bright spots this year in a disastrous season for Michigan, but it now looks as though he might just be its latest embarrassment.

According to Andy Ouriel of the Sandusky Register, Clark was jailed early Sunday morning on a domestic violence offense after allegedly attacking his girlfriend in a hotel room. Clark, who was jailed without bond throughout the weekend, also received an additional assault charge later Sunday.

Clark’s girlfriend, according to the police report obtained by the Register, “told Perkins police Officer Martin Curran how he allegedly punched her in the face, breaking a hotel room lamp as she fell. The victim's brother, who'd just emerged from the hotel room shower at the time, reportedly saw Clark grab the victim by her neck and slam her to the ground.”

These allegations do not necessarily mean Clark will be convicted of any crime. Either way, however, teams will be forced to dig deep in investigating his character, especially considering the NFL’s recent high-profile cases of players being charged with domestic violence.

This is also not the first time Clark has been linked to a crime. In 2012, Clark pleaded guilty to a charge of felony second-degree home invasion after stealing a laptop computer from a campus dormitory, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.

A disruptive defensive end with a good combination of size, athleticism and pass-rushing ability, Clark had projected as a likely early Day 3 pick, even with the 2012 incident on his record. Unless he is completely cleared of his domestic violence charges, however, it’s unlikely he will be drafted.

*UPDATE* Michigan coach Brady Hoke confirmed in a news conference Monday morning that Clark has been dismissed from the team following his arrest, according to ESPN.com's Dan Murphy.

Current Draft Projection: Undrafted

Hidden Gem of the Week: Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts, Jr.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

This Week: 13 receptions for 239 yards

Opponent: Ball State

Quietly one of the most productive wide receivers in the FBS this season, Massachusetts wide receiver Tajae Sharpe took advantage of a nationally televised spotlight against Ball State in a Wednesday night “MACtion” game by having the best game of his career to date.

Including deep, big-play receptions that went for 61 and 40 yards, Sharpe accumulated 239 receiving yards—the most of anyone in the FBS this past week—in UMass’ 24-10 victory.

Third in the FBS this season with 11 receptions for 30 or more yards, according to CFBStats.com, Sharpe’s size (6’4”, 200 lbs) and speed make him a significant deep threat.

Sharpe did not run a great variety of routes on Wednesday, but while his game will still need to develop for him to successfully make the jump from the Mid-American Conference to the NFL, his physical tools should translate well.

It would be somewhat of a surprise if Sharpe declares early for the draft, but he’s had a great junior year. Currently ranking fourth in the nation with 1,204 receiving yards and eighth with 76 receptions, Sharpe could be an intriguing sleeper prospect in either the 2015 or 2016 draft.

Current Draft Projection: Round 5-6

Other Notable Performers

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The other running back to join Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman in the 300 club this week was Western Kentucky junior Leon Allen, who ran for 345 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries against Army. Allen, who broke the previous career highs of 32 carries, 182 yards and two touchdowns he set against Old Dominion earlier this year, should be on the draft radar for his production and his size, at 6’0” and 235 pounds.

Minnesota senior David Cobb’s 145 rushing yards seem like a low number when stacked up against the other top rushing performances in the Big Ten this week, but he had a very impressive Saturday in a loss to Ohio State. On a day that he ran for three touchdowns, Cobb’s draft stock continued to rise as he displayed great vision between the tackles and consistently finished runs through contact.

Like Nate Orchard, East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy started off his week by accepting an invite to the Senior Bowl. And finished it by showing why he earned that invite, as he caught 15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown and also added a seven-yard rushing touchdown against Cincinnati.

In a tremendous all-around performance by Alabama’s defense against Mississippi State on Saturday the star of the unit was senior free safety Nick Perry. Usually overshadowed by strong safety Landon Collins, Perry stole the spotlight on Saturday, making plays all over the field as he recorded a game-high 12 total tackles as well as an interception.

Pro Football Focus, which graded the Alabama-Mississippi State game for its “College Game of the Week,” gave Perry, a likely late-round draft choice, the highest individual score for any player on either team.

NFL Draft Injury Notes

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Todd Gurley’s season-ending knee ligament tear stands out as this past week’s most notable draft prospect injury.

Notre Dame junior quarterback Everett Golson, whose once-soaring draft stock has crashed back down to earth as he has battled turnovers, suffered a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder in the Fighting Irish’s loss Saturday, according to Matt Fortuna of ESPN.com. The injury did not force Golson out of the game.

Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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