Biggest NFL Draft Risers and Fallers After Week 3 of College Football
Three weeks of college football have started to show which players are ready for prime-time battles and those who aren't. Jalen Hurts has already established himself as a blossoming NFL talent through only three games at Oklahoma, while Shea Patterson continues to stumble with the Michigan Wolverines.
Conference games are underway, and the meat of schedules will prove which individuals have the most mettle and which have merely feasted on weaker foes.
The NFL is always keeping a close eye on Saturdays to unearth the next great playmaker. We've been watching as well and have found eight individuals who have either helped or hurt their 2020 draft stock so far.
Every situation is unique and fluid. While some have burst out quickly and will continue their increased effectiveness, others will tail off. We may see some of the fallers rebound as well.
We've identified risers and fallers from around the country based on all three weeks of action.
Riser: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
1 of 8
The inclusion of Jalen Hurts should be no surprise to anyone. The senior quarterback has shown considerable improvements with his throwing motion in his first season at Oklahoma. His accuracy has jumped thanks to a shortened, more fluid release and a consistent throwing base that keeps him balanced.
There are obvious benefits to playing in Norman with Lincoln Riley. The head coach offers an elite scheme that highlights his deep array of playmakers with creative route combinations. Hurts, like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray before him, deserves credit for running the offense with incredible efficiency.
Through three games, Hurts has 12 incompletions and nine touchdowns through the air, and he's also amassed 373 yards and four scores on the ground. He may not project as a starter in the NFL, but he's at least making the case to be a high-end backup. The third round should be his floor considering former Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard—a much worse, less physically gifted player—was drafted there.
Faller: K.J. Costello, QB, Stanford
2 of 8
One of the most fun breakout players of 2018, K.J. Costello is trending down. He was reliant on wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to an extreme level last year as Bryce Love missed most of the season and the Cardinal offense became more pass-happy. Now it seems that Arcega-Whiteside was more of the catalyst than Costello based on the first three weeks.
In 2019, Costello has accumulated a 57.8 completion rate with 351 yards and two touchdowns to one interception. He's looked pedestrian more often than not, and he missed Week 2 against USC with a concussion. Injuries and poor play will instantly tank draft stock.
While it's not Costello's fault the Cardinal no longer identify as a power-run team or that he suffered an injury, his play collapsed in a blowout loss to UCF in Week 3. His long, winding arm motion led to a costly early turnover and several ugly missed throws to open receivers. He may have had hopes of being a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick, but Costello is trending toward undrafted now.
Riser: Anthony McFarland, RB, Maryland
3 of 8
The Maryland Terrapins were one of the hottest topics in the first two weeks due to their offensive breakout under Mike Locksley, scoring 142 points. They lost a stunner against Temple in Week 3, but their best player impressed nonetheless.
Running back Anthony McFarland Jr. is an explosive playmaker who adds value as a receiver. The 5'9", 188-pounder electrified the nation with 1,034 yards last year, and he's in line for even more touches as his role expands. He had 132 yards and one score against Temple, just one week after totaling 120 yards and three scores against Syracuse.
He's a can't-miss show because of his burst in short spaces and agility to make defenders miss. He was already on our radar after posting back-to-back 200-yard games against Indiana and Ohio State in November, but now he's climbing as a potential Day 2 impact pick.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Faller: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
4 of 8
Though former teammate Greedy Williams received almost all of the recognition for LSU in 2018 due to his performance early in his career, it was Kristian Fulton who was the better cover corner for the Tigers. Fulton had Pro Football Focus' highest grade among returning SEC cornerbacks, in part because he allowed only six combined first downs and touchdowns, fewest in the conference.
Fulton's second year as a starter meant a promotion, as Williams is in the NFL now. The early results haven't been nearly as promising for the lanky defender. Texas had considerable success targeting him, including one pass interference call and a 55-yard touchdown reception.
All cornerbacks will lose and have bad games. But Fulton doesn't have the same quick-twitch reaction and top athleticism of his peers at the top of the 2020 NFL class, namely Paulson Adebo and Jeff Okudah. He'll have to tighten up his play to remain in the same class as those stars.
Riser: Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
5 of 8
To get noticed as a prospect at a non-Power Five school, you have to dominate your competition. That's what receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden has done through three weeks.
The 6'4", 220-pounder has shown excellent body control and hands as he's tallied 363 yards and two touchdowns on 20 receptions. He can twist his body and extend his arms to give him a massive catch radius. He was the best player on the field against Syracuse and Buffalo.
His Week 3 destruction of Buffalo had social media buzzing due to the difficulty of his receptions. He's on pace to smash his production from 2018, when he finished with 1,037 yards and 10 touchdowns. Watch for him to continue ascending if he has a few more stat lines like 174 yards and two scores.
Faller: Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan
6 of 8
The hype around Shea Patterson's transfer to Michigan from Ole Miss has all but dissipated in just 15 games with the Michigan Wolverines. That's a shame, because the hype was justified. Patterson's ability to extend plays and connect with downfield receivers for chunk plays is dynamic, but his skill set hasn't been highlighted in Jim Harbaugh's offenses.
Even the addition of Josh Gattis hasn't made a difference with the unit. Patterson played Week 2 against Army with an oblique injury, but that doesn't explain his lazy footwork and struggles processing defenses pre- and post-snap. These are the same weaknesses he had at Ole Miss.
Compare his lack of development with Jalen Hurts, who is listed as a clear riser. There's still time for Michigan and Patterson to rebound and for the senior quarterback to become a legitimate NFL prospect, but right now he looks like too much of a project to get a realistic chance in the pros.
Riser: Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF
7 of 8
The UCF Knights again destroyed a Power Five foe when they dismantled Stanford at home. Their offense leapt out to a big advantage thanks to quarterback Dillon Gabriel dropping dimes. One of his favorite targets was Gabriel Davis, a speedy 6'3", 212-pound junior.
Davis notably burned All-American cornerback Paulson Adebo on a double move for an impressive 38-yard score.
Davis' separation on deep routes is something worth investing into. He's not a volume receiver, with 10 catches for 229 yards, but he's a big-play threat. Those are the guys who outperform their draft status with regularity. Davis may not declare in 2020, but he's raised his profile already this year.
Faller: Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State
8 of 8
A compact back at 5'10", 200 pounds, Eno Benjamin was the nation's fifth-leading rusher with 1,642 yards in 2018. He was the workhorse for the Sun Devils despite not having the traditional frame of a bell-cow back, and he rewarded the team by averaging 5.5 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns despite a poor passing game to help him.
But he's been much less effective in 2019. Defenses have been loading up more, as the Sun Devils are starting talented but inexperienced freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels. It's hurt Benjamin's ability to find running lanes and explode into the secondary.
The concern with his frame is whether he can consistently handle contact from bigger players. He's fast but not especially strong or balanced through hits, so proving he can handle the difficult situation this season will help him project as more than a rotational back in the NFL.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
