2011 NFL Draft Stock Watch: Who's Up, Who's Down In Week 6
Week Six of the college football season offered up some big time challenges for ranked programs – especially for the SEC – and more than a few were very close calls.
Yet the nation’s top ranked team and defending National Champions were not one of those lucky few to escape unscathed. Alabama tasted defeat at the hands of South Carolina while SEC rivals Auburn and LSU held on to remain unbeaten.
The week that was in college football was not too kind to big draft prospects and some off the field news made major headlines and rumblings for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft as well.
Stock Up 1: Stephen Garcia, QB, South Carolina
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The junior signal caller is a tough prospect to place but defeating the first No. 1 ranked team in school history while completing 85 percent of his passes against one of the nation’s best secondaries is definitely a way to help.
He finished the game 17 of 20 for 210 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Garcia has taken a lot of heat in the past for various reasons but then puts up performances such as this. He is a tough prospect to crack for sure, but if he continues to play in an efficient manner and continues to win, there is no denying that people will be watching.
On a small side note, two South Carolina underclassmen deserve to be mentioned as two of the very best at their positions – true freshman running back Marcus Lattimore and true sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery – have been doing it all season long.
Lattimore has found the endzone at least once every game and Jeffery has gone over 100 yards in five of six contests so far this season. These two studs will be on everyone’s watch lists for the next few years.
The Gamecocks will take on feisty SEC rival Kentucky on the road this Saturday.
Stock Up 2: Delone Carter, RB, and Mike Holmes, S, Syracuse
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One of the more surprising teams of the 2010 college football season has been the 4-1 Syracuse Orangeman. Playing three of their first five on the road, with the lone loss all the way out west against Jake Locker and the Huskies, the ‘Cuse has answered strongly with great efforts from their defense and a familiar star at running back.
Delone Carter ran for over 1,000 yards a season ago but got in trouble during the offseason and luckily found himself back on the team making plays rather than being suspended.
The senior tailback is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and is on pace to yet again break the 1,000 yard barrier. He has decent size, can run with power, and is a talented back.
Holmes, an undersized senior safety, has been an all-around leader for the Syracuse defense in the midst of their fast start. He has exhibited good ball skills, an aggressive nature against the run, and most importantly for late round guys, is a contributor on special teams.
The Orange are about to face the toughest part of the schedule though – six straight Big East games capped off with a visit from Boston College – and they will need to count on these guys to keep them moving.
Up first though, is a visit from the extremely disappointing Pittsburgh Panthers and the Orange better hope to jump on them early to squash any life that this team may have left.
Stock Up 3: Sione Fua, DT, Stanford
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Stanford has been quite the success story so far this season, and rightfully so. They have an exceptional two-way starter in Owen Marecic and have arguably the No. 1 prospect in the country under center, Andrew Luck.
Yet for all the hype around the Stanford offense junior defensive tackle Sione Fua has been very good as well.
A stout run stuffer up the middle, Fua recorded his third sack of the season in the win over USC this weekend and he leads the team in tackles for loss with 4.5.
Fua keeps up disrupting the backfield like this and he will see more eyes drawn to him as the season goes on.
The Cardinal are off this week and prepare for their homecoming game against Washington State on October 23rd.
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Stock Up 4: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
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It is very tough when the guy opposite you is one of top cornerbacks in the nation yet junior Alfonzo Dennard has found ways to succeed and show his talents for the NFL brass with all the opportunities he has been given.
Dennard has three interceptions so far on the season and possesses many of the good traits of his teammate and potential first round pick, Prince Amukamara.
With decent size and very good ball skills, Dennard can only benefit by continuing to play at this level with all the eyes that will come to see Prince play.
The Nebraska defense is one of the best in the nation and Dennard is proving to be a big part of it.
The Cornhuskers will get Texas at home this weekend in a game I am sure this defense is looking forward to.
Stock Up 5: Owen Marecic, LB/FB, Stanford
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You have to be a special breed to go to Stanford as a student as well as start both ways on a football team with Pac-10 division title hopes and Owen Marecic is exactly that.
The 6’1, 245 pound senior linebacker/fullback has been opening eyes all season to his exploits on the field and is starting to generate the buzz a player of his caliber deserves.
Marecic has only touched the ball 14 times on offense so far this season (two for touchdowns) but his future will most likely lie on the defensive side of the ball.
He has numbers in almost every defensive category (25 tackles, 3.5 for loss, one sack, one interception, four breakups, five pass deflections, and one fumble recovery) and can make plays both in the backfield and in coverage.
There are not many out there that can do what this guy does.
The Cardinal are off this week and prepare for their homecoming game against Washington State on October 23rd.
Stock Down 1: Marvin Austin, DT, UNC
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After returning back to school for his senior season the UNC defensive tackle did not get a chance to step on the field in 2010 for the Tar Heels.
The center of the agent benefits investigation that has caused so much trouble for almost the entire star-studded defense is now dismissed from his team that he was suspended from September 1st.
Austin’s situation is an interesting one; his coach suspended him early and may have had problems with his attitude and/or work ethic and it will not bode well for him with NFL brass.
Austin is a good run defender who was looking to work on his technique and to elevate his potential first round draft stock and unfortunately his decision making off the field may have caused it to drop instead.
Stock Down 2: Greg Little, WR, UNC
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Unlike Marvin Austin, Little was “permanently suspended” from the team due to his interaction with agents and will unfortunately only have his junior year tape available for NFL teams to see.
Little, a converted running back with great size and wiggle, will be have to impress scouts during combine and draft workouts if he wants to make an impact.
Returning for his senior season and improving on the numbers he put up last season would have been a big boost for him, now he will not get that chance at all.
Stock Down 3: Scott Lutrus, LB, UConn
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Lutrus was a tackling machine when healthy at UConn and unfortunately has had trouble returning to form after missing half of last season and has missed three more games already.
So far this season he only has 13 tackles and seems to be ailing from a similar injury as last season.
The junior has good foot quickness and displays great instincts on the field.
Lutrus, who projected as a mid-to-late round pick before the season, will definitely need to find his way back onto the field and make some plays.
Stock Down 4: Mark Barron, S, and Dre’ Kirkpartick, CB, Alabama
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Barron, one of the better all-around safeties in the country, and Kirkpatrick, one of the most physically gifted players on any team, did not fare too well against the Gamecocks.
So far this season Barron has been inconsistent, has not flashed the ball skills that he is supposed to have, and has had far too many tackles broken for a playmaker of his caliber.
Kirkpatrick was victimized by Gamecocks star receiver Alshon Jeffery and was tossed away from him after Jeffery made a ridiculous one-handed grab.
These two players have a ton of talent but this has hardly been the best of them recently.
Stock Down 5: Robert Quinn, DE, UNC
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Arguably the best draft prospect of all the UNC defenders this year, Quinn could be a 3-4 edge rusher or 4-3 right end at the next level.
Unfortunately, he also only put one solid year of tape together for NFL teams and would have done well to show off an array of pass rush moves this season as a junior.
Like the other players in trouble for agent-related activity, Quinn will have to answer for why he lied to investigators three separate times.
The defensive end can salvage some draft position though due to no other linger questions about work ethic or attitude and should follow hope to have the same fate as Dez Bryant a season ago when he still got selected in the first round after missing the season.
Wesley O'Donnell covers the NFL, NCAA, and NFL Draft year round. He is a contributing writer to NFL Draft Bible and can be followed on twitter @wesodonnell.
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