Week 11 of the college season showed continued dominance from the top teams while some unlikely upsets were pulled off. Some players have their stock up after their performance while others have their stock down after struggles. Many names are still going under the radar and we learned a lot about them this week.
Stock Up
Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
It’s tough to get a stock up when you are already one of the best WRs in the class, but Wilson found a way. His 10 catch, 126 yard and 3 TD performance was every bit as dominant as it sounded. He remains unstoppable in his movement and ability in man coverage where defenders can’t get a read on his route, while he has such a feel for zone coverage. Purdue started to double cover Wilson and he was still getting open and making plays. Wilson is teetering to become my top WR in class and is my prediction right now for the first one off the board.
Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Another week of Penning on the Stock Up list, but if you haven’t been paying attention, he is a legit 1st round pick at this point. The hulking OT has the strength to be a run game asset and the feet to contend with some of the NFL’s best pass rushers. After receiving the first official Senior Bowl invite of the season, that week will be huge to show he can play with top tier talent. But, Missouri State stood no shot at getting past Penning in this one.
Kolby Harvell-Peel, S, Oklahoma State
Harvell-Peel has had a bit of a quiet year, but he was a big part of Oklahoma State’s success this week against TCU. Peel was used close to the line a lot to help defend the run and flashed some downhill ability, getting into the backfield and making tackles or rerouting the RB. He has improved this season in coverage as well, so his stock is trending upwards. Though still a likely Day 3 pick, Harvell-Peel has special teams potential which should get him contributing to an NFL team.
Stock Down
Jordan Tucker, OT, North Carolina
Joshua Ezeudu, G, North Carolina
North Carolina has a disastrous first half against Pitt and a big reason was the poor play of the offensive line. Tucker was actually benched after continuously allowing pass rushers to get past him and missing assignments. Ezeudu tried to hold things down but was blown off the line for much of that half. Ezeudu seemed to bounce back a bit in the second half, but the poor film was out there. I went into the game excited to watch the Tarheels offensive line which has some NFL talent, and it disappointed with a stock down.Â
George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
Karlaftis is still a top NFL prospect whom I have going 7th overall in my most recent mock draft, but this was a huge game against NFL O-linemen for him to prove his talent, and it fell short. He was taken out of most of the game by Thayer Munford and other Ohio State linemen. As Purdue moved him around the line, the Buckeyes adjusted and even ran a ton of plays toward Karlaftis that he couldn’t stop. One late series with a big tackle for loss and some penetration showcased his potential, but not the best game for Karlaftis and it will be one NFL teams will ask about.
Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
The stat line for Olave looked solid with 9 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, but much of that came late when the game was out of hand. Olave appeared to take some plays off throughout the game not running with a full motor or giving full effort. Add in a few drops (where the Buckeyes would go to Garrett Wilson for a big play right after,) and the questions remain of if Olave made the right choice returning to college. He should still be a Top 50 pick, but on the stock down list, he is trending downwards.
Names To Know
Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh
Warren (whose name I always seem to flip around in my head and on twitter,) had an excellent game from start to finish for Pitt. In the first half, he was lock down from the LT spot. The second half was rough for the Pitt offense, but North Carolina schemed blitzes away from Warren to take advantage of a weaker Pitt right side. Warren handled some of the better rushers for North Carolina, including EDGE Tomon Fox, and showcased a good blend of huge size and great arm placement. He locks in and doesn’t allow defenders to get around him. He is a definite name to know.Â
Abram Smith, RB, Baylor
Smith should be appearing on our rankings soon as he continues having an outstanding season. Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy mentioned Smith on our podcast this past week, so I was ready to watch him intently this week. Smith’s 20 carries for 148 yards including a huge 75 yard run to help put the Bears over the undefeated Sooners. He looks smaller than listed, but his weight allows him to run through contact well. With good shiftiness in the open field, he is difficult to tackle one on one. Smith is a draftable prospect who can contribute in the NFL.
Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor
Bernard went shooting up my board after watching this game against Oklahoma. He was consistently used as a pass rusher off the edge and gave freshman QB Caleb Williams massive problems closing off the edge and and not allowing for enough time to make clear decisions. Bernard had 2 sacks in the game, and did it with great explosiveness and bend. I couldn’t fit him into my latest mock draft, but he is a draftbale prospect whose name should be out there more.
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