NFL draft stock watch: Judging five college prospects after first two months of season
For the top draft-eligible players in college football, the home stretch of the regular season is the final chance to give NFL teams something to think about heading into next year's draft.
While the upcoming combine circuit will certainly play a role in a prospect's ranking, NFL scouts and talent evaluators also have to see on-field results: How did a potential draftee do in games that matter?
We've seen enough through two months of this season to know which draft-eligible prospects are climbing up draft boards. There's also been nothing to change the power rankings among quarterbacks, which still have Caleb Williams and Drake Maye at the top of the list.
Here are five players whose stock is rising, unchanged or falling after the first two months of the regular season:
Stock up UCLA DE Laiatu Latu, Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
Latu began his college career at Washington and played well as a freshman before suffering a neck injury prior to his sophomore year, costing him all of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Since transferring to UCLA and being medically cleared, Latu has turned into one of the top defensive linemen in the country and a likely All-America pick. After making 10.5 sacks last season, Latu is tied for sixth nationally with 8.5 through through eight games with another 12 tackles for loss and an interception. He's the biggest reason the Bruins' defense is the best in the Pac-12.
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The decision to come back for the 2023 season has paid off in a big way for Fashanu, who was in contention for the top spot among left tackles last spring but has that title on lockdown heading into this year's draft. The 6-foot-6 senior has shown enough tape against some of the best teams in the FBS to be seen as an elite pass-blocker and a player very worthy of a top-five or even top-three pick.
Stock steadySouthern California QB Caleb Williams
Two losses in October removed USC from the College Football Playoff race and erased any legitimate shot Williams had of winning a second Heisman in a row. He also had three first-half interceptions in the loss to Notre Dame and was held without a touchdown in the loss to Utah for the first time since joining the Trojans before last season. But Williams' numbers are superb (2,646 yards and 25 touchdowns) as he continues to flash a skill set that makes him one of the top quarterback prospects in recent draft history.
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Stock downDuke QB Riley Leonard, Florida State EDGE Jared Verse
Leonard's stock was soaring amid Duke's 4-0 start, which saw the second-year starter complete 67.7% of his attempts without an interception while adding 238 rushing yards and three scores on 8.2 yards per carry. An ankle injury suffered in a loss to Notre Dame has played a big part in his struggles since: Leonard has completed just 42.4% of throws on 4.9 yards per throw with three interceptions since Sept. 30 and has managed just 26 rushing yards in his past two starts. After being such a trendy draft prospect in September, the junior is now more likely to remain at Duke for another season.
Verse remains a first-round prospect for the ACC-leading Seminoles and is coming off one of his best games of the year in a two-sack performance against Wake Forest. Unlike Fashanu, however, the former Albany transfer hasn't made the most of his surprising choice to come back to Tallahassee in 2023 — surprising since Verse was predicted to fall within the top 10 or 12 picks had he opted for the draft. Even still, there's time for Verse to capitalize on this decision, especially with the possibility that FSU takes on a few high-profile opponents in December and January, and he could put on a show at various pre-draft combines to regain his place as the top edge rusher in this year's cycle.
