Each week I will bring you the latest updates and NFL buzz surrounding college players that should prove to be integral to future fantasy success. I will utilize recent statistics, performance and film, and general “front office whispers” to compile the intel I share with you. My hope is to provide you with a leg up on your opponents. You will know which devy players to target in trades and/or in what range of draft picks (both NFL and fantasy drafts) you can expect these players to be selected. If you want to read last week’s article, click here.
The Week 12 slate of games saw a pair of ranked teams fall and a handful of the top teams in the nation get taken down to the wire, only to prevail late in the game. #10 Wisconsin lost a defensive battle against conference foe #19 Northwestern and #21 Liberty saw their game-winning field goal attempt blocked in an upset loss to unranked North Carolina State. On the draft front, many prospects had stand-out games and improved their stocks. While it was difficult to select just a couple of performances to feature, we’ll now review which players increased or decreased their ranks!
TRENDING UP
J.T. Daniels – QB – Georgia
In his first start on his new team, the USC transfer sparked a Georgia passing offense that had been stuck in a rut for most of the season. J.T. Daniels essentially raised his draft stock from the dead when you consider where it was after Jamie Newman transferred to Georgia and Daniels’ subsequent news that his recovery from his ACL injury would be delayed. On Saturday, Daniels torched Mississippi State for 401 yards and four TDs on 28-of-38 passing and no turnovers.
What’s more impressive is Daniels’ ability to carry the offense on a day in which Georgia’s vaunted running game did not show up, as teammate Zamir White led the team on the ground with just 21 rushing yards on 11 carries. When you consider Georgia’s remaining schedule of Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and a hopefully rescheduled game against Missouri, there is a great opportunity for Daniels to continue to put up big numbers and finish the year 4-0 as a starter.
Daniels could potentially parlay the momentum from a strong finish to this season into next year to end up being one of the first QBs drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. He could choose to declare this year, but with a stout 2021 draft class, it would be wise for him to return as the starter at Georgia and declare in a much weaker 2022 class. His stock could potentially rise to first-round status.
Eric Gray – RB – Tennessee
This next selection was very difficult, as I had about nine players I would have liked to feature here, three of which I have already written about this season, including Eric Gray. I chose Gray because, while it may be an unpopular opinion, I feel he will be one of the top three RBs in the aforementioned weak 2022 draft class. This past Saturday Eric Gray did his best Alvin Kamara impression against Auburn’s stout defense, churning up 173 rushing yards and a TD in a losing effort. He also led the Volunteers in receiving, tacking on three receptions for 49 yards.
I detailed Gray’s abilities and potential after Week 5 and I am doubling down on him this week. The athleticism and shiftiness, blended with the quick acceleration he has displayed through two seasons have me believing that he can be a featured back in the NFL. While he may never log 30 touches a game, I could see Gray being used in a role similar to former Vol Alvin Kamara. Gray will not be draft-eligible until 2022, but I think he will be drafted in the late-second or third round of the NFL Draft and will be a mid-late first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts in 2022.
Zaven Collins – LB – Tulsa
Another player that I’ve already featured in this segment, Tulsa star LB Zaven Collins continues to make his case to be a day two pick in his choice of either the 2021 or 2022 NFL Draft. In a Thursday night game last week, Collins helped preserve Tulsa’s #25 ranking in a double-overtime win over Tulane. Collins owned the field, registering 15 total tackles, eight solos, a TFL, and a game-winning 96-yard interception return for a TD on the final play of double-overtime.
As I talked about after Week 3, Collins is a versatile athlete that has been showcasing everything he can do during his stand-out season. I think he can be a day two pick whether he chooses to declare for the NFL after this season or next because players with his skill-set are valuable to defensive coordinators. In IDP fantasy leagues, he has probably jumped on the page as a late-round pick if he gets an LB designation, with the potential to be much more valuable if he gets a DE designation.
TRENDING DOWN
Kedon Slovis – QB – USC
You might be wondering how I could choose Kedon Slovis as the QB to feature with a falling stock this week. I mean, he has gotten the Trojans off to a 3-0 start to the season with a #20 overall national ranking that looks to be ascending. Those of us that have been watching USC games though have probably noticed something about Slovis doesn’t look the same as last season. This Saturday, he led USC to a win against rival Utah with a 264 yard two TD and one INT effort, also taking three sacks.
On the season, Slovis’s stat line looks fine, but what has caused concern is that he hasn’t looked like the player we saw last season. USC’s offense is loaded with playmakers, specifically at the WR position. At least four or five times each game Slovis has been errant on passes to wide-open receivers. This ordinarily would not be a big deal if we weren’t talking about one of the top QB prospects in the nation. He and head coach Clay Helton both maintain that Slovis is indeed healthy. So if this is true, I am concerned, and if they are hiding an injury for competitive advantage, then I am still concerned.
The present landscape of the NFL has left starting QBs with such a small margin for error. While this could certainly be a small concern that fixes itself throughout the next four or five games, we will need to continue to monitor his play. Slovis is still two or more seasons away from declaring, so there is ample time to get things corrected.
Chuba Hubbard – RB – Oklahoma State
Another player featured in the “stock down” list after Week 3, Chuba Hubbard has now inexplicably seen his touches decrease for two weeks in favor of senior teammate LD Brown. Anyone that knows your author can attest that I have been the most skeptical and critical of Hubbard out of anyone I know the last two seasons.
Whether he is dealing with an undisclosed injury, has fallen out of favor with head coach Mike Gundy, or is simply being “given a lighter load before leaving for the NFL,” each of these circumstances renders a negative outlook for his draft stock. For a player that has documented criticism over his abilities as a blocker and a receiver, Hubbard needs as much time and opportunity on the field as possible to try to showcase these skills for NFL scouts. I now believe Hubbard will fall to a day three pick, and while he will probably still be drafted in the first round of rookie drafts, you won’t find me drafting him there.
Elijah Molden – S – Washington
The senior DB burst onto the scene last season after becoming a full-time starter, earning All-Pac12 honors for a season in which he posted continuous big plays. Elijah Molden set the bar high for himself after the 2019 campaign, and through two games this season he has yet to impress or stand-out. Last season four INTs, 17 passes defended, and five and a half TFLs look like a distant memory.
After two games Molden has ten tackles and one pass defended this year. As an undersized DB that looks to man a nickel safety role in sub-packages at the next level, Molden will need to show the game-changing impact plays he regularly posted last season. Molden’s ability to open-field tackle, along with his cover skills he showcased last season will get him drafted in the first three rounds, but for those of us who covet IDP fantasy production, he needs to show us more. He is only a late-round flier for me in 2021 IDP fantasy rookie drafts at this point.
SMALL SCHOOL PLAYER TO WATCH
Jaret Patterson – RB – Buffalo
Another player who posted a stand-out early-week performance is Buffalo Bulls RB Jaret Patterson. Patterson is another player that I have already featured–just two weeks ago–who is playing his way up the draft board. Against Bowling Green on Tuesday, he ran for 301 rushing yards on 31 carries with four TDs. Patterson was so effective, his team only attempted 12 passes on the night.
Patterson has averaged an unbelievable 7.2 yards per carry through three games this season. The junior from Glendale, Missouri has dominated his competition since setting foot on campus at Buffalo. The only thing Patterson has left to prove is how effective he can be as a receiver, as his vision, acceleration, and strength are already evident and he has nothing left to prove in the MAC conference. Patterson could declare this season and maybe push to be a late-third or fourth-round pick, or he could choose to return to school and declare in a weaker 2022 Draft year. He may even transfer to a larger school to prove he can dominate the higher-level competition. All I know is that I will be monitoring this RB and I will be looking to grab him late in rookie drafts.
PREVIOUS WEEKS’ DRAFT STOCK WATCH
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