We’re only 5 weeks into the college football season and are already looking at who’s draft stock is rising.
WR Jordan Addison, USC
The 2021 Bilentnikoff award winning receiver has been impressive in 2022 so far. Last year, Addison dominated the ACC as a member of the Pitt Panthers. His reason for transferring to the USC Trojans can be linked to many reasons.
Nevertheless, the biggest reason was to prove the doubters wrong. Many question whether or not Addison truly deserved the award after watching Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams light up the SEC in 2021.
So far in 2022, Addison has 337 yards receiving and 6 touchdowns on 21 receptions. The guy is making defenses look silly on the west coast.
If Addison had left for the 2022 NFL Draft, I would have graded him out as an early 2nd round pick. Currently, Addison is the top wide receiver on my 2023 NFL Draft Board.
QB Jordan Travis, FSU
The leader of the FSU team is leading the resurgence of the Seminoles right before our eyes. His leadership skills are on display and his growth as well.
In 2021, Travis completion rate was a little over 62% and in 2022 he is sitting at 65%. The biggest quality helping Travis draft stock is his decision making. He’s thrown 91 passes and only 1 interception.
Although Travis isn’t considered a day 1 draft choice, his ability to win games when in counts is helping him tremendously. Furthermore, NFL scouts value players that can elevate the players around him like Travis has done.
With that being said, Travis is listed as a 5th round – 7th round pick in our 2023 NFL Draft Big Board. Although his stock is rising, Travis is expected to return for his senior year no matter how his draft stock looks at the end of the season.
QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
The “walk-on” who lead the Georgia Bulldogs to their first national title since the 1980s is putting up huge numbers. Granted the Dogs have a stacked team, but Bennett is making great decisions and plays so far.
Last season, Bennett came in as the relief pitcher for the injured QB JT Daniels. Bennett would go on to manage Georgia’s offense as it moved along.
In 2022, Bennett is playing with more confidence than anyone could have expected. He’s thrown for 1,224 yards and 5 touchdowns so far this season. Not to mention, He’s completing almost 70% of his throws.
Fortunately, Bennett is working hard to get the “Game Manager” tag off of him. For any quarterback to be chosen high in the draft, he would need to be known as “playmaker.”
Going into 2022, Bennett was listed as a 7th-round to undrafted prospect. With just 5 weeks in, Bennett has improved his stock to being a 6th-7th round draft choice on our 2023 NFL Draft Big Board.
QB Bryce Young, Alabama
There are a few draft boards out there that have Bryce Young going as low as the 5th pick overall in next years draft. I can confidently say that those individuals are fooling themselves.
Bryce Young is the #1 player on our 2023 NFL Draft Big Board 5 weeks into the season. Franchises are built around quarterbacks and nothing else. Hence, this is the reason why Young is #1.
Although Young is short, the NFL as transformed its unspoken height requirement rules for its quarterbacks. Young has all the intangibles: poise in the pocket, ability to move within or outside the pocket, always has his eyes downfield, accuracy, and the winners mentality.
In 2021, Young made big plays in big moments. If he could have thrown the ball and caught the ball in the national title game against Georgia I believe he would have done that too.
In 2022, Young has thrown for 1,029 yards and 13 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions. Furthermore, as the season goes along, Young tends to elevate his level of play.
Again, only 5 weeks in and Young looks solid enough to hear his name called first come the 2023 NFL Draft.