The opening weekend of college football has wrapped up, with the exception of Monday night’s game featuring the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Louisville Cardinals.
Week 1 gave us a glimpse of the nation’s top players entering this season and some players that are on the rise. There were a few that caught the attention of NFL scouts, while others that failed to live up to their hype or expectations.
Here are some of the prospects that impacted their draft stock during the first week of the season:
STOCK UP
Jalen Hurts | QB | Oklahoma
Making his first start in 20 months, Hurts debuted for the Sooners with a performance that everyone will be talking about for awhile.
Hurts tallied 508 total yards of offense, which was the fifth-highest in school history. His six touchdowns were a career best and tied for second behind Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. He’s also the fifth quarterback in school history to pass for over 300 yards and rush for over 150 yards.
Hurts displayed developed touch and accuracy downfield, whether it was with a clean or on the move. He resorted to his scrambling instincts when the pocket did break down, where he looked explosive on the ground to pick up yardage.
In coach Lincoln Riley’s offense, Hurts should only continue to thrive and help his draft stock on a weekly basis.
STOCK DOWN
CJ Henderson | CB | Florida
Henderson was the top prospect in the Week 0 matchup against the Miami Hurricanes. Touted as one of the best cover corners in the league, Henderson showed off that skillset by locking up the Hurricane’s skill players. He even broke up a touchdown pass late in the game.
But the coverage isn’t what hurt his stock, it was his inability to make tackles. Henderson had an awful missed tackle at the second level, which ending up leading to a touchdown run that put Miami up, 20-17. His technique needs a lot of work and he needs to become more disciplined in this aspect of his game in order to earn first round consideration.
STOCK UP
Zack Moss | RB | Utah
Moss returned to action after suffering a knee injury late in the 2018 season. The Utes’ running back showed why he would’ve been one of the top players at his position taken if he would’ve declared for the 2019 NFL draft. Moss amassed 181 yards on 29 carries.
The 5-foot-8 and 208 pound back’s running style is a mixture of contact balance, power, agility, and toughness which makes him a difficult player to defend. He is a physical, max-effort runner that tries to get every yard possible and can be deadly in open space.
STOCK DOWN
Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon
This isn’t to say that Herbert performed poorly on Saturday, but if he plans to be the No. 1 overall selection next April, his season-opening outing isn’t really going to do it for him.
Herbert finished the game completing 28-of-37 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown, but he failed to lead the Ducks to victory after being up 21-6 at one point.
The 6-foot-6 and 238 pound quarterback showed why he has the makings of an NFL quarterback, flashing arm strength, mobility and accuracy, but there were questionable moments at times. When he was under pressure, he didn’t look composed and his accuracy started to sway.
This is one area of his game that he will need to improve on throughout the next few months if he wishes to hear his name called first in the 2020 NFL draft.
STOCK UP
Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama
Jeudy entered this season as arguably the nation’s top wide receiver, and he showed why he might be the best to come out of Alabama since Julio Jones.
Jeudy posted 137 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. The 10 catches marked a career-high total for the junior wideout, but it’s the skillset that he showed which garnered the attention of many NFL scouts this past weekend.
Jeudy is one of the fastest wide receivers in the country, and that was evident. To go along with his speed, he is elusiveness in his movements to create separation and make cornerbacks look silly, as well as being a natural hands-catcher with reliable ball skills.
STOCK DOWN
Dylan Moses | LB | Alabama
Touted as the best linebacker prospect going into the 2019 season, Moses was unable to see the field for a single snap after being hit with a season-ending knee injury during the Crimson Tide’s practice leading up to the opener.
It’s uncertain whether or not we have seen the last of Moses in an Alabama jersey, as he will have to decide if he wants to come back for a bounce back stint, or to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL draft.
If he decides to leave for the pros, there’s no doubt that it’ll take a minor hit to his draft stock when April rolls around. Depending on the recovery process, Moses might be able to participate in some of pre-draft tests in a limited capacity.
STOCK UP
David Woodward | LB | Utah State
Woodward caught my eye last season as well as Pro Football Focus’, where he was named to their First-Team All American squad. He started the new season against Wake Forest with a bang, recording a whopping 24 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack.
The 6-foot-2 and 230 pound linebacker is a bit undersized for the position when looking at his frame, but his style of play suggests otherwise. With his functional athleticism, Woodward is at his best in space with the play speed and controlled burst to quickly react and make plays against the pass or run.
STOCK DOWN
Walker Little | OT | Stanford
Little entered the season opener as the best prospect and arguably the top offensive tackle in this year’s class. Unfortunately, his season could be in jeopardy after leaving the game with a lower body injury in the fourth quarter.
Prior to the injury, Little was going up against Northwestern defensive end Joe Gaziano, who is starting to gain some buzz. The Stanford offensive tackle held his own, but there were times where he missed some blocks, allowing Gaziano to get in the backfield.
There’s no denying that Little is capable of being a future starter in the NFL, but depending on the severity of his injury, it could impact where he’s selected if he still decides to declare.
