2024 NFL draft stock watch after CFB Week 5: Who’s up and who is trending down?

2024 NFL draft stock watch after CFB Week 5: Who’s up and who is trending down?

Another exciting and interesting weekend of college football wrapped for the potential prospects for the 2024 NFL draft. Over a month into the college season, we’re starting to see who is consistently performing and who is more variable from week to week.

It’s a season-long process evaluating players, of course. But there are great weeks and down weeks for (almost) every prospect along the way. Here’s who helped themselves in Week 5 and who didn’t have a great showing over the final days of September.

 

 

Five players who need to have big games against Mississippi State

LSU will need these guys to have big games on Saturday.

Mississippi State’s air raid offense is unlike anything else LSU will see this year. Every offense in college football probably has some elements of the air raid in it by now, but Mike Leach’s version remains a full-fledged version of the offense.

In 2020, we saw what happens when a defense isn’t prepared for it. In fairness, that 2020 defense wasn’t prepared for much at all, much less the air raid. LSU responded in 2021, heading to Starkville with a much better plan. The Tiger defense consistently dropped eight guys into coverage, only rushing three.

LSU wanted to take away the passing lanes, preventing Will Rogers from making those patented quick throws. The Tigers also did a good job at making open field tackles, not allowing Mississippi State to take advantage of the space that the air raid creates.

The Tigers got that win last year because some players stepped up. Here are five guys who will need to do that on Saturday.

Georgia football makes top-four for nation’s No. 2 WR

Georgia football made the top-four for the nation’s No. 2 WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Georgia has made the top-four for the nation’s No. 2 wide receiver in the class of 2021.

Brian Thomas Jr., out of Walker, Louisiana, included only SEC teams in his most recent cut: Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M.

At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Thomas ranks as the nation’s No. 41 overall player and as the No. 2 receiver in his class, per 247Sports.

Related: Georgia makes top-four for 4-star TE Moliki Matavao, who is announcing on May 27

Thomas resides in Walker, Louisiana, which is just about a 30 minute drive from Baton Rouge and the LSU campus.

Last season, Thomas’ junior year, the 4-star receiver reeled in 75 catches for 1,272 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Georgia offered Thomas back in October of 2018.

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