Top NFL draft prospects, risers, buzz, notes from CFB Week 5

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Top NFL draft prospects, risers, buzz, notes from CFB Week 5​

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Week 5 of the 2023 college football season saw an incredible Caleb Williams-Shedeur Sanders duel in Colorado, an Ole Miss upset of LSU and a third straight Kentucky win over Florida. How did the top draft prospects look during Saturday's action?

NFL draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Steve Muench answered big draft-related questions coming out of the weekend's slate, including how the running back class is shaping up. Miller picked out prospects rising up his draft board, and Reid identified players currently flying under the radar who could get a draft stock boost with more high-level play. Muench broke down a key highlight that is making him go back to the tape for more evaluation, and Kiper turned the page to Week 6 with three things to watch for next weekend. Finally, our analysts emptied their notebooks with everything they saw and heard over this past weekend.

 

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Who is your RB1 right now -- and is he a serious first-round candidate?​

Kiper: I don't see any first-round backs in the 2024 class. They're all bunched up together in the second- and third-round range. But the guy I like the most right now is Notre Dame's Audric Estime. He's powerful and nimble in a 5-foot-11, 227-pound frame. He has a low center of gravity to make defenders miss in the hole, and he shows the vision to cut on a dime and change direction.

Estime was bottled up for most of the game against Duke on Saturday -- until he went off for a 30-yard score to win the game with under a minute left. He has runs of 30 yards or more in four of the Irish's six games. Estime has just nine catches this season, but he's a hands catcher when he does get targeted. I think he has a higher ceiling and could play on third downs at the next level. Again, there's no Bijan Robinson in the 2024 draft, but Estime is the best running back I've seen so far.

Miller: I'm still riding with Michigan's Blake Corum as RB1, and I agree with Mel that this class doesn't have a first-round running back. No, he doesn't have amazing size at 5-foot-8 and 213 pounds, but he has really good field vision and body lean, plus the acceleration to run away from defenders. There are few elite between-the-tackles runners in the class, but Corum is one of them. The Wolverines' schedule and the presence of teammate Donovan Edwards has kept Corum's workload light most weeks, but he has averaged 5.7 yards per carry. His 1-yard touchdown run Saturday against Nebraska was his ninth of the season, and he has at least one score in all five games.

Not only is Corum my top-ranked running back, he's also the only one I have ranked in the top 50 right now (No. 49 overall).

Reid: I'm with you, Matt. Corum has been the most consistent of the bunch. As a low-to-the-ground, bowling-ball type of runner, he reminds me a lot of Kenneth Walker III when he was coming out of Michigan State two years ago. Corum's contact balance, versatility and pass-catching ability make him a complete player at the position.

We saw Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs go on Day 1 in April, but I'll echo what has been said so far: There isn't a Round 1-caliber back for 2024. Corum is a second-rounder on my board. That said, this running back class arguably has more depth than 2023 despite not having the star power at the top.

Muench: Jonathon Brooks (6-foot, 207 pounds) was buried on the Texas depth chart last year behind Robinson and fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson, and he was flying under the radar coming into the season. Then I watched the Alabama tape when he impressed with 57 yards and a TD. In the three games since -- including a 218-yard, two-TD performance against Kansas on Saturday -- he has averaged 162.3 rushing yards and scored four more TDs. He's instinctive and fast, with great feet and balance. Plus, he's flashing as a receiver, averaging 17.4 yards per reception on five catches.

No, I'm not ready to put him in the first round yet, and he has another two years of eligibility, but I've seen enough to make him my RB1 at this point in the process.

 

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Name a running back who isn't getting enough attention.​

Muench: Marshall's Rasheen Ali missed most of the 2022 season but has looked really good in 2023. He rushed for 174 yards against Virginia Tech last week. He knows how to get in the end zone, too; his 23 rushing touchdowns tied for the most in FBS in 2021, and he has multiple TD runs in all four games this season. At 6-foot and 209 pounds, Ali makes crisp cuts and his burst through holes jump off the tape, and there's a lot to like about the way he finishes runs. He's also a reliable receiver, catching 46 balls two seasons ago, flashing after the catch. Ali is a Day 3 candidate.

Reid: USC's MarShawn Lloyd has settled into a pivotal role for the Trojans in his first season with the team after transferring from South Carolina. At 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, he's quick-footed and has enough speed to burst through the first level, but it's his vision and ability to make defenders miss that really stand out. Lloyd has at least 75 rushing yards in four of five games this season, and he impressed with 84 yards and a TD on 13 carries against Colorado. A late-round hopeful coming into the year, Lloyd is now firmly on the draft radar as a potential early-Day 3 target.

Miller: How about Kansas running back Devin Neal? He is an electric runner who tears up defenses when working outside the tackles. The junior had more than 1,000 yards last season and is on pace for that again in 2023. Few backs in this class can make defenders miss in the open field like Neal, who looks like an early-down NFL rusher. And while he doesn't have De'Von Achane's speed, he's that type of slasher who could work well in an outside zone scheme. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder is my No. 6 overall back right now but continues to rise seemingly each week.

Kiper: Steve hit on Brooks, who has been extremely impressive, so let me talk up Maryland's Roman Hemby, who has been integral to the Terps' 5-0 start. Hemby has 64 carries for 309 yards and four scores, plus 12 receptions for 117 yards. He is a big, 6-foot-2 runner who can break tackles in the hole and break away after bouncing runs outside, and he can make defenders miss. I love his upside as a pass-catcher, too. Hemby is a third-year sophomore, so he could return to school next year, but he'll be in the mix of the top 10 backs if he enters the 2024 draft.

 

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Has Braelon Allen slid on draft boards?​

Reid: Allen was seen as one of the top running backs in the class before the season, after posting back-to-back 1,200-yard, double-digit-TD seasons to begin his career at Wisconsin. At 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, Allen is a scheme-specific back who is at his best in a downhill running scheme that allows him to run straight ahead and use his frame. He's a sledgehammer in tight formations while running behind pulling blockers. Wisconsin has lived on that type of scheme for a while, but under offensive coordinator Phil Longo, we've seen more wide-open sets and spread concepts.

That said, Allen still has 371 rushing yards and six TD runs this season. And the new scheme has actually allowed Allen to show more as a pass-catcher. His 16 catches this season already surpassed his total from last season (13). Opinions will vary on him because he has limitations when it comes to making defenders miss and lateral agility, and he won't fit every NFL offense, but I still think a team will take him in the early-to-middle parts of Day 2.

 

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Miller's draft risers from Week 5​

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

The Tigers didn't win in Week 5, but that wasn't because of the quarterback. Daniels accounted for five total touchdowns, throwing for 414 yards, completing 75% of his passes and rushing for another 99 yards and a score. He is a certified playmaker who stresses defenses with his deep ball and his rushing ability. And he routinely steps up in big situations and finds a way to make a play.

The biggest questions will be related to size (he's listed at 210 pounds on a 6-foot-4 frame) and durability at the next level, but Daniels is putting out great tape each week. In a very crowded quarterback group, he's my QB7 with a chance to shoot up the board.

Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

NFL scouts have been on me to watch Guyton, and I got the chance to review his early-season tape this week before watching Oklahoma take on Iowa State on Saturday night. Guyton is a 6-foot-7, 315-pound offensive lineman who moves like a tight end. He has great agility in space and has handled speed rushers with no issue. Guyton hasn't allowed a single sack and has given up just two pressures all season. Those are great numbers for a potential first-rounder before heading into the Red River Rivalry game against a loaded Texas defensive front. Guyton ranks right at No. 32 on my board heading into midseason.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

The Georgia transfer has been a bright light for the Texas offense opposite Xavier Worthy. Mitchell's size (6-foot-4, 196 pounds) makes him a go-to target in the red zone and on vertical routes. He had his breakout game against Kansas -- 10 catches for 141 yards and a score -- and I see the focus, toughness and explosiveness of a true X receiver on tape. Mitchell is inching up my rankings but could make a sizeable jump if he can duplicate this success against Oklahoma next week. He is ranked at No. 43 overall for me right now.

 

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Reid's draft sleepers to keep an eye on​

Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame

Michael Mayer is now in the NFL, but the Irish tradition of producing tight ends continues. After an inconsistent start that included one catch for 2 yards in early September against NC State, Evans has settled in and developed into a security blanket for quarterback Sam Hartman over the middle of the field. He has made miraculous one-handed grabs in consecutive weeks, and he now has 13 catches for 209 yards over the past two games, including six for 134 against Duke.

A big-body target at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, the junior has really good hands and is catching scouts' eyes. He wasn't really on the radar in the preseason, but he's playing his way into the draft conversation.

Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky

We've already named a bunch of running backs, but I wanted to point out Davis after his career day against Florida, when he rushed for 280 yards on 26 carries and scored four total touchdowns. An in-conference transfer from Vanderbilt, Davis is a tough runner at 5-foot-10, 216 pounds who can make would-be tacklers miss with ease. Eight of his carries went for 10 or more yards against the Gators, a display of his speed. He is among the top senior running backs in this class and is viewed as a Day 3 prospect.

Payton Wilson, LB, NC State

There isn't another defensive prospect that I've had more fun watching this season. Wilson is an energetic and versatile second-level player, and his relentless playing style and ability to make impact splash plays have been staples of his career. Even though the Wolfpack lost against Louisville, he impressed with 10 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss.

With knee injuries throughout his career and a shoulder surgery that ended his 2022 season early, medicals will be a big part of his pre-draft evaluation. It's the main reason Wilson is still in the Day 3 picture, but he could quickly outplay that draft slot if he's able to stay healthy.

 

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Kiper's three things to watch in Week 6​

ESPN's "College GameDay" will be at the Red River Rivalry next Saturday, and that's where I'll have my eyes on a battle in the trenches. Matt talked about Guyton earlier, and he will get plenty of matchups against Texas edge rusher Barryn Sorrell. Can Guyton, my No. 5 OT, hold up in the run game? We know he has great feet in pass protection, but he's going to have to move Sorrell out of the way to get the Sooners' ground game going, which won't be easy. Both prospects could go on Day 2 next year.

Missouri has started 5-0, but its first real test comes against LSU -- which just lost a 55-49 shootout to Ole Miss -- next weekend. Can LSU wideout Malik Nabers be stopped? He has back-to-back-to-back 100-yard games and already has 40 catches for 625 yards and five scores on the season. I don't think Mizzou wants to go score for score with LSU. Nabers, who ranks No. 10 on my Big Board, will spend most of his time being covered by Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr; Abrams-Draine has matched Nabers' receiving feat with back-to-back-to-back games with interceptions.

If Washington State wants to win at UCLA, it's going to have to get a consistent game out of cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, who will be matched up often with J. Michael Sturdivant. Sturdivant, a third-year sophomore and transfer from Cal, has just 12 catches this season, but they have gone for a whopping 279 yards. He's a big-play-threat. Both are outside my top 10 rankings at their respective positions, but they could rise if they continue to play well.