Stock Up, Stock Down - NFL Draft Edition

Stock Up

Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame - Nobody has helped themselves more than Clausen this season. The Irish have lost both of their big games this season - Michigan and USC - but it hasn’t been because of Clausen’s lack of production. He gets sacked at a ridiculous rate but continues to stand tall in the pocket and keep his eyes downfield. He is the most accurate passer in college football right now and that says a lot considering Colt McCoy is still throwing passes at the college level. Clausen fits balls into tight windows and constantly puts his receivers in a position to succeed. He could probably be a mid-1st round guy if he declares early but if he stays in school and continues to progress at this rate, he could be the #1 overall pick in the 2011 Draft. We were Clausen’s biggest critic before the season but ‘The Ostrich’ is probably the most valuable player in college football right now. Without him, Notre Dame would probably be 2-4, if not 1-5.

Anthony McCoy TE, USC - Before the season started every college football fan knew the name McCoy. To everyone’s surprise the best McCoy thus far has been Anthony, the tight end from Southern Cal. He has given freshman quarterback Matt Barkley a reliable playmaker to check down to when pressure gets hot. McCoy is much more than a security blanket for Barkley though. He has 14 receptions for 350 yards so far this season, highlighted by a 5-catch, 153-yard performance against Notre Dame. He’s too big to be covered by a corner and he’s too fast to be locked down by a linebacker. Barkley will use him much more as the season goes on and the playbook becomes more in-depth. That means trouble for USC opponents and a big pay check for McCoy soon after the NFL Draft.

Lindsey Witten DE, UConn - After an injury-plagued 2008 season Lindsey Witten didn’t take his health for granted this summer as he worked his tail off to become a more explosive player. It has paid off and Big East quarterbacks are writhing in pain as a result. Witten already has 9 sacks on the young season with seven of them coming against Ohio and North Carolina in the first two games. Despite being double teamed, Witten uses his short bursts and long arms to power his way into the backfield and make devastating plays. He is a very lean 6′4″, 250-pounder who can add 25 more pounds to his frame without losing any speed. His best football is ahead of him, a frightening thought to offensive tackles in the NFL.

Jake Locker QB, Washington - Locker is a once-in-a-decade athlete at the college level. He’s very familiar with the draft process considering he’s been taken in the MLB Draft twice already. He signed a minor league contract that included a $200,000 bonus with the Los Angeles Angels this past July with the stipulation that he could continue playing quarterback at U-Dub. He has risen up NFL Draft charts this year while leading the Huskies - a winless team in 2008 after Locker went down early with a season-ending injury - to three wins, including upsets over USC and Arizona. He uses his feet when necessary but he has become a better pocket passer this season. The best sign for NFL scouts is that he has played his best against Washington’s toughest opponents. He’s thrown for 979 yards, 6 TDs and 2 INTs vs. LSU, USC, Notre Dame and Arizona. He could be the first player taken in the 2010 Draft if he declares, something that becomes more of a possibility with each passing week.

Sergio Kindle LB, Texas - Kindle chose to come back to UT in order to make a run at an elusive National Championship. A BCS title has been the only thing to elude Kindle during his college career though. The 6′4″, 255lb specimen received direction from NFL scouts to work on certain things in his game that he needed to improve in order to make a smooth transition to the pro game. He has done what they’ve asked of him and more. Kindle never stops moving, is more aggressive to the ball than he was in past years and has shown better sideline to sideline speed than anybody in the country. Kindle will be a star at the NFL Combine and end up getting taken in the first round come April.

Stock Down

Jevan Snead QB, Ole Miss - Snead burst onto the scene last year when he outplayed Heisman winner Tim Tebow during Ole Miss’ upset win over Florida. As a freshman, he was beaten out by Colt McCoy for the starting job at Texas and decided to transfer to a place he could play immediately. Ed Orgeron convinced him that Ole Miss was that place. It looks like the pressure of being ranked in the preseason top 5 and being labeled as a possible #1 pick in this year’s Draft might have gotten into Snead’s head. Playing in the SEC, he’ll have more opportunities to prove himself but he has been shut down by every good defensive team he’s faced so far this season. He can make every throw but better accuracy and a quicker release are necessary.

Juice Williams QB, Illinois - The Fighting Illini were the trendy choice to surprise teams in the Big Ten this season and possibly sneak away with the conference championship. Juice Williams was expected to be a huge part of Illinois’ success and improve his NFL Draft stock in the process. Things have not gone as planned to say the least. Illinois is 1-5 and haven’t beaten a 1-A opponent yet. He has only completed 55% of his passes and has just as many TDs as INTs (4). He only runs a 4.74 40-yard dash so his future as a wide receiver doesn’t seem too promising either.

Charles Scott RB, LSU - Scott hasn’t surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game yet this season and has been one of the main reasons sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson hasn’t been able to progress as quickly as the Tigers would like. Scott was never known for his breakaway speed but he was a dependable back who got tough yards when necessary. His only two touchdowns came against Georgia when he ran for 95 yards. There is still talent there but scouts aren’t as high on Scott as they once were.

Patrick Robinson CB, Florida State - Robinson, who was considered a lockdown cornerback at the beginning of the year, has been exploited much like the rest of the Seminoles have been this season. Robinson stock has been dropping with each passing week and it’s going to take a good performance at the Combine in order for Robinson to return to his former spot.

Terrelle Pryor QB, Ohio State - Even though his Draft is a few years down the road, nobody has given NFL scouts more reasons to question his future than Terrelle Pryor. Apparently the rumors about Pryor’s progression into an all-around quarterback by perfecting his mechanics and his ability to read defenses over the summer were all hype. Pryor has been a turnover machine. He has thrown 10 TDs and 8 INTs, many of those interceptions coming in big spots. Pryor is such a phenomenal athlete that he could successfully transition into a wide receiver, a process that might start sooner rather than later in Pryor’s career.