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2017 NFL Draft: 5 Prospects Who Jumped Out in Week 2

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After a surprisingly eventful Style Point Saturday, a few NFL draft prospects stood out with strong performances in Week 2.

Style Point Saturday wasn’t supposed to have as much drama as it did. While everyone is still talking about Georgia’s close call to Nicholls State or TCU’s loss to Arkansas, NFL scouts are busy breaking down what they saw on Saturday.

Last week, we took a look at some of the bigger names in college football that stood out as NFL draft prospects. This week, we’re breaking down some other guys who may not be first-round prospects, but could improve their stock dramatically with more games like they just had.

NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Devonte Fields

Devonte Fields

OLB, Louisville

Everyone is looking at Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson as an early Heisman Trophy frontrunner. However, it’s one of his teammates on defense that stood out to me as a guy who could play at the next level.

Outside linebacker Devonte Fields is primarily known for being able to rush off of the edge and put pressure on the quarterback. However, Fields was able to make a couple of big plays without hitting the Syracuse QB. The TCU transfer batting a pair of passes down at the line of scrimmage, including a crucial one on fourth down.

There are some concerns about Fields’ past, but the talent is there. He’s a natural edge rusher that could find himself going somewhere in the second round as long as he continues to showcase his impressive skill set.

Sep 10, 2016; Stillwater, OK, USA; Central Michigan Chippewas quarterback Cooper Rush (10) looks to pass against Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Cooper Rush

QB, Central Michigan

If you haven’t heard of Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush, you could be hearing his name a lot more in the near future.

The senior quarterback is poised to be the best player under center in the MAC, and a huge performance against the Oklahoma State Cowboys showed why. Rush went off, completing 30 of 42 passes for 361 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. One of those touchdowns came on this impressive heave downfield that led to a lateral and a game-winning score in the craziest moment of the year in college football so far.

Next: 3. Shelton Gibson

MORGANTOWN, WV – SEPTEMBER 10: Shelton Gibson

Shelton Gibson

WR, West Virginia

West Virginia has become somewhat of a hotbed for NFL-caliber receivers over the past couple of years. Tavon Austin and Kevin White were both top-10 picks in their respective drafts, leading many to wonder if the Mountaineers can produce another receiver this year.

Redshirt junior receiver Shelton Gibson might have helped put himself on a number of NFL teams’ watch lists after a breakout game against Youngstown State. Sure, it was against an inferior opponent, but Gibson showed his deep-threat ability with just six catches for an impressive 171 yards and two touchdowns, including this 57-yard bomb.

Gibson has a lot more work to do if he’s going to be mentioned with the likes of Mike Williams and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Still, if he can consistently show that he’s a serious vertical threat, then I could see a team with an offense like Arizona taking a long look at him.

EUGENE, OR – SEPTEMBER 10: Royce Freeman

Royce Freeman

RB, Oregon

This year’s NFL draft is going to be loaded with running backs like Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb. While those guys will likely go in the first couple of rounds, other teams could find some serious value in later rounds with running backs like Oregon’s Royce Freeman.

Freeman had an incredible game against Virginia, running for 207 yards and two touchdowns on just 21 carries. A large chunk of those yards came on this explosive 85-yard touchdown in the third quarter of Saturday’s game.

What makes Freeman such an intriguing prospect is his combination of size and speed. At 5’11” and 230 pounds, Freeman is surprisingly quick and makes some nice cuts in the open field. I’m not completely sold on his pass blocking, but Freeman looks like a legitimately overlooked prospect.

Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Cameron Sutton (23) motions to the crowd during the second half against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won in overtime 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Sutton

CB, Tennessee

I went into the Battle at Bristol wanting to get a look at Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Cameron Sutton. He had a great game despite his team’s struggles against Appalachian State in the season opener, shutting receivers down and making a great interception.

Sutton jumped out from a pure athleticism standpoint. He looks every bit like an NFL cornerback when in man coverage, and although he was burned early on Saturday by Virginia Tech receiver Isaiah Ford, his impressive recovery allowed him to catch up and break up what would have been a huge play.

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The Volunteers cornerback probably could have gone pro last year, but these first two games have helped his draft stock. As long as this is what we should expect from him, there’s no reason Sutton won’t be a first-round pick.

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