National Football League

2017 NFL Draft Prospects Who Must Step Up in Week 7

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

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Dec 26, 2015; El Paso, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Stacy Coley (3) reacts after having a touchdown reception called back on a penalty during the second half against the Washington State Cougars at Sun Bowl Stadium. The Cougars won 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Week seven marks the unofficial halfway point of the college football season. Schools are running out of time to impress the playoff committee, while 2017 NFL Draft prospects are running out of time to impress scouts.

While many prospects will participate in a bowl game and postseason all-star event, others are down to their final six or seven games of their college career. With limited time to improve film grades, those players must finish the season strong.

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Barring injury, the majority of the prospects on this list will be involved in a some sort of bowl game this season. However, this week will hold a little extra weight as the matchups are ones that NFL decision makers will be watching closely. For these five prospects, week seven is the time to step up and improve their 2017 NFL Draft stock.

Oct 8, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Stacy Coley (3) carries the ball during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Hard Rock Stadium. FSU won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Stacy Coley (WR – Miami) vs. North Carolina

Stacy Coley has a chance to impress NFL scouts, not just by performing well against the North Carolina secondary, but by playing through injury.

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Coley, who was named ACC Receiver of the Week after catching two touchdowns against Florida State, suffered a sprained MCL in the loss.

While proving his toughness will help his draft grade, it won’t be so easy for Coley to produce. North Carolina cornerbacks Des Lawrence and M.J. Stewart are two of the better defensive backs Coley will face this season.

Their main objective will be to prevent Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya and Coley from connecting on the deep ball.

With Kaaya also hurt, expect a lot of quick screens and shallow routes over the middle of the field to prevent Kaaya from taking too many hits.

Coley can create separation quicker than any receiver on the Miami roster, so he should receive plenty of targets in this game.

What he does with those targets will determine whether his 2017 NFL Draft stock will rise or fall.

Sep 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Dedrick Mills (26) scores a rushing touchdown against Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) and cornerback Tre Herndon (31) in the third quarter of their game at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Yellow Jackets won 38-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Cunningham (OLB – Vanderbilt) vs. Georgia

Zach Cunningham is only a junior, but he’s by far the best prospect on the Vanderbilt roster. If he does declare for the 2017 NFL Draft, he’s a potential first-round pick.

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This weekend against Georgia, he has an opportunity to enhance his stock against one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC.

Cunningham has a nose for the football and has been creating havoc in his opponent’s backfield all season. He not only leads the Commodores in tackles (62) and tackles for a loss (10.5), he also leads the entire SEC in both categories.

With Vanderbilt traveling to take on a Georgia team which runs the ball more than any school in the conference besides Auburn, Cunningham should add to his already stellar numbers.

If he does, his 2017 NFL Draft stock will continue to soar.

Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett (9) rushes past Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Avery Gennesy (65) during the second half at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeat the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Barnett (DE – Tennessee) vs. Alabama

In the first three games of the 2016 season, Derek Barnett failed to record a single sack. Over the past three games, all versus SEC opponents, he’s sacked the quarterback five times. With Tennessee defenders Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton missing a significant amount of time this season, Barnett has raised his level of play at the right time for the Volunteers.

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Barnett was a four-star recruit out of high school and immediately made an impact in Knoxville. In 2014, he started 10 games and set school records for most tackles for a loss and sacks by a true freshman. He’s continued to attack the quarterback as a sophomore and again this year as a junior. Whether he declares for the 2017 NFL Draft, or waits until 2018, he’s expected to be a first-round pick.

This weekend, Tennessee will host the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. In what may be the most intriguing one-on-one matchup of week seven, Barnett will go head-to-head with Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson. Robinson is well on his way to being the first offensive lineman selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.

In their previous two matchups, both Alabama wins, Barnett and Robinson have been fairly even matched. Barnett has registered eight tackles, 2.5 for a loss and one sack over the past two meetings. The sack however, did not come against Robinson as Barnett was lined up on the opposite side of the line. With pass rushers becoming more of a priority in the draft, Barnett can work his way up the board with a good showing against Robinson.

Sep 2, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo (7) catches a pass in front of Colgate Raiders defensive back Cortney Mimms (26) during the third quarter at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Amba Etta-Tawo (WR – Syracuse) vs. Virginia Tech

Amba Etta-Tawo leads the FBS with 876 yards receiving this season. The Virginia Tech defense has allowed just 661 yards through the air this year, also best in the FBS. Something has to give this Saturday as the Orange and the Hokies battle inside the Carrier Dome.

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Last week against Wake Forest, Etta-Tawo gained only 36 yards. It was his first game all season not eclipsing the century mark in receiving yards. The game was played in rain from Hurricane Matthew, but the weather’s impact was minimal compared to other games played in North Carolina. This includes Virginia Tech’s last game, which came against the Tar Heels.

Even if the weather were to blame for Etta-Tawo’s lack of production, he’ll face an even tougher test this week against the Virginia Tech secondary. Not only do the Hokies limit yards gained through the air, they also force a lot of incompletions. Virginia Tech ranks first in the FBS in opponent’s QB rating and second in completion percentage.

Scouts will pay even more attention when Etta-Tawo lines up across from Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Facyson, a potential day two pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. In order for Etta-Tawo to continue to generate buzz across the country, he’ll have to step up and prove he can match up against one of the best secondaries in the nation.

Apr 23, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker T.J. Watt (42) reacts during the Wisconsin spring football game at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Network

T.J. Watt (OLB – Wisconsin) vs. Ohio State

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The last time Wisconsin and Ohio State shared the field, the Buckeyes won 59-0 in the 2014 Big Ten title game. T.J. Watt missed that entire season as a result of a major knee injury, but there’s no doubt he, and the rest of the Wisconsin roster, are out for revenge.

With Vince Biegel, Wisconsin’s other starting outside linebacker out for the game, the onus will be on Watt to make up for Biegel’s lost production. Watt already has 5.5 sacks on the season through five games, and will look to create problems for J.T. Barrett and the Ohio State offense.

Watt, a former tight end for the Badgers, played sparingly last season, but has really improved his stock as a starter at OLB this year. As a junior he could wait until 2018, however a solid performance against an undefeated Ohio State team in prime time could open the door for him to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft. If he does declare, he’ll likely be selected earlier than expected based on his potential and pedigree.

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