National Football League

2017 NFL Draft: Week 14 Prospect Stock Report

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:38 p.m. ET

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Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) reacts after a defensive stop against the Florida Gators during the first quarter of the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The college football regular season is now officially in the books and bowl season is about to begin. This time of year not only means 80 teams will be preparing for bowls, but potential early-entrants for the 2017 NFL Draft will announce their intentions for next season.

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For those entering the draft, week 14 was one of the final opportunities to improve their film score. In many cases, this past weekend’s games will carry a little extra weight as a result of conference championships being on the line. With that in mind, here are the 2017 NFL Draft prospects who helped and hurt their stock in week 14 of the college football season.

Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) runs the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the third quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Stock Up: Offense

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Samaje Perine (RB – Oklahoma): Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine stepped up when his team needed him the most. His second-half performance against Oklahoma State not only helped lead the Sooners to victory, but boosted his 2017 NFL Draft stock as well.

Despite his talent level, Perine has been the forgotten weapon for Oklahoma this season. Quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Dede Westbrook are Heisman finalists, while Joe Mixon has had more success out of the backfield.

Although he’s been under-the-radar, Perine has been a workhorse since returning from a leg injury in mid-November. Over his last three games, he’s carried the ball 91 times, including a career-high 37 rushes against the Cowboys.

The junior displayed very good vision throughout the game and ran with a solid combination of power and elusiveness. He doesn’t have ideal speed, but Perine is someone who should become a starting running back in the NFL sooner rather than later.

Corey Davis (WR – Western Michigan): Corey Davis continues to show why he should be the first wide receiver selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. With the spotlight shining brighter on the Broncos this season, Davis has stepped up and led his school to an undefeated season.

The all-time leader in career receiving yards added to his total by catching eight passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. As seen in the play below, Davis possesses very good elusiveness in the open field with the breakaway speed to score from anywhere on the field.

Davis does it all for Western Michigan. He’s quarterback Zach Terrell’s deep threat, safety valve over the middle, red zone threat and much more. He may not run the fastest 40-yard dash or blow away scouts with his athleticism, but Davis is the most talented and well-rounded WR prospect available in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Jordan Leggett (TE – Clemson): In a game featuring two of the top tight end prospects for the 2017 NFL Draft, Jordan Leggett was the clear winner. While Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges caught just one pass and struggled to create separation, Leggett became Clemson’s go-to receiver when the Tigers needed a big play.

As you can see in the play below, Leggett is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he possesses the size of a tight end, but displays the athleticism and route-running ability of a wide receiver. On this play, he’s lined up at the top of the screen against a cornerback. He makes sure to finish the stem of his route deep enough so the man underneath can’t make a play on the ball. This results in an easy pitch and catch between Leggett and quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Leggett would go on to catch another touchdown in the game as Clemson defeated Virginia Tech to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoffs.

Sep 10, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks punter Cole Moos (36) is tackled by Ohio Bobcats defensive lineman Tarell Basham (93) on a muffed punt in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Ohio won 37-21. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Stock Up: Defense

Tarell Basham (DE – Ohio): Despite coming out on the losing side of the MAC title game, Tarell Basham made his presence known to NFL scouts Friday night. He only managed 0.5 sacks in the game, but consistently created pressure in the Western Michigan backfield.

It didn’t matter whether Basham lined up on the left or right side of the line. He was able to beat both right tackle Taylor Moton, who he will be teammates with at the Senior Bowl, and left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, who is a candidate to play in Mobile next year.

Basham is likely going to be a late-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. His stock is on the rise after his performance at the MAC title game and he can continue to climb draft boards with similar performances at the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine.

Reuben Foster (ILB – Alabama): Reuben Foster improved his draft stock in the majority of games he played in this season, but his play in the SEC title game was as impressive as any game he’s played in. Foster led the way for the Crimson Tide, recording a team-high 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks.

To understand why trick plays don’t work against Alabama, just watch Reuben Foster on this play. Florida has six blockers along the line of scrimmage against five Alabama defenders. At the snap, Foster charges into the backfield from his linebacker position to attack the running back. He diagnoses the play almost immediately and turns his focus to the quarterback. Once the pitch is made back to the QB, there isn’t enough time to unload the ball as Foster and company have already closed in. The only option is to take a 12-yard sack.

Foster’s instincts are second to none and are the reason why he’s going to be a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He won’t be selected as eary as teammate Jonathan Allen, but Foster should be off the board within the first 20-25 selections.

December 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver John Ross (1) runs against Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) during the third quarter in the Pac-12 championship at Levi

Stock Down: Offense

John Ross (WR – Washington): John Ross led Washington with four receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Pac-12 title game, however it was the passes he didn’t haul in that were the most concerning.

Ross dropped multiple passes in the game. His 13 targets were by far the most on the team, yet he caught just four of those targets. While not every pass was catchable, there were multiple plays which Ross has proven in the past he can make.

Colorado has a very good secondary, but the test will be even tougher in Washington’s next game. Going up against Alabama’s defense in the playoffs means Ross will have to focus on underneath routes and screens to get the ball, rather than just run nine routes downfield. How he performs against the Crimson Tide could be the determining factor as to whether or not he’ll be a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Right now, he’s on the outside looking in.

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Mason Rudolph (QB – Oklahoma State): DeShone Kizer and Mitch Trubisky played their worst games of the season in wet conditions earlier this season. The rain hurt the stock of another quarterback this past weekend, this time in a conference championship game.

Mason Rudolph completed just 44 percent of his passes in a loss to Oklahoma in what was a de facto Big 12 title game. The weather not only impacted his handle on the ball, but his receivers ability to catch his throws. This was also just the second game this season in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass.

Although the majority of NFL games are not played in poor conditions, the ability to throw a wet football is important. Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson for example, poured water on footballs while he was working them out prior to last year’s draft. Cleveland wound up trading out of the number two overall selection rather than selecting Carson Wentz. Wentz of course would be selected by the Eagles, while the Browns selected Cody Kessler later in the draft. For teams in the north, like the Browns, this is a much bigger deal than for teams playing home games in a dome.

Ryan Ramczyk (OT – Wisconsin): Wisconsin left tackle Ryan Ramczyk burst onto the scene this season after redshirting last year. After spending his first two seasons at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he’s quickly proving that he belongs at the FBS level.

Ramczyk played well for much of the Big Ten title game against Penn State, but also showed why he’s still raw and better off spending another season with the Badgers.

In the play below, Ramczyk is unsure of who to block. The confusion starts with the strong safety (number 6) coming on the blitz. Rather than blocking the linebacker (number 7) who is further inside and much more of a threat, Ramczyk just backtracks and turns his head back and forth between the two defenders. Linebacker Koa Farmer is able to easily blow by on the inside for the sack.

Next: Stock Down: Defense

Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Artavis Scott (3) runs the ball in the first quarter as Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Brandon Facyson (31) defends during the ACC Championship college football game at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Stock Down: Defense

Brandon Facyson (CB – Virginia Tech): As mentioned in the preview leading up to the ACC title game, Brandon Facyson has lost a step since his freshman year. He just doesn’t possess the plant and drive or closing speed needed to make a play on the football like he did in 2013.

On this play, Facyson breaks for the football and goes for the interception. He doesn’t get there in time and Deon Cain is off to the races. The play goes for 39 yards and leads to a Clemson touchdown.

There’s a lot to like about Facyson’s game, but he needs to play smarter in these types of situations. If he would have made the tackle and prevented Cain from gaining any yards after the catch, Clemson would have faced third down and about five yards to go.

Xavier Woods (SS – Louisiana Tech): Like Facyson, Woods was a little slow to the football in Louisiana Tech’s conference title game. The Bulldogs ended up losing the rematch to Western Kentucky after another poor showing by the defense.

On multiple plays, both against the run and the pass, Woods, the school’s top 2017 NFL Draft prospect, was caught out of position. On one long running play, he tried to shoot the gap inside the tackles, but the running back bounced the play outside for a big gain. In the passing game, he was unable to consistently track the receivers in his zone.

While Woods is still expected to be a late-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, this was a concerning performance. His final game will be against Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. He won’t be asked to drop into coverage too many times in this game as Navy features a heavy dose of the triple option. He will however have plenty of opportunities to display his mental processing skills and ability to stop the run.

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