NFL Analysis
10/21/24
7 min read
2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Dylan Sampson Breaks Through
Another college football week is in the books, and we were spoiled with great action across the country this weekend. Big games in the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC gave the nation's 2025 NFL Draft prospects the chance to show out against top foes.
We're blending stats and film for our takeaways from Week 8. Now is the moment for athletes to achieve their best performance. As November nears, we're seeing the elite separate from the rest, and we remain committed to monitoring the top 300 or so players across the country.
Let's examine the three athletes who pushed their 2025 NFL Draft stock up and those who fell.
CFB Week 8 Stock Up Players
We saw enough quality performances that we needed to name a couple of other risers who dominated their competition. Here are three more players who caught our eyes in Week 8.
Honorable Mentions
- LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado
- Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
- Gabe Jacas, DT, Illinois
Barion Brown with a 99-yard kickoff return when you least expect it...
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) October 20, 2024
🏃♂️💨 pic.twitter.com/khDPfxAOGT
📈 Barion Brown, WR, Kentucky
Stats: 2 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD; 2 kick returns, 115 yards, 1 TD
NFL playmaking is often all about speed and creating angles that others can't. Kentucky WR Barion Brown entered this season revered as one of the most dangerous big-play threats in the nation because of his track speed. However, we haven't seen much of him until now, as the Kentucky passing game hasn't manufactured many quality targets.
That changed a bit in Week 8. Brown was targeted four times, including a 45-yard flea flicker that sprung him well behind the defense for an easy touchdown. He also produced one of the best returns we've seen in years, as he ducked and ran around several defenders on the way to a 99-yard score.
Brown wasn't perfect, as he let one pass go through his hands that went for a game-sealing interception. But it's easier to accept mistakes when someone can provide the chunk plays that Brown creates. He has the make-up of a Day 2 pick.
📈 Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
Stats: 26 carries, 139 yards, 2 TDs
Considering the moment, was there anyone who had a better day in any game than Dylan Sampson? Tennessee pulled off the home win against Alabama, sending the Tide into a full-on tailspin in head coach Kalen DeBoer's first year. And there's no way that would've been the case without Sampson.
The electric tailback did a little bit of everything as Alabama tried to stack the box against him. Sampson broke four tackles, racking up 83 of his 139 yards after contact. His power is good but more of a byproduct of erasing tackling angles with his quickness and high-end acceleration.
Sampson was the engine for the Vols ' offense by producing six first downs and four rushes of at least 10 yards. He had to grind some plays out, and that's good to see from someone playing in such a spread offense. He'll be a starting-caliber back in an offense that favors more gap schemes in the NFL.
📈 LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama
Stats: 5 tackles, 1 sack
A big winner of this season from Week 1 to now is LT Overton. The 6-foot-5, 283-pound versatile defensive lineman has been the best player on Alabama's defensive front, carrying a unit that otherwise lacks star power. Overton almost got the Tide out of Knoxville with a win because of his efforts.
Tennessee kept running into Overton regardless of their strategy. He finished with five defensive pressures, one sack, and four run stops on 40 snaps.
With a long, dense frame that will allow him to play on the edge, off-ball, or even as an inside tackle on passing downs, Overton will be in the first-round conversation in coming mock drafts.
CFB Week 8 Stock Down Players
WILL BROOKS WITH THE INTERCEPTION TO SEAL THE TENNESSEE WIN!!! pic.twitter.com/n08fBSXr85
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) October 19, 2024
📉 Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Stats: 24/45, 239 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs; 14 carries, 11 yards
Jalen Milroe has been tasked with carrying an offense that doesn't have much of a running game or secondary playmaking outside of himself and Ryan Williams. That's a recipe for disaster in this deep SEC. Milroe hasn't responded well, and defenses have dropped more defenders to clog up passing lanes and take away his ability to run.
During the last few weeks, Milroe's draft outlook has been worst-case, as his freakish athleticism has not overcome other deficiencies. His struggles were most notable this week against Tennessee's athletic defense. The passing windows were small, and Milroe kept firing inaccurate passes and making subpar decisions.
Tennessee and South Carolina have eliminated Milroe's big plays in back-to-back weeks and have forced him into taking quick throws that won't hurt the defense much. Until Milroe becomes more advanced at quickly identifying coverage weaknesses and more reliable with his ball placement, his biggest selling point will remain his athleticism, which only goes so far.
📉 Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Stats: 8 catches, 153 yards, 3 drops
The receiving tandem of Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins has been fantastic this season, and their undefeated season continued with a stunning late comeback against UCF. However, despite being tremendously productive this season, averaging 18.4 yards a catch, Noel is a faller for his drops this week.
Entering the game with zero drops on the season, Noel muffed three crucial catches that almost caused the Cyclones to lose. Targeted 16 times and catching half, the primary slot receiver had been much more reliable until now. With a career drop rate of 8.2 percent, Noel's ability to translate into the NFL will be questioned more if he can't have more sure hands.
Some of that is because he stands 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds and is primarily a slot option. NFL teams prefer more versatility and size, so Noel's stock has a cap on it unless he can prove to be a special slot star.
📉 Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska
Stats: 1 tackle
There had been a lot of hype building from evaluators about Tommi Hill's play over the first three games, and it's easy to see why. The cornerback class isn't amazing after the top six names, so there's room for a Round 2 corner to emerge. Hill, at six feet, 205 pounds, looks the part.
His production was on track for that type of draft stock until a foot injury disrupted the last two weeks. Hill has allowed every target to be completed in the last two games, including two touchdowns in total. His involvement in the run game has also disappeared, as he has just one stop in 46 snaps.
The foot injury that caused him to miss two games and finally return in Week 8 may be the culprit. However, Matt Rhule downplayed the injury, and if Hill is going to be on the field, then we'll pay attention to his play.
