NFL Analysis
9/2/24
8 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Stock Report on College Football's Biggest Stars After Week 1
College football's Week 1 slate provided us with many good performances from potential NFL prospects. This weekly column will cover which players saw their stock rise and fall following each week of college football.
Here's this week's stock report:
>> READ MORE: Latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft
CFB Week 1 Stock Up Players
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Stats: Seven receptions, 132 yards, three touchdowns, three tackles
We won't have a firm answer on what position suits Travis Hunter best in the NFL or whether he can play both sides of the ball consistently, but Week 1 offered pretty good proof of what his future on offense could be.
Hunter dominated North Dakota State in a way that transcends concerns about the level of competition faced. Colorado could've been playing the 1985 Bears, and Hunter's execution in key moments would've translated.
With his rare ball skills, flexibility, strong hands, and focus, Hunter's highest ceiling is likely at wide receiver. Those traits are valuable and more difficult to find at cornerback, but it's hard to watch how well Hunter wins on contested catches and think an offense can limit his snaps.
There's simply too much potential for Hunter to be a foundational building block.
Travis Hunter is good pic.twitter.com/Zv40oeHwli
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) August 30, 2024
Instead of ranking Hunter as our CB3, he has the case to be the runaway WR3 in this class and possibly better. He has the makings of being the next megastar at the position.
Malaki Starks, SAF, Georgia
Stats: Two tackles, one interception
Malaki Starks has a knack for making incredible Week 1 interceptions at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After making his college football debut in 2022 with one of the most impressive plays of the season, he did it again against Clemson this week. Starks' body control, ball skills, and timing made for a play of the year.
Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks..
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) August 31, 2024
👀
Week 1.. '22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium vs #11 Oregon
Week 1.. '24 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium vs #14 Clemson pic.twitter.com/EbhxKeKwXI
Clemson has its host of offensive issues, but Starks was as much of a deterrent as any of their limitations. His deep range removes targets from an entire side of the field, if not more. Starks' ability to play in man coverage gives him a level of versatility that rarely is seen.
The parallels between Starks and a younger Devin McCourty of the Patriots dynasty should propel Starks into the top 10 discussions. Few safeties have the type of impact ability that Starks brings with high IQ and elite physical traits, so he's more than worth the rich investment.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Stats: 10 receptions, 304 yards, four touchdowns
If you didn't stay up into the wee hours of Sunday morning, then you missed out on a legendary performance.
Tetairoa McMillan, our WR2 before the season, made his case for being closer to 1B than falling beneath Missouri's Luther Burden III. The 6-foot-5, 212-pounder set a school record with his performance, proving to be unstoppable against New Mexico.
199 yards and 3 TD and we're not even halfway done 😷
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 1, 2024
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/ASmb3VanWz
McMillan is an innately gifted runner who can quickly change directions and maintain his acceleration through cuts. It's rare to find someone as tall as McMillan capable of being more than just a go-route threat. Instead, McMillan offers Arizona the chance to utilize a full route tree or designed plays that can spring him into open space.
The best example from Saturday night was his 78-yard crossing route that led to a sprint race to the end zone. McMillan shouldn't be fast enough to win this, but he is consistently open and maximizing his yards after the catch. He could see a Mike Evans-like rise into the top 10.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Stats: 20 carries, 267 yards, six touchdowns
It's hard to recall a more absurd stat line for a running back in recent years. Ashton Jeanty is a consensus top-five back in the 2025 class, and he just willed Boise State to a 56-45 win against Georgia State. Averaging an unfathomable 13.4 yards per carry and scoring the team's first six scores will do that.
RB1 doing RB1 things.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) August 31, 2024
Ashton Jeanty in 1st half today: 12/146/4 pic.twitter.com/H6H1RK1ECX
The Eagles had no way to slow Jeanty or his backup, Sire Gaines, but Jeanty reached deep into his tool chest to maximize his impact. We saw spin moves, stiff arms, and jukes that left Georgia Southern defenders helpless.
Sometimes, it's just too obvious who is way above their peers in college, and Jeanty left any doubt to rest about whether he's ready for the NFL in Week 1.
CFB Week 1 Stock Down Players
Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M
Stats: 12/30, 100 yards, two interceptions, seven carries, 26 yards
There was a lot of hype around Conner Weigman entering this season, and it made some sense. He completed almost 69 percent of his 119 attempts in 2023 before missing most of the year with injuries. His game against Miami showed some great traits, including the willingness and ability to extend plays outside of the pocket.
However, Weigman's sample size was small, with only four games played in 2023. He also has a hitch in his throwing delivery that prolongs his motion. Against Notre Dame in Week 1, Weigman looked every bit of the inexperienced and developmental project that probably should've been expected.
TOUGH JERSEY KID#GoIrIsh☘️ | @adon_shuler pic.twitter.com/jrPvwkyAH5
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 1, 2024
Only a redshirt sophomore, Weigman's shotput-esque release makes him closer to a non-prospect than someone who can sniff the top 10 anytime soon. His poise and accuracy were also subpar, and while Notre Dame has a great secondary, playing at home should've alleviated more of the nerves.
Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
Stats: 11 carries, 27 yards, two receptions, zero yards, one touchdown
Donovan Edwards will surely have better games this season and get drafted because he's such a phenomenal athlete, but he's struggled to show he's a viable running back for more than a year.
Michigan eventually pulled away from Fresno State in a 30-10 win, but it was no thanks to Edwards. He was the team's third-leading rusher, averaging only two yards a carry if you remove his longest rush of seven yards.
Kalel Mullings looked more natural and comfortable making reads and executing what he was being asked to do. While Edwards earned the spotlight this offseason for being on the cover of College Football 25, he's more of a conceptual offensive weapon than a star. Watching him continue to stop his feet before deciding will drive any running backs coach up a wall in frustration.
Edwards is likely a late-round pick, at best. He'll either need to play behind a team with Mack trucks along the offensive line or consider moving to receiver to maximize his impressive speed.
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Stats: 41/48, 380 yards, two touchdowns, -23 rushing yards, three sacks taken, one fumble
There's no question that Dillon Gabriel's passing stat line is impressive, but watching him in his Oregon debut was ugly. Gabriel consistently found an open man but struggled to execute on key third downs in the red zone and take care of the ball by avoiding negative plays.
There's no reason Oregon should've only led by 14 at halftime against Idaho. Week 1 jitters on a new team aren't surprising or unforgivable, but Gabriel has to win in the margins to be drafted higher in 2025 than what he was projected last year.
He has an average arm for an NFL backup but likes to check down too often. His accuracy on intermediate throws will also be carefully scrutinized, and this wasn't the best showing for teams wanting someone who can consistently improve and maximize the offense.