NFL Analysis
9/29/24
7 min read
2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Shedeur Sanders Cements QB1 Ranking
The SEC headlined the best week of college football yet. Week 5 included several key situations that put the top names of the 2025 NFL Draft front and center. Some stars improved their 2025 NFL Draft stock, while others fell short of expectations.
We're going beyond mere statistics to highlight the top movers and shakers. Every athlete is scrutinized for their potential to succeed in Sunday games, with a lack of versatility being a major red flag for scouts. Watching the evolution of players across different seasons is genuinely fascinating.
Next, we will examine the three athletes who significantly enhanced their prospects and those who, regrettably, did not seize their chance to make an impact.
CFB Week 5 Stock Up Players
This week was so loaded 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 5.
Honorable Mentions
- Jordan James, RB, Oregon
- Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
- Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
📈 Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Stats: 26 carries, 259 yards, four touchdowns
The 2025 running back class is loaded beyond belief, and you can bet this group will influence how NFL offenses shift their strategies in the future. There could be a dozen future NFL starters in the class. Entering the year, Ashton Jeanty was a unanimous top-five back in the group, but his standing as RB1 is now undeniable.
Jeanty is an unstoppable force, leading the nation by 160 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 10.3 yards per carry. He's on pace to break Barry Sanders' legendary 1988 records, which included 344 carries, 2,628 yards, and 37 touchdowns. Those numbers once seemed untouchable, but Jeanty is coming full steam ahead.
Ashton Jeanty made Washington State's defense look like a JV squad. I've never seen more forced missed tackles on a RB tape.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 29, 2024
Just watch these 5 clips. #RB1 pic.twitter.com/kVZGdYLBeR
Jeanty is a man among boys with otherworldly contact balance, burst, and agility despite standing only 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds. The junior from Jacksonville has to be a first-round pick and should be considered the best running back prospect since at least Ezekiel Elliott.
📈 Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Stats: 14 receptions, 157 yards, one touchdown
Like Jeanty, Tre Harris is lapping the field as the receiving leader. His numbers are tremendous, but it's how Harris continues to win that projects well for the NFL. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has racked up 804 yards and five touchdowns, dominating while creating after the catch, which bodes well since the league prioritizes quicker routes.
Harris' best performance of the season came this week. He played a season-high 22 percent of snaps in the slot and produced 121 yards after the catch. That included a massive touchdown on fourth and 7, saving Ole Miss.
JAXSON DART THREW A DART TO TRE HARRIS 🎯 pic.twitter.com/rp0GVK0ZkQ
— ESPN (@espn) September 28, 2024
A big play machine by trade, Harris profiles as an ideal No. 2 in any offense. He should be considered a top-45 value, so teams like Cincinnati and New England should be especially intrigued in that range.
📈 Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Stats: 28/35, 290 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
While Carson Beck, Cam Ward, and Jaxson Dart struggled to break tendencies that have created red flags about their respective NFL futures, Shedeur Sanders remains the best quarterback in the country every week. While he's still prone to unnecessarily extending plays and putting himself at risk of sacks, Sanders delivers masterful performances without creating turnovers.
This week's performance against UCF was his best mix of creating big plays, taking care of the ball, and moving the ball efficiently. Sanders had only one turnover-worthy throw, an interception, and took two sacks despite being pressured 14 times. He's operationally as advanced as Caleb Williams.
There will be justified questions about Sanders' attitude that decision-makers must flesh out, but on the field, he's the best quarterback in the 2025 class. He's reached the level of mastery on Saturdays that only high-end prospects reach.
CFB Week 5 Stock Down Players
📉 Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (FL)
Stats: 14 carries, 60 yards; two receptions, 14 yards
Cam Ward almost ended up as a stock-down player because he's consistently played worse in conference play throughout his career, but Damien Martinez took the bigger tumble. Martinez couldn't get anything going against Virginia Tech's 102nd-ranked run defense. Meanwhile, Ward, Chris Johnson Jr., and Mark Fletcher Jr. each had better games while running.
Martinez's lone highlight was a 17-yard scamper. Despite boasting good quickness for his 232-pound frame, his move from Oregon State to Miami has exposed Martinez as less dynamic than anticipated. Oregon State's powerful run-blocking line gave him clear lanes to get through, and his power was a major issue for secondary defenders.
However, he's being forced to change directions and create more on his own this season, and that's not his game. Considering this, Martinez will be far more reliant on his blockers in the NFL and lose value for teams.
📉 Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Stats: 25 snaps
Mykel Williams, a potential top-five pick in 2025, has only played 45 snaps this season due to injury. He doesn't get docked for dealing with an ailment, but his time spent on the field has not allowed evaluators to see whether he can be more than an athletic freak who occasionally flashes high-end skills.
We didn't see it in 25 snaps on Saturday against Alabama.
Mykel Williams pushing off ankle well in warms ups. @GeorgiaFootball pic.twitter.com/aKdM2uGy7x
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) September 28, 2024
He failed to register a pressure in 17 pass-rush snaps and was invisible outside of a run fill where he held his gap. Fighting through injury, especially an ankle sprain, is an excuse for not being at his best, but it's also fair to say that Williams hasn't justified continuing to project him in the top 15 for now.
📉 Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Stats: 18/27, 261 yards, one touchdown; 13 carries, 22 yards
The Ole Miss Rebels can't pin all of the blame for their stunning loss to Kentucky on QB Jaxson Dart, but Dart's worst tendencies certainly showed at inopportune times. He took four sacks from Kentucky's talented defensive front, but the biggest issue that continues to headline concerns with Dart is his performance under pressure. He's a completely different passer as defenses close in.
Dart is hard to knock when he's kept clean. He shows off a strong arm and great athleticism as he plays point guard for Lane Kiffin's excellent offense. But his mindset changes as defenses hit him. During the course of his career, Dart's time to throw has increased significantly, his completion rate plummeted, and his turnover-worthy throws swelled.
Although Dart avoided throwing an interception-worthy pass, Kentucky got him off his game and rattled the senior quarterback. His time to throw jumped from 2.5 seconds to 3.3, which contributed to why his completion rate was at its lowest of the season, and his pressure rate was at its highest.
