NFL Analysis
9/21/24
8 min read
2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Cam Ward Continues to Climb Up Boards
Week 4 of the college football slate was the best of the season yet. The top 25 matchups lived up to the hype, and several unranked matchups included breakout showings. The 2025 NFL Draft looks stronger today than it did before Week 4.
We're delving deeper than just the basic statistics to support our arguments about who excelled and who didn't. Each athlete faces critical inquiries regarding their potential success in Sunday games, and an inability to adapt beyond a confined role can be a significant concern for scouts. Observing players' growth over various seasons is truly remarkable.
Now, let's explore the three players who managed to significantly boost their prospects and those who unfortunately missed their opportunity to shine.
CFB Week 4 Stock Up Players
This week was so loaded that we needed to name a couple of other risers who dominated their competition. Here are five more players who caught our eyes in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions
- Kaleel Mullings, RB, Michigan
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Brant Kuithe, TE, Utah
- Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
- Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
📈 Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
Stats: 21 carries, 206 yards, three touchdowns
While one back made our fallers list, one headlines our risers. Iowa's Kaleb Johnson has been fantastic this season, and his measurables make him incredibly attractive for NFL offenses looking to combat two-high defensive looks. The powerful 6-foot, 225-pounder has been the engine for Iowa's improved but limited offense, dragging this team to relevance.
Johnson took over against Minnesota, showing off his ability to get skinny through rushing lanes, evade tacklers, breakthrough arms, and accelerate past defenders 40 pounds less than him. He finished with seven rushes of at least 15 yards.
Ashton Jeanty and Quinshon Judkins are still locked into the class' top two spots, but it's possible Johnson can unseat Ollie Gordon, TreVeyon Henderson, and Omarion Hampton as a top player at the position.
KALEB JOHNSON 40-YARD RUSH TD!!! 🔥 @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/4YAMpm5fU0
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 22, 2024
📈Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
Stats: 24/34, 404 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
The book on Cam Ward entering 2024 was pretty straightforward. Despite being blessed with a smooth delivery and an arm capable of making almost any throw, Ward opted against pushing the ball into contested windows and struggled to maintain his efficiency against better teams. Miami, playing a very easy schedule since Week 1, hasn't provided a challenge for Ward yet, but this is a different version of Ward thus far.
The athletic 6-foot-2, 223-pounder has a realistic pathway to being the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He's throwing more aggressively than ever and delivering excellent passes into the breadbasket of targets. He's thrown for at least 304 yards and three scores in each game, and has taken only two sacks in four contests.
Cutting out the negative plays and increasing his impact plays is a massive point of growth for Ward. He has to do this against Louisville, Florida State, and potentially in the College Football Playoff before everyone buys in, but Ward has the goods to be this year's Jayden Daniels.
📈Tai Felton, WR, Maryland
Stats: 14 receptions, 157 yards, one touchdown
The Big Ten had a monstrously good week for prospects showing out, but we'll give love to a guy who hasn't been mentioned nearly enough. Tai Felton, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior carrying Maryland's offense, has been the most dominant receiver in college football weekly. Saturday marked the fourth-straight game with at least 117 yards, as he racked up 157 against Villanova. He's leading the nation with 607 yards.
Maryland just keeps feeding him targets, and it doesn't matter the concept, quality of look, or competition. Felton has tremendous timing and control of his body, allowing him to manipulate defenders to come down with the ball. His straight-line speed is great, but he's shifty and tough to tackle so he can create after the catch.
It's time to get Felton into the top 40 of mock drafts, and he's pushed his way into the top-five receiver discussion. Maryland continues to churn out big-time talents at receiver, and Felton has what it takes to be an impact starter in the NFL.
Tai Felton is nothing short of spectacular. This 61-yard catch-and-run brings his line to 14 catches, 157 yards and a TD. pic.twitter.com/vd2vrV9cre
— Testudo Times (@testudotimes) September 21, 2024
CFB Week 4 Stock Down Players
📉Miller Moss, QB, USC
Stats: 28/51, 283 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, four sacks taken
USC was on the verge of putting a nail in Michigan's College Football Playoff hopes, but the same old issues that have defined Lincoln Riley's coaching career popped back up. It's not Miller Moss' fault the defense caved on Michigan's final drive, but the Trojans should've never been in the situation to lose the game. However, Moss couldn't stop falling for Michigan's tricks.
Wolverines defensive coordinator Wink Martindale brought blitzes and banked on Moss caving to the moment. Moss had a few examples of catching Michigan out of position and doing just enough to win. Still, it's hard to overlook the pick-six thrown to Will Johnson, panicked reactions to pressures, and how his playmaking dried up against better competition.
Going up against arguably the top two defensive prospects in the 2025 class (Johnson and Mason Graham) was a rough introduction to playing in the Big House. Moss didn't pass this test, and his standing amongst the quarterback crop will be somewhat capped until we see him perform better under bright lights.
PICK-SIX!!! 💪💪
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
Will Johnson making huge plays for @UMichFootball!!! 〽️ pic.twitter.com/Ff5QBLEa1w
📉Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Stats: Two tackles
It's been a disastrous 2024 season for Harold Perkins. Once projected as a possible top-five pick as an edge-rusher and defensive weapon, Perkins transitioned to an off-ball role this season. The reality of his future as a 6-foot-1, 230-pounder is that he has to be a capable off-ball linebacker at least some of the time to justify a team investing heavily into him with draft capital.
The move has completely backfired, as Perkins has been largely invisible. He has just 15 tackles on the season and has yet to log a sack. Things got worse on Saturday when he injured his knee on a tackle attempt.
While he walked off the field under his own power and Brian Kelly hopes the injury isn't major, Perkins' outlook for the rest of the season isn't exciting. Now, Perkins might be best served to go back to LSU and become a more instinctual defender so he can be more of a full-package prospect in 2026.
📉Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal
Stats: 16 carries, 73 yards; four receptions, six yards
A contender to be a top-five running back in the class, 2024 has been shockingly poor for Jaydn Ott. The 6-foot, 210-pounder was electric over the last two years despite dealing with a surrounding cast that set him up to fail. He averaged 5.3 yards on 415 carries over 2022 and 2023, totaling 2,202 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Despite being a bit upright, Ott has power and quickness. He's creative enough to overcome limited blocking, but as Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon is also experiencing, sometimes it's asking too much to deal with. Neither Ott nor Gordon has been good this season.
Considering the competition at running back this year, it's a big deal for Ott to have only 133 yards through three games played. He finished with 73 against Florida State on 16 carries, but a 23-yarder made his numbers look better than pedestrians. Too often, Ott stopped his feet and failed to fall forward through contact.
There's a good chance Ott's NFL destination will be a much healthier situation, but some Dameon Pierce to his game is now showing. Can he overcome not being a perfect scheme fit or average NFL blocking?
