The final week of college football’s regular season has come to a close, which means the final week of Risers and Sliders is here. And what a week it was. No. 2 Ohio State was dominated by rival Michigan, while Alabama needed four overtimes to beat their rival in Auburn. On the field, we saw a few extraordinary performances by next-level running backs and linebackers — yet it was a punter who stole the show. Here’s who’s stock rose in our 2022 NFL Draft Stock Report.
2022 NFL Draft Stock Report: Risers from Week 13
Whose draft stock rose the most in Week 13 of the college football season? Let’s give credit to the youngsters improving their craft late in the season.
Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
It’s rare I ever have a special teamer listed as a riser, but Matt Araiza is special. The Aztec punter is a one-person wrecking crew, consistently punting his team out of jams and dictating field position. He’s averaging over 51 yards on 73 punts this season, has an 86-yard punt to his credit, and more than half his punts have covered 50 yards or longer.
Besides being able to kick the stuffing out of the ball, Araiza is a terrific directional punter who’ll drop it inside the 10-yard line or place the ball out to the corner. Araiza also handles kickoffs, field goals, and PAT duty for San Diego State, but his talent punting the ball will put him in the middle rounds of the draft.
Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan
For all intents and purposes, the Wolverines’ offensive line should individually be listed as risers as they manhandled the Ohio State defense from start to finish on Saturday. Yet, Hassan Haskins’ performance had that extra edge. The numbers speak for themselves: 169 rushing yards on 28 carries with 5 touchdowns.
The performance pushed Haskins over the century mark with 1,063 rushing yards this season and earned him a spot on our College Football Team of the Week. The senior is not super quick or fast, but he’s an instinctive ball carrier with incredible patience and vision. He beats opponents mentally as much as he does with physical ability. Expect Haskins to come off the board somewhere in the middle of Day 3 next year, then wind up as a productive rotational ball carrier.
Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri
Tyler Badie entered the season with fifth-round grades from several scouts, and he’s playing at that level. He finished the season with 1,604 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns on the ground plus 54 receptions and an additional 4 scores through the air. During the season finale against Arkansas, Badie totaled 219 yards rushing on 41 carries. It was the fifth game this season he rushed for more than 200 yards.
Badie comes up short for the measuring stick, checking in around 5’7″, yet he’s super quick, creative, and productive handling the ball. Badie will be a terrific third-down back and change-of-pace runner on a Sunday roster.
Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
Tyler Allgeier is rarely mentioned outside of scouting circles, but next-level decision-makers like his game. The big back is a battering ram on the inside with terrific short-area quickness. He finished the season with 1,303 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, as well as 21 receptions. He’s also a big-game performer, rushing for 200+ yards twice this season (Virginia and Utah State), with a 191-yard performance against Washington State under his belt, too.
I gave the junior a sixth-round grade coming into the season, but he could be selected a round or two earlier if he enters the draft (which I’m told Allgeier is likely to do).
Tatum Bethune, LB, UCF
Over the summer, I graded Tatum Bethune as my No. 1 defender on the UCF roster and described him as “a safety-sized linebacker who shows great ability in pursuit and solid ball skills.” The junior has not disappointed at all this season. Bethune finished the regular season with 101 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 3 QB hits.
Included in that total were the 18 tackles he registered in the season finale against South Florida. Bethune will be a terrific addition for a one-gap defense and offers the versatility to play all three downs.
Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska
While it’s been another disastrous season for Nebraska, their top receiver is in the midst of a terrific campaign. Samori Toure, who began his college career at Montana, has been a productive wideout the past four years. His senior totals included 46 receptions, 898 yards (19.52 YPC average), and 5 touchdowns.
Toure is a long wideout with sneaky speed and reliable hands. He could sneak into the late rounds with good pre-draft workouts then make a roster as a fifth receiver.
Sleeper Prospect | Vi Jones, LB, NC State
Vi Jones was a linebacker prospect I graded much higher than NFL scouts coming into the season as I loved his upside. The USC transfer has next-level size (6’2.5″, 230 pounds) as well as speed (4.65 40). What he didn’t have was a consistent game, something he finally displayed this season. Jones registered career-high totals in tackles (45), tackles for loss (8), sacks (6), and QB hits (12).
He’s an explosive athlete who fits a variety of defensive schemes and comes with the potential to play three downs.
Small-School Prospect | Joshua Pryor, DL, Bowie State
The Bulldogs of Bowie State have made it through two rounds of the Division II playoffs. It’s a run that’s been fueled by a defense that has not given up more than a single touchdown in any game the past month. Joshua Pryor has been a nuisance on the Bulldogs’ defensive line throughout it all, terrorizing opponents every Saturday.
The explosive lineman posted 66 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, 6 sacks, and 10 QB hits in 13 games this season. Pryor has a great first step, plays with non-stop intensity, and is a leverage lineman who blows past opponents to impact the game. He’s a 3-technique tackle with the ability to make an NFL roster as a situational interior pass rusher.
Week 13 Sliders
As much as we like to focus on the positive side of things, not every prospect rises through the ranks. Who slid down in Week 13 and possibly affected their draft stock?
Corey Bethley, DT, TCU
Corey Bethley was productive in his initial three seasons at TCU before suffering a season-ending injury last year. He returned this year and was graded as a potential late-round pick by scouts, yet Bethley has been minimally effective. He played just nine games this season and finished with 18 tackles and 1 sack. It would be a shock if any team gave Bethley a draftable grade at this point.