Quentin Johnston finally joins the list of 2023 NFL Draft risers after an emergent performance in Week 5. See who else is moving up draft boards with the latest edition of our weekly 2023 NFL Draft risers.
Week 6 2023 NFL Draft Risers
Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (FL)
Tyler Van Dyke still isn’t back to the point where he can be consistently mocked as a first-round selection. But the Miami quarterback’s performance against North Carolina was a big step in the right direction.
In a close loss to North Carolina, Van Dyke completed 42 of 57 attempts for 496 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick. It wasn’t perfect, but Van Dyke showed a lot of good things. His arm talent remains evident, but he was also managing the pocket. He was reading left to right and staying in phase, keeping his eyes up, and making plays under pressure. It was a necessary week of growth for a young, talented QB.
Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
There’s absolutely no world where Israel Abanikanda isn’t a 2023 NFL Draft riser after his monumental performance for Pitt against Virginia Tech in Week 5. Abanikanda showed no mercy, rushing for 320 yards and six touchdowns on 36 carries in a historic outing.
MORE: Top 50 RB College Football Performances in Week 6
Abanikanda broke the Pitt school record for rushing yards in a game — a record previously held by Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett. The raw numbers are impressive, but the way Abanikanda earned them was equally thrilling. Abanikanda has elite explosive burst upfield at 5’11”, 215 pounds. He churned through contact, made quick cuts, and consistently used his speed to destroy angles.
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Full disclosure: Quentin Johnston was my preliminary WR1 in the summer. He started off the 2022 season with several ordinary weeks. I trusted the traits through that stretch and kept him at WR1.
There’s a scenario where Johnston doesn’t take the leap this year, and it’s important to remain cognizant of that. But Johnston took a big leap in Week 5 with his official breakout performance — racking up 14 catches for 206 yards and a game-winning score in a dominant outing against Kansas.
Johnston will need to sustain his production in the coming weeks, but production was the final piece of the puzzle for the Horned Frogs weapon. At 6’4″, 215 pounds, he has the elite size, length, and instincts to be a formidable contested threat. But he’s also an incredibly explosive athlete, who also has brisk lateral agility and twitch after the catch for his size.
Johnston is a three-level threat who’s at least three inches taller than most DBs he faces. That kind of talent is easily worth WR1 and early first-round billing at a max projection.
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
Cedric Tillman was the most publicized 2023 NFL Draft prospect to enter the 2022 season. But now, he’s not alone in the Tennessee WR group.
Jalin Hyatt has been incredibly productive in Tillman’s place. And this past week, Hyatt caught four passes for 63 yards and two scores against LSU. He now has 27 catches for 388 yards and five touchdowns in five games.
Hyatt, a third-year player, doesn’t quite have Tillman’s size. But at 6’0″, 180 pounds, with solid length, he offers high-end speed and explosiveness. Beyond that, he tracks the ball well and is a natural hands catcher.
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
It’s only a matter of time before Jonathan Mingo starts to pick up more steam as the next Ole Miss WR to reach the NFL. His record-breaking performance in Week 5 might serve as the catalyst for his rising stock.
Mingo was dominant against Vanderbilt, both as a deep threat and a RAC weapon, registering nine catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. The 6’2″, 225-pound pass catcher has a very intriguing mix of burst, lateral agility, and contact balance — traits that make him a dangerous player on screens. But as he showed Saturday, Mingo can also stretch the field and contort for tough passes in the deep third.
Zeke Correll, C, Notre Dame
The decision to move Jarrett Patterson to offensive guard this year was a bit surprising on Notre Dame’s end. But after seeing the play of his replacement, Zeke Correll, especially against BYU, it makes sense, as a move that gets the Fighting Irish’s best linemen on the field.
Correll, a 6’3″, 308-pound redshirt junior, was very good against the Cougars. He not only earned PFN Team of the Week honors but also showed some desirable traits for his NFL projection. He’s quick off the snap and can leverage his burst into solid initial power — a quality he used to displace BYU defenders more than once.
Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC
There hasn’t been a more relentless defensive lineman in college football this year than USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu. The Trojans’ star defender has 12.5 tackles for loss to go along with seven sacks, three of which he earned in USC’s Week 5 win over Washington State.
Tuipulotu quickly made his presence felt against the Cameron Ward-led Cougars. Despite standing at 6’4″, 290 pounds, he was able to generate pressure from multiple alignments, including around the edge beyond the 5-tech spot. Especially in an NFL where alignment versatility is becoming more and more important, Tuipulotu’s stock is climbing fast.
Seth Coleman, EDGE, Illinois
A redshirt sophomore, Seth Coleman isn’t a sure bet to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. More likely than not, he stays in school, as he’s a bit light for his 6’5″ frame. At 230 pounds, Coleman will need to add more mass in the future. But with his length, Coleman has uncanny explosiveness and bend, and that was on display as he tacked on two sacks against Iowa.
Coleman is a tremendous athlete who can pinch the apex with impressive freedom. He gets upfield extremely quick and closes just as fast, and his dip-and-rip is brutal against less agile and flexible tackles.
Jose Ramirez, EDGE, Eastern Michigan
He was the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Player of the Week on defense, and he also earned a spot on PFN’s Week 6 CFB Team of the Week. And for his monster four-sack performance against Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan’s Jose Ramirez also earns a spot as a 2023 NFL Draft riser.
Ramirez is listed at 6’2″, 251 pounds, and may measure in a bit smaller. But he was a handful all day against the Broncos with his burst, twitch, and hot motor. His production — 19.5 TFLs and 11.5 sacks over the past 19 games — is incredibly appealing. As a 3-4 OLB, he should have fans as a rotational add.
Jamoi Hodge, LB, TCU
TCU’s defense had an up-and-down day against an upstart Jason Bean, who nearly led the Jayhawks to victory. But in a tug-of-war like this one, sometimes the momentum-changing plays matter.
Jamoi Hodge was on the favorable end of a few of those plays, manning the middle of the TCU defense. He had seven tackles, including a forceful sack on Jalon Daniels earned by his range and explosiveness. Hodge was also able to intercept an overthrown pass from Bean. The 6’2″, 245-pound Hodge has great frame density and length, and he was a homing missile for the Horned Frogs all day.
Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA
The UCLA defense was a large proponent in the Bruins’ 42-32 win over Utah in Week 6. Defensive backs like Devin Kirkwood and John Humphrey stood out, but the biggest 2023 NFL Draft riser from the group might’ve been Darius Muasau.
Muasau, a Hawaii transfer who twice eclipsed 100 tackles for the Rainbow Warriors, was the quintessential playmaker in Week 5. He logged eight total tackles, showing off his range and conversion ability, and also added an interception and a forced fumble to his stat sheet. Muasau’s pure consistency in making an impact is a valuable trait in its own right.
Myles Farmer, S, Nebraska
Nebraska’s defense was — more or less — a mess under Scott Frost. It’ll take time for the unit to rebuild in the coming years, but already, we’re starting to see some of the more naturally talented players take steps forward.
Myles Farmer was one of those players in Week 5. Farmer was a safety blanket for Nebraska’s defense against Rutgers and ended up making one of the game’s defining plays on the back end. The 6’3″, 205-pound safety used his short-area quickness to reposition himself overtop a route, then snagged an over-thrown pass for an interception.
Farmer is a playmaker with size and athleticism, and more conversion on his traits could lead to a sustained ascent.