Rivalry Weekend had a major impact on the national rankings and the 2023 NFL Draft, as Michigan thumped Ohio State to drop the Buckeyes out of the top four. USC now slides into the final playoff spot after handling Notre Dame.
On the NFL-prospect front, several underclassmen went out with a bang in what was the final game of their college careers, while several defensive front-seven prospects also impressed next-level decision-makers. Here are the Big Board Risers & Sliders for Week 13.
Risers: Trey Palmer, Devon Achane Impress in Losing Seasons
Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
Devon Achane had been productive all season long, but he saved his best for last in a game that meant nothing for TAMU. During the Aggies’ 38-23 victory over LSU, the junior ball carrier totaled 215 yards on 38 carries with two touchdowns, in what many expect will be Achane’s final college game.
For the season, he posted 1,102 rushing yards on 196 carries with eight TDs. Achane also had 36 receptions and three TD catches for the year. The junior is a smaller back who will barely measure 5-foot-9 and has limitations. Yet, he’s swift, incredibly quick, and possesses a terrific burst of speed.
The ability to create yardage and the versatility to catch the ball will make Achane a terrific Day 2 pick for a team needing a third-down/change-of-pace back.
Tavius Robinson, DE, Mississippi
Tavius Robinson, handed a sixth-round grade on my summer board, showed plenty of improvement in his game this season. He finished his college career in style, totaling five tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks while forcing a fumble against hated rival Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night.
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His six sacks and seven TFLs this year were career bests. Robinson looks like a power forward on the football field at 6-foot-7 and 262 pounds and comes with power-forward athleticism, with a 40 time expected to be in the low 4.7s. Robinson has tremendous upside and will only improve as he adds bulk and strength to his frame.
DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
DeMarvion Overshown has been a favorite of mine over the past three seasons, and his performance against Baylor enhanced my affection for the linebacker. He finished with a game-high 14 tackles, as well as two TFLs, two pass breakups, and a sack.
For the season, Overshown posted a career-best 95 tackles. He’s a fierce linebacker who makes plays all over the field, stuffing running backs at the line and chasing them down in pursuit. He shows ability playing in space and has enough upside to develop into a three-down defender. Overshown has a third-round grade on my board.
Nick Anderson, LB, Tulane
Nick Anderson is the second linebacker from Tulane to make the Risers list this season, as he joins teammate Dorian Williams, a Week 5 riser.
Anderson was omnipresent during the victory over Cincinnati, posting 12 tackles. For the regular season, he has 100 tackles, almost double his number of 56 from last year.
Anderson is short at 5-foot-9.5, but he’s instinctive, explosive, and possesses enough speed to line up at inside LB in a 3-4. He’s shown consistent improvement in his game and offers special-teams potential.
Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Trey Palmer is a receiver I mentioned during the Week 12 game day blog, then the LSU transfer went on to dominate for the Cornhuskers during the victory over Iowa. The big-play wideout caught nine passes for 165 yards with two TDs.
Palmer finished the season with 71 receptions, 1,043 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. He’s a tall wideout with home-run-hitting speed and a knack for making huge plays. Palmer, who announced he will enter the NFL draft, improved his game this season and presently grades as a mid-round prospect on my board.
Davis Allen, TE, Clemson
It’s been a disappointing campaign for Clemson, which lost its second game of the season by a point to interstate rival South Carolina. Yet, every weekend, tight end Davis Allen shows up to play and produces for the Tigers.
Allen is not what teams look for in a No. 1 TE these days, yet he’s a tight end every team needs. The senior is a reliable short-yardage pass catcher and dominant blocker who helps his team on every snap.
Don’t expect blazing 40 times from Allen prior to the draft. In fact, he may not run faster than 4.8 seconds. Nevertheless, Davis will be on a Sunday roster making plays on short-yardage downs and near the goal line as both a pass catcher and blocker. I expect Davis to sneak into the late rounds due to his value and versatility.
Sleeper Prospect: Dyontae Johnson, LB, Toledo
Dyontae Johnson bypassed April’s draft and chose to return to Toledo for a second senior season, and his gamble has paid off. The run-stuffing linebacker posted double-digit tackles in five games this season and finished with a career-best 95 tackles.
Johnson is an instinctive LB who shows ability up the field as well as in pursuit. With good predraft workouts, Johnson should slide into the late rounds.
Small-School Prospect: Ryan Miller, WR, Furman
Ryan Miller has been a productive pass catcher at Furman the past two seasons and really took his game to another level in 2022. His performance this past weekend helped propel the Paladins past Elon during the first round of the FCS playoffs. Miller totaled nine receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown, giving him an even 70 catches this year.
Miller’s been a “do-it-all” pass catcher at Furman, lining up at tight end and H-back as well as receiver, and is consistently productive. His size (6-foot-1.5, 208 pounds) and speed (4.51 40 time) dictates a move to receiver at the next level, where Miller should succeed as a possession wideout with punt-return potential. Miller holds a sixth-round grade on my board.
Sliders: C.J. Stroud Struggles Against Michigan
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Many projected C.J. Stroud as the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after his magnificent performance in the 2022 Rose Bowl. I was not sold and said as much over the summer, mentioning, “Stroud still has some holes in his game; he needs to improve his reads as well as his pass placement.”
The junior really hasn’t improved in either area, and while many still believe he’s an early first-round pick, I don’t believe Stroud to be NFL-ready.
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Stroud still struggles to see the field, he’s late making decisions, and too often, wide open pass catchers must twist into pretzels in order to catch errant throws. Part of the problem is the coaching at Ohio State, which has stunted Stroud’s development, in my opinion.
The battle for QB1 between Stroud and Bryce Young of Alabama was neck and neck at the start of the season. The spread between the two is more like a chasm at this point, with last year’s Heisman Trophy winner well ahead.