The weekend just prior to the first official announcement of the College Football Playoff rankings saw no surprise results. All teams presently ranked in the top 10 won, many by wide margins.
We did see some great performances by unheard-of 2023 NFL Draft prospects, many of whom do not get the credit they deserve. So this week, we look at the Day 3 prospects people should know about that no one is talking about. Here are the Risers and Sliders for Week 9.
Risers: Clayton Tune, Viliami Fehoko, Sydney Brown Among the Group
Clayton Tune, QB, Houston
It’s surprising Clayton Tune was ignored by scouts before the season and still gets little love in the scouting community. Tune possesses a next-level arm, delivers an accurate pass, and has done nothing but produce the past three seasons at Houston. In eight games, he’s tossed 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
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Tune beat up South Florida on Saturday, completing 31 of 37 passes for 380 yards with four scores. He’s a fourth-year senior I had on the cusp of draftable entering the season. If Tune enters the draft rather than returning to UH for a second senior year, he deserves Day 3 consideration.
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
The Fighting Illini have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season and look as though they are headed to the Big 10 Title Game. Their winning ways have been built around the stingiest defense in the conference, and Brown is one of the leaders on the unit.
The fifth-year senior has 34 tackles, three interceptions, and seven pass breakups on his tally this year, with two of those picks coming against Nebraska on Saturday. Brown is a well-built defensive back with a physical style who will also double on coverage units at the next level. The faster Brown runs before the draft next April, the earlier he will be selected.
Isaiah McGuire, EDGE, Missouri
McGuire is a prospect who has flown under the radar for the past three seasons. He comes with next-level measurables at 6-foot-4.5, 270 pounds, and a 4.9-second 40, and he’s always been productive for the Tigers.
Such was the case during the victory over South Carolina, as McGuire posted three tackles for a loss and two sacks to go along with five tackles. In fact, McGuire has registered seven TFLs in the past three games. He’s an explosive athlete who needs to refine his pass-rush skill, yet he’s a defender who can come out of a three-point stance or stand-over tackle.
Jose Ramirez, EDGE, Eastern Michigan
Ramirez was a player I wrote glowingly about over the summer, wondering why he returned to EMU for a second senior season. He’s proved it was the right decision since September, and Ramirez had another stellar performance Saturday.
The senior finished the game with a team-leading nine tackles while adding one sack, two TFLs, and two quarterback hurries. Those numbers give Ramirez eight sacks, 12.5 TFLs, and seven hurries in nine games this season. Disrupting opponents’ game plans is nothing new for Ramirez, who had 6.5 sacks and 12 TFLs a year ago.
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Ramirez has next-level size at 6-foot-2 and 254 pounds, as well as intensity. What he lacks is great speed, as Ramirez may struggle to break 4.8 seconds in the 40 prior to the draft.
Regardless, he’s a terrific pass rusher who finds ways to make plays on the football, and that should be enough to cement Ramirez as a Day 3 selection.
Viliami Fehoko, DE, San Jose State
While I gave Fehoko a PFA grade this summer, several scouts in the northwest told me he was a mid-Day 3 prospect, and they were right. Fehoko has been playing lights out recently and turned in a career performance against Nevada.
His totals included 12 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, three sacks, and one forced fumble. In the last four games, Fehoko has a combined six sacks and 9.5 TFLs, a season’s worth of stats for some players.
He’s an athletic defensive end with nice size (6-foot-4 and 275 pounds) as well as athleticism (low 4.9’s in the 40). Fehoko is one of those players who receives a surprise combine invitation, which then sends people scrambling for information on his game.
Jackson Mitchell, LB, UConn
Don’t look now, but UConn, a venerable doormat in the FBS the past four seasons, is on the verge of being bowl-eligible. The Huskies helped their cause with a victory over Boston College by a score of 13-2 this weekend, and once again, it was the senior leadership of Jackson Mitchell that led the way.
Mitchell had a game-leading 12 tackles, as well as one sack, one TFL, one INT, and a forced fumble. His 12 tackles against Boston College give him an even 100 this season in nine games.
Mitchell is a fringe late-round pick, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be drafted as he measures under 6-foot-2, barely 225 pounds, and probably won’t run under 4.75 seconds in the 40. What Mitchell brings is great instincts and intelligence, which will endear him to defensive coaches.
Sleeper Prospect: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
Wilson has been a terrific defender for the Wolfpack — when he’s healthy. The senior linebacker had two seasons cut short due to significant shoulder and knee injuries since his freshman campaign. Yet this season, just like in 2019 and 2020, Wilson is making an impact for NCSU because he’s healthy.
He led the Wolfpack in tackles as a freshman and sophomore and presently sits second on the team with 49 tackles in seven games. He was a stalwart during the victory over Virginia Tech, posting seven tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and two sacks and breaking up one pass.
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Wilson possesses next-level instincts, toughness, and size at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, as well as 4.7-second speed in the 40. Despite being told by scouts that he was a street free agent, I gave Wilson a fifth-round grade based on his film.
The big question as we move toward the draft is not Wilson’s athleticism or ability, but rather his medicals.
Small-School Prospect: Jakob Herres, WR, Richmond
Herres was a receiver who first caught my eye in 2019 when he played for VMI. It’s tough not to notice Herres and his 6-foot-4.5 frame, never mind the fact he was always making plays. His numbers at VMI included 199 catches for 2,569 yards and 21 TDs in the prior three seasons.
Rather than entering the draft, Herres took his game and playmaking ability to Richmond for a final season on the college field. In eight games this season, Herres has totaled 46 receptions for 642 yards (14-yard average) and three TDs and has the Spiders poised to challenge for the CAA title and a postseason appearance.
Besides his long frame, Herres tips the scales at 215 pounds and comes with arms that measure longer than 33 inches. What he lacks is speed, as Herres is a mid-4.6 40 guy. Yet his smarts, red-zone ability, and reliable hands could help him snatch a roster spot next summer.
Sliders: The Josh Whyle Slide is Real
Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati
Whyle seriously considered entering the 2022 NFL Draft, but he relented and returned to UC for another season. It has not worked out, as Whyle has shown little improvement in his game.
While part of the problem is that UC quarterback Ben Bryant loves to throw the ball downfield and disregard underneath routes, Whyle has not met expectations, and as a result, his draft stock is taking a hit.