College football’s Week 6 slate brought many events that will affect the 2024 NFL Draft. Between a rash of injuries, big performances, and surprising results, top prospects in the country are making moves.
Where do top quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Quinn Ewers and playmakers like Marvin Harrison Jr. stand after Week 6?
NFL Draft Prospects in College Football Top 25
We’re using the post-Week 6 top 25 rankings of College Football Network.
1) Washington Huskies
The Huskies had a bye week in Week 6.
2) Michigan Wolverines
Michigan laid a beatdown against Minnesota, creating a 24-10 lead before halftime and then running up 21 points in the third quarter alone. The Wolverines were efficient and explosive with big plays. Five players had at least one play of 23 or more yards.
The two big prospects who were clear winners were running back Blake Corum and wide receiver Cornelius Johnson.
Corum has continued to ward off Donovan Edwards as a legit threat to his mantle as the king of the backfield, rushing for a nice 69 yards on nine carries, including a 40-yarder. Edwards was fine but only carried the ball four times for 20 yards and added 25 receiving yards on as many catches.
Johnson, who hasn’t gotten as much buzz as Roman Wilson, finished with 86 yards thanks to a 49-yarder. The 6’3″ senior is proving a viable late-round target thanks to his catch radius and straight-line speed.
3) Georgia Bulldogs
Right when you thought Georgia was vulnerable, they explode for 51 points, average almost six yards a carry, and have their quarterback throw for 389 yards and four touchdowns.
Georgia’s passing game was a big winner against Kentucky, with Carson Beck having a monstrous day. The big-armed but inconsistent gunslinger has shown NFL traits but an unrefined comfort with how to maximize his abilities. It mostly came together this week, as he saw only six passes fall to the ground and one go as an interception.
MORE: CFB Week 6 Winners and Losers
We could also talk about Brock Bowers, who totaled 132 yards and one touchdown through the air. But we know he’s a top-five player on big boards.
Georgia had some defensive winners as well. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson continue to make their presence known as this season progresses. Both are filling up the stat sheets as reliable playmakers on a team that lacked some star power on the unit entering the year.
4) Florida State Seminoles
The usual defensive stars balled out for Florida State throughout their 39-17 win against Virginia Tech. Star edge rusher Jared Verse logged two sacks, while his partner Patrick Payton had 1.5 tackles for loss. Cornerback Fentrell Cypress II continued to stick his nose in everything, finishing with three solo tackles and an assisted tackle for loss.
On offense, FSU saw history but also a scare. While Trey Benson became the first player to run for 200 yards since Dalvin Cook, wide receiver Johnny Wilson left the game in the third quarter after catching four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Benson continues to solidify his standing as a top-five back in the class, but losing Wilson for any significant time will hurt the Seminoles tremendously.
5) Oklahoma Sooners
The Red River Rivalry sure didn’t disappoint us. Oklahoma created some good fortune by outlasting a tough Texas team that kept hurting themselves with turnovers. In the end, quarterback Dillon Gabriel and receiver Jalil Farooq carried the offense.
Gabriel is a well-known, respected commodity in the scouting world. His physical limitations make it difficult to be confident he can be an NFL starter, but his toughness, character, athleticism, and deep passing ability headline a good skill set for a great Saturday player.
Farooq, a junior, exploded for 150 yards and is now averaging 19 yards a catch this season. He’s making his way onto our watch list for further evaluation.
The Sooners’ defense was swarming, with their top prospects all over the Longhorns’ talented playmakers. It was a banner day for 2025 linebacker prospect Jaren Kanak, who projects as a first-round talent. But fellow linebacker Danny Stutsman was also solid, with nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Senior defensive backs Billy Bowman Jr. and Woodi Washington stepped up as the program needed. Bowman has been particularly timely with his impact hits and ability to find the ball this year, boosting his stock from a late-round talent closer to a top-120 grade.
6) Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions had a bye week in Week 6.
7) Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State started slowly once again — a Ryan Day staple — but finished strong with a convincing 27-7 second-half run. Marvin Harrison Jr. went nuts with star tailback TreVeyon Henderson sidelined out of precaution. Harrison finished with 163 yards on eight catches and reached the end zone.
The Buckeyes had more impressive individual performers and some strugglers. Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers were far from their best despite solid stat sheets, struggling with their positioning and finishing tackles in space.
Instead, senior safeties Josh Proctor and Lathan Ransom came up big as playmakers for the day. Both logged an interception, with Proctor’s going for a touchdown. We also saw JT Tuimoloau wake up with 1.5 sacks on the day.
8) Oregon Ducks
The Ducks had a bye week in Week 6.
9) Texas Longhorns
It’s not that Texas would like their game back against Oklahoma for a retry, but rather quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers struggled in this game, throwing two interceptions that resulted from him rushing his throwing motion and losing the mechanical integrity he needs to be effective. He also lost a fumble.
Ewers’ projection to the NFL hinges on whether he can create big plays and consistently convert the easier ones when available. He’d been doing well until this week when he suddenly looked more reliant on his surrounding cast than the other way around.
MORE: Top Quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft
Offensive stars Xavier Worthy and Jonathon Brooks had terrific outings, while Jordan Whittington had his biggest game of the year. It was a quieter afternoon for AD Mitchell, an injured Ja’Tavion Sanders, and the majority of defensive playmakers who were so good this season until they faced Oklahoma.
Despite their knack for bullying offenses, there wasn’t enough defensive playmaking for Texas. Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat was again great, but linebacker Jaylan Ford was hard to find, and fringe prospects like Barryn Sorrell, David Gbenda, and Jalen Catalon weren’t positive producers.
10) USC Trojans
Caleb Williams was pushed to the brink of defeat by the Arizona Wildcats. As strange as it seems, Arizona came out on fire with a backup quarterback and ran all over USC. Wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Jacob Cowing had huge games, totaling 16 catches for 226 yards. Cowing had four touchdowns.
Williams completed only 14 of 25 passes for 219 yards and one score. It was easily his worst game of the year passing, but he ran for 41 yards and three touchdowns. He also notched the game-winning two-point conversion in the second overtime.
11) North Carolina Tar Heels
While Williams struggled, Drake Maye dominated Syracuse. He delivered huge throws all over the field, totaling 442 passing yards, 55 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns. This game was over by halftime, and Maye looked capable of earning the QB1 crown.
Maye’s playmakers stood out as well. Nate McCollum continues to be his top target, notching 135 yards, and Devontez Walker caught six passes for 43 yards in his debut with the team after being granted eligibility. Tight end Bryson Nesbit continues to climb as a prospect, catching five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.
12) Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama escaped Kyle Field with a close win, and their prospects were a big reason why. Edge rusher Dallas Turner continues to increase his level of play, notching a sack and three solo tackles. He’s done better using his immense traits to create havoc and be more consistent this season.
Senior receiver Jermaine Burton also had an undeniably great outing. He exploded for nine catches, 197 yards, and two touchdowns. Burton needed to show this type of performance against a good defense but hadn’t gotten the QB play to do so. He’s climbing in a deep receiver class in 2024.
13) James Madison Dukes
The Dukes had a bye week in Week 6.
14) Louisville Cardinals
One of the week’s biggest upsets was a decisive one as Louisville moved to 6-0 after defeating Notre Dame. The Cardinals only have two especially notable prospects, and both made big plays when they needed to.
Pass rusher Ashton Gillotte notched another 1.5 sacks, while wide receiver Jamari Thrash caught a game-high eight passes for 75 yards and one score.
15) Oregon State Beavers
If the Oregon State Beavers weren’t sold on their decision to bring in quarterback DJ Uiagalelei before this week’s tiff with Cal, this game should’ve ended doubts. Uiagalelei was brilliant, throwing for 275 yards and five touchdowns on only 19 completions and 25 attempts. It was Uiagalelei’s most efficient game of his career overall.
Oregon State needed it as their defense struggled mightily to get stops. Their 52-40 win also brought a career game for minuscule but speedy receiver Anthony Gould. Gould walked away with his second-career 100-yard game and a stunning sideline catch to add to his highlight reel.
16) Utah Utes
The Utes had a bye week in Week 6.
17) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame lost this week, and none of their offensive playmakers had good outings. Sam Hartman was reckless while tossing three picks. Audric Estimé was bottled up with gang tackling. Only Mitchell Evans really popped as a receiver a few times.
18) Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils had a bye week in Week 6.
19) Air Force Falcons
The Falcons had a bye week in Week 6.
20) Ole Miss Rebels
Lane Kiffin deserves a lot of credit for this week’s win against Arkansas. Without much NFL talent to rely on, the Rebels held Arkansas’ powerful backfield to 36 yards on 29 carries. The team committed itself to winning where it gets ugly and taking a swarming approach to tackle 240-plus pound ball carriers in Raheim Sanders and KJ Jefferson.
On offense, Ole Miss wisely features rusher Ulysses Bentley IV as often as possible. Bentley brought efficiency and explosive plays to the offense so they could escape with a seven-point win. The 5’11”, 200-pound senior finished with 94 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.
21) Kansas Jayhawks
Jalon Daniels was out again this week, but it didn’t matter for Kansas. They ran all over UCF, totaling 399 yards and five scores on 51 carries. They had two 100-plus yard rushers and almost a third.
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Junior rusher Devin Neal was unsurprisingly a major part of the production. With 154 yards on only 12 carries, Neal carved up UCF like Swiss cheese. His 75-yard touchdown aside, Neal toyed with defenders in a way that you’d expect a Day 2 running back prospect to. His stock continues to climb.
22) Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa barely handled its business against Purdue, and the team with only a few prospects relied upon those guys as much as possible. Tight end Erick All has become a can’t-miss feature of the offense as they scrounge any production they can from their playmakers.
All had 97 yards and a touchdown, showing strong hands and enough speed to believe he can be an NFL role player.
This is, as usual, a more impressive defensive team. Logan Lee and Yahya Black dominated in the trenches, clogging lanes and opening holes for teammates. Lee finished with two sacks of his own.
23) Liberty Flames
The Liberty Flames are 5-0, staying undefeated with a 21-16 win against the 0-5 Sam Houston State Bearkats. The Flames don’t have any standout prospects yet, but junior receiver CJ Daniels put himself on the map with his 157 yards and one touchdown on five receptions.
24) UCLA Bruins
UCLA was unranked but favored against Washington State, and they showed why on Saturday. Their 13-point fourth quarter proved to be the difference.
UCLA’s offensive line was vivacious, plowing open lanes for rusher Carson Steele to have a high-volume day that he used to have weekly at Ball State.
The defense did an excellent job dominating in the trenches, though. Pass rushers Gabriel Murphy and Laiatu Latu dominated the game, opening opportunities for each other and their teammates to make key stops on an explosive Washington State offense. Murphy has been particularly impressive throughout 2023 after flashing potential in 2022, finding his stride more each week.
25) Washington State Cougars
Washington State was too small in the trenches to win this week, so there’s no shame in losing to UCLA. After seeing Cameron Ward be Superman through four games, he came crashing down in a big way. Gone were the exciting and effective throws outside of structure, and Ward lost control of the offense as UCLA clamped down on his playmakers.
Ward has been stellar for much of this season, but the lack of great talent around him showed. Kyle Williams has started to live up to preseason expectations as a possession receiver, and Josh Kelly’s knack for one-handed catches can’t be forgotten. But the unit has little speed compared to a big-time Power Five program, and Ward needs faster separators to improve.
The Cougars have a few fun defensive prospects that have limitations. Safety Jaden Hicks is awesome, flying around the field like Jamal Adams once did for the Jets and Seahawks before injuries ruined his career. Hicks finished with seven solo tackles and two for loss, but I still want to see him play in coverage more.
Defensive ends Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson are undersized players who were able to get after UCLA passer Dante Moore throughout the day but were mauled in the run game. Each has Day 3 potential thanks to their speed but limited upside due to a lack of mass.