NFL Draft Prospects Who Must Step Up In Week 2
Sep 14, 2013; Berkeley, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Noah Spence (8) reacts after sacking California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Golden Bears 52-34. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Noah Spence (DE – Eastern Kentucky) vs. NC State
The name Noah Spence should sound familiar to college football fans. The five-star recruit coming out of high school was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2013 as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes. After being ruled permanently ineligible as a result of two failed drug tests, the highly-regarded pass rusher ended up at Eastern Kentucky.
Spence sat out the 2014 season, but returned with a vengeance last week. Against Valparaiso, Spence could not be stopped. He finished the game with five tackles, two for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble. While he should be expected to perform well against FCS opponents, he’ll have an opportunity to prove he can still excel versus FBS linemen when the Colonels take on NC State this Saturday.
NC State QB Jacoby Brissett is one of the most athletic quarterbacks in college football. If Spence can create pressure and not only disrupt, but bring down Brissett, his draft stock will start moving up. While the red flags away from the field will affect how high his stock will climb, he needs to perform well in big games to secure his spot on Day 3 of the draft.