NFL Draft: Week 2 Prospect Stock Report

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Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Sterling Shepard (3) scores the winning touchdown in double overtime against the Tennessee Volunteers Neyland Stadium. Oklahoma won in double overtime 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Other than the showdown between Michigan State and Oregon, Week 2 of the college football season was supposed to be smooth sailing for teams ranked in the top 10. That wasn’t the case however, as Auburn and Notre Dame needed last-second heroics to pull out wins while Baylor and Ohio State struggled early before waking up in the second half.

With several close games, evaluators got a good look at how prospects handled the pressure. Here’s a look at who flourished and who crumbled.

Draft Stock Up: Offense

Sterling Shepard (WR – Oklahoma)

Although the 2016 wide receiver class is expected to be dominated by much taller prospects, the 5-foot-10 Shepard continues to prove he belongs on an NFL roster next season.

The senior caught seven passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns in the Sooners’ comeback win over Tennessee. Four of those grabs occurred in the fourth quarter or overtime. When Oklahoma needed a big play, Shepard was the one who delivered. His game-tying touchdown with 40 seconds left in regulation, followed by the game-winning reception in overtime had to impress NFL teams looking for a reliable WR in the middle rounds of the draft.

Brandon Doughty (QB – Western Kentucky)

Brandon Doughty led the FBS last season with 4,830 passing yards. After a season-ending injury to star RB Leon Allen, Doughty is on his way to surpassing 5,000 yards through the air this year.

He played much better in Week 2 against Louisiana Tech than he did in the opener versus Vanderbilt. Against Louisiana Tech, he threw for 441 yards and completed nearly 75 percent of his passes. While his arm strength will never be mistaken for that of Gunner Kiel or Cardale Jones, he does throw an accurate deep ball. One game certainly doesn’t make or break a prospect, but Western Kentucky’s matchup against LSU later this season will have a huge impact on his draft stock.

Kenneth Dixon (RB – Louisiana Tech)

In the same game which saw Doughty throw for 441 yards, Kenneth Dixon excelled as both a rusher and receiver.

He amassed 209 total yards in the game, with 168 of those yards on the ground. Like Doughty, Dixon needs to play well against power conference opponents to really see a boost in his draft stock. He ran for a combined 71 yards against Oklahoma and Auburn last year and will face Kansas State and Mississippi State later this year. He currently is projected to be a Day 3 pick.

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De’Runnya Wilson (WR – Mississippi State)

Speaking of Mississippi State, the school’s top receiver excelled this past weekend against LSU. The 6-foot-5 junior caught eight passes for 86 yards in the loss.

What makes the performance even more impressive is the fact that four of those receptions, including a touchdown, occurred in the fourth quarter while he was covered by star CB Tre’Davious White. Since the Bulldogs don’t play Florida or Tennessee in SEC play this season, his matchup against White was the toughest he’ll face all season. Wilson isn’t typically mentioned in the same conversation as Laquon Treadwell or Tyler Boyd, but he’s more than capable of playing his way into the late-first or early-second round of the draft.

Jacoby Brissett (QB – North Carolina State)

Through two games, Jacoby Brissett has thrown seven incompletions. To put that in perspective, Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg has thrown eight incomplete passes in the second quarter alone. Sure Brissett has only faced Troy and Eastern Kentucky, but his play in critical situations gives reason to believe he’ll have a successful season.

It’s one thing to complete a high percentage of passes on third down (Brissett is at 90%), it’s another to actually convert those third downs (80% for Brissett). He’s also playing extremely well in the red zone. He’s a perfect 6-for-6 with three touchdowns. If Brissett can carry this momentum into ACC play, he’ll quickly climb draft boards around the country.

Next: Draft Stock Up: Defense

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