NFL Draft: Week 4 Prospect Stock Report
Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Paul Perkins (24) carries the ball during the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Offense: Draft Stock Up
Paul Perkins (RB – UCLA)
With the UCLA defense gutted by injuries, it was time for the offense to step up. True freshman QB Josh Rosen played extremely well, but it was running back Paul Perkins who set the tone in the Bruins’ 56-30 win over Arizona.
UCLA Bruins
To understand how well Perkins played in this game, please don’t go off the stat sheet. Statistically, the 3.5 yards per carry Perkins averaged in this game was the lowest since his freshman season. In reality, Perkins squashed any hope of an Arizona win early as he rushed for three first half touchdowns, giving UCLA a comfortable 28-point lead at halftime. His ability to score in short-yardage situations takes the pressure of his freshman QB in the redzone.
His toughest tests will all be on the road this season as UCLA travels to Stanford, Utah and USC. The longer UCLA remains unbeaten, the more attention Perkins will receive. He’s currently a late-round prospect, but will continue to climb draft boards with crowd-silencing performances like this one.
Josh Doctson (WR – TCU)
In what will go down as one of the worst defensive showcases of the season, TCU defeated Texas Tech 55-52. There are probably close to a dozen players I could list on the stock up report from the two schools this week, but the poor effort by both defenses excluded almost all of them. After reviewing the game, there is really only one prospect who warrants a spot on the list, and that’s Josh Doctson.
Doctson got the scoring started with a nine yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Sixteen scores later, Doctson finished with a game-winning assist on a tipped pass caught by Aaron Green. Coming into the contest, he had never caught more than nine passes in a game. Against Texas Tech, Doctson caught 18 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
Doctson utilizes his length extremely well, providing a large catch radius for QB Trevone Boykin. While Doctson will likely need to add strength to avoid being overpowered at the next level, he’s looking more and more like a first-round pick.
Paxton Lynch (QB – Memphis)
While not as high-scoring as the showdown in Texas, Memphis and Cincinnati still managed to combine for 99 points. Cincinnati’s backup QB Hayden Moore certainly made a name for himself by throwing for 557 yards, albeit in a losing effort, but it was the Memphis QB who helped his draft stock the most.
For the third game in a row, Paxton Lynch threw for more than 350 yards. He found success throwing to all areas of the field as he picked apart the Bearcats’ secondary. Not only was his arm on full display, he also showed off some mobility as he led the team in rushing with 52 yards.
At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Lynch has a good frame for the NFL. He’s fearless throwing into tight windows and has taken more chances downfield this season. If he continues to play at this level, Lynch could be an intriguing Day 3 pick if he enters the 2016 NFL Draft.
Dan Vitale (HB – Northwestern)
Ohio State’s Braxton Miller may be the most well-known H-Back in college football right now, but it’s another Big Ten prospect at the position who saw his stock rise this week.
Dan Vitale, primarily lining up at tight end, caught five passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Ball State. He’s not the fastest TE prospect, but his 66-yard score proved he has enough in the tank when he’s able to create separation. Vitale likely won’t receive a lot of hype prior to the draft, but his reliability and versatility land him a spot in the later rounds.
Next: Defense: Draft Stock Up