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2017 NFL Draft: Week 8 Prospect Stock Report

ByShawn Spencer|
Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) before a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) before a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
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2017 NFL Draft Gunner Kiel
Oct 22, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Gunner Kiel (11) celebrates throwing a touchdown with offensive lineman Korey Cunningham (71) against the East Carolina Pirates in the second half at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats won 31-19. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Stock Up: Offense

Leonard Fournette (RB – LSU): After not seeing the field for four weeks, Leonard Fournette made sure to remind everyone who the top running back prospect is for the 2017 NFL Draft. If you’re still not convinced, just ask Ole Miss safety Deontay Anderson, who paid the price for trying to bring down the junior back.

For the game, Fournette touched the ball 19 times, for 309 total yards and three touchdowns as LSU improved to 3-0 under interim head coach Ed Orgeron.

Fournette and the Tigers now have two weeks to prepare for Alabama, a team Fournette has struggled mightily against. In two contests versus the Crimson Tide, Fournette has run the ball 40 times for only 110 yards. That’s an average of just 2.7 yards per carry. Against every other opponent he’s averaged 6.7 yards per carry.

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His lackluster performance against Alabama cost him the Heisman Trophy last season. This season, he’ll look to carry over his momentum from this past weekend’s win over Ole Miss.

Gunner Kiel (QB – Cincinnati): Like Fournette, Gunner Kiel made his return to the starting lineup on Saturday. While Fournette was only out for four weeks, Kiel made his first start in 11 months. The former five-star recruit lived up to the hype in week eight, leading the Bearcats to a 31-19 win over East Carolina.

Kiel did have to shake off a little bit of rust early on, but quickly got into a groove. He finished the game with 348 yards through the air, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He displayed very good ball placement, most notably on this 18-yard touchdown pass to Kahlil Lewis.

Not starting until late October has hurt Kiel’s stock, however he does have five regular season games and possibly a bowl to get back on track. He won’t be a first-round pick, but a solid finish to his career will lead to him being selected much earlier than projected. For someone with his arm talent, a day two pick is not out of the question.

Bucky Hodges (TE – Virginia Tech): On Thursday night in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges was the best player on the field. The versatile tight end caught a game-high seven passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Miami.

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Hodges displayed strong hands in the win over the Hurricanes, snatching the ball out of the air with ease. He’s shown improvement in this area since last season when he allowed too many passes into his chest.

Hodges possesses a very good combination of size and speed. The Hokies list Hodges at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds. Combine that with the athletic ability of a wide receiver and you’ve got Bucky Hodges. That athletic ability will be on full display at the Scouting Combine as he tries to chase down O.J. Howard of Alabama to be the first TE selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Cam Robinson (OT – Alabama): In what was the most highly-anticipated matchup of the season between 2017 NFL Draft prospects, left tackle Cam Robinson got the upper hand. His ability to shut down Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett to control the football and keep the Aggies offense off the field helped lead the Crimson Tide to victory.

Garrett didn’t have a bad game. He registered seven tackles and 3.5 for a loss, however the majority of his production came when he lined up over the left guard or a skill position player tried to slow him down. While Garrett’s stock won’t take a hit, Robinson is climbing up the board.

Robinson entered the season as the number one offensive line prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft. With his performance against Garrett, he’s locked into the top 10 barring a disastrous Combine or another off-field incident.

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    • I’Tavius Mathers (RB – Middle Tennessee): Back in 2014, a small-school running back from South Dakota State named Zach Zenner burst onto the scene by rushing for over 100 yards and scoring two touchdowns against Missouri. Zenner wasn’t drafted, but his performance against an SEC defense caught the attention of the Detroit Lions. Two years later, Zenner is still in the NFL and a new RB is running over the Tigers.

    This time around it was I’Tavius Mathers of Middle Tennessee who got the best of the Missouri defense. He ran the ball 28 times for 215 yards and a touchdown. What could earn him an NFL roster spot, and possibly a spot in the draft is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He added eight receptions and another score through the air.

    Mathers has been dominant all season and will almost certainly receive an invitation to the Scouting Combine. There he’ll be able to display his very good agility and pass-catching ability in hopes of securing a spot in the 2017 NFL Draft.

    Courtland Sutton (WR – SMU): Redshirt sophomore Courtland Sutton has been very effective this season, but his performance in the SMU upset of Houston was his best game to date. He caught seven passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.

    Sure he gained more yards in four of his first six games, but Houston was by far the toughest defense SMU has faced all season. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver ran very good routes and showed off his ability to haul in contested passes, including a jump ball in the end zone which gave the Mustangs a 21-0 lead.

    As a sophomore, Sutton isn’t a lock to enter the 2017 NFL Draft. He could wait until 2018 or even 2019, however his stock may never be higher. He’s currently projected to be a day two pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

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