2018 NFL Draft: Week 5 Prospect Stock Report
Stock Up: Offense
DaeSean Hamilton (WR – Penn State): With Chris Godwin now in the NFL, DaeSean Hamilton is the undisputed number one receiver for the Nittany Lions. He may not be the can’t-miss prospect teammate Saquon Barkley appears to be, but in week five, Hamilton was the one who helped his 2018 NFL Draft stock the most.
In a 45-14 win over Indiana, Hamilton caught nine passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns on his way to becoming the school’s all-time receptions leader. With the Hoosiers committed to slowing the Penn State run game and tight end Mike Gesicki slowed by injury, Hamilton needed to step up.
He’ll need to make a similar impact in a couple of weeks as Penn State will take on Michigan and Ohio State to close out the month of October. If he can make an impact and keep the Nittany Lions undefeated, Barkley won’t be the only offensive prospect from the school generating buzz heading into draft season.
Bryce Love (RB – Stanford): Bryce Love won’t be in the conversation for a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but his stock has been has been on the rise all season. Now out of Christian McCaffrey’s shadow, Love is the focal point of the Stanford offense.
Through five games, Love has rushed for 1,088 yards, including 301 against Arizona State in week five. Only three players have ever gained more yards on the ground through their team’s first five games. He hasn’t needed to be a workhorse so far either. He’s averaging over 11 yards per attempt and has carried the ball more than 17 times just twice in 2017.
If Stanford were to reach the Pac-12 title game, the Cardinal would play 14 games this season. At his current pace, Love would accumulate 3,046 yards on the ground, easily surpassing the single-season record of 2,628 set by Barry Sanders in 1988.
Love possesses elite explosiveness and has no trouble squeezing through even the smallest running lane. He’s not a factor in the passing game and will most likely be a change-of-pace back in the NFL. He’s only a junior, so Love may not even declare for the 2018 NFL Draft. Whenever he declares, his home run ability will intrigue teams in the middle rounds of the draft.
Jaleel Scott (WR – New Mexico State): Much like Corey Davis, the fifth-overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Jaleel Scott has feasted on power-five secondaries. This time around, the 6-foot-6 senior torched Arkansas for 174 yards and a score on nine receptions. He won’t be selected as early as Davis, but Scott is a name to know leading up to the postseason.
A transfer from Ellsworth Community College in Iowa, Scott has played exceptionally well this season for the Aggies. A big target, Scott possesses the size and ball skills to be a very good red zone threat at the next level. He already has five touchdown catches this season, three coming in two games against schools from a power five conference.
Scott is on the Senior Bowl watch list and getting to Mobile in January will be critical to his 2018 NFL Draft stock. If he can showcase his ability to high point the football and out muscle opposing defensive backs, he’ll earn a spot in the late rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.