2018 NFL Draft: Week 6 Prospect Stock Report

Stock Up: Defense

Joel Lanning (ILB – Iowa State): In an age in which transferring schools and leaving early is almost the norm among power five schools, it’s refreshing to see a player like Joel Lanning succeed. His commitment to his school and teammates paid off in week six as he led the Cyclones to an upset over Oklahoma.

Iowa State Cyclones Football

In 2015 and 2016, Lanning started a combined 14 games at quarterback for the Cyclones. It was clear long before this season began that he would not be the starter in 2017, but rather than pull a Russell Wilson and bolt for another school as a graduate transfer, Lanning stuck with his hometown team. He’s now the starting mike linebacker.

Lanning was named the Defensive Player of the Week in the Big 12 for his performance in week six, but it was his versatility to play both sides of the ball that lifted the Cyclones to the upset of the year. His instincts from previously playing QB kicked in and he was all over Baker Mayfield the entire game.

Lanning did a great job spying the Oklahoma QB, forcing him to stay in the pocket at times while chasing him down at others. On the final offensive play for the Sooners, Mayfield was being monitored closely by Lanning who took off after him once Mayfield left the pocket. He closed in before an Oklahoma receiver could get open, forcing a bad pass into coverage.

Not only did Lanning record eight tackles and a sack, he also found himself back at his old spot under center. He completed two of his three pass attempts and ran the ball nine times for 35 yards. He’s not a highly sought of prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft, but someone with his versatility and competitive toughness will find a spot on an NFL roster.

Maurice Hurst (DT – Michigan): Playing in what at times was a downpour, the battle between Michigan State center Jack Allen and Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst should have been one of the top one-on-one matchups of the week. Instead, it was a one-sided affair with Hurst dominating from the get go.

Hurst utilized a very good combination of explosiveness, power and flexibility to beat Allen in both the passing and run games. The 280-pound tackle even lined up at defensive end on occasion and set the edge. His quickness off the snap can be seen here from the left defensive end position.

It’s not often a defensive tackle leads his team in tackles, but that’s exactly what happened in week six as Hurst led the Wolverines with eight stops, including 2.5 for a loss. This year’s crop of defensive tackles is loaded with Hurst, Da’Ron Payne (Alabama), Vita Vea (Washington) and Christian Wilkins (Clemson) all potential first-round picks. With more performances like the one against the Spartans, Hurst will solidify himself as a top-32 selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Ohio State Buckeyes Football

Jerome Baker (OLB – Ohio State): Michigan’s final opponent of the regular season will once again be Ohio State. Like the Wolverines, the Buckeyes also had a defensive prospect raise his stock for the 2018 NFL Draft in week six. In a 62-14 blowout of Maryland, there were plenty of Buckeyes who helped their stock, but none more so than linebacker Jerome Baker.

Baker made his presence known early as he returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown on the Terrapins opening drive. He then proceeded to stop Maryland twice on running plays on third-and-short and followed that up with a sack and forced fumble on fourth down.

It wasn’t a long afternoon for the Ohio State defenders as most of the starters were out of the game early due to the score. The same may occur in the next game against Nebraska, but an October 28th matchup against Saquon Barkley and Penn State will be the true litmus test for many of the Ohio State defenders hoping to impress scouts and improve their 2018 NFL Draft stock.