Week 2 in college football was a humdinger, with outstanding games that reshaped the top-10 rankings. Oregon lost a terrible game to Oklahoma State, top-ranked Ohio State blew a 17-point lead to Texas, and Oklahoma fell to Michigan. Several NFL prospects who stood out deserve mention in this week’s column, but I’ll focus on frontline defenders and a pair of dominant receivers. Here are the risers and sliders for Week 2.
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Risers
John Henry Daley/Edge/Michigan: After a terrible performance that resulted in a questionable win, Michigan desperately needed a decisive victory against Oklahoma, a program many believe could make the College Football Playoffs. Daley was just one of several players who needed to step up his game after a miserable performance against Western Michigan when he finished with just three tackles. Both Daley and the Wolverines were up for the task, as the junior edge rusher was a constant nuisance, disrupting the Oklahoma game plan all game long.
Finishing with eight tackles, three TFLs and one sack, he displayed tremendous force off the edge against a pair of solid Sooners tackles as well as the ability to make plays in backside pursuit. Daley is presently the 30th-rated player on the Essentially Sports big board, and scouts love his game-disrupting ability.
Devan Thompkins/DL/Alabama: During my preview of NFL prospects from the Alabama program last month, I mentioned that Thompkins was “The player who could come out of nowhere. He’s a terrific athlete with outstanding size. If Thompkins translates his great athletic prowess into football ability, he will rise up boards.”
If Saturday’s game against Kentucky is the shape of things to come, Thompkins will fly up draft boards. Finishing the game with six tackles, two TFLs and two sacks, he was an indomitable force who made several impact plays during important moments. Thompkins has first-round computer numbers, measuring 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, with a 40-yard dash time estimated to be as fast as 4.75 seconds. He’s a bigger-bodied lineman with the ability to rush the passer and line up in a variety of schemes.
Reed Harris/WR/Arizona State: The undermatched Sun Devils kept the game close against Texas A&M before the Aggies pulled away with a victory in the second half. Regardless, Harris proved he is worth the large NIL deal he signed with ASU as well as the Day 2 pick he’s graded as on the Essentially Sports big board. He led all receivers in the game with nine receptions for 189 yards and two TDs, consistently coming up with important third-down catches to keep the chains moving for the Sun Devils.
Scouts have a second-round grade on Harris, who measures 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, with a 40-yard dash time estimated to be under 4.5 seconds. He’s more than a contested catch wideout, as Harris is smart, sneaky fast, and incredibly reliable. In a draft expected to be full of great talent at the top in 2027, Harris is a Day 2 pick with starting potential on Sundays.
Anthony Evans III/WR/Mississippi State: The Bulldogs went into Minnesota and drubbed the Gophers from the word go, leading 28-6 at halftime. At that point in the game, Evans had four receptions for 101 yards with one TD. He eventually finished with 7/121/1, accounting for more than half of MSU’s yardage through the air, as the Bulldogs were victorious, 38-13.
Evans is a sleek yet explosive wideout who is tough to stop due to his quickness, route running, and burst. He consistently separates from opponents and possesses sure hands. Scouts gave Evans a mid-Day 3 grade, and he looks to be every bit of that.
Sleeper Prospect – Jamal Roberts/RB/Missouri: When talking about running back prospects from Missouri, the conversation immediately turns to Ahmad Hardy, who is universally graded as a Day 2 prospect. But don’t sleep on Roberts, who filled in for the Tigers’ star running back as he continues to recover from a gunshot wound sustained in May. Roberts was dominant during the Tigers’ border war win over Kansas, rushing for 128 yards on 28 carries with one touchdown during the Mizzou victory.
Roberts is a creative ball carrier with great vision and the speed as well as the agility to turn the corner. He works runs, quickly cuts back against the grain, and falls forward when tackled. He’s not a factor in the passing game, but with no timeline set for Hardy’s return, Roberts will have plenty of opportunities to impress NFL scouts.
Small School Prospect – Jordan Cooke/QB/Idaho State: Cooke almost made this list last week after leading the Bengals to a decisive victory over Pac-12 opponent Utah State, yet he was even more impressive this weekend against the University of San Diego. Cooke was 15 of 26, throwing the ball for 331 yards and three TDs. In the first three games, he has combined for 808 passing yards, eight TDs, and just a single interception. Cooke is a large and athletic pocket passer at 6-foot-3.5, 240 pounds, and he plays to those measurables.
He possesses a powerful arm with the ability to make all the throws, drives the ball downfield with a flick of his wrist, and delivers passes with speed as well as touch. He’s a powerful ball carrier, yet he’s also quick with the ability to create yardage. There are some technical aspects of his game that Cooke must work on; for instance, he backpedals into the pocket rather than sidestepping, which results in throws being released off his back foot. Still, he has the tools and ability to play on Sundays. Expect to see Cooke as part of a postseason All-Star roster and very likely a participant at the combine.
Sliders
John Mateer/QB/Oklahoma: Mateer went up against a Michigan defense with a terrific pass rush and lockdown corners, yet he did himself no favors and proved he was not up for the challenge. He completed 17 of 33 passes for 189 yards with one TD and one INT and was his own worst enemy at times, which was also an issue last season.
His accuracy and pass placement are inconsistent, and the inability to hit receivers in stride while missing open targets altogether resulted in lost opportunities for the Sooners offense. Mateer was not terrible, rather, he shows little consistency in his game or the ability to come through in the big spot.