Week 5 on the college schedule was a statement weekend for schools and college prospects. Quarterback Darian Mensah showed he can beat a defense with top-rated prospects. Receiver Jeremiah Smith proved why he is far and away the best NFL prospect in the land against one of the nation’s better defenses. And an array of players from the offensive side of the ball left Saturday with improved draft stock. Here are the risers and sliders from Week 5.

Risers

Greg Johnson/OL/Minnesota: Already highly graded in the scouting community, Johnson bolstered his draft stock and resume during Saturday’s victory over Michigan. Universally rated as the top offensive guard prospect in the country, the position where he started in 2025, Johnson was forced to move to center against the Wolverines and did a terrific job.

The Gophers combined for just over 260 yards on offense during their six-point victory, a paltry number, yet they kept their quarterback upright and kept the Wolverines from registering a sack. The center spot is not foreign to Johnson, as he started at the position for 11 games as a sophomore in 2024. Yet the ability to dominate at guard, as he did the past two seasons, then proficiently play as the pivot blocker in an emergency, only makes Johnson more attractive for the next level.

Austin Simmons/QB/Missouri: Simmons is probably best known as the starting quarterback for Mississippi in 2025, who was sidelined by injury early in the season and never returned after Trinidad Chambliss stepped in as the replacement.

Now the starting quarterback at Missouri, Simmons has shown why Lane Kiffin placed such trust in him. During their domination over Florida on Saturday, which knocked the Gators from the ranks of the unbeaten, Simmons was 23 of 30 passing for 340 yards and two TDs. The prior week, Simmons was 23 of 39 for 295 yards with three TDs during the loss over Mississippi State.

In five games, he’s completed 67.9% of his throws for 1,287 yards with 13 TDs and no interceptions, outstanding numbers. Simmons possesses all the physical traits to start on Sundays and is proving to possess next-level passing skills as well.

Caleb Komolafe/RB/Northwestern: The Wildcats opened their new stadium, the most expensive in college football, by dominating Penn State and moving to 3-1 on the season. And it was the running game that led the way with 413 yards, with Komolafe being one of two ball carriers who ran roughshod over the Nittany Lions with 188 yards on 25 carries and one TD. It was a breakout game for Komolafe, a junior who is already graded as a middle-round prospect by scouts but had run for a little more than 100 combined yards in the prior three games.

He’s a patient but hard-charging ball carrier with nice size and enough quickness to dart around opponents and get through the open lanes. He possesses a burst of speed, runs with an aggressive style, and picks up yardage off initial contact. Komolafe needs to improve his pass-catching ability, as he has just 25 receptions on his ledger since 2023, but he possesses the ability to line up as a situational runner on Sundays.

Matt Wagner/TE/Boise State: Wagner is the second Y tight end prospect, a player at the position who is effective as both a blocker and a pass catcher, featured as a riser this season. The senior caught three passes for 39 yards with one touchdown during the victory over Utah State, and his blocking helped the Boise State ground game rush for 185 yards. The prior week during a matchup against Western Michigan, his totals included seven receptions for 94 yards and two scores.

Wagner is a well-built and athletic tight end who is listed at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, and has reliable hands. He’s not a downfield threat at the position; rather, he’s a three-down tight end who dominates as a blocker while also being an effective short-and intermediate-range pass catcher. Wagner presently projects as a middle-round prospect.

Sleeper Prospect – Que’Sean Brown/WR/Virginia Tech: The Hokies lost a high-scoring affair to conference rival Pittsburgh, but the offense was firing on all cylinders. Several Virginia Tech skill players stood out, but Brown had a spectacular game, continuing the momentum of a fantastic season. His numbers included seven catches, 147 yards, and one TD, an average of 21 yards per reception.

In five games this season, Brown has 33 receptions for 371 yards and has caught at least five passes in every game. The season has been a continuation from a year ago, when Brown totaled 64 receptions for 846 yards playing for Duke and catching passes from Mensah. He’s a smaller slot receiver prospect who runs terrific routes and catches everything thrown in his direction. Brown presently carries a third-round grade on the Essentially Sports big board.

Small School Prospects – Lofton O’Groske/WR/South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits program has done a terrific job recently placing productive players into the draft’s initial 120 selections. They boast names such as Mason McCormick, Tucker Kraft and Dallas Goedert, all presently starting in the NFL. In a year or so, O’Groske will join that list.

The junior quickly rebounded from an injury that limited him to five games a year ago and has 19 receptions with 252 receiving yards in the four games he’s dressed in this season. O’Groske is a big-bodied receiver who outmuscles defenders at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, and always wins out for the contested grab. At the same time, he shows a lot of athleticism and agility, making a ton of difficult receptions down the field or on the flanks.

Though his game may not be NFL-ready at this point, he definitely has a next-level body and tremendous upside. O’Groske is someone to keep on the scouting radar, and he could be in line for a large NIL deal from a big-name program in 2027.

Sliders

Jaden Craig/QB/TCU: Craig was one of the more high-profile NIL transfers this past offseason, as the quarterback snubbed the NFL Draft and took his game from Harvard to TCU. It has not worked out for the player or team in the early going. Craig beat up lesser opponents such as Grambling and Arkansas State, yet he has struggled against equal competition.

During the loss to BYU this weekend, the numbers included 187 yards passing (the second time Craig has been under 200 yards this season) with one TD and one interception. His touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8-to-4 is unappealing to league scouts. Craig is a nice-sized quarterback with a strong arm, yet dating back to his Harvard days, he stares down targets and often struggles to find defenders in the secondary.