2024 NFL Draft Stock Up
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
Travis was one of the most improved players in college football last year, and he showed that his progress was no illusion with how he opened the 2023 season against LSU. Travis was excellent agains the Tigers, moving the ball and picking apart their secondary. He connected on 23-of-31 of his passes for 342 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He also contributed 38 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Against LSU, Travis showed field vision, accuracy, a quality arm, mobility, composure, and an ability to make plays in the clutch. He didn’t have a perfect game, but it was still a very good performance that should help his draft grade.
Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
While South Carolina lost to North Carolina, Rattler was superb, completing 30-of-39 passes for 353 yards. He played well for a lot of the game, but the South Carolina offensive line was getting smoked, allowing Rattler to get sacked often as well as be pressured on almost every attempt. He was sacked 10 times and hit on countless dropbacks.
Rattler has serious arm talent for the NFL and is capable of making all the throws. With accuracy and precision, Rattler throws some strikes that lead his receivers for yards after the catch. Rattler also has mobility and toughness to make plays with his feet. In the past, Rattler struggled with consistency and decision-making, but he looked very improved in the 2023 season opener, avoiding turnovers and mistakes despite the Tar Heels putting him under relentless pressure. How Rattler performed against North Carolina will help his draft grade with pro teams.
Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee
Milton did not produce the biggest stat line against Virgina, but he didn’t need to with his blowing out Virginia by 36 points. Milton completed 21-of-30 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns against the Cavaliers, but what was really impressive was his display of arm talent. On a number of throws, Milton showed off he has an absolute cannon of an arm with easy strength to throw the ball deep down the field. In the Volunteers’ offense, Milton should produce a massive season and be a riser for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State
Hall was impressive taking on Indiana in the 2023 opener. He notched a key third-down pressure that helped force a punt in the first half. He also made his presence felt in the ground game, getting off a block and making a tackle at the line of scrimmage. Early in the fourth quarter, Hall shed a block and collapsed the pocket in a hurry to lay a bone-rattling hit on the quarterback. Hall put together a strong performance to open 2023 with.
Aaron Casey, LB, Indiana
Casey was all over the field against Ohio State, turning in a superb opener to the 2023 season. In the early going, he had two downhill runs for big tackles near the line of scrimmage. One was on a third-and-short to get his defense off the field. Later, he showed his speed by getting close to the sideline to tackle wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. On another play, Casey bolted past the left tackle to notch another tackle for a loss.
Casey recorded over 10 tackles against the Buckeyes and showed next-level talent. He showed the speed to fire downhill, was physical at battling blockers, anticipated well, and made good decisions. Casey’s tape against Ohio State will definitely help his draft grade.
Anthony Switzer, S, Utah State
Switzer was all over the field for the Aggies in the 2023 opener, making clutch open-field tackles to get his defense off the field and keep Utah State from allowing some big-game changing plays. In the first quarter, Switzer showed a nice ability by slipping past two blockers to snuff out a screen. He was the last defender to stop a potential touchdown. In third quarter, Switzer made another hard tackle in the flat to prevent first-down yardage.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Switzer has quality size for the NFL and showed impressive tackling ability against Iowa in the 2023 opener. Last year, Switzer was injured and missed the season. Prior to that, he played at Arkansas State. Switzer turned in an impressive debut for Utah State against the Hawkeyes.
Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
Taking on Utah State, Lachey had a strong start to the season. He was physical as a blocker. getting after defenders and tying them up to keep them from getting in on tackles. As a receiver, Lachey showed the ability to contribute, getting open on some crosses and using his big body to present a good target for his quarterback, Cade McNamara. Lachey ended up being Iowa’s leading receiver against Utah State with seven receptions for 73 yards. Lachey’s performance in the 2023 opener should help his draft grade.
2024 NFL Draft Stock Down
Zemaiah Vaughn, CB, Utah
Vaughn had a mixed outing against Florida in the 2023 opener that showed he still needs work overall for the next level. Early in the second quarter, Vaughn covered Gators receiver Ricky Pearsall well, running the route into the end zone to help force an incompletion. Pearsall later turned around Vaughn on an out-and-up to get wide open for a 40-yard reception. If Florida quarterback Graham Mertz had thrown a better pass, the reception could have gone for a long touchdown. Vaughn showed poor eye discipline on the play, peeking into the backfield and losing track of Pearsall before he cut vertically. In the fourth quarter, Vaughn had a nice pass breakup, slapping the ball away while providing blanket coverage.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Gators wide receiver Caleb Douglas made a phenomenal touchdown catch, leaping above Vaughn and controlling the ball over the helmet and arms of Vaughn. It was a jump ball that Vaughn was in good position for, but he did not locate or play the ball well. Vaughn needs to improve his eye discipline and his tracking of the football, but he looks like a possible second-day prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft.
