This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2020 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2020 NFL Draft Stock Up
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington Eason showed off his excellent skill set against BYU, leading the Huskies to cruise over the Cougars. With his powerful arm, size, and pocket presence, Eason made a number of excellent throws to produce a 26-point victory. Eason completed 24-of-28 passes for 290 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. The 6-foot-6, 227-pounder has the arm to make all the throws in the NFL with the ability to push the ball vertically or beat good coverage by firing fastballs into tight windows. Since his freshman season at Georgia, there has been no doubt that Eason has a first-round skill set. If Eason stays consistent in the weeks to come, he could end up being a high first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin Taylor saw a Michigan defense that has some future NFL competitors on it last week, but Taylor showed that he is different caliber player by dominating the Wolverines even though he was banged up in this game. Taylor had his way from start to finish, trampling defenders as the Badgers blew out Michigan thanks to Taylor providing an early lead with two touchdowns in the first quarter, including one from 72 yards out. After missing the second quarter, Taylor returned to the field and put the Wolverines away by setting up more points and eating up the clock. Taylor finished with 203 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
This tape will definitely help Taylor, as he completely owned Michigan. He was too strong, quick, and deadly in the open field for the Wolverines’ defense to contain. He didn’t even need to use his deadly stiff arm. Taylor showed a complete skill set as a tailback. This game will help Taylor to be a first- or second-round pick.
Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Brown only played one series in Week 3 due to a lower body contusion, but he was back on the field against Texas A&M. The future top-10 pick made his presence felt with a tackle for a loss on his defense’s first play from scrimmage. Later in the first half, Brown put a hard hit on Kellen Mond for a sack after bulling his way through the right guard. Brown pummeled Mond into the turf as he stepped up in the pocket. It was a superb rush from Brown showing his strength, quickness, to close, and ability to redirect to the quarterback.
On the next possession, Brown did a superb job of recognizing a screen being set up and destroying the play by blowing up the setup. He then almost picked the pass off but knocked it incomplete. Early in the third quarter, Brown came close to getting Auburn another turnover, as he bulled his way through the left tackle to to meet a teammate at Mond for a sack-fumble that was recovered by the Aggies.
This was an excellent tape from Brown as he showed off his devastating talent. Brown has a freakish combination of size, strength, speed and athleticism. He is a load against the run and a capable interior pass-rusher. Multiple team sources told me before the season that Brown would have gone ahead of Christian Wilkins and Ed Oliver if he had entered the 2019 NFL Draft, and this tape will help to reinforce that opinion.
J.J. Taylor, RB, Arizona Some team sources like Taylor more than Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin, who has received more media hype and early-round draft projections. While Taylor does not have the size to be a three-down starter in the NFL, the 5-foot-6, 185-pounder is put together well and some evaluators think that he could be used similar to the Bears’ Tarik Cohen. Taylor has averaged 5.9 yards per carry this season for 208 yards with two touchdowns. Last year, he averaged 5.6 yards per carry for 1,434 yards with six scores. Taylor is a sleeper prospect who some teams are eyeing as a rotational back who could function well in a certain role.
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Thomas is one of the top prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft, and he gave proof of why with an excellent night against Notre Dame and its talented pass-rushers. Throughout the game, Thomas came up with some key blocks that allowed the Bulldogs’ offense to produce points. In the second quarter, Thomas fired into the middle to knock the Notre Dame middle linebacker back and open a lane for a short rushing touchdown from D’Andre Swift. In the third quarter, Thomas held strong and kept Okwara off his quarterback to give Fromm time to get the ball out on a few throws that resulted in a field goal drive for Georgia to take the lead.
This tape should only serve to confirm that Thomas belongs as a top-10 pick next April and is a franchise left tackle for the NFL. He is a skilled pass protector with quickness, athleticism, size, technique and length. As a run blocker, Thomas is a good contributor and is more effective than many left tackles. If Thomas maintains this level of play, he should hear his name being one of the first ones announced in the 2020 NFL Draft.
J.R. Reed, S, Georgia Reed is an instinctive defender who uses that foresight to make up for not having an elite skill set. His intelligent play led him to breaking up three passes against Notre Dame, with some of them being critical plays that helped the Bulldogs get the win.
In the first half, Reed read a play extremely well off the snap to fire into the backfield and knock down a third-and-goal pass to the flat. In the third quarter, Reed read the eyes of Ian Book to jump a route, but Reed dropped the would-be interception, which would have been about a 30-yard pick-six had he held onto the ball. The third time was the charm for Reed, who came flying across the field to dart in front of receiver on the sideline for an interception. Reed was in zone coverage and did a good job of quickly reading the field to get in position to make the play. This tape could help Reed to end up getting second-day consideration from some teams.
Casey Toohill, LB, Stanford Toohill was one of the few Cardinal players to impress against Oregon. He had two sacks of Justin Herbert and flew around the field, collecting eight tackles for Stanford. That game was the latest in a phenomenal opening month of the season for Toohill. After modest production during the previous three years, he is having a breakout season, racking up 28 tackles and four sacks thus far. The 6-foot-4, 247-pounder has versatile size and is putting his draft stock on the map as a senior.
2020 NFL Draft Stock Down
Solomon Kindley, G, Georgia Some team sources have been raving about Kindley as a future starter in the NFL, but the Notre Dame game went horribly for Kindley. Early on, he gave up leverage on a play and had to hold a defensive tackle to prevent a sack. That drew a penalty, but late in the first half, disaster struck when Kindley had his leg rolled up on from behind. He was having his upper body pushed back and his leg bent the wrong direction. He had to be helped off the field and was carted into the locker room. Kindley returned to the sideline on crutches. The injury looks serious and could have a huge impact on the draft standing of one of the top guard prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Khaleke Hudson, S, Michigan Hudson had an ugly outing versus Wisconsin. The Michigan safety really struggled with Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor. Hudson missed some tackles, was juked at the point of attack, and looked overmatched. The Wisconsin tape did not look like a performance of an early-round safety.
Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan Taking on Wisconsin, Patterson really struggled when it mattered. He constantly had passes off the mark with poor accuracy. Patterson got flustered by the Badgers’ defensive line, and could not get his offense in any rhythm. It wasn’t all his fault, as a tipped pass was intercepted and the Wolverines were completely incapable of running the ball. Still, Patterson was benched for awhile, but an injury to Dylan McCaffrey put Patterson back in the game. Patterson moved the ball on some passes, but also had poor ball security and held the ball too long on a fumble that got the ball back for Wisconsin. Patterson finished 14-of-32 for 219 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He looks like a late-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, at best.
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