Georgia shut down Tennessee's offense. LSU upset Alabama. Notre Dame handed Clemson its first loss of the season. And Texas got by Kansas State. Week 10 of the college football season was full of surprises. Which 2023 NFL draft prospects stood out?
We asked our draft analysts -- Mel Kiper Jr., Jordan Reid and Matt Miller -- to weigh in on the Tennessee-Georgia matchup, quarterback prospects' draft stock and the tight Heisman Trophy race. Kiper, Reid and Miller also single out prospects rising up their draft boards and players flying under the radar who could get a draft-stock boost. Finally, they empty their notebooks with everything they saw and heard over the weekend. Let's get started.
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Big questions | Risers
Under the radar
Emptying the notebook
Whose stock rose in the Tennessee-Georgia game?
Kiper: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia. Can I say Carter here, even though he's the No. 2 prospect on my Big Board? Let me explain. Carter has dealt with a couple of injuries this season -- including nagging knee and ankle issues -- which kept him to just 82 defensive snaps before Saturday's game. He really needed a dominant performance to show NFL teams he was healthy, and he did that against the Vols. He had a strip sack and a tackle for loss, wreaking havoc in the middle of the Georgia defense and consistently collapsing the pocket in front of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. It was exactly what the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Carter needed to show that he's a legitimate option for the No. 1 overall pick next April.
Reid: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia. One week after a great outing against Florida, Jones was even better against Tennessee. He again showed off his fluidity in pass protection, but his continued improvement as a run-blocker has catapulted his game to another level this season. At 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, the redshirt sophomore appears a good fit for a zone-blocking scheme in the NFL, and scouts are enamored with his upside. Jones' combination of length, foot quickness and power has him entering the first-round discussion.
Miller: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia. The way Ringo consistently locked up Tennessee's star wide receivers on Saturday has me revisiting his tape -- and his draft stock. He stood out with seven tackles and sticky coverage throughout the contest. Ringo is a stout, physical corner at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, and he showed once again that his instincts, toughness and timing are excellent attributes in his game. He is a Round 1 player and could still play his way into the top 15 overall picks.
How high has Oregon QB Bo Nix risen on draft boards over the past two months?
Kiper: The short answer is a lot. Over three inconsistent seasons at Auburn, Nix completed just 59.4% of his throws and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. But in nine starts for the Ducks, Nix is completing 73.3% of his passes and averaging 9.1 yards per attempt. He has complete control of an offense that plays to his strengths, throwing 22 touchdown passes with three picks. He has added another 13 rushing scores.
Nix and Oregon are dominating teams right now. And at 6-foot-2, 213 pounds, Nix has the physical traits and arm talent that will intrigue NFL teams. I recently ranked him as my No. 6 QB for the class, and it wouldn't shock me if he was a Day 2 pick in the draft. I had a late-Day 3/undraftable grade on him before the season.
Devon Achane rushes 65 yards, then punches in a 5-yard touchdown later in the drive to put Texas A&M up 7-3 over Florida.
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett keeps playing well. Could he get drafted?
Reid: There's a high chance, potentially in the sixth or seventh round. NFL teams could certainly take a chance on him at that point in the draft as insurance for an established starter. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Bennett is a gamer, and everyone on that Georgia roster seems to believe in him no matter the significance of the game. His escapability and off-platform playmaking are impressive.
Bennett will turn 26 years old next October and lacks high-end physical traits, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him carve out a career similar to that of Case Keenum or Taylor Heinicke. He has 2,606 passing yards, 11 touchdown throws and three interceptions this season.
Same with Max Duggan. Does the TCU quarterback have an NFL future?
Miller: Duggan has been awesome for the undefeated Frogs, wowing with his intermediate accuracy and mobility. And yes, he has put himself on the radar as a viable Day 3 quarterback who could be a nice backup and developmental player for an NFL team. As a college quarterback, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Duggan has been very good, throwing for 2,407 yards and 24 touchdowns with two interceptions this season. But as a pure passer, he lacks ball location outside the hashes and the refined mechanics of a higher-round pick.
Who is your pick to win the Heisman Trophy?
Reid: Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and his offense struggled to gain any type of rhythm against Northwestern while battling nearly 40 mph winds and plenty of rain but still survived and moved to 9-0. Stroud now has 2,453 passing yards, 29 TD throws and four interceptions, and his 91.1 QBR leads the nation. An impressive showing in Ohio State's regular-season finale against Michigan could provide his Heisman moment, assuming the 6-foot-3, 218-pounder first takes care of business against Indiana and Maryland.
Miller: It's truly a wide-open race right now, though Stroud has the clearest path if Ohio State can take down Michigan in a few weeks. But we haven't heard enough about USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who has the Trojans at 8-1 while posting 28 passing touchdowns to just one interception and adding another four TDs on the ground. I like Jordan's pick here, but Williams' candidacy deserves much more credit than it has been given.
Kiper: Let's go with a little bit of a long-shot candidate to spice up things: LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Why not? He has 24 total touchdowns (14 passing) and just one interception, and he just had a Heisman moment in the win over Alabama, running for a touchdown in overtime. If he can pad his stats these last three regular-season games, he'll get a chance to impress voters in the SEC title game against Georgia. Yes, the Tigers will be big underdogs, but if he helps them pull off an upset, he'll be set up to win it. The Arizona State transfer is a remarkable runner with nice patience in the pocket, and he has flourished under Brian Kelly this season.
Which prospect are you moving up your board?
Kiper: Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State. The 2023 draft will feature a stellar tight end group, and Kraft might be the best of the class. Seriously. He's a complete player. Kraft injured an ankle in the Jackrabbits' season opener, had surgery in September and has now been back for the past three games, in which he has 12 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns. It's what he has done as a blocker that will impress NFL teams, though. He was dominant against Northern Iowa on Saturday. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Kraft had 65 receptions and six scores last season, and he's stellar after the catch. He has a good chance to make the top 25 of my Big Board in my next update.
Miller: Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M. With a flu bug hitting the Aggies' depth chart, Texas A&M was down numerous starters on both sides of the ball against Florida. That didn't keep Achane from showing once again that he's an elite threat out of the backfield. He scored three total touchdowns and ran for 122 yards. Achane is a fast, slashing runner at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, and he has soft hands out of the backfield -- traits that make him a likely Day 2 pick and instant impact player in the NFL as a third-down back. He has 887 rushing yards and 196 receiving yards over nine games this season.
Bryce Young does a great job to elude the pressure and connect downfield with Ja'Corey Brooks for the 41-yard Alabama touchdown.
Reid: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU. The Mustangs won a 77-63 shootout with Houston, and Rice was a huge part of the team's scoring output, finishing with 86 receiving yards and two touchdowns on nine catches. At 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, Rice is a well-built wideout with plenty of range as a pass-catcher, and he gains a lot of extra yards after securing the catch. He is arguably the top senior wideout in the country, and scouts have him in the third-round range. His stock is scorching hot right now after already going over 1,000 yards this year.
Which under-the-radar prospect are you keeping an eye on after Week 10?
Kiper: Ryan Greenhagen, ILB, Fordham. You know I love a tackling machine, and that's Greenhagen, who is closing in on 400 career tackles for the Rams. He had 12 tackles and a sack against Bucknell on Saturday. When Fordham played at Nebraska last season, he was credited with 31 tackles (14 solo). At 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, Greenhagen has limitations in the passing game, but he could be a late-Day 3 pick who makes an NFL roster because of his work on special teams and on run downs. He's a really solid player.
Reid: Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern. He continues to catch my eye, and he was able to consistently generate pressure against one of the best offensive fronts in the country in the loss to Ohio State. Adebawore plays from multiple alignments, and his intensity, hand strength and first-step explosion show up frequently. The 6-foot-2, 280-pounder had four tackles on Saturday, but the box score doesn't tell the full story of his impact. He was the main culprit of a lot of the Buckeyes' offensive struggles, and he displayed many of the reasons evaluators like him in the third or fourth round. Adebawore has four sacks and a pair of forced fumbles on the season.
Miller: Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas. He is currently slotted at No. 81 overall in my rankings, but I'll be moving Coburn into the top 64 after catching his performance against Kansas State's run game on Saturday. At 6-foot-2 and 343 pounds, he is a gap-filler but has also shown improved quickness and pass-rush agility this season. He was a key component in shutting down Deuce Vaughn and Adrian Martinez in a closely fought Big 12 battle and has played his way into a potential Round 2 selection.
Let's empty the notebooks ...
Reid: In big games, you want to see top prospects step up, and that's exactly what Georgia's Carter -- my No. 2 overall prospect -- did against Tennessee. He set the tone early at the line of scrimmage and forced two crucial fumbles. The last time a defensive tackle was selected with the No. 1 overall pick came in 1994 when the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Dan Wilkinson out of Ohio State. But we've seen plenty of DTs get taken in the top three picks, including Ndamukong Suh (second in 2011), Marcell Dareus (third in 2011) and Quinnen Williams (third in 2019). Carter will have a good chance to join them and challenge for the top overall spot.
Miller: An NFL general manager suggested to me on Sunday morning that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is carrying an average Crimson Tide offense and won't be knocked by pro scouts for his team's lack of success this year. Said the GM: "He's the only player on that offense with a Round 1 grade. When was the last time that happened at Alabama?" He's right. This is not the loaded wide receiver room we're used to seeing from Nick Saban's squad, and it's the worst offensive line Alabama has had in quite some time.
Reid: The health of the upcoming wide receiver class took another hit, as Quentin Johnston exited TCU's game against Texas Tech early and didn't return. He suffered an ankle injury last week against West Virginia and tweaked it again on Saturday, so it's something worth monitoring. Johnston's health will be a key factor for the Horned Frogs in their upcoming matchup with Texas. Playing like a WR1 candidate prior to the injury, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior has really hit his stride since the midpoint of the season.
Miller: TCU running back Kendre Miller is officially on the draft radar. The 6-foot, 220-pound junior has now posted six 100-yard rushing games this season for the 9-0 Horned Frogs, including four in a row. Miller is a power back with the vision and speed to break off big runs and punish a defense. There's a growing buzz among scouts that he could be a top-five back in the 2023 class should he declare.
Speaking of running backs, Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim has now put together 17 straight games with more than 100 rushing yards. That's an incredible streak of success and speaks to Ibrahim's durability, toughness and consistency. His draft stock must be vetted because of his injury history, but don't be surprised if the 5-foot-10, 210-pounder ends up as the 2023 draft's Day 3 running back who becomes a rookie starter -- a la Dameon Pierce in 2022.
Reid: Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez had a career night against his former team, intercepting two passes -- including a pick-six -- in the Ducks' win over Colorado. Scouts had an eye on the 6-foot-2, 201-pounder coming into the season, but he still lacked ball production, with zero career interceptions to that point. Now he has three this year. His patience at the line, hip fluidity and reactive quickness when the ball was in the air were all on display on his second turnover of the day. Gonzalez is my CB2 behind Joey Porter Jr., and he is showing that he has taken the next step in his development this season. He is likely a top-20 pick in April.