Stock Watch: Devy Week 1

By Tommy Harvey

Stock Up

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Maye won the QB job during fall camp and has come out ON FIRE! Through two games so far, he has lit up Florida A&M and Appalachian St for 646 yards and 9 TDs. The former 4* prospect has shown elite ability to open the season and his stock is pointed straight up.  After putting eyes on him over the past two weeks, Maye will be moving up in my rankings.  Drake Maye TO THE MOON!!!

Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn

Admittedly, I have never been very high on Tank as an upper echelon draft prospect, but I am beginning to come around on him.  He looks like a completely different RB to me this season.  He has good burst and agility for his size and exhibited very good vision…albeit against inferior competition.  He is still my RB5 in the ‘23 draft class, but he is much closer to RB4 than he is RB6.

Omarrion Hampton/George Pettaway, RB, North Carolina

The two true freshmen at North Carolina have taken over the UNC backfield since British Brooks was lost for the season.  They were both highly recruited, but neither was expected to have an overly-huge role this season.  That all changed in fall camp and they both look like the real deal.

Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona

For those of you who have been slow to jump on the Jacob Cowing hype train…there is still time.  He was great while at UTEP, and he is showing how great he is going to be at Arizona.  The Wildcats are going to be a surprise team in the PAC12, and Cowing is a big reason why.

Dane Key, WR, Kentucky

The true freshman that was supposed to be the guy at UK was Barion Brown.  While Brown is impressive, I’m more keyed in on Dane Key.  Key started alongside Brown and Tayvion Robinson this week and looks like the future in Lexington to me.  Will Levis has tons of weapons to work with.  If he doesn’t succeed, that’s on him.  

George Takacs, TE, Boston College

I’ll tell you…George Takacs snuck up on me a little bit.  I was aware of him while he was at Notre Dame and his subsequent transfer to Boston College.  However, I was not fully aware of his talent.  Obviously, any TE at Notre Dame should be taken seriously (watch out for Eli Raridon and Holden Staes), but Takacs got lost in the shuffle a little bit.  

Others on the Rise

Hunter Dekkers, QB, Iowa St

Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami

Raheim Sanders, RB, Arkansas

Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia

Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

Quinshon Judkins, RB, Mississippi

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio St

Kobe Prentice, WR, Alabama

Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Stock Down

Devin Leary, QB, North Carolina St

Potentially a 1st round draft pick in the ‘23 NFL Draft, Leary was very…meh…this week against East Carolina.  I’ve never been sold on him as a high end prospect, and week 1 did nothing to change my mind.  If anything, he moved down my board.

Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi

After transferring from USC to Ole Miss, Dart was expected to be the next big thing under Lane Kiffin.  However, during camp, he barely held off Luke Altmyer for the QB1 job and did not look good in week 1.  He still has plenty of time, but he has a lot to prove.

Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

Already fairly low on my board (RB30), Devon Achane did nothing against Sam Houston St  to improve his stock in my opinion.  Being a small-ish RB does not bode well for Achane when it comes to being an NFL RB…no matter how fast he is.  Putting mediocre play on film doesn’t do him any favors either.

Ja'Corey Brooks, WR, Alabama

Many speculated Ja’Corey Brooks would take over the WR room in Tuscaloosa this season.  Even with the arrivals of Jermaine Burton and Tyler Harrell, Brooks was expected to take the next step and become the next dominant WR for the Crimson Tide.  That seems to have been overstated, as Brooks was overtaken by Traeshon Holden on the depth chart.  With an overload of talent at Alabama, Brooks may get lost in the crowd.

Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio St

Listed as a starter heading into the season, Fleming did not play against Notre Dame due to injury.  In the meantime…he may have lost his spot to emerging superstar Emeka Egbuka.  Without the opportunity to be on the field, Fleming won’t have much on tape to have substantial enough draft capital to be relevant.  

Others on the Decline

Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

Cade McNamara, QB, Michigan

Harrison Bailey, QB, UNLV

Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

Logan Diggs, RB, Notre Dame

Gary Bryant Jr., WR, USC

Christian Leary, WR, Alabama