By: JC Nevils
Every year you have players come out of nowhere and raise their
level of play, which in turn increases their draft stock. Here we take
a look at the players who have upped their stock the most so far this season.
1. DL Tyler Baron, Sr, Tennessee
Coming out of High school Baron was a Top 150 player
right in Tennessee’s backyard, but quite didn’t hit the ground
running his first three years. This season though he has been on a
tear. Through five games he already has four sacks, which ties his
career high. I don’t expect him slowing down anytime soon.
Let's go TB!@Tylerbaron23 has been named to the @seniorbowl Midseason All-America team!#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/rWkWDn54sa
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 12, 2023
2. DL Howard Cross III, RS Sr, Norte Dame
Cross has been an absolute menace this season for the
Fighting Irish. While not the biggest, he uses his wrestling
background, in which he was a state champion, to gain leverage and
disrupt offenses. He is also very strong and uses his quickness very
well. He already has 42 tackles, which is abnormal for a defensive
lineman, and already more than he had all last season to go along
with five tackles for loss.
More Sports News
3. S Jaylin Simpson, RS Sr, Auburn
While he was a consensus four-star recruit coming in, he
has only seen time sparingly as a reserve. This year though Simpson decided to take matters into his own hands with a new regime and
finally show his true talents. Moving to safety has shown to be a
game changer as well. He is tall and rangy with great ball skills.
Halfway through this season he already has four interceptions which
leads the SEC.
Jaylin Simpson is him. pic.twitter.com/F4E9FEWBls
— AUFAMILY (@AUFAMILY) September 30, 2023
4. RB Marshawn Lloyd, RS Jr, USC
While Lloyd was a great talent coming out of the legendary
DeMatha Catholic, he has been injury-prone from day one.
Originally starting out at South Carolina, he has been hurt for most of his
three years there, only playing in 21 games. Since transferring to
USC and being fully healthy, he has been able to show everything
he is capable of. Not only can he hurt you with his vision and
patience on the ground, but Lloyd also makes plays in the passing
game using his soft hands. As of now, he is on pace to crack the
1,000-yard mark while averaging almost eight yards per carry. He is
a three-down back who surely has a future in the NFL.
5. WR Xavier Legette, RS Sr, South Carolina
Simply put Legette is a legit freak of nature
athletically. Standing at 6’3 and almost 230 lbs, he could honestly be
mistaken for a TE, especially in today’s age. He runs good routes
while also having good hands, but the main thing that sets him apart
is his speed. Once he hits the open field you can hang it up because
there is no catching him whatsoever. Just last season he set the
school record for kick returns averaging 29.4 per touch on only 15
returns. Up to this point, he has 32 catches for 606 yards, which is
eighth in the country and second in the SEC to go along with three scores.
XAVIER LEGETTE DID IT AGAIN🔥
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 24, 2023
