Stock up, stock down for top 25 NFL Draft prospects: Rueben Bain Jr. soaring, Arch Manning needs time

Preseason summer scouting is distinctly different in its aims than the final scouting done in the spring. It’s far more about identifying athletic traits and potential to direct tape-watching in the fall rather than stacking a draft board.

You can forgive things like inexperience, strength issues and unrefinement a lot more when someone isn’t yet draft eligible that you just can’t when they’ve exhausted all their years of eligibility.

With that in mind, here’s how the top 25 prospects from my preseason draft board have progressed through the first five weeks of the college football season.

1. Clemson DT Peter Woods

Stock: Level
New range: Top 5

The disappointing start for Clemson has coincided with many of its top prospects starting slow through four games. Woods is relatively the same guy we saw last fall which is fine given his standing in the eye of evaluators. While I was hoping for a leap to the Ndamukong Suh-level of every-down disruptor that hasn’t materialized, no one in college football treats offensive linemen like a blocking sled more consistently than Woods. He’s still going very high.

2. Texas QB Arch Manning

Stock: Cratering
New range: Return to school

Even if Sam Houston State ends up being a get-right game for Manning and he goes on a run through the SEC schedule, he’s still unlikely to declare given how ugly the start to his season was. When you complete 44.0% of your passes and average 4.6 yards per attempt against UTEP, evaluators are going to have major questions.

3. Utah OL Spencer Fano

Stock: Slightly down
New range: Top 15

I was always a little loftier than most on Fano’s prospects, but Fano’s lack of length has gotten exposed more this season particularly the past two weeks. He’s still an outstanding run-blocker, but my hope that he could stick at tackle looks unlikely at this point, though he’ll easily be a first-round guard prospect still.

4. Auburn DE Keldric Faulk

Stock: Slightly down
New range: Top 15

Faulk is still more potential than polish at this point. He is the type of player I was referencing in the lede to this story. Faulk’s raw tools at 6-6, 275 pounds jumped off the tape as a sophomore, but now watching his junior tape without any additions to his pass-rushing toolbox and the shine starts to wear off. He still has a good chance to go top 10, but he’s been passed up by others.

5. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

Stock: Down
New range: Day 2

Nussmeier has had a worrisome start to the season, but I’m willing to believe the struggles are injury related given what I’m seeing on tape. LSU coach Brian Kelly hinted at a torso injury a couple weeks ago and that would make sense considering Nussmeier has struggled mightily to get any zip on the football. Nussmeier never had a strong arm, but now he’s really labored to attack downfield. If he can’t get healthy and go on a run late in the season and through a postseason showcase bowl, Nussmeier’s stock could take a big tumble.

6. Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

Stock: Injured
New range: Injured

McCoy suffered an ACL tear in January and has yet to suit up for the Volunteers this season. The latest report is that McCoy is targeting a return against Arkansas on Oct. 11.

7. Miami DE Rueben Bain Jr.

Stock: Skyrocketing
New range: First position player off board 

If we were serious about giving the Heisman to the best player in college football, Bain would be the front-runner. He’s playing with a level of physicality that’s unblockable. He’s played his way into a top 3 pick.

8. Clemson DE T.J. Parker

Stock: Level
New range: Top 15

Parker is still an NFL-ready power defensive end who doesn’t need to come off the field. While I wish he had a little more production as a pass rusher than only nine pressures this season, a lot of that has to do with Clemson’s scheme not letting him pin his ears back a lot.

9. Ohio State S Caleb Downs

Stock: Up
New range: Top 15

Downs is still the cornerstone of the best defense in college football. With how important do-it-all safeties are becoming, don’t be surprised if Downs is the first safety to go top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017.

10. Oklahoma QB John Mateer

11. Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor

Stock: Down
New range: Day 2

The agility limitations were a concern last year, but they were mitigated on tape in the past by how defensive ends had to rush former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. That’s changed with the less-nimble Ty Simpson at quarterback and Proctor has had some ugly reps. He already gave up six pressures against Florida State and a couple more against Wisconsin. A move to guard may be in his future.

12. Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

Stock: Up
New range: Top 10

Tyson is shaping up to be the surest thing in this receiver class. Sam Levitt can’t force-feed Tyson enough with already 58 targets in five games. On those, Tyson has 39 catches for 483 yards and seven scores. The man gets open at will.

13. Utah OT Caleb Lomu

Stock: Down
New range: Late first/early second

One of the biggest things I wanted to see improve on Lomu’s tape from his redshirt-freshman year was his play strength. Unfortunately, it’s still been an issue early on this season. I still love his feet and hands in pass protection, but he may have to return to school if he wants to end up a first-rounder.

14. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik

Stock: Down
New range: Day 3

The next step in Klubnik’s development has been nonexistent so far this season. With how much he’s struggled identifying and exploiting blitzes, Klubnik will have a hard time convincing NFL evaluators he can still be a franchise quarterback over the final eight games on Clemson’s schedule.

15. Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Stock: Level
New range: First round

Love has struggled a bit behind an underperforming offensive line, but when he gets space you still see the freakish quicks to make defenders miss. He’s the Jahmyr Gibbs-esque home run hitter who everyone is looking for at the position nowadays.

16. Miami OT Francis Mauigoa

Stock: Up
New range: Top 15

Ever since Week 1 against Notre Dame, Mauigoa has made it clear he’s playing on a different level from what we saw in 2024. He’s caving in double teams left and right this season and has been relatively stout in pass protection. There’s a chance he’s the first offensive tackle off the board next April.

17. Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

Stock: Level
New range: First round

While he hasn’t gotten his hands on passes at the same rate he did in 2024, testing Terrell has still been a fool’s errand for opposing quarterbacks. They’re averaging less than 5 yards per attempt when throwing Terrell’s way.

18. Auburn C Connor Lew

Stock: Down
New range: Early Day 2

Lew is still an underclassmen so he’s in no hurry to declare, but my hopes that he would turn into a first-round center haven’t quite materialized yet. I still love the way he plays the game, but he needs another year in the weight room before he’s ready to handle NFL nose tackles consistently.

19. Texas A&M DE Cashius Howell

Stock: Level
New range: Early Day 2

I knew I was high with my ranking on Howell and that he was always going to have an uphill climb to be a first-rounder with sub-31-inch arms. Watch him rush the passer this season, though, and it’s hard to not see him at least being effective in that regard in the league. Someone will give him a shot to be a designated pass rusher on Day 2.

20. Alabama DE LT Overton

Stock: Down
New range: Day 2

Overton looks less like a hybrid defensive lineman and more like someone who has to play on the interior this fall. He is a very young senior at only 20, which will work in his favor, but after a breakout campaign in 2024, he’s only really making an impact vs. the run this season. At 6-5, 278 pounds, he’ll be more of an early-down 3-4 defensive end in the NFL.

21. Auburn OT Xavier Chaplin

Stock: Down
New range: Day 2

Chaplin transferred from Virginia Tech to Auburn last offseason and the early returns have been scary. He’s really struggled with foot speed and pad level. His massive 6-foot-7, 348-pound frame gives him a lot of leeway, but quicker defenders have been able to get him consistently off-balance. Project tackles like Chaplin have a tough time going in the first round because of the necessity to play early.

22. Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Stock: Level
New range: Early Day 2

While I’d like to see Hill around the football just a tad more as the season wears on (only 15 tackles in four games), Hill looks the part of a top 50 pick at linebacker physically. His ability to cover ground and play through blocks will serve him well at the next level.

23. Texas OT Trevor Goosby

Stock: Slightly Up
New range: First round

One of the few success stories in this tackle class, Goosby has picked up where Kelvin Banks left off. He’s allowed all of four pressures in four starts in his first year as a starter this season. The meat of his schedule against SEC play has yet to come, however, so he’ll need to prove it against better competition to justify him leaving Texas early.

24. Texas A&M CB Will Lee

Stock: Slightly Down
New range: Day 2

Lee is still one of the best pure press corners in the draft class. I just wish he was a little bit more of a playmaker in zone coverage given where the NFL game is going in that regard. With corners seemingly getting devalued in the draft, that could keep Lee from hearing his name in Round 1.

25. Penn State QB Drew Allar

Stock: Cratering
New range: Day 3

Allar had a tale of two seasons in 2024. The first half where he looked like a potential top 10 pick, and the second half where he averaged under 200 yards per game and couldn’t hit wide-open targets. Unfortunately, he’s picked up where he left off in the second half with a 62.8 completion percentage and 6.8 yards per attempt average.