Week 3 saw some highly anticipated SEC conference play that will surely carry implications into the CFP. Kentucky walked into Kyle Field and beat a #9 Texas A&M team that came in unbeaten. Two of the conference’s best quarterbacks, LaNorris Sellers and Kamario Taylor dueled in a high-scoring affair. And in the marquee game of the night, Trinidad Chambliss spoiled Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford, going for 363 yards, two touchdowns through the air and the tiebreaking score with his legs to beat LSU 32-24.
Additionally, our anticipated prospect matchup (more on those prospects below), saw Louisville outslug SMU with a power run game from Isaac and Keyjuan Brown. Miami and new QB Darian Mensah continued their dominant ways in a victory over Wake Forest. And unranked West Virginia went into a neutral-site classic and hung 38 on a ranked Virginia team.
Which players are shaping this season and their draft stock best? Which prospects are showing some weakness in their games? Find out below with our list of names rising or sliding on our composite big board.
📈 Stock Rising
OFFENSE
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss You will read about a group of Quarterbacks slipping with their performance below, but Chambliss will not be one of them. He went 33/48 (68.8%), 363 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, and added the game-deciding 14-yard rushing TD in a meaningful 32-24 win over LSU. He led the nation in EPA per pressured attempt (.48) and displayed insane confidence in his arm to make the big league throws when it mattered most. His in-game adaptability and off-script playmaking are starting to establish themselves as reasons he’ll be a first-round quarterback. Age and size are the only things destined to hold his profile back.
Darian Mensah, QB, Miami 30/34 (88.2%), 220 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, plus he secured an ACC-record 24 consecutive completions in a 33-20 win over Wake Forest. Accuracy, anticipation and ball placement, even against lesser competition, will continue to be exactly what evaluators want to see from a passer who already entered the year trending toward a Day 1-2 grade.
Jayden Maiava, QB, USC (redshirt senior) 277 yards, 2 TD in a 42-35 win over Rutgers. Maiava was highly ranked by our metrics last year, but he’s even better so far this year. His 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio is already shaping to be the best of his career. He’s efficient, in-control, and reliable with improved decision-making this season that could remind pro scouts of another USC QB in Carson Palmer.
Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (Sophomore) Super Kamario has exploded onto the scene with yet another 4 passing TD performance (30, 43, 23, 5 yards) rallying Mississippi State from a 16-0 deficit to beat South Carolina 41-34. He’s a 2028 name to start tracking weeks ago, and his ability plus poise to erase a 16-point deficit on the road in the SEC is exactly why he’ll be something to look forward to on Saturdays and eventually Sundays. This is a live arm that you can’t miss this season – he’ll be in the conversation for the 1st overall pick a few years from now.
Michael Hawkins Jr., QB, West Virginia 10/17, 190 yards, 2 passing TD, plus 18 carries for 123 yards and 3 rushing TDs in a 38-27 upset of No. 25 Virginia (neutral site). This was Hawkins’ worst completion percentage of his three games played so far, but still a good add to his collection. He profiles as an explosive dual-threat leading the latest iteration of WVU football under Rich Rodriguez. Let’s keep an eye on turnover avoidance and accuracy heading into Big 12 play.
Kenny Minchey, QB, Kentucky The transfer from Notre Dame put up 252 yards, 2 TD in a 31-21 road upset of #9 Texas A&M at Kyle Field. There’s a lot we still want to see from Minchey and head coach Will Stein, but the poise and execution to pull off this upset against a ranked SEC defense in one of the sport’s loudest road environments is a massive green flag for both coach and QB.
Conner Weigman, QB, Houston 27/38, 282 yards, 3 TD in a 28-26 loss to Texas Tech. A former top recruit finally playing like it, even in defeat.
Lincoln Kienholz, QB, Louisville Dual-threat production in a 41-31 win over SMU. The Ohio State transfer is averaging two passing TDs a game and flashing legitimate dual-threat playmaking in head coach Jeff Brohm’s system. We’ve now seen Kienholz beat a ranked SMU club, blow out Villanova, and nearly lead an upset against Ole Miss earlier in September, all while avoiding throwing any interceptions.
Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida 26 carries, 162 yards, 3 TD (longs of 33 & 53) with 13 forced missed tackles vs. Auburn. Every year we see a few running backs go complete X-Games Mode Saturday after Saturday. This year it has been hard to compete with the Junior Gator out of Atlanta. Baugh is proving to be a true three-down bellcow with vision, jump cuts, and contact balance to go with breakaway speed. He’s literally running away with the RB1 title of this class.
LJ Martin, RB, BYU 15 carries, 176 yards, 3 TD (11.7 YPC) vs. Colorado State, including 173 first-half yards. Martin’s size (6’1½”, 226) with his patience and contact balance has been a well-rounded three-down profile for two seasons now.
Keyjuan Brown, RB, Louisville 10 carries, 163 yards, 2 TD (58 & 53-yard scores, 16.3 YPC) in a 41-31 win over SMU. Explosive, decisive downhill running with legitimate home-run speed once he’s through the hole. The closest thing to Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price might be in Louisville in Keyjuan and Isaac Brown.
Kendrick Raphael, RB, SMU 21 carries, 197 yards, 3 TD (9.4 YPC) vs. Louisville, in the same 41-31 final, and a week after a three carry, three yard performance. Burst through the line plus fluid lateral agility and top-end speed noticed in the losing effort. Would love to see more games like this out of the SMU Mustang.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State 5 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD vs. Kent State, and he became Ohio State’s all-time leading receiver just three games into his true junior season. He was already the consensus WR1 in this class; this just cements that he’s playing in a tier by himself. Everything — production, size, body control, and route polish will all translate well to Sunday.
Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State 6 catches, 135 yards, 1 TD vs. Alabama was a huge proof point for the big bodied wideout. As a 6’6″, 230-lb receiver physically overpowering SEC corners on slants and fades, the technical side of Duce’s game will most likely dictate whether he pans out like Plaxico Burress/Darren Waller or Johnny Wilson/Hakeem Butler at the next level.
Kenny Johnson, WR, Texas Tech 4 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD vs. Houston. Won a marquee individual matchup against a top-100 corner with speed, body control and contested-catch ability.
Amare Thomas, WR, Houston 7 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD vs. Texas Tech. He is averaging 6 catches and a touchdown across Houston’s three games so far, showing reliability and chemistry with QB Conner Weigman.
Mario Craver, WR, Texas A&M 11 catches, 119 yards vs. Kentucky (in a 31-21 loss). High-volume WR1 production even as the focal point of the opposing game plan.
Bryant Wesco Jr., WR, Clemson 5 catches, 77 yards (including a 41-yard slant-and-run) vs. North Carolina. Wesco Jr. is trending back toward pre-injury form and is worth tracking as a post-hype riser.
Chris Marshall, WR, Arkansas 7 catches, 136 yards vs. a talent-rich UGA defensive back room. Vertical separation and ball tracking on display on downfield boundary throws shows of his field-stretching ability.
Micah Gilbert, WR, Notre Dame 8 catches, 170 yards vs. Michigan State. The Notre Dame WR room has gotten a lot deeper over the past season despite losing a few to the NFL and graduation. A big-bodied contested-catch weapon developing into a reliable target both along the sideline and over the middle.
Junior Sherrill, WR, Vanderbilt 6/7 targets, 108 receiving yards, 2 TDs vs. NC State. Smooth, twitchy route runner with high-level release mechanics and boundary control who burned defenders repeatedly on double moves.
KJ Duff, WR, Rutgers 7 receptions, 86 receiving yards, 1 TD (vs. USC) He’s still performing against better competition. At 6’5″, 225 lbs, the pride of Suffolk County (Riverhead) is a contested-catch monster (28 contested catches since 2025) with elite sideline body control, solidifying strong Day 2 draft stock.
Tre’Dez Green, TE, LSU 4 catches, 60 yards vs. Ole Miss, before leaving the game with an injury. At 6’7″, he creates matchup problems most linebackers and DBs simply can’t handle — injury status is the thing to watch now.
Luke Reynolds, TE, Virginia Tech The Penn State transfer was 12/12 targets for 107 yards and 1 TD vs. Maryland. He leads all Power 4 TEs in receiving yards (265) and all FBS TEs in TDs (4) three games in. Perfect on his target share plus explosive after-catch ability is a Day 2 tight end profile if the blocking continues to round into form.
Zereoue Williams, LT, Utah (6th-year senior) 0 sacks, 0 pressures allowed through 3 games. A 6’7″, 316-lb tackle with 35¾” arms playing mistake-free through a quarter of the season is exactly the kind of quiet, technical dominance that shows up more on tape than in highlight packages.
Jesse Perry, OT, Tennessee His 92.6 PFF grade is the highest of any FBS offensive lineman from Week 3 — 147 of Tennessee’s 235 rush yards were on his side. Elite run-blocking at tackle is rare enough, so adding Perry’s ability to move SEC defenders at this level projects him comfortably inside draftable range. Coaches in the NFL may want to see how Perry fares inside at a guard spot.
Elijah Paige, LT, USC Clean pass protection plus dominant second- and third-level run blocks vs. Rutgers. Paige is easy to watch as he protects his QB, the aforementioned Maiava. Solid tape at a premium position.
Trevor Lauck (OT) & Kade Pieper (OG), Iowa Helped power Iowa to 422 rushing yards vs. Northern Iowa, displaying interior-and-edge combination dominance in the run game. We can’t wait to see these two battle Michigan’s defensive front in the week ahead – it just might be our Prospect Matchup of the Week.
Jacarrius Peak, OT, South Carolina Undersized, but highly athletic, and already in top-50 conversations; Keeping an eye out on Peak’s health, but similar to Paige and Maiava, it’s easy to watch Peak and his QB LaNorris Sellers get to work.
DEFENSE
Will Echoles, IDL, Ole Miss 7 pressures, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 90.8 PFF grade, 18.8% pressure rate vs. LSU. Brugler’s preseason DT1 backed it up against a Power 4 guard line with violent hand usage and low pad level. This is the interior disruption teams pay for on Day 1.
Clev Lubin, EDGE, Louisville The winner of our Prospect Matchup of Week 2 against SMU’s PJ Williams finished with 6 pressures, 1.5 sacks, and the W vs. SMU (41-31 win). A full rush-move arsenal (spin, arm-over, bull rush, swim) and a relentless motor to beat offensive tackles repeatedly is why Mr. Clevmer Lubin pops analytically and has become the crowned jewel of The Sunday Slate.
Emmanuel Oyebadejo, DL, Florida At 6’6″ and and nearly 300 lbs, Oyebadejo is hard to miss, but don’t ask the Auburn offensive line. After racking up 6 pressures, 2.5 sacks, and a pass breakup, the former college basketball player caught the eye of Todd McShay, who offered a comparison to former Detroit Lion Ziggy Ansah. While Ansah arrived in the U.S. from Ghana, Oyebadejo (of Nigerian descent) was born in England and started his collegiate career at the University of Exeter (West Country of England). He has the size, strength, and alignment versatility to play wide-9 to 3-tech, and that positional flexibility will be intriguing enough for a defensive front seven at the next level.
Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson 8 pressures, 2 sacks vs. North Carolina. One of the country’s best spin moves and a continuous talking point for this year’s Clemson defense.
Leroy Harris III, EDGE, Kansas 6 solo tackles, 1 strip-sack, 1 TFL vs. Arizona State. Straight-line burst and lateral chase speed at 6’5″, 270. Another big size guy with a disruptive motor that shows up as much in pursuit as it does rushing the passer.
Kam Franklin, EDGE/DL, Ole Miss 3 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 QB hurries vs. LSU, plus a crucial tipped pass that led to the game-sealing interception. His first-step quickness stressed LSU’s tackles all game on third down — Franklin has the situational pass-rush profile that teams tend to target on Day 3.
Boubacar Traore, EDGE, Notre Dame 6 pressures, 1.0 sack, 1 strip-sack, 1 QB hit vs. Michigan State. “Boobie” has a signature outside spin plus a power bull rush that directly created a turnover in this game. He often wins with counters and more than one move, reminding us of former Golden Domer Javonte Jean-Baptiste, but Traore has more of an untapped ceiling.
Francis Brewu, IDL, Notre Dame 2 pressures, 2 run stops vs. Michigan State. We think Brewu should play more for this ND defense. A stout, low-leveraged interior piece who can stack, shed, and still bring a real pass-rush swim move with tons of proof from his days at Pittsburgh.
Devan Thompkins, DL, Alabama 5 pressures, 1 sack, multiple run stops vs. Florida State. Positional flexibility to kick inside or rush off the edge with real power adds scheme versatility to the evaluation.
Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, LSU 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 TFLs in the loss vs. Ole Miss. Bend around the corner plus a polished speed-to-power conversion was why Umanmielen was a key prospect last year at Ole Miss and continues to be this year at LSU.
Christian Davis, IDL, SMU 4 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 TFLs, 1 forced fumble vs. Louisville. Hand placement and leverage that consistently reset the line of scrimmage. Easy to appreciate Davis’ high-effort and disruptive tape even in a losing effort.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame The hype is becoming realized for the explosive downhill linebacker. He’s 6’3″, 234 with fluid evasion of blockers on blitzes leading to tons of disruption. Finally being seen, heard, and felt on what could be the best defense in college football.
Kingston Lopa, S, Cal An FBS-leading 5 INTs (104 return yards), 16 tackles, 0 TDs allowed through three games is exactly the kind of production new head coach Tosh Lupoi was hoping he’d bring with him from Oregon. At 6’5″, 210 lbs, hybrid safety and former Duck is putting up ballhawk numbers at plus-plus size. We may have a guy here, and he’s starting to remind us of Kyle Hamilton.
Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson 1 PBU, minimal completions allowed on 7 targets vs. North Carolina. Rare size-length-recovery-speed combination (6’2″, 205) that’s trending toward a first-round outcome if the tape stays this suffocating through ACC play.
Vicari Swain, CB, South Carolina 1 PBU, 1 sack, 1 run stop, 1 catch allowed on 5 targets vs. Mississippi State. Continued press technique and man-coverage discipline would be clear year-over-year improvement for a guy that is probably the best punt returner in the nation AGAIN.
Jalen Mayo, CB, Houston 3 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU vs. Texas Tech (Houston lost 28-26). Top-100 player with good length (6’1″, 32⅛” arms) and a highlight one-handed interception.
John Nestor, CB, Minnesota 88.1 PFF grade for a performance that saw 5 catches allowed on 9 targets for just 11 yards, with 2 PBUs. Elite quick-trigger instincts to blow up screens behind the line of scrimmage, which is a translatable, scheme-proof skill that helped us fall in love with Devon Witherspoon during his Illinois days.
Luke Talich, S, Notre Dame 3 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack, 1 INT vs. Michigan State, stepping in for an injured starter in Tae Johnson. Talich had more moments than you’d expect from a backup, showing closing range from single-high coverage plus downhill blitz pop. Talich continues to make the most of his time.
Cormani McClain, CB, Florida 2 tackles, 2 PBUs, 0 completions allowed on 4 targets vs. Auburn. Length and improved discipline in press-man — if the consistency holds, this is a talent evaluators have been waiting to see put it together.
💎 Non-Power-4 Gem
Nathan Hayes, QB, North Dakota State (FCS) 14/24, 210 yards, 1 TD vs. Sacramento State, keeping NDSU undefeated. Real mobility and off-platform playmaking with legitimate arm talent — but he continues to miss on downfield ball placement, with multiple underthrows on vertical routes. The traits are worth tracking through the FCS playoff push; the accuracy concern is the swing factor on whether this profile has a Day 3 outcome. He was the only clear non-Power-4 candidate in this week’s report — no runner-up to note.
📉 Pump the Brakes
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Sacked 3 times, 2 costly second-half INTs in a 41-34 loss to Mississippi State. The 6’3″, 240-lb physical tools are undeniable, but down-to-down decisiveness, pocket rhythm and accuracy remain live issues. Preseason early-round buzz is legitimately in question until this shows up differently on tape.
Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M 2 INTs in a 31-21 loss to Kentucky — 4 TDs against 7 INTs over his last four Power 4 starts. Missing open receivers and struggling under pressure at home against an unranked opponent raises real doubt about the ceiling here, not just a bad day.
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma 19/25, 238 yards, 2 INTs; Oklahoma’s offense managed only 14 points vs. New Mexico. Fully healthy and still showing the same accuracy, decision-making and pocket-presence issues that dogged him before — health was the excuse, and it’s off the table now.
Arch Manning, QB, Texas Struggled badly against an outmatched UTSA team, one week after a high-profile win over Ohio State. The swings between marquee performances and struggles against inferior competition are the kind of week-to-week inconsistency that worries evaluators more than a bad final score would.
CJ Bailey, QB, NC State 275 yards, 3 TD, but a fumble on the game’s final play in the end zone cost NC State the game — 4 turnovers against 5 TDs on the season. Real arm talent, but decision-making under pressure in the biggest moments remains the swing issue.
Demond Williams Jr., QB, Washington Leading the team with 150 rush yards while passing consistency lags behind a struggling offensive line. Heavy reliance on the legs is masking real passing-game questions that will get exposed against better competition.
Julian Lewis, QB, Colorado 168 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT in a 41-7 loss to Northwestern (5.2 YPA against FBS competition on the season). Has yet to top 200 passing yards against an FBS opponent — a real red flag on efficiency inside OC Brennan Marion’s offense.
Steve Angeli, QB, Syracuse 5 INT, 5 sacks, 1 TD over his last two games (vs. Cal and Pitt). A clear regression following his return from an Achilles injury — worth tracking whether this is health-related or a real decline. One former CJ Carr backup is a riser, while the other one battles to see if improved play comes with more recovery.
Jackson Arnold, QB, UNLV 194 yards, sacked 4 times, lost a fumble in a loss to North Texas. Struggles that have now followed him across three different programs (Oklahoma, Auburn, UNLV) are less about scheme fit at this point and more about Arnold the player.
Cooper Barkate, WR, Miami 6 catches for 29 yards over the last two weeks (0.66 yards per route run). Falling behind on the depth chart in an ultra-productive passing attack is a red flag considering his chemistry with Mensah dating back to Duke, this might not just be a quiet stretch.
PJ Williams, OT, SMU Allowed 5 pressures, 1 sack; 33.1 PFF grade — lowest of any Power 4 offensive lineman in Week 3. Granted this was against Clev Lubin, Willaims was flat out beat repeatedly in his first true test at left tackle. One rough game isn’t a verdict on its own, but it’s a real data point at a premium position. The league has fellas scary like Lubin all over the map.
Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson 49.7 PFF grade, 4 missed tackles vs. North Carolina — after zero missed tackles all of 2025. An uncharacteristic breakdown in run defense and limited coverage impact. Worth watching for one game before drawing a bigger conclusion, but the tackling regression is real.
🔭 The Scouting Circle’s Weekend Ahead
What a bad day to have a wedding or kid’s birthday party. Week 4 is a slate you do not want to miss much of.
#17 Iowa at #18 Michigan Saturday | 3:30 PM ET | CBS | Line: Michigan -4.5
- Big Ten opener for both programs. Michigan’s offense with QB Bryce Underwood has looked sluggish early, while Iowa brings two shutouts and a 16-13 win over Iowa State. High-ceiling talent vs. Iowa’s low-variance, stout defensive structure. Elite line play when Iowa is on offense.
#1 Texas at #14 Tennessee Saturday | 12:00 PM ET | ABC | Line: Texas -5.5
- Arch Manning heads to his uncle Peyton’s old stomping grounds for Texas’s first true road game. Tennessee is averaging 47.6 PPG, but freshman QB Faizon Brandon hasn’t faced a top-tier defense yet.
- How does Brandon handle the nation’s No. 1 team after Texas’s low-stress win over UTSA?
#4 Ole Miss at #21 Florida Saturday | 3:30 PM ET | ABC | Line: Florida -2.5
- Ole Miss enters off an emotional win over LSU, while Florida is surging under new coach Jon Sumrall following a 44-39 win over Auburn.
- Heisman contender Trinidad Chambliss vs. Florida RB Jadan Baugh (8.5 YPC, 8 TDs). Watch for an Ole Miss road-letdown spot.
Oklahoma at #2 Georgia Saturday | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN | Line: Georgia -14.5
- Oklahoma ranks 99th nationally in scoring (25 PPG), and QB John Mateer threw 2 INTs against New Mexico. Georgia is averaging 59.3 PPG but faces its first real competition.
- Oklahoma’s elite defense (allowing just 7.7 PPG) attempting to cover for a struggling offense against a top SEC contender.
Wisconsin at #13 Penn State Saturday | 5:00 PM ET | Peacock | Line: Penn State -9.5
- Matt Campbell’s Big Ten debut at Penn State against a Luke Fickell-led Badgers team needing a signature rebound after a blowout opener against Notre Dame. Penn State’s first power-conference evaluation under Campbell.
#20 Oregon at #12 USC Saturday | 7:30 PM ET | NBC | Line: Oregon -2.5
- Oregon needs to rebuild its profile after an upset loss to Oklahoma State. USC is 4-0, but Gary Patterson’s defense has surrendered 65 points over its last two games.
- Jayden Maiava’s decision-making will be fun to see under real pressure. A physical Oregon front will provide a much better benchmark than his efficient-but-unspectacular performance against Rutgers.
#23 Texas A&M at #10 LSU Saturday | 7:30 PM ET | ABC | Line: LSU -7.5
- Early-season elimination vibes, as the loser here exits September with two losses. LSU QB Sam Leavitt will likely be without star TE Trey’Dez Green.
- Marcel Reed (4 TDs / 7 INTs over his last 4 Power 4 starts) is facing an LSU pass rush led by Princewill Umanmielen (1.5 sacks vs. Ole Miss). Turnovers here will firmly solidify the “pump the brakes” case on Reed.
#19 Missouri at #24 Mississippi State Saturday | 7:45 PM ET | SEC Network | Line: Miss State -5.5
- Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor (832 pass YDS, 11 TDs; 178 rush YDS, 1 TD) has led two road Power Conference wins. Missouri enters following a narrow win over Troy behind RB Jamal Roberts (100+ yards in two straight).
- This will be Taylor’s first test against a ranked defense. Let’s see his high ceiling play against strong resistance.
Oklahoma State at West Virginia Saturday | 7:00 PM ET | FS1 | Line: West Virginia -1.5
- Big 12 shootout potential. Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker (882 pass YDS, 8 TDs) comes off a bye week following the Oregon upset. West Virginia QB Michael Hawkins Jr. (799 total YDS, 11 TDs) and RB Cam Cook come off an upset win over Virginia. Evaluating Hawkins in a true home game against Big 12 competition without the benefit of a neutral site will be huge for his profile.
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