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Week 2 on the college schedule saw the Texas Longhorns make a statement with a big victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It also saw the return to prominence of a once-highly rated passer, while another quarterback prospect continued to struggle. Here are the risers and sliders for Week 2.
Week 2 College Football rankings: Prospects whose stocks are on the rise
1] Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami
In a contest between a pair of underachieving programs, it was an underachieving signal caller who led his team to victory. Van Dyke, the senior passer who was considered a top-60 pick before a terrible campaign in 2022, flashed brilliance as he sliced up a talented Texas A&M defense during the Hurricanes’ 48-33 win. His numbers included 21 of 30 passes for 374 yards and five TDs.
The signal caller erased a 10-point TAMU lead late in the first half, then took control of the game. Van Dyke showed great poise, patience, and,dh most importantly, accuracy when delivering passes.
Van Dyke has all the physical skills to play on Sundays, and if he continues to build off the victory against the Aggies and continues to improve his pass placement, he will make a big move up the draft boards.
2] Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
The legend of Cooper DeJean continues to grow. The 210-pound cornerback, who times 4.3 seconds in the 40 and had three pick sixes last season, looked terrific as the Hawkeyes beat interstate rival Iowa State 20-13, a score that made the game seem closer than it actually was.
DeJean led the Hawkeyes with 10 tackles and made several nice plays in coverage, either defending the pass or physically beating down receivers to break up the play. DeJean still needs to polish his ball skills, yet he has great athleticism and the upside to match.
3] Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas
It was a statement game for the Kansas Jayhawks, as they pounded Illinois into the ground. The contest was never really close, as Kansas combined for nearly 540 yards on offense and scored 38 points.
The KU offensive line was the force that led the way, and Puni was dominant all night. The left tackle did a great job protecting his versatile RPO passer and destroying defenders as a run blocker.
Puni lacks the agility to stay at left tackle in the NFL, and at 6-foot-4.5, he doesn’t possess the height for the right side. Rather, Puni projects as a power gap guard who will hear his name called in the late rounds of the draft.
4] Ron Stone, DE, Washington State
Soon to be a program without a conference, Wazzou has a chip on its shoulder, and they took it out against Wisconsin on Saturday. Washington State jumped out to a double-digit lead and then scored late to seal a 31-22 victory over the Badgers.
Impact plays on defense led the way early on, and Stone was front and center establishing the tone of the game. He totaled four tackles, two TFLs and two sacks, and he forced two fumbles, including one that was brought back into the end zone by teammate Brennan Jackson.
Stone is not a great athlete, as he lacks the size for defensive end as well as the speed for linebacker. Yet all he does is make plays. Some defensive-minded coaches will take a flier on Stone late in the draft and use him as a pass-rush specialist/special-teams player on Sundays.
College Football rankings: Sleeper prospect of the week
Nick Kidwell, OL, James Madison
JMU made an immediate impact after making the jump to the FBS last season, finishing with an 8-3 record in the Sun Belt Conference. They took another step Saturday, defeating Virginia on the road by one point, 36-35
The Dukes finished with just under 400 yards in total offense, and Kidwell’s blocking had much to do with the success of the offense. The right tackle showed terrific power in the running game and held his own in pass protection.
He doesn’t have the length or agility NFL teams want in a tackle, and a move inside to guard is in Kidwell’s future. Also in his future is the calling of his name in the late rounds of next year’s draft.
College Football rankings: Small School prospect of the week
Jacob Dobbs, ILB, Holy Cross
Holy Cross, which defeated UConn two years ago, almost pulled an upset over Boston College on Saturday but came up short by a score of 31-28. Despite the final score, Dobbs was the game’s superior player. He was the best defender on the field, totaling 13 tackles.
A week ago, he registered 21 tackles during the Crusaders’ victory over Merrimack. A tough, run-defending middle/inside linebacker prospect, Dobbs has a real chance of being selected in the late rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft if he continues to play at a high level and tests well before April.
Week 2 College Football rankings: One prospect whose stock is dipping
Brennan Armstrong, QB, North Carolina St
Two years ago, when he was at the helm for the Virginia Cavaliers, Brennan displayed himself to be a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect.
After a disappointing campaign last season, Armstrong chose a change of scenery and transferred within the conference to North Carolina State. He had a shaky start to the season against UConn, then performed disastrously against Notre Dame on Saturday. His numbers—22 of 47 passing for 260 yards with three INTs, tell a fraction of the story.
Armstrong never got into a rhythm and struggled to move the NCSU offense. When the Wolfpack did get close on the scoreboard, he could not sustain drives. Once considered a potential early Day 3 pick, Armstrong has stumbled into the late rounds.
