The College football season is through three weeks of gridiron action. Three weeks of football gives us time to digest all performances, both good and bad. Since updating my fantasy football devy rankings, a handful of college football players have made a significant jump in my opinion. Let’s take a look and see who those players are.
Stock Up
Matt Corral, QB – Mississippi
Matt Corral is taking his game to another level in 2021 for Ole Miss. The Redshirt Junior is simply on fire. Corral has leapfrogged the field and become the top betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy as well.
Matt Corral bucket ball 🪣
Jonathan Mingo catches the TDYes. Golden Corral is a DOG 🐕 pic.twitter.com/I9jNWWyS3b
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 19, 2021
Corral blitzed Tulane over the weekend for seven touchdowns (three passing and four rushing). He has officially moved into my Top-10 devy rankings (7th overall), and is now my QB2 in the 2022 class. Matt Corral is a legitimate first round NFL prospect at this point.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR – Kentucky
The move from Nebraska to Kentucky has unleashed the talent that is Wan’Dale Robinson. Nobody has moved up my rankings faster than Mr. Robinson has. He’s now started the 2021 season with three straight 100 yard receiving efforts.
It only took 1 game for Wan’Dale Robinson to be used more down the field at Kentucky than he ever was at Nebraska.
Robinson exploded yesterday for a 5/125/2 stat line.
This guy can ball and is 📈 up my 22’ WR ranks pic.twitter.com/KmKDvFawZx
— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) September 5, 2021
Robinson has moved into my Top-50 overall In my devy rankings. The 2022 draft-eligible wide receiver is making noise at the right time. Not only is Robinson receiving fanfare from the devy community, he’s likely gaining steam by NFL draft scouts as well.
Blake Corum, RB – Michigan
Like Wan’Dale Robinson, not many have improved their devy stock as much as Michigan running back Blake Corum has. Corum has started his Sophomore campaign with three straight 100-yard rushing efforts. He’s averaging an eye-popping 8.5 yards per carry along with eight total touchdowns in just three games.
Recipe for RBs…
Vision & tempo! Blake Corum has them both. pic.twitter.com/z7087ARRNs
— Damian Parson 🏈 (@DP_NFL) September 15, 2021
Corum has leaped to 64 overall in my devy rankings. He’s my RB24 overall right now. After a disappointing Freshman season, the highly touted four-star recruit is back on track leading the Wolverines run game.
Tyler Badie, RB – Missouri
Missouri Senior running back Tyler Badie is making a case to be a riser in the 2022 running back class. Badie has accumulated 487 total yards through three games. He’s averaging an impressive 7.2 yards per carry while adding six total touchdowns. What separates Badie from others is his ability in the receiving game out of the backfield. Entering 2021, Badie had 70 receptions. He hasn’t slowed down in 2021. Badie has fifteen receptions through three games to start the year.
IF (and it’s a big IF) Tyler Badie is used as an every down back like coaches have mentioned, his ceiling is sky high. Despite being only used sparingly (156 carries) over the last 2 years, he still accumulated a receiving line of 60/688/7
200+/50+?
— Nate Marchese (@CFFNate) July 5, 2021
Badie has recently moved into my Top-100 rankings. He is a home run threat with breakaway speed. Badie has a skill set that may intrigue NFL teams. He’s somebody I’m keeping a close eye on the remainder of the college football season.
Kenneth Walker, RB – Michigan State
Kenneth Walker is making the move from the ACC to the Big Ten look easy. The Junior transfer from Wake Forest has been a workhorse for the Spartans so far this year. Walker has 493 yards rushing on 8.6 yards per carry through three games. He’s added six touchdowns total as well.
Kenneth Walker III: 372 rush yards AFTER contact
Leads college football😤
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 19, 2021
Walker has shown he’s more than capable as an early down bellcow. One area of improvement would be to see more usage in the passing game as a receiver. Walker only has nine total receptions in his collegiate career to date. I have Walker ranked 63rd overall right now in my devy rankings. He’s currently RB11 for me in the 2022 running back class.
Kenny Pickett, QB – Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh signal caller Kenny Pickett seems to be putting it all together in his Senior year. Pickett has amassed an impressive 939 yards for 10 touchdowns and only one interception in his first three games. He’s completing a career high 71.2 percent of his passes. Pickett has also shown some rushing ability, albeit minor. He has 107 rushing yards and a touchdown via the ground. Pickett certainly isn’t a konami code style quarterback, but he moves well extending plays.
This is improvising to the core.
Kenny Pickett had some intriguing factors. He’s an improviser who has a gunslinging mentality. Consistency is key, but I see why Jim Nagy wanted him at the Senior Bowl last year. He’s fun to watch. https://t.co/sFXJdDUZ7i pic.twitter.com/5VZkRH57E3
— 🟢 𝕁𝕠𝕙𝕟 𝕍𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕝 (@DraftVogel) June 30, 2021
Pickett has risen inside my Top-100 overall, settling in at 90 right now. He’s currently my QB10 for the 2022 draft-eligible quarterback class. There’s an opportunity in this quarterback class for players to rise out of nowhere, leading to solid draft capital. Kenny Pickett is doing everything he can do in that regard so far in 2021.
Other Devy Risers
- Drake London
- Josh Downs
- Will Shipley
- Jahan Dotson
- Xavier Worthy
- Brock Bowers
- Erik Ekuzanma
- CJ Verdell
- Rachaad White
