Week 2 gave a boost to some players and a drop to others in terms of the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's three notable risers and fallers.
For college football players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, each week of the college season is a new chance to improve those hopes. Week 2 saw some impressive performances that helped NFL Draft stock, but also a few that have dropped Draft stock.
Here's a rundown of three players who helped and who hurt their Draft stock in Week 2.win over SMU. He's up to 859 passing yards and seven touchdowns over the first two games of the season. While Robertson had nice numbers before, he's providing evidence of his arm strength and potential ability to stretch NFL defenses.Beatty is an interesting case, because he has impressed as a punt returner, but he's off to a great start as a receiver. He managed to top 100 yards in each of the first two games, and grabbed eight passes for 128 yards against Duke. Beatty projects as a middle of the field guy at the next level, but he's certainly helping his prospects while helping Illinois.Maiava was impressive as the starter at UNLV in 2023. But after splitting time a season ago with Miller Moss, he is showing his skill set this year. Maiava's 707 yards and six scores are good, but it's the 16.8 yards per carry that really shows his ability to make big plays. Given the struggles of moss at Louisville, it's clear thatIt's not so much that Klubnik was awful against Troy , but he's not looking like a top collegiate passer. He's at 6.9 yards per pass attempt and two touchdowns against two interceptions. In the NFL, Klubnik can't necessarily rely on winning by having superior talent.Leavitt had a magical 2024 season, leading ASU to a Big 12 title and the CFP. But his 2025 is not off to a great start. He had just 82 passing yards against Mississippi State and threw a pair of interceptions. The Sun Devils' upset loss certainly doesn't go entirely on him, but he didn't look like a future NFL star on Saturday in Starkville.Ott has been teamed with John Mateer in the Oklahoma backfield. He was remarkable at Cal, but has been hampered by a shoulder injury and is still basically waiting to get going in 2025. Ott has just five carries, but if he can get going, given how productive Mateer has been, Ott could be the difference in a good or a great Oklahoma team-- and could help his Draft stock at the same time.Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.
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