Expert's 2025 NFL Draft stock watch: Risers and sliders after Week 8 – Michigan star struggles; Indiana QB, Miami prospects take a giant leap
Week 8 on the college schedule saw Georgia go to Austin, Texas, and maul the No. 1 Longhorns. As a result, Oregon is now the top team in the rankings.
Many of the Bulldogs’ prospects, some mentioned in this column previously, played brilliantly. So too did several projected Day 3 picks in next April’s draft, players who will be sprinkled throughout depth charts on Sundays.
Here are the risers and sliders for Week 8.
2025 NFL Draft stock: Risers after Week 8 of college football
#1 Kurtis Rourke (QB/Indiana)
Entering the 2023 season when he played for Ohio, Rourke was graded as a potential late-round pick. He struggled with a lot of inconsistency in an Ohio offense that preferred to run the ball and throw receiver screens.
Rourke chose to return for another senior season, then he transferred to Indiana, and the move has proven to be brilliant.
Rourke is leading the second-most productive offense in the nation, completing almost 74% of his passes with 14 TDs and just two interceptions.
His command of the Hoosiers offense has been masterful, as Rourke has helped lead Indiana to a 7-0 record, most recently beating Nebraska, 56-7, and stomping a tough Cornhuskers defense.
Unfortunately, a thumb injury he sustained may keep Rourke on the sidelines next week against Wisconsin. He’s an intellectual game manager who delivers passes with terrific accuracy.
The ability to protect the football is also key and has cemented Rourke as a mid-Day 3 pick.
#2 Nick Emmanwori (S/South Carolina)
Emmanwori was a prospect I pointed to during my South Carolina preview this summer, describing him as a linebacker-sized safety.
The junior has played big-time football in what’s been a topsy-turvy season for the Gamecocks, and he was brilliant during the team’s victory over Oklahoma.
Finishing with 11 tackles, Emmanwori also intercepted two passes, bringing one back 63 yards for a touchdown.
For the season, he has four interceptions, two resulting in touchdowns. Emmanwori measures just under 6-foot-3 and just over 220 pounds.
He’s a traditional strong safety prospect, and besides being a terrific run defender, he possesses outstanding ball skills.
He presently grades as a third-round prospect on my board, and there will be teams who ultimately project Emmanwori to linebacker on Sundays.
#3 Xavier Restrepo (WR/Miami)
One of the most prolific pass catchers from a program that’s produced NFL Hall of Famers at the position, Restrepo often gets lost in the haze of the Cam Ward hype.
Restrepo has been a favorite target of Miami’s new quarterback and a consistent threat who has produced the past two seasons, breaking several Hurricanes records along the way.
His latest performance included seven receptions for 101 yards and one TD in the victory over Louisville that kept Miami a perfect 7-0. This comes off the heels of seven receptions for 163 yards in the prior game against Cal.
Restrepo possesses average size and average speed, but he’s a really good receiver who runs crisp routes and catches everything thrown in his direction.
He projects as a Day 3 pick, yet he will make a Sunday roster as a team’s fifth or possibly fourth receiver.
#4 Tai Felton (WR/Maryland)
It’s been an up-and-down season for Maryland, a team that’s lost too many winnable games. Yet through it all, Felton has been the team’s most consistent threat and plays to win every Saturday.
He did exactly that during the victory over USC on Saturday, catching nine passes for 84 yards and one TD. Felton leads Maryland in all receiving categories this season with 64 receptions, 804 yards, and six TDs.
He’s a long wideout who measures around 6-foot-1 and displays himself to be a vertical threat with a 40 time that could get under 4.4 seconds.
Presently graded as a fourth-round prospect, Felton’s play this season coupled with good workouts prior to the draft could push him into the draft’s second day.
Sleeper Prospects in 2025 NFL Draft class
#1 Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. (Edge/Virginia Tech)
Last week I mentioned Kyle Kennard of South Carolina, an underrated pass rusher who was graded as an undraftable prospect before the season, as a riser.
This week, another edge rusher who fits that profile joins the list. Powell-Ryland, who measures under 6-foot-2.5, under 245 pounds, and is estimated to run the 40 in a time of 4.75 seconds, was also rated as a free-agent prospect, yet he now grades as a Day 3 pick based off his play this season.
After seven games, the senior has been credited with 11 sacks, 11.5 TFLs, and two forced fumbles. Included in these totals was a four-sack, four-TFL effort during the victory over Boston College.
Powell-Ryland is incredibly quick, relentless and possesses a lot of natural pass-rushing skills. He presently holds a fifth-round grade on my board, but the better he tests before next year’s draft, the earlier he’ll be drafted.
Small-school Prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft Class
#1 Aaron Smith (LB/South Carolina State)
An undersized but speedy linebacker, Smith has been the top defender at South Carolina State for the past two seasons.
Leading the team in tackles (63), TFLs (11), and sacks (five) a year ago, he is once again at the top of the Bulldogs charts this season. Playing in just four games, Smith leads the defense with 33 tackles.
He’s a terrific pursuit linebacker with the ability to run down ball handlers in any direction, and he possesses enough athleticism as well as speed to make plays in coverage.
Expected to time the 40 under 4.60 seconds at 225 pounds, he’s a potential late-round pick who projects as a nickel linebacker/special-teams player on Sundays.
2025 NFL Draft stock: Sliders after Week 8 games
#1 Donovan Edwards (RB/Michigan)
Less than a year after winning the national championship and losing their head coach and a ton of talent to the NFL, the Wolverines are struggling to stay above .500. And Edwards is indicative of the struggle.
Projected as a middle-round pick in last April’s draft, he bucked the trend and returned to Ann Arbor, expecting to be the Wolverines’ go-to guy on offense. It’s not worked out to date.
Edwards has just 391 rushing yards in seven games and only nine receptions. And though his rushing yardage was not much better at this point a year ago when he shared the ball with Blake Corum, he was a big-play threat for the offense and a productive pass catcher.
There’s a very good chance Edwards ends up underdrafted next April and goes later than his talents warrant, but it’s fair to say his draft stock has taken a hit this year.
Also Read: Ashton Jeanty 2025 NFL Draft projections: Ravens, Chargers among top landing spots (plus two misfits)