Top 9 2024 NFL Draft prospects, risers, and sliders after Week 13: Alabama's Braswell, Huskies' Odunze climb; Auburn CB tanks post Iron Bowl choke
Rivalry weekend saw a plethora of fantastic games, as Alabama pulled it off on a desperation fourth-down play, Washington won on a last-second field goal and Michigan knocked off Ohio State. Several of those contests saw big-time NFL prospects step up to lead the way.
Here are the penultimate Risers and Sliders as we head towards championship weekend:
Top 2024 NFL Draft Risers after Week 13
1) Rome Odunze (WR - Washington)
The Huskies end the season with an unblemished record of 12-0 after a last-second victory over rival Washington State in the Apple Cup. Odunze almost singlehandedly caught his team to victory with another great performance. He finished the contest with seven receptions for 120 yards and two TDs. Odunze also took a reverse 23 yards on 4th-and-1 late in the final quarter, helping move Washington into field-goal position.
He finished the regular season with 73 receptions, 1,326 receiving yards, and 13 TDs, his second season with more than 1,000 yards receiving. Odunze has shown incredible consistency and progress in this game over the past two years.
Entering the season graded as a late third-round selection, Odunze now grades as a top-42 prospect and will compete to be the second receiver drafted next April.
2) Chris Braswell (Edge - Alabama)
Braswell, who is a redshirt junior, was on a lot of watchlists in the scouting community entering the season. Known as a freak athlete with great testing numbers, Braswell was more athlete than a football player with a combined 34 tackles and three sacks during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, yet he is now transitioning his great physical ability into football production and his game has taken off this season.
He ends the 2024 regular season with 40 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, and eight sacks. Braswell was all over the field during the victory over Auburn, which kept Alabama’s playoff hopes alive and forced the action with his ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage. Braswell is far from a finished product, yet he offers tremendous upside potential, and his game is headed in the right direction.
3) Ben Sinnott (TE - Kansas State)
The Wildcats lost a tough game to Iowa State by a score of 42-35 in snowy conditions, yet it was not due to lack of effort by Sinnott. The pass-catching tight end led the contest with 10 receptions and accounted for 136 receiving yards with one TD. He was the favorite target of KSU quarterback Will Howard this season, totaling 49 receptions, 676 yards, and six TDs.
Sinnott has outstanding size (6-foot-4, 243 pounds), speed (4.65s in the 40) and pass-catching hands. He’s not a poor blocker, though that area of his game needs improvement, and Sinnott moves towards the draft as a legitimate Day 2 prospect.
4) Jarius Monroe (CB - Tulane)
Monroe has been a favorite of mine for the past three years, and he further affirmed my faith in him Friday. Against the high-octane UTSA passing game, Monroe broke up three passes and added seven tackles. For the regular season, he has 45 tackles, eight PBUs, and two INTs, solid ball production considering opposing quarterbacks purposely throw away from him.
Monroe has next-level size at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, terrific ball skills, and a physical game. I grade him as a mid-round choice, as the senior can play in man coverage and line up in a zone scheme as well as play special teams.
5) Christian Jones (OT - Texas)
Jones was someone who caught my eye early in his career at Texas when he was the team’s starting left tackle. His game did not progress as much as I hoped -- until this season. Jones has found a home for himself at right tackle and has done a terrific job.
He’s a fundamentally sound blocker who has played through injury this season to stand out in pass protection and run blocking. Handed a late-round grade by scouts over the summer, Jones is moving toward the middle rounds based on his play in 2023.
6) Richard Jibunor (OLB - Troy)
Javon Solomon of Troy previously made my Risers list, but his teammate has also played extremely well this season. Jibunor, a super senior, has 53 tackles, 16 TFLs, and nine sacks this season as well as three forced fumbles.
Last year, Jibunor had 11 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, and three PBUs on his ledger. He’s a hard-charging and explosive defender who forces the action in the box or up the field. Testing numbers prior to the draft is crucial for Jibunor, who should have a home at the next level as a situational pass rusher/special-teams player.
7) Sleeper Prospect - Leon Johnson III (WR - Oklahoma State)
Leon Johnson’s name was rarely mentioned in the scouting community prior to the season. All scouts knew about Johnson was he was a large wideout (6-feet-4, 212 pounds) who transferred to the Cowboys from a school named George Fox. Johnson was expected to redshirt this season. Yet, injuries to OSU receivers forced him into action, and he’s really turned it on in the last five games.
Saturday was his best game of the season when he led all pass catchers with nine receptions for 132 yards during the Cowboys’ overtime victory over BYU, which clinched a spot in the Big 12 title game. Johnson, whom I’m told will enter the draft as his eligibility has come to an end, is building a buzz in the scouting community.
8) Small-school Prospect - Bryce Oliver (WR - Youngstown State)
Oliver was someone who caught my eye early in his college career when he played for Kentucky. He transferred to YSU in 2021 and has played incredibly well the past two years. During the 2023 regular season, Oliver finished with 53 receptions for 759 yards and seven TDs.
During the Penguins’ first-round playoff victory over Duquesne, the wideout posted eight receptions, 181 receiving yards, and one TD. Oliver is a sleek and smooth wideout with reliable hands. He lacks great speed and athleticism, but he has enough receiving skills to make a Sunday roster.
2024 NFL Draft Sliders after Week 13
D.J. James (CB - Auburn)
Graded as early as a second-round prospect before the season, James has struggled mightily at times this season and had an awful performance against Alabama.
A blown coverage led to a 68-yard touchdown reception by Jermaine Burton in the second quarter, then a missed coverage led to the game-winning touchdown when Isaiah Bond caught the ball over James on 4th-and-31 with just seconds remaining. James did have two PBUs during the contest, yet he hasn’t improved his game this season and has been inconsistent.