South Florida LB Ben Moffit
Credit: Chris Livingston/Icon SMI

We finally got what many of us fellow college football fans have been anticipating since the kickoff of the 2007 season—“Upset Saturday”. Every season there is a weekend where college football goes on tilt and you just need to hold on for the ride because like any satisfactory rollercoaster it will leave discombobulated and once the ride is over you gather your senses and say “Man that was fun. Let’s do that again!” So goes “Upset Saturday” which happened to fall on week #5 this season where 7 of the top 13 teams lost and sent the landscape of college football in to a proverbial tailspin, and when the dust cleared Sunday morning, and the new college rankings were on display, it would be difficult for one who has followed college football all season long not to be stunned by what the rankings stated in black and white. (Using the AP Top 25) There is a new #1 in the land where LSU has surpassed former #1 USC, even though USC won their ball game on Saturday night. After their stunning upset of West Virginia on Friday night South Florida made a huge jump in the standings and in the consciousness of fans everywhere when they leaped to #6 this week. Boston College continues to roll on and have now reached the #7 ranking and Kentucky reached the #8 spot on the eve of their tough three game SEC tests against South Carolina, Florida, and LSU. The hits just keep on coming as this Saturday coming up there will be several huge match-ups including Kentucky vs. South Carolina on Thursday night, Florida vs. LSU, and Oklahoma vs. Texas, both on Saturday, all of which will go a long way in determining the conference champions as well as the representatives in this seasons National Championship game. Now on to this week’s “Prospect Stock Market”:

RISING:
South Florida Bulls: At the beginning of the season many pundits spoke highly about the South Florida program and how teams such as Auburn and West Virginia should be on alert when they face these Bulls. Well, even the most rabid South Florida backer would be stunned by the notion that after just five short weeks into the 2007 season the South Florida Bulls would sky rocket to #6 in the AP poll. You take a look at the South Florida schedule and all of a sudden with the recent struggles of the Louisville Cardinals and their schedule is no longer so formidable. South Florida may lose a game or two in 2007, but there is no program in America rising as quickly as the Bulls.

LSU Tigers: There is a lot of talk that the Tigers supplanted the Trojans this week in the polls due to the fact that the pollsters were just growing bored with no movement at the top. I’m not buying this propaganda, rather I am buying that so far in 2007 the LSU Tigers have flat out been the more impressive team of the two. When the smoke clears I expect the Trojans, and not the Tigers to be in the National Championship game, and become the victors of said game, but for the time being the LSU Tigers are the rightful #1 team in the nation.

The Big Ten Conference: After repeatedly slamming the Big Ten in consecutive weeks the Big Ten, Ohio State and Wisconsin specifically, fought back, with admittedly uninspired victories over Minnesota and Michigan State respectively, but at the end of the day, in today’s college football a win is a win. Both the Buckeyes and the Badgers have now entered into the top 5 in the polls so I need to give them some props. With rather lackluster schedules remaining aside from a match-up between the two, I must reluctantly admit that there is a possibility that an undefeated Big Ten team is a representative in the National Championship game. That being said, I still think both teams will lose at least one game and in my opinion neither will be in the BCS National Championship game.

California Golden Bears: I must admit that I was pulling for the Oregon Ducks in Saturday’s clash between the two, but I walk away even more impressed with the Golden Bears then I was before the game. Scoring 21 points in the 4^th quarter against a very good Oregon team on the road is extremely impressive. After Saturday’s career performance WR DeSean Jackson remains a Heisman front runner and offensively this team has everything you could ask for, and their defense is better than advertised. Now up to #3 in the country they have realized their potential. How fun is that game on November 10^th between USC and Cal going to be?

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky and Matt Ryan QB Boston College: If I had to cast my vote for the winner of the Heisman trophy today, these two senior signal callers would be #1 and #2 on my ballot. Both quarterbacks are leading their teams to unprecedented heights while having career seasons. It will be exciting to see how far each QB can lead his respective team as both are going to be tested here very shortly.
Missouri Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks: Don’t look now folks, but after “Upset Saturday” only the Missouri Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks are undefeated among Big 12 teams

STATUS QUO:
In a weekend dubbed as “Upset Saturday” where virtually nothing went as scripted there is very little to state that has remained status quo, if I was forced to state one thing, the SEC Conference continues to be the best week in and week out college football conference in America.

FALLING:
Where do I begin?
USC Trojans: They didn’t falter on Saturday as many teams did, but they did fall off the top perch for the first time in 2007 and that in itself is the most notable “fall” in week #5.

West Virginia Mountaineers: For the second consecutive year I have predicted West Virginia to make it to the National Championship game, and for the second year in a row it appears as if they are going to let me down. They were thoroughly dominated Friday night by the South Florida Bulls and after watching every game West Virginia has played this season I am beginning to become concerned about the pro potential of RB Steve Slaton. Look, I think he is a dynamic player, especially in the open field, but he needs work running the football between the tackles. The offense attack of the Mountaineers has up to this point been focused on attacking the perimeter of their opponents defense via the running attack, but at some point you have to run the ball straight forward, and that is something that WVU has yet to show they can do on a consistent basis.
The Big 12 powers—Oklahoma Sooner’s and Texas Longhorns: After both teams fell victim to upset defeats on Saturday the “Red River Shootout” has to lose a little of its luster. The winner still is the frontrunner for the Big 12 title and keeps their National Title hopes alive for the time being, but the loser will see a once promising 2007 season fall to the way side in the span of two weeks.

Florida Gators: The defending National Champions lost for the first time to an Auburn team that had been very unimpressive so far in 2007. If the Gators want to have any shot at repeating and becoming National Champions once again then they will have to dust themselves off and beat the #1 team in the land the LSU Tigers on Saturday, which will be a tall task indeed.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: After West Virginia was upset on Friday night, and following Louisville’s struggles earlier this season the Big East was left wide open for the Scarlet Knights to grab control of, and on Saturday they reiuned this golden opportunity when they lost to Maryland. The Big East eventual champion is now anyone’s guess.

Clemson Tigers: The Clemson Tigers missed four field goals in a game in which they lost by 10 points. They also had a punt blocked, so their special teams were a huge factor in Saturday’s upset loss to Georgia Tech.

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: Brennan threw 5 interceptions for the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday, which was virtually unheard of for a QB that has been praised for his accuracy throughout his career. Is this just one bad outing or a sign of things to come?

Alabama Crimson Tide: Nick Saban’s bunch did not appear to get over the hang over of losing to the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime the previous week. The Crimson Tide need to get themselves back into gear if they are going to remain a float in the ultra-competitive SEC.

*Don’t miss the SEC battle between newly crowned #1 LSU Tigers and defending National Champion Florida Gators at 8pm Saturday night.

Credit: Greg Drzazgowski/Icon SMI

Four weeks of the college season are in the bag, and several Heisman candidates are out of the running due to their team’s early failures. I’m looking at you Brian Brohm and Chad Henne. Still, at this juncture, the best performers are likely not to be there at the end of the season due to their team’s suffering losses in conference play.

So who is still alive? USC is still undefeated, as expected, and John David Booty has put up solid, if not spectacular numbers. He has been very efficient, but is averaging just 213 yards per game. Booty still remains the favorite in my eyes, due the USC having the best chance of running the table.

LSU and Oklahoma do not have true stars on the offensive side of the ball, which probably cancels them out. Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin have been terrific for Florida, and if they can manage to go undefeated in the SEC, both would get consideration. However, it is almost impossible for a true sophomore to win th award.

The West Virginia duo of Steve Slaton and Pat White have been phenomenal and will likely continue to shine. If WVU can defeat South Florida this week, the Mountaineer players take a big step forward, but still run the risk of “splitting” the vote

Cal’s Desean Jackson has gotten a lot of hype and looked good in the national game against Tennessee. However, his receiving stats leave something to be desired. The game against USC will determine his fate.

Wisconsin’s P.J. Hill has been solid, but is likely to run into some bias of a weak Big Ten conference. If Rutgers can win the Big East, Ray Rice looks like a shoe in for the top 5 in voting. Hawaii’s Colt Brennan is putting up video game numbers, but missing last week’s game with a sprained ankle pushes him off of the top five for now.

However the two biggest risers in the early season at the QBs for a pair of undefeated teams - Andre Woodson and Matt Ryan. Woodson has led the Wildcats up to #14 in the polls and has received a lot of attention. A victory over LSU or Florida would catapult Woodson to the top of the pack.

Boston College’s Matt Ryan has really impressed me so far this season. He is a much better player than I ever thought. NFLdraftdog’s Robert Bryant has always loved Ryan, but the Golden Eagles look to have a strong chance in the ACC and he has blossomed under coach Jeff Jagodzinski’s system.

If Ryan can run the table in the ACC - no easy task with games at Clemson and Virginia Tech, he might just bring the Heisman back to Boston College for the first time in 23 years.

A pair of QBs off to hot starts also join our top five - Oregon’s Dennis Dixon has 11 TDs and 0 INTs, while Purdue’s Curtis Painter is invoking memories of Drew Brees with an incredible 16 TD to 1 INT for the undefeated Boilermakers.

While Desean Jackson is getting a lot of attention, the best WR so far this season has been Texas Tech wide out Michael Crabtree, who is on pace for a record season. Like many of the top players so far, Crabtree’s success is going to be tied to his team’s. Crabtree also lacks the pre-season hype typically needed to win the award.

The Week 4 Heisman top five:

1. Matt Ryan, BC, QB
2. Andre Woodson, Kentucky, QB
3. Curtis Painter, Purdue, QB
4. Dennis Dixon, Oregon, QB
5. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, WR

In a blur of upsets and great finishes week #2 of the College Football season is in the books and Matt MacCoy, War Room Report Analyst and Lead Offensive Scout takes a look back at the noteworthy performances from this past weekend’s games and who’s stock might be “rising”, “falling”, or who’s stock remains “status quo”:

Before I get to the evaluation of week #2 and the stock of many pro prospects I have a few things I would like to get off my chest:

• If I hear this question posed one more time on one of ESPN’s tiring, re-tread shows ala “Cold Pizza” or “First and 10”, or whatever they are calling the monstrosity now I’m going to jump through my TV set and strangle Skip Bayless—the question being which Head Coach is under more pressure: Charlie Weis or Lloyd Carr? I am far from a genius, but I think I know an illogical question when I hear one. The Michigan Wolverines entered into the 2007 season with a 4-year starting senior QB Chad Henne, senior RB Mike Hart, and All-American offensive tackle Jake Long returning to make one more run at a Big Ten title and a possible National Championship only to lose to Division I-AA Appalachian State in one of the biggest upsets in college football history, and turn around a week later and get destroyed by Oregon 39-6, both games in the “Big House.” The Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered the 2007 season hoping for a winning season and possible bowl game appearance. They lost their QB Brady Quinn, RB Darius Walker, their top two options at WR Jeff Samardjiza and Rhema McKnight, top offensive lineman Ryan Harris, and top defensive lineman DE Victor Abiamiri. They are now starting a true freshman at QB in Jimmy Clausen, and while he has a very bright future, it is anticipated that he will struggle early. They lost to a respectable Georgia Tech team, and then in Happy Valley against Penn State. The major difference here is expectations—the Wolverines were gunning for a National Title, the Irish are in an obvious rebuilding season, and both teams have produced the same results. The Wolverines are the far more disappointing team, and following the 2007 season Charlie Weis will still have his job, the same I can not say for one Lloyd Carr.

• If you went to bed early Saturday night you missed a thrilling ending to the Auburn vs. South Florida game. As I was watching the game one thought kept ringing through my head: “I don’t believe I have ever seen a game where one team tried to give away the game to this extent, while the other team refused to take it from them.” If you missed it, let me briefly recap—the Auburn Tigers converted only 2/13 on 3^rd down conversions, all while turning the ball over FIVE times to South Florida. South Florida took the ball in turn, got into scoring range only for place kicker Delbert Alvarado to miss FOUR field goals. It was one of those jaw-dropping games where you just couldn’t believe what you were seeing. From a prospect point of view Brandon Cox is too shaky to make it to the next level, and is lucky there isn’t a suitable backup QB waiting in the wings or he would lose his starting job. Matt Grothe, who is only a sophomore, has got “it”. The coaching staff seemed to lose confidence in every player on the field besides Grothe at the end of the game. He is only 6’0 and 200 pounds, but he has some leadership qualities you have to like in a young QB. He needs some work, but he reminds me of a young Drew Brees.

Now that I got that off my chest, let’s move on to the up and down world that is “The Prospect Stock Market”:

RISING:

DeSean Jackson WR California: If you haven’t caught on that Jackson is the most exciting player in America you don’t have a pulse. On a day when his QB Nate Longshore wasn’t at his best, Jackson did it again with a 73-yard RUSHING TD. Yes critics, he is still undersized, but if that is your only concern, than you’re missing out. He will be a playmaker at the next level, I am sold on this.

Oklahoma Sooners: They thoroughly dominated the University of Miami (FL) on Saturday and put the rest of College Football on notice that this team is dangerous. I was very impressed with the Offensive Line of the Sooners who handled DE Calais Campbell and Co. pretty well up front; it will be interesting if any top-notch prospects emerge from this group. I was also very impressed with the Sooners’ pair of wide receivers Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias. Iglesias may be the 2007 version of Anthony Gonzalez, he may be overshadowed by his teammate Kelly, but he is precise route runner and might workout very well and his stock might “rise”. Malcolm Kelly is very smooth and seems to make plays effortlessly; if I had to make a comparison to a player at the next level he reminds me a lot of Javon Walker.

LSU Tigers: I apologize to the entire state of Louisiana; I vastly underrated the LSU Tigers. After watching their first game this season I thought the play calling was too conservative and would bite them against Virginia Tech, oh how I was wrong. LSU has speed all over the field and will cause match-up problems for virtually every team they will encounter in 2007. Early Doucet stretches the field and the defense has to respect his speed up top, and in doing so leaves gapping holes for the Tigers other offensive weapons. All the props in the world to LSU, however, I still don’t see them in the National Championship. The lack of a ‘true’ #1 tailback and the blistering schedule they will have to endure in the SEC makes it very difficult for me to believe they will go unbeaten. They might be the 2^nd best team in the country, but I don’t think they will make it to their ultimate goal.

South Carolina Gamecocks: Steve Spurrier took his his South Carolina squad on the road in the SEC and beat a legit top 15 team. This is noteworthy in itself, and why some believe it is preposterous to think that South Carolina can win the SEC, no one gave Duke a chance to win the ACC either and Spurrier succeeded in that venture as well.

Tashard Choice RB Georgia Tech: He was playing against Samford this week and hung 110 and 2 touchdowns on them before being taken out of the game, but the week before he rushed for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns against Notre Dame. He isn’t very flashy, and is floating under the radar somewhat, but if he continues to produce at this rate he won’t be under the radar for long.

Dennis Dixon QB Oregon: He is not much of a pro prospect at this point, in fact he is probably a future major league baseball player, but how can you not be impressed by his performance in Ann Arbor last Saturday. He looked like Vince Young in the Rose Bowl, he dominated with his arm, and then with his legs. If the baseball thing doesn’t work out, he could become a later round draft pick in the NFL.

Chase Daniel QB Missouri: The competition thus far has not had the stingiest of defenses (Illinois and Ole Miss), but you have to be impressed with Daniel’s productivity and versatility. He is on pace for approximately 4,400 total yards and 48 touchdowns in the regular season. He is another prospect listed just at 6’0, so that is a major cause for concern, but he is a prospect to keep your eyes on at the very least.

Jamaal Charles RB Texas: Jamaal Charles is currently ranked 5^th on the War Room Report running back rankings, higher than most other publications, and for good reason. He has an exceptional initial burst and above average build and his production is showing up so far in the 2007 season. The TCU front seven is as tough as they come in college football and Charles averaged 6.1 yards per carry on Saturday rushing for 134 yards and a TD in the effort. The Longhorns don’t really focus Charles in the offense, so his numbers may never be eye-popping, but rest assured he is a very solid prospect.

James Hardy WR Indiana: Coming into the 2007 season it was a question mark whether James Hardy was even going to be able to play early on due to injury. Well, he has played and has only recorded six catches, but he has made the most out of them, turning those six catches into FOUR touchdowns and a 30.0 yard average. As the season progresses you will see more catches and consistency from Hardy, but he is a home run threat if nothing more.

STATUS QUO:

Brian Brohm QB Louisville: Another 400 yards passing a 4 touchdowns. Still the consensus #1 overall selection in my view, and he might be garnering some Heisman momentum.

Ray Rice RB Rutgers: He is what he is, one of the most reliable running backs in the collegiate game today.

Steve Slaton RB West Virginia: West Virginia got away from what they like to do in the first half and got themselves into trouble. You know what you are WVU, you want to run the ball with Slaton and White. Run the ball with your two studs, roll them up in bubble wrap after every game, avoid either getting injured, and you’ll be in the National Championship game. Slaton took over the game in the 2^nd half on Saturday; his end game stats were 146 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Calais Campbell DE Miami (FL) and Kenny Phillips S Miami (FL): Both players made a few solid plays, but Oklahoma hung 51 points on your defense. Two top-flight pro prospects should step up their game and not allow this to happen, and obviously this did not occur. Their draft status doesn’t change following this game, but it is something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Curtis Painter QB Purdue: Is he a product of the system? He has an NFL ready body, the size scouts look for, and so there is debate here. Workouts will be of most importance for Painter.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: Another solid performance by Ryan. I don’t see any glaring weaknesses. I am really interested to see how he does against some better defenses.

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky: Another guy who has an excellent chance to impress when he gets into the heart of the SEC schedule. He doesn’t make mistakes either, doesn’t throw interceptions, and seems completely at ease with the offense at UK.

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: Almost 1,000 yards passing in two games and a 10:1 TD: INT ratio is excellent, but more impressively is that they gutted out a tough victory on Saturday against Louisiana Tech.

FALLING:

Sam Keller QB Nebraska: He is just too inconsistent for my liking. Some plays he looks great, some he looks as if he has no idea what is going on out there. He is beginning to remind me a lot of Kyle Boller, and this is not a good thing. This was a big year for Keller to impress the scouts, and there is still time, but his biggest problem is consistency, if this doesn’t improve almost nothing else will matter.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Yes, the good news is they are off to a 2-0 start, but anyone who watched last weeks game against Akron can tell you that there is just something wrong with this team. Whether it is the lack of a passing game or the fact that they are just missing so many parts from their offense a year ago, this is not a good football team NOW, but with such a soft early schedule they have time to iron some things out.

Michigan Wolverines: You know the story, you have seen the games, and you draw your own conclusion.

Boise State Broncos: The Broncos lost and broke their winning streak on Saturday. Ian Johnson couldn’t get anything going with the running game, and they just didn’t seem to be in sync all day.

Virginia Tech’s Defense: Vince Hall and Co. disappointed Saturday. The Hokies were beaten in every facet of the game, even in their forte of defense and special teams.

PJ Hill RB Wisconsin: I might be too critical of PJ Hill, but then again I wasn’t the one telling everyone who would listen how he had slimmed down and was going to be more explosive. He ran for 147 yards on Saturday night, and while that is all well and good the productivity from Hill has never been the question mark, the quickness and initial burst has been and I might be the only person in America who is so critical of him, but in two games, I have yet to see it.

Week #1 of the College Football season is in the books and Matt MacCoy, War Room Report Analyst and Lead Offensive Scout takes a look back at the noteworthy performances from this past weekend’s games and who’s stock might be “rising”, “falling”, or who’s stock remains “status quo”:

RISING:
Brian Brohm QB Louisville: The early favorite to be the #1 overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft didn’t disappoint in his 2007 debut. Displaying accuracy and the ability to make the big play he turned his 16 completions into a whopping 375 yards and seems to be making a smooth transition to any changes that may have been made in the coaching switch from Bobby Petrino to Steve Kragthorpe. I understand the performance was against Murray State, so we shouldn’t go overboard with excitement, but to see Brohm in mid-season form and showing no residual effects from his injury last season is an excellent sign.

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: I realize that Northern Colorado may not have a Division I caliber defense, but throwing for 416 yards and 6 TDs—virtually of which was in the first half is still stunning. Look, I get the arguments, the guy is from a pass-happy offense and he is on the smallish side…duly noted. Colt Brennan isn’t Timmy Chang, and he isn’t David Klinger or any other pass-crazy, non pro-prospect reference you want to throw out there. He is freakishly accurate with his passes, displayed by his 34 of 40 performance on Saturday night…yes that is an 85% completion percentage. He needs to bulk up, and needs to show he can take snaps under center and still remain as accurate, but you are looking at a 1^st rounder in the 2008 Draft at this point.

DeSean Jackson WR California: The kid needs to bulk up…that is all. He is as an electrifying a player that college football has to offer and for per touch excitement, only Reggie Bush and Devin Hester come to mind when explaining how skilled Jackson is. He’s not a kick returner playing wide receiver ala Ted Ginn Jr., he is a wide receiver with breathtaking abilities as a return man. As the draft approaches I’m sure we will here the critics break him down due to his size, and their fear that he won’t hold up at the next level. The fears are legit, but drafting DeSean Jackson gives you a Steve Smith or Santana Moss type player on offense RIGHT NOW.

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky: His stock is going to continue to rise until his name is mentioned in debate around draft circles whether a team would be better off drafting him or Brian Brohm. Andre Woodson needs to solidify such hyperbole by showing up in the big games in the SEC, and some wins in these games wouldn’t hurt, but 20 of 29 for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns to no interceptions is a good start.

Ben Olsen QB UCLA: Now is the time for the former prep star to realize his potential. If he can stay away from injuries he can lead this team to some big wins. He has the attributes the NFL scouts covet, and throwing 5 touchdowns in his 2007 debut put everyone in the Pac 10 on alert. I would like to his completion percentage escalate to some degree, but right now, I’m nitpicking.

Steve Slaton RB West Virginia: He is not a complete back quite yet, and he will need some work at the next level, as well as to bulk up a little bit, that being said, he is the most exciting RB in the country Darren McFadden included. Every time Steve Slaton touches the ball your on the edge of your seat thinking he is going to go the distance, and on many occasions he does just that. If he can display improvement in catching the football out of the backfield, he will rival McFadden for the top selection of a RB in the 2008 Draft.

STATUS QUO:
John David Booty QB USC: The Heisman favorite had a ho-hum 206 yards passing and 3 touchdowns against Idaho on Saturday. Nothing to get too excited about, but if you were USC would you get that excited about playing Idaho? His overall performances will get better, but he remains the favorite for the Heisman and a first-day selection.

Darren McFadden RB Arkansas: With a 151 yards rushing and a TD plus a 42-yard TD pass, Darren McFadden made the country well aware that he is the most versatile back in the country and still second to none at the position when it comes to his draft status. Steve Slaton may be on his heels, but with performances like this, McFadden will keep him at bay.

Ray Rice RB Rutgers: 25 carries for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ray Rice is the workhorse for the Rutgers offense, this is well known. After his tremendous sophomore campaign it is tough to impress. He may not be as dynamic or talented as Darren McFadden or Steve Slaton, but Ray Rice gives you steady production at the position, and in this class, 3^rd RB is no slap in the face.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: Matt Ryan has displayed a complete control of the Boston College offense. 408 yards and 5 touchdowns are pretty impressive considering they were against defending ACC Champion Wake Forest. I’m not sure how high Ryan’s ‘ceiling’ is as far as his draft potential goes, but with consistent performances in 2007 his name will be in the mix as the 4^th-5^th QB to come off the board.

Erik Ainge QB Tennessee: Some scouts are down on Erik Ainge entering the 2007 season, but I am not one of them. His performance on Saturday was a solid outing. With a running game that is below par and wide receiver options that are unfamiliar Ainge still managed to go 32 of 47 for 271 yards with 3 touchdowns to no interceptions in a hostile Golden Bear crowd, all with a broken finger. I know he has less mobility than the Statue of Liberty, but the kid can throw from the pocket and he is accurate and can make all the throws you could want. This might be high praise, but at the end of the day I see more Carson Palmer then Byron Leftwich in Erik Ainge.

Ian Johnson RB Boise State: As far as college running backs go this guy is a stud. His off-season workouts, especially speed and agility drills are going to be of great importance to Ian Johnson. He is tough as nails, and there is a lot to like about the guy, but again, just not sure how high his potential ‘ceiling’ is.

Felix Jones RB Arkansas: 12 rushes for 129 yards and a TD. Another 10 yard+ average game for Jones, but he remains overshadowed by teammate Darren McFadden. I am afraid people don’t realize how good Jones is.

FALLING:
Michigan Wolverines: After the stunning defeat vs. Appalachian State the Wolverines have seen the 2007 season go down in flames and now some of their potential high round picks are going to have their abilities questioned. Jake Long and Mike Hart had solid performances so their stock should remain about where it was prior to the game. However, I’m concerned about Chad Henne and Mario Manningham. Henne connected on only 51.4% of his passes vs. Appalachian State? This sends up ‘red flags’ for me. You expect in his senior season your QB to step up and save the day in such a situation, and Henne played well in the 4^th quarter, but it was too little too late for me. Manningham had only 3 catches for 66 yards, and 1 was the 46-yarder that came in that desperation heave. The Wolverines need to bounce back, and bounce back quick.

Oklahoma State: The supposed “Greatest Offense in the World” fell flat on its face on Saturday against Georgia. They looked out of sync for most of the ball game. Adarius Bowman had an ok performance and has the tools to succeed at the next level, so only slight concern surrounding him, but as far as Bobby Reid and Dantrell Savage goes, they need excellent 2007 seasons to impress the scouts, and they got off on the wrong foot on Saturday, another team that needs to turn it around in a hurry.

Early Doucet WR LSU: What I saw from the LSU Tigers offense in their first game I did not like. They seemed to have very conservative play calling, and in order to display the skills of a top WR like Doucet, they need to open up the playbook a bit more and have more down field passing. His end game numbers, 9 catches for 78 yards and a TD are ok, but just watching the offense, if the play calling remains the same, Doucet could be in for some poor performances in 2007.

Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon: A War Room Report favorite struggled out of the gates, having two teammates rush for more yards than him. I would personally like to see the Oregon coaching staff feature him more in 2007, give him more carries. He is a bruising tailback that should be able to wear down defenses by the time the 4^th quarter rolls around, I’m just not sure if 14 touches a game is going to get it down. I would like to see his workload doubled.

Courtney Tennial RB Tulsa: The former Oklahoma product did not play in Week 1 and it was announced that he will miss the entire 2007 season with an ankle injury suffered in pre-season drills. Tennial has been a hard luck player since entering college, being stuck behind Adrian Peterson at Oklahoma and now suffering this injury. Despite the fact that he has only been a featured back for one year, Tennial will have to petition the NCAA for a 6^th year of eligibility if he hopes to play in 2008.

OTHER PERFORMANCES OF NOTE:
Omar Cuff RB Delaware: Omar Cuff tied a Division I-AA record when he rushed for 7 touchdowns against William & Mary in the opener. He recorded 296 yards of offense to boot. He is a versatile, speedy back and could build momentum to a possible draft selection.

Several prospects stood out from week one of the college football season.

In Division 1-AA action, Delaware’s Omar Cuff stood out with a seven touchdown game. Cuff, who was on our pre-season watch list of 2008 NFL Draft running backs, displayed great acceleration and exceptional balance in the performance and is an intriguing second day draft pick.

In the same game, an intriguing TE prospect caught my eye. William and Mary’s Drew Atchison, a former college baseball pitcher caught 6 passes for 139 yards. The 6′7, 250 lb was an unrecruited walk on who started 5 games last year but will be an emerging small school TE like Michael Whitworth or Kevin Boss last year.

In the Cal-Tennessee game, RB Justin Forsett showed why he is a War Room Report favorite. Though he is likely to never been a full time RB in the NFL, his receiving skills and speed will make him a top flight 3rd down back. Forsett is similar to 2007 draft prospect Lorzeno Booker.

Top WR prospect Desean Jackson showed his amazing punt return ability in the Cal win. Jackson is a return man on par with Devin Hester, and perhaps better than 2007 NFL Draft #9 overall pick, Ted Ginn Jr. Jackson is a better receiver than Hester or Ginn, but his slight size is a concern. Though he is 6-0, Jackson is only 166 lbs. If Hester, Ginn, and other return men have a big impact in 2007, Jackson is an automatic Round 1 selection, if he choose to come out. He may return to Cal for his senior season in an attempt to add more bulk.

Another top WR prospect is Vanderbilt’s Earl Bennett. Bennett had 13 catches for 223 yards in Vanderbilt’s easy win over Richmond. Bennett is now only 35 catches from the SEC career record and is likely to join former QB Jay Cutler in Round One of the NFL Draft.

On the defensive side of the ball, one of the most impressive prospects to me in Week One was Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn. Groves simply dominated Kansas State LT Alesana Alesana with a pair of sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble. Groves probably translates best to a 3-4 rush OLB in the pros, but he is one that should make an immediate impact with his quick burst off the line.

As the 2007 NFL Draft process wraps up, we are turning our attention to the class of 2008. During the off-season, we will be presenting our top prospects lists and juniors to watch list. Below is our early list of prospects, subject to change during the 2007-08 season.

1. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas (Junior) - The 2006 Doak Walker Award winner, McFadden could enter the 2008 draft as a junior. McFadden’s combination of speed, size, and elusiveness, would rank him among the top running backs to enter the draft in history. He was the runner up for the Heisman Trophy in 2006, after rushing for 1,558 yards. McFadden is a big back at 6′2, weighing 210 lbs. He runs with a great deal of power and has yet to demonstrate any of the durability concerns that have plagued recent top prospects.
2. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville - Brohm considered entering the 2007 NFL Draft, but decided to return to Louisville, despite a change in the coaching staff. Brohm has ideal size for a QB at a 6′4, 225, and one of the strongest arms in college football. Brohm has been extremely efficient at Louisville, completing over 63% of his passes in 2 years as a starter. Brohm has had thumb and knee injuries at Louisville, but has the size and quick release to remain healthy at the NFL level.
3. Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Long could have been a top 10 pick if he had entered the 2007 NFL Draft. He decided to return for his senior season at Michigan. Long was the 2006 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, over top 5 picks, Joe Thomas and Levi Brown. Long has exceptional strength and is very technically sound. At 6′7, 313 lb, Long has the ability to add more weight to his already impressive frame.
4. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU - At 6′2, 299 lbs, Dorsey is an ideal 3 technique DT. He is another player who could have entered the 2007 NFL Draft and likely would be a high draft pick. He had 64 tackles last season while anchoring the LSU line. He needs to continue to improve his strength, but if he can have another standout season, he will be the top defensive lineman off the board in the 2008 Draft.
5. Sam Baker, OT, USC - Baker also choose to return to school after considering declaring for the 2007 NFL Draft. Baker is a good athlete with outstanding mobility. He needs to add strength to his game, as he is a better pass blocker than a run blocker at this point. He has the athleticism to project to left tackle at the next level.
6. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami (Junior) - Another in the long line of outstanding safeties from the “U”, Phillips has terrific size at 6′2, 202 and outstanding agility. He runs a sub 4.45 40 and unlike some other recent Miami safeties, he is a terrific student who really understands the game. Phillips intercepted 4 passes in 9 games last season and will be expected to step up his game following the departure of Brandon Meriweather.
7. Desean Jackson, WR, Cal (Junior) - Jackson is among the best playmakers in college football. He has value in the return game and is an exceptional receiver. He has good hands and runs his routes well. He has scored 21 touchdowns in 24 career games, which demonstrates his playmaking ability. He had 59 receptions and over 1,000 yards for the productive Cal offense in 2006 and is likely to exceed that production in 2007. Jackson must add bulk - his 166 lb frame is too small for the NFL at this point.
8. Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC - One of the most watched juniors during the 2006-07 season, Jackson regressed slightly after an outstanding sophomore campaign that saw him rack up 10 sacks and earn 1st team All Pac-Ten. Jackson is 6′5, 275 lb and has the frame to add weight without losing mobility. He has an explosive first step and if he can play with more consistency in the 2007-08 season, he will see his name called early in the draft.
9. Dan Connor, LB, Penn State - Another great linebacker from “Linebacker U.”, Connor totaled 113 tackles in his junior season, including 9 tackles for a loss and 4 sacks. Connor will be entering the 2007 season has a four year starter and the top LB prospect in the country. He has the quickness to play sideline to sideline and could project to the NFL as a MLB or an OLB.
10. Paul Oliver, CB, Georgia - Oliver has ideal size for a corner and has the ability both to play off coverage and press coverage. He had an outstanding junior campaign, regularly matching up against the top receiver on the other team. He held Calvin Johnson to only 13 yards and Sidney Rice to 31 yards receiving. He needs to display more consistency in his game, but he has the physical tools to be the top corner in the 2008 class. *** Update *** Oliver has declared for the 2007 NFL Supplemental draft after academics trouble at Georgia.