NFL Analysis
9/9/24
8 min read
2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Ollie Gordon Falls, Quinn Ewers Rises
There weren't many big showdowns in Week 2 of the college football season, but that doesn't mean there weren't playmakers in the spotlight. Every week helps build the case for or against being a 2025 NFL Draft star. We're continuing to track the risers and fallers for the 2025 NFL Draft each week.
We're looking beyond the raw stats to help make our case for who played well and struggled. Every player has to answer certain questions about whether they can thrive on Sundays, and failing to show the ability to evolve beyond playing within a specific role can be a huge red flag for scouts. It's great to see the development that comes throughout multiple seasons.
Let's dive into our three players who helped themselves the most and those who didn't quite seize the moment.
CFB Week 2 Stock Up Players 📈
⬆️ Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Week 2 Stats: 24/36, 246 yards, three touchdowns
The headlining game of Week 2 was Texas vs. Michigan, so it's only natural that the primary star in the game would be a riser or a faller. Texas QB Quinn Ewers wasn't just the best player of the game but the biggest winner of the week.
The junior was cerebral and poised all game, picking apart a vaunted Michigan defense that could produce two top-five picks in the 2025 class.
The two areas in which Ewers could improve this season were his reaction to pressure and his consistency in stepping into his throws. The latter was markedly better in a tough environment at Michigan, with Ewers essentially providing long handoffs to his receivers with tremendous velocity and precision. His natural pocket-throwing talent is a thing of beauty and the primary reason to believe he can star in the NFL.
This is outstanding from Quinn Ewers. pic.twitter.com/6gH2O41NkX
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) September 7, 2024
Ewers faced a few free rushers and collapsing pockets, and his reactions were largely positive. He avoided turnovers and extended a few plays with accurate passes, checking the box of managing pressure effectively.
Overall, Ewers is blossoming even more after making a huge College Football Playoff run in 2023. It's fair to say he's in the conversation to be a first-round passer and one of the top three quarterback picks.
⬆️Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
Week 2 Stats: 13 carries, 119 yards, one touchdown; one reception, 14 yards, one touchdown
The 2025 running back class is loaded, so it's a big deal any week that one of the more known names struggles and one of the second-tier players emerges a bit.
Penn State shouldn't have struggled as much with Bowling Green as they did, but the Nittany Lions recovered from a slow start to win. A few standouts carried the Penn State offense, with running back Nicholas Singleton leading the way.
The junior, standing a stout 6 feet tall and 225 pounds, is a dynamic athlete for his size. His power is as expected for his frame, but he's significantly quicker and more fluid than others who have so much bulk. His 41-yard rush showed off his impressive burst through the hole, and then he added a 14-yard touchdown catch to top off his versatility.
DREW ALLAR WITH A DART AND PENN STATE TAKES THE LEAD! 🚀 @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/b0GccLmvK6
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2024
Singleton's climb into being a top-five back in 2025 isn't massive. His key is consistent vision, which has been made more difficult behind an average offensive line.
⬆️Oronde Gadsden II, WR/TE, Syracuse
Week 2 Stats: Six receptions, 93 yards, two touchdowns
Forgotten by many because he missed the 2023 season with a Lisfranc injury, the former All-ACC selection has hit the ground running this fall. The 6-foot-5, 236-pound son of former Miami Dolphins playmaker Oronde Gadsden Sr. is a giant part of Syracuse's early-season resurgence. A hybrid between a tight end and receiver, Gadsden dominated Georgia Tech on contested catches when it mattered most.
The NFL always looks for unique talent to expand its offensive capabilities, making Gadsden especially intriguing for a unit needing a matchup problem. Gadsden is faster than most tight ends and is more similar to Bills rookie Keon Coleman in terms of being a dominant player at the catch point.
It's possible we see him moved to wide receiver full-time since Gadsden isn't much of a blocker, and he's light for the position.
CFB Week 2 Stock Down Players 📉
⬇️Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
Week 2 Stats: 20/32, 163 yards, two interceptions; 11 carries, 16 yards, one touchdown
Some evaluators hoped Riley Leonard's healthy season would help his fallen stock get back into the early Day 2 range as it was in the summer of 2023, but we're quite far from that now.
His surrounding cast is mediocre, but he decided to go to Notre Dame instead of somewhere like Oregon or Ohio State. Still, it's unforgivable for Leonard not to lead the Fighting Irish past Northern Illinois in Week 2.
👀👀👀@NIU_Football | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/rHSxhKM0AS
— #MACtion (@MACSports) September 7, 2024
Leonard was fairly efficient with his completion rate, but nothing about his game looks NFL-ready. Despite being a good athlete with a strong arm, Leonard is late in making reads, and his accuracy is completely unreliable.
He averaged an abhorrent 5.1 yards per pass as he continued to take check-downs instead of throwing receivers into space.
The NFL will still consider Leonard as a late-round project with the possibility of making a practice squad. Still, it's clear he's far more of a developmental investment than anyone had believed before the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
⬇️Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas
Week 2 Stats: 18/32, 141 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions
After missing most of the 2023 season with a back injury, Jalon Daniels was one of the most electric passers returning to college football.
However, Illinois gave the Kansas Jayhawks all they could handle and confused Daniels into making key mistakes and missing open throws. Even a solid outing from star RB Devin Neal couldn't save the Jayhawks from being shut out in a decisive fourth quarter.
Daniels is usually an efficient and sharp pocket passer who excels with precision. However, the Illini continued to mask coverage and mix in blitzes that caused Daniels to hold the ball. For a senior, you want to see more confidence in making pre-snap reads and post-snap reactions instead of forcing passes into defenders.
Xavier Scott making his mark early in this game for @IlliniFootball 😤#B1GFootball on @FS1 📺 pic.twitter.com/86a3kmxDaG
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 7, 2024
Kansas has the talent to be a dynamic offense, but seeing it drop this road contest was a huge surprise. Daniels has to quickly get back into the rhythm he showed in 2022, but maybe the time off was more of a red flag for his potential struggles than we considered.
⬇️Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
Week 2 Stats: 17 carries, 49 yards, one touchdown; two receptions, 20 yards
While one running back gained ground, Ollie Gordon II had one of the worst games of his career in a dogfight against Arkansas. Oklahoma State survived the Hogs' best efforts, but Gordon wasn't a huge contributor. Despite totaling 1,732 yards and averaging 6.1 yards per carry in 2023, Gordon's production this season is concerning.
Gordon is averaging only 3.9 yards per carry, as defenses key onto him more. That's not fully on the tailback, but he cannot carry the unit when they need him most. Instead, Mike Gundy and the Pokes are back into a pass-heavy offense just to survive.
Games like this will keep Gordon out of the first-round mix, and he could slip in the running back rankings with a bad year. Peers like Quinshon Judkins and Ashton Jeanty are having tremendous starts to the season, so this will be a storyline all year as we watch heavyweights battle.
