NFL Draft: Who boosted their stock the most in CFP title game?

College Football

Updated Jan. 11, 2024 3:04 p.m. ET

Having shared notes with NFL scouts and covered the league’s annual player draft since the turn of the century, I can tell you with great confidence that very rarely does a prospect significantly change his stock in just one game.

Of course, the national championship is far from just another game.

Not only do scouts love to see young players perform their best amid all the pressure of a championship, half of the NFL’s 32 teams finished their season in the days preceding Michigan’s 34-13 victory. That means an awful lot of coaches had an opportunity to watch a college game as fans, rather than taking an occasional peek while preparing for an upcoming opponent.

As such, perhaps more than any other single game of the college football season, player stock really can rise and fall with the title on the line.

There were plenty of standouts for the victorious Wolverines — and a few who boosted their cause on the Washington side, as well — but the biggest winners from Monday night might very well be the Michigan faithful hoping for a repeat championship in 2024, as the biggest stars in Maize and Blue were a foursome of underclassmen not yet eligible for the NFL.

With all due respect to another quietly stellar performance from quarterback JJ McCarthy and Michigan’s two-headed monster at running back in Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards (more on him later), the scrappiest Wolverines Monday night were defensive tackles Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland, all true sophomores clearly capable of playing immediately at the NFL level.

At 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds, Grant was both literally and figuratively the biggest obstacle to Washington’s high-powered offense Monday night. He was only officially credited with two tackles on the night, but both were massive plays, including a bulldozing second quarter sack of Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr. midway through the second quarter that epitomized Michigan’s domination in the trenches.

Grant’s size and power helped him clog up running lanes, limiting Washington to a season-low 46 rushing yards and a paltry 2.3 yards per carry. He also showed off the agility and awareness of the passing game to be more than “just” a dominant run-stuffing presence, batting down a pass from Penix as the game tightened in the third quarter.

While Grant’s size and splashy plays earned him plenty of attention, it was his linemate, Graham, who proved even more problematic for the Huskies and projects as the even more intriguing NFL prospect.

There simply are not many men who possess Graham’s combination of quickness, power and bulk as the 6-foot-3, 318-pound Graham. He incorporates terrific upper and body coordination to rip and dip through would-be blockers to wreak havoc on the perimeter. Graham was only credited with three tackles in this contest but no defender in this game — for either team — was more consistently disruptive, registering four quarterback pressures.

Of course, it is much easier to create pressure on quarterbacks when they cannot find any openings in which to throw the ball. That was the case much of Monday night with Johnson — arguably the best NFL prospect on Michigan’s team (eligible or not) — providing his normal lockdown coverage.

In the days leading up to the national championship, much was made of the fact that while Michigan’s defense was the top-ranked in the country, the Wolverines had not faced an offense as talented and versatile as Washington’s, which boasted the Heisman runner-up in Penix and a three-headed monster of future NFL wide receivers in Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk. Prior to the showdown with Washington, Michigan had faced just one offense all season long that ranked among the Top 25 in college football – and that was Alabama in the Rose Bowl — a run-first, second and often third scheme far different than the aerial assault the Huskies were bringing to NRG Stadium.

What was lost for some, however, is the fact that the Huskies had not faced cornerback like Johnson, either.

Like his battery-mates along the defensive line, the 6-foot-2, 202-pound Johnson already looks the part of an NFL veteran with a well-built frame and an ideal blend of height, loose hips and easy acceleration to blanket receivers downfield. Michigan was able to allocate more defenders in the box in run support in large part because of their confidence in Johnson’s coverage ability.

The Huskies took their shots against Johnson, drawing two penalties, but his interception on Washington’s first play from scrimmage in the second half abruptly snuffed out whatever positive momentum Penix and Co. hoped to create on their opening drive of the third quarter, and he was excellent in run support, as well, showing off the well-rounded game that would earn him a first round selection in the 2024 NFL draft, were he eligible for it.

While Penix’s ill-advised pass did give Johnson an opportunity for the big play, give the defender credit for the concentration and body control needed to corral the pass while keeping his body in-bounds to finish the turnover.

With such a dominant defensive performance, the Wolverines didn’t have to do much passing. In fact, they won the game despite converting just 1 of 10 third down opportunities and failing on their own 4th down attempt.

When McCarthy and the Wolverines did elect to throw the ball, however, their 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end, Loveland, came up roses, leading the team in receiving yardage (64) while tying two others (wideouts Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson) for the most catches for Michigan with three grabs.

Dating back to his days at the University of San Diego and Stanford, few head coaches utilize his tight ends more than Jim Harbaugh, but Loveland is more than just a by-product of the offense. The Idaho native is a legitimate future early round NFL prospect, demonstrating impressive agility, acceleration, body control and soft hands for his frame.

Prior to Michigan literally running away from the Huskies later in the fourth quarter, it was Loveland’s spectacular pluck of a high pass from McCarthy that proved a real turning point, giving Michigan a 41-yard gain as both offenses were struggling.

Of course, while Michigan’s super-sophomores were taking turns in their starring roles, a bevy of draft-eligible Wolverines had already laid the championship foundation.

While the All-American Corum appropriately led all rushers with 134 yards (and two touchdowns) Monday night, it was his backup, Edwards, who stole the spotlight early on, showcasing the instant acceleration every NFL team is looking for at the running back position.

There is no denying that Michigan’s stout offensive line provided Edwards a clear rushing lane on a pair of long touchdown runs, but NFL scouts won’t quibble about blocking duties. In a relatively weak year for running backs, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior demonstrated the juice to create buzz for himself, galloping for 41 and 46-yard touchdowns in the game’s opening quarter.

It was the only 100+ yard rushing performance of the season for Edwards but, again, don’t expect scouts to worry too much about that fact. Corum served as Michigan’s bell-cow all season long but lacks his counterpart’s ideal size. Further, Edwards performed well in Corum’s absence in 2022, rushing for 991 yards and averaging an eye-popping 7.1 yards per attempt — while his teammate was injured.

While Edwards’ and the underclassmen’s efforts deserve top billing, yet another steady performance from Michigan’s Mike Sainristil demands mentioning, as well. While Sainristil did technically surrender Washington’s lone touchdown reception of the night, his awareness and agility at nickel corner gave Michigan a great deal of flexibility against Washington’s high-powered offense. Sainristil’s instincts and physical nature stand out even more to NFL scouts as he is a former wide receiver seemingly still just scratching the surface of his potential on the defensive side of the ball.

No amount of post-game kudos is going to be an effective salve for a Huskies squad that dreamt of their own national championship, but there were some lasting impressions likely made on scouts, even in the losing cause.

Of the draft-eligible prospects, senior tight end Jack Westover showed off the savvy, strong hands and competitiveness that quietly makes him a favorite for many scouts traveling along the west coast. Like the aforementioned Sainristil for Michigan, scouts may feel that the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Westover still has untapped potential as he spent virtually all of his high school career playing basketball, not football, and yet plays with great awareness and effort.

Similarly, on a night in which many of the Huskies were bullied at the line of scrimmage, their Morris Trophy-winning left tackle Troy Fautanu played very well, providing his customary stellar pass protection, as well as terrific quickness and radar when run blocking at the second level. On Wednesday, Fautanu announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL draft, projecting as possible first round, himself.

The future also looks bright for the Huskies at the cornerback position, where sophomore cornerback Elijah Jackson, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore who batted away Texas’ last-second throw into the endzone to secure Washington’s Sugar Bowl, enjoyed another strong game. Jackson recorded five total tackles, including four solos, wrapping up the much bigger Loveland after a short gain on 3rd and 10 following the only reception he allowed all night long.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.

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