There is plenty of time for players to improve their NFL draft stock with key conference games still to be played in 2014. However, with the college football season at its midway point, this is a good time to reach out to NFL personnel executives to get an idea of which players have boosted their stock the most thus far. Here's what they had to say:
Executive 1: DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska
"Gregory is someone that keeps getting better and his stock is definitely on the rise."
Executive 2: RB Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
"He's produced every week. He's been one of the most consistent players this fall."
Executive 3: DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State
"Preston Smith has really improved his stock. Motor, playmaking and pass rush have really improved. Overall, he's a much more consistent player this year."
Executive 4: DE Eli Harold, Virginia
"Prior to the suspension I would've said (Georgia's Todd) Gurley, but I'll go with Eli Harold. He has really played well this year."
Executive 5: DT Danny Shelton, Washington
"Danny Shelton is having a heck of a year. He was dominant versus Stanford. Anxious to see if he can keep it up."
Verdict: I'm a little surprised by the results with five different executives presenting five different prospects.
Conclusion: There weren't any prospects that received more than one vote, but that goes to show how many players have really improved their draft stock so far this fall.
However, if there's one name that sticks out, it's Shelton, the senior defensive lineman at Washington. In conversations with scouts this fall, Shelton is a name that I keep hearing over and over again. If he can continue to play at the level he's established in the first half throughout the rest of the college football season, that could land him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
