With college football's Week 1 in the books, here's a look at who's on the rise and who's in decline based on the weekend's action.
Stock up
DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame: Although the Irish couldn't finish off the Longhorns on Sunday night, the efforts by their redshirt sophomore passer only increased the interest he's receiving from NFL scouts. Kizer's tough but agile running (77 yards, one TD) was only surpassed by the zip and accuracy of his passes. His best throw wasn't even one of his five touchdowns, as his perfect strike into a window in the middle of the end zone was dropped by WR Torii Hunter, Jr., when Hunter took a high hit that sent him out of the game. This performance showed that his impressive redshirt freshman season was no fluke.
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia: Chubb suffered a significant knee injury 11 months ago and Saturday, in his first game back, he carried the ball 32 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The number of carries is as impressive as the number of yards, as Georgia's uneven performance in the passing game required Chubb to steady the ship. He consistently ran through contact to pile up yards where many backs wouldn't. And when he had openings, like on his clutch 55-yard touchdown run, he showed the burst to take advantage of them. The scary thing is that he's probably not 100 percent yet.
Adoree' Jackson, CB/RS, USC: Yes, Alabama trounced USC on Saturday night. But Jackson's performance should not be overlooked. The junior showed his trademark speed on kickoff returns (112 yards on four returns). But his quickness and hustle were even more impressive when tracking down Alabama ball carriers from behind to prevent two touchdowns when no one else on the field (in college football?) could. His hustle also paid off in coverage, where he prevented completions despite not being credited with pass breakups.
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama: Robinson was already considered one of the best tackles in the country, but he looked leaner, more mobile, and maybe even a bit nastier than usual against USC. Alabama's left tackle attacked his man on the edge all night long, getting his hands up and widening his base in pass protection to allow no pressures. He also sealed the edge and drove his legs in the run game. It was an impressive opening-night performance.
Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M: With teammates like Myles Garrett, Daeshon Hall, and Armani Watts getting the hype, Evans is flying a bit under the radar. Well, maybe not anymore. His eight tackles and two interceptions against UCLA displayed his ability to play near the line of scrimmage and in coverage. Evans batted down the final pass to seal the overtime victory.
Isaac Rochell, DE, Notre Dame: Rochell seemed to be involved on nearly every play down the stretch of his team's loss to Texas. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive end was able to control the right side of the defensive line with power and leverage when lined up wide, and beat whichever guard was blocking him inside with quickness on obvious passing downs. He played in the backfield all night long, and made 2.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Though his attempt to keep Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes out of the end zone was unsuccessful on the final play, scouts were impressed by Rochell's hustle and strength in the double overtime game.
Stock down
Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee: The Volunteers pulled out a victory at home against FCS opponent Appalachian State, but it was a trying day for the Volunteers' offense. Dobbs made some poor decisions when throwing on the run and didn't look comfortable making more than one read from the pocket. He did find a way to make plays at the end of the game, though even the game-winning touchdown came off of a fumble by the senior quarterback. He'll need to do better to be more than a project in NFL scouts' eyes.
Ethan Pocic, C, LSU: Hailed as one of the top centers in the country, Pocic could not do nearly enough to help his Heisman-hopeful teammate, Leonard Fournette, make hay against a stout Wisconsin defense. His 6-6 frame can be a detriment in the middle, allowing defensive linemen to gain leverage and hold the line. Pocic also struggled to hit second-level targets at times. He did show enough to likely earn a starter's grade from scouts, but he did not inspire them enough to push him into the first-round category with that performance.
Follow Chad Reuter on Twitter _@chadreuter_.
