We often hear about college football players who skyrocket up NFL Draft boards thanks to a breakout season, but there's also players that see their stock absolutely plummet with a disappointing year. Here are five guys that fall into that latter category:
Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor Bears
Just by looking at him, you'd think Oakman was Lawrence Taylor mixed with Jadeveon Clowney - and was a projected first-round pick because of that and his 6'8", 275-pound frame. Oakman ranks just 12th (!!!!) on Baylor's team in tackles and has just three sacks on the season - two of which came against Lamar and Rice. Safe to say, the production just isn't there to back up the hype.
DeForest Buckner, DL, Oregon Ducks
Buckner was thought to be a surefire first round pick before this season thanks to his 6'7" frame, but his lack of production and leadership in Oregon's disastrous defense has him dropping steadily. His pure physical tools will keep him as a second- or third-round prospect, but not much higher than that.
Myles Jack, LB, UCLA Bruins
Nothing Jack did on the field dropped him in the minds of NFL scouts, but a torn ACL has moved him from a top five pick to a late first-round selection. He has already declared for the draft and has dropped out of school, so there's no chance in him getting that stock up back to where it was - unless he can prove his knee won't be a problem come April.
Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State Nittany Lions
Hackenberg was expected to be the top quarterback prospect in this draft even after a dreadful sophomore season, but his lackluster performance again so far this season has turned him into a second round prospect. His completion percentage has dropped to just over 53 percent and has yet to throw for over 300 yards in any game this season - in fact, he's only hit the 200 yard mark twice. At this point, the production just isn't there to back up the hype.
Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes
Jones' stock ranged anywhere from the middle of the first round to the third round of the draft after his performance in last year's College Football Playoff, but his inconsistent play this season has now dropped him to a surefire middle rounds. Now that he's lost the starting job to J.T. Barrett, chances are he won't be able to improve upon that. It really looks like the big man made a mistake and cost himself millions by not entering the draft last year.
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