Six Pack- Week 13

Each week during the 2024 college football season Draft Nation will take a look at six players who helped their draft stock with solid performances. As the season progresses, Draft Nation will start to zoom in on first round talent. 

Here is the six pack from this past week:

Oklahoma- Running Back, Xavier Robinson

The Sooners have struggled this season but shocked the college football world with a dominating 24-3 victory over No. 7 Alabama.

Oklahoma controlled both sides of the ball, picking off Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe three times, and rushing for 257 yards. The Sooners were led on the ground by true freshman running back Xavier Robinson. Robinson, in only his fifth collegiate game, rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns, overpowering the Tide at the line of scrimmage.

Sooners leading runner Jovantae Barnes missed the game with an ankle injury he suffered two weeks ago. Oklahoma turned to Robinson, their three-star recruit from Oklahoma City and he displayed a powerful running style against a stout Alabama defense. 

Robinson has a solid frame (6-foot-0, 226 pounds) and runs low with a physical intent that broke several tackles against the Crimson Tide. Robinson is a running back to pay attention going forward and a name that could be a factor in the 2027 or 2028 draft. 

Auburn- Running Back, Jarquez Hunter

In one of the most exciting games of the weekend, Auburn beat No. 15 Texas A&M 43-41 in overtime. The Tigers have been inconsistent for most of the season but were able to raise their record to 5-6 by putting up 469 total yards against the Aggies defense. 

The Tigers were led on the ground by senior running back Jarquez Hunter, who ran for 130 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns. 

Hunter has already set career highs in rushing yards (1,145), touchdowns (8), and receptions (21). The 5-foot-10 tailback entered 2024 considered a late round draft pick but may be opening up some eyes with his versatility.

Hunter has excellent vision and can make plays out in the flat which lead to some big yards in the passing game. The Tiger’s back is not a physical runner but makes up for it with his cutting ability. 

Draft Nation believes that Hunter could be a mid-round prospect and a solid third down back in the NFL.

Illinois- Wide Receiver, Pat Bryant

Illinois won a tough game on the road this weekend at Rutgers 38-31. One of the big reasons the Fighting Illini were able to notch their ninth win was the play of senior wide receiver Pat Bryant.

Bryant hauled in seven receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown. The Rutgers defense could not slow down the 6-foot-3 receiver on short or long routes using either double teams or zone defenses.

Bryant is a large-framed receiver that stretches defenses with his “long speed”. His enormous catch radius and effective body control allow him to be able to make plays all over the field. The Illinois receiver has made strides this season against press coverage, but still needs to improve his route running and footwork.

Bryant has the skillset to settle in as a solid mid-round pick with some upside for an NFL team.

Kansas- Running Back, Devin Neal

The Kansas Jayhawks were able to upend the No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes this weekend 37-21, behind the running and pass catching of senior running back Devin Neal.

Neal carried the ball 37 times for 207 yards while hauling in four passes for 80 yards and scoring a total of four touchdowns. On the season, Neal has run for 1,133 yards and 15 touchdowns and caught 23 passes with another score. 

Neal is an explosive athlete who can get to the outside against defenders and is able to get to his top gear quickly. He is a reliable pass catcher who can run several different routes from the backfield or from the slot.

On the negative side, Neal has balance issues when he gets contacted early on or at the line of scrimmage and lacks the power of a normal 215 lb. back, relying more on his speed than dropping his shoulder.

Neal has the skillset and ability to be a late second day pick and a workhorse back in the NFL. 

Texas- Linebacker, Anthony Hill Jr.

The Longhorns took down Kentucky 31-14 to go to 10-1 over the weekend. Texas was led by sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr, who continues to be impressive in 2024. 

Hill was named a Freshman All-American in 2023 and has only gotten better in year two. In 11 games this season, Hill has 79 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception. Against Kentucky, the sophomore linebacker collected 11 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Hill is 6-foot-3 and 235-pounds and is a hard hitter who has the ability to make big plays. 

He is a good bet to go in round one in 2026 and possibly the first linebacker off the board. He has elite burst and the ability to put pressure on the quarterback or drop back and be effective in coverage. 

Florida- Safety, Bryce Thornton

The Florida Gators upset No. 9 Ole Miss 24-17 on Saturday and a big reason why was the play of sophomore safety Bryce Thornton who picked off two Jaxson Dart throws, the last one sealing the victory.

Along with his two interceptions, the sophomore had a career high 14 tackles and seemed to be in on every play. In eight games this season, Thornton has 34 tackles and three interceptions in eight games for the Gators. 

Thornton has great instincts reading the quarterback’s eyes and has the ball skills to make big plays in the secondary. Although he is a bit undersized at 5’10”, he is an excellent tackler who reads plays swiftly. 

The young Gator has only played 20 collegiate games and has a way to go to see where his draft stock will end up, but Draft Nation believes he is worth keeping an eye on for the 2026 or 2027 draft.

Bonus—Ashton Jeanty

This past Saturday, Jeanty ran for 169 yards on 19 attempts and one touchdown. In 11 games, Jeanty has already run for 2,062 yards and 27 touchdowns, he has fallen behind the pace to break Barry Sanders’ reco