Draft Headquarters Week Ten Stock Watch

This past weekend's game between LSU and Alabama featured dozens of future pro prospects, with two in particular who clearly improved their draft stock. Check out which prospects are on the rise and which are falling in Draft Headquarters Week Ten Stock Watch:

Rising

Morris Claiborne CB LSU - A consistent riser on my board this season, there may not be a player that has improved his draft stock as much as LSU's Morris Claiborne has this year. That he intercepted a pass in the Tigers' enormous game against Alabama on Saturday night was awfully fitting, a fine symbol, that in one of the biggest games of his career, he again stepped up and proved to still be a shutdown cornerback. In my opinion, Claiborne is the most NFL-ready cornerback prospect; he offers the size, length, and athleticism that you desire out of the position as well as possessing the type of technique that could allow for him to make an impact immediately at the next level. If he hasn't already, Claiborne is making a very strong case to be the first cornerback drafted this April.

Josh Chapman DT Alabama - Another player who improved his draft stock in the "Game of the Century" was nose tackle Josh Chapman. A fire hydrant on the interior of the defensive line, Chapman is an immovable force at nose, giving the Alabama defense a stout presence inside that makes it extremely difficult to run on the Tide. At 6'1, 310 lbs, Josh has the type of skillset that you desire out of a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense, however his size suggests that he could be better suited for one-technique tackle in the 4-3 or five-technique end in the 3-4. Wherever he ends up playing, I expect him to have a successful career at the next level thanks to his strong ability to stay low, play with outstanding leverage, and be a key building block for a team's defensive line.

Zebrie Sanders OT Florida State - When Andrew Datko went down with a likely season-ending shoulder injury, the Seminoles looked to their right tackle Zebrie Sanders and asked that he kick over to the blind side to protect E.J. Manuel. Sanders made the move flawlessly and has improved his draft stock in the process. A terrific athlete with a very high ceiling at the next level, Sanders' agility and nimbleness for a 6'6, 307 lb offensive tackle is very impressive. Although Zebrie still is a bit raw from a technical standpoint, he may offer as much upside at the tackle position as any player not named Kalil, Martin, or Reiff. With his fluid athleticism and his strong ability to get to the second level in the run game, Sanders could be a great fit in a zone-blocking scheme at the next level. There's no doubt that Sanders has established himself as one of the top pass protectors in the draft behind the first tier of tackles and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being drafted in the Top 50 picks this April.

Jake Bequette DE Arkansas - A fan favorite who began the year slowly due to a hamstring injury, Jake Bequette has come on as of late, which was apparent in last Saturday's game against South Carolina in which Bequette recorded three sacks against the Gamecocks. Although he lacks the ideal athleticism you desire at the end position, Bequette's motor, consistency, and technique are all strengths in his game are a reasons why scouts have him graded as a player to keep an eye on in the mid-to-late rounds. Bequette projects as a fine rotational defensive end who could eventually develop into a serviceable starting end for a team down the road.

Trenton Robinson S Michigan State - With such a weak safety class projected for 2012, it was just a matter of time before some prospects began to make plays to help them improve their draft stock; one of those players is Michigan State's Trenton Robinson. A 2.5-year starter for the Spartans, Robinson had a big impact in Michigan State's win over Minnesota this past weekend, intercepting two passes including recording six tackles and one pass breakup. With nine interceptions and 12 pass breakups through his career, Robinson offers the type of ball skills and instincts that I look closely for at the safety position. Robinson is not an elite prospect, however his consistency as a reliable last-line of defense as well as his production and experience make him a relatively safe pick for a team looking for a safety around the third-or-fourth round.

Jarius Wright WR Arkansas - There may not be a receiver prospect in the country that has helped himself as much as Jarius Wright has this season. A smaller prospect (5'10, 180) who projects as a great slot receiver at the next level, Wright's ability to consistently separate from defensive backs as well as his electric ability to make plays in the open field with the ball in his hands are two of the biggest reasons why scouts are falling in love with Wright's game. Although he has strong competition to be the top slot receiver off the board this spring, Jarius is expected to time well at the Combine in Indianapolis and could be off the board within the Top 50-75 picks this spring if he continues the type of production that he has posted so far this year (48 catches for 812 yards and nine touchdowns).

Falling

Ryan Broyles WR Oklahoma - This past weekend against Texas A&M, Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles tore his ACL after making a catch and attempting to turn up field. The horrible injury officially ends Broyles' historic career at Oklahoma in which he caught 349 passes for 4,586 yards and 45 touchdowns. One of the top possession receivers prospects for the 2012 Draft, I originally had Broyles graded as a second round pick before the injury. For a receiver that relies on his fantastic route running, scouts and general managers will have no way of knowing whether this injury will impact his precision in his cuts as well as his already slightly-average straight-line speed. For Broyles, I am currently anticipating a one-to-two round drop to the third-or-fourth round based on the assumption that he will not be able to workout prior to the Combine.

Alshon Jeffery WR South Carolina - Another receiver on the decline, not because of injury, is South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery, who has put together a rather mediocre season so far in 2011. Having caught just 36 passes for 487 yards and five touchdowns just a year after hauling in 88 receptions for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns, Jeffery's statistical production is on pace to be roughly cut in half from what he managed to do as a sophomore. While double-teams and lack of consistent quarterback play are two issues that need to be considered, several scouts are beginning to question Alshon's straight-line speed, which is a question that he will need to answer if he opts to declare for the draft. While Jeffery is still a remarkable talent with his unique combination of size and athleticism, there are some concerns popping up that he needs to answer in a hurry if he intends to declare for the draft.

B.J. Coleman QB Tennessee-Chattanooga - One of my favorite sleepers in the country coming into his senior season, B.J. Coleman has had a relatively pedestrian 2011 season, throwing for just 1,295 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions with a 59.5% completion percentage (111-186) through his first seven games of the season. That was also before he suffered a shoulder injury that has forced him to sit out of the last four games for Tennessee-Chattanooga. With a mediocre crop of senior quarterbacks this season, Coleman had the tools to rise with a great senior season, however that has not been the case so far in the draft process. He will now need to rely on having great offseason workouts in order to have any chance of moving higher than the mid-to-late round grade that most scouts and teams have on him right now.