Here are notable risers or fallers from my devy rankings right before week one of the 2024 college season begins.
QB Riser: Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
Kyron Drones has been an interesting player to rank, as he did not receive much widespread attention immediately after his impressive 2023 season. Before 2023, he was a four-star recruit but was mostly forgotten after two seasons at Baylor.
Last season, he was finally allowed to start, and he impressed at Virginia Tech. He was safe with the ball and showed he could be competent as both a passer and rusher. I am excited to see what he does in his second year in that system, which is set up with competent weapons to pass to. Considering the unproven state of the quarterback position in college football, Drones certainly deserves to be a riser. I am excited to rank him the highest amongst the Campus2Canton.com devy team at this time.
Updated positional rank: QB12
QB Faller: Malachi Nelson, Boise State
A five-star quarterback recruit going to USC in 2023 should have been a somewhat safe and stable situation. Lincoln Riley typically does an excellent job identifying quarterback talent, and behind Caleb Williams the quarterback position was available for the taking.
Despite this, Malachi Nelson has become quite the volatile asset. He seemingly could not put himself in position to win the starting job at USC. After transferring from USC to Boise State for the 2024 season, he has now been unable to take the starting job for Boise State. There is a chance he becomes the starter at some point this season, but if he is not good enough to separate in the Boise State quarterback room leading up to the season, then confidence in Malachi should be drastically lowered.
Updated positional rank: QB64
RB Riser: Jaydon Blue, Texas
Though I was already very high on Blue’s talents coming into this season, he undoubtedly deserves to make a significant jump up rankings. He lost his primary threat for touches in the Texas backfield when CJ Baxter was lost for the 2024 season due to injury.
Now, Blue is the most experienced back in his backfield, and all of the signs, such as efficiency, athleticism, and opportunity, align for Blue to be the next lead back at the University of Texas. Perhaps this is becoming a theme, but I am also the highest-ranked Blue amongst the devy team at Campus2Canton at this time.
Updated positional rank: RB10
RB Faller: Rueben Owens, Texas A&M
This fall is easy, as Owens sustained a season-ending injury. Despite being an explosive and exciting recruit, he was already underwhelming in his initial college season. I admit that I loved his talents coming out of high school. Owens can undoubtedly make it back to relevance, but it is a difficult path ahead, and he is a clear faller.
Updated positional rank: RB58
WR Riser: Eric Singleton Jr., Georgia Tech
While you may not think of Georgia Tech as the WR1 factory in college football, we care about talented players at the end of the day. Eric Singleton Jr. seems to be a very good player based on everything he did his freshman season. His 10.3 100-meter dash speed, combined with his nuance, hands, and versatility, make him a treat to watch.
I was a big fan this offseason, claiming him as “my guy” in the 2024 Campus2Canton.com Devy Guide. Part of this ranking does reflect the relatively unproven wide receiver landscape currently in college football. However, Singleton should continue to dominate in a solid offense and receive more and more praise as people catch on to his talent.
Updated positional rank: WR12
WR Faller: Matthew Golden, Texas
Matthew Golden was an interesting high school recruit, and his freshman season certainly caught our attention. Ultimately, Golden did not improve during his second season and now goes to a crowded situation at Texas. He has not stood out thus far at Texas, and though there is always a chance he works into a more prominent role within the offense, his trajectory is concerning. Golden is a talented player who, in theory, is part of a nice long-term situation, but it also comes with plenty of risk.
Updated positional rank: WR50
