College Football Weekly Risers 2021: Week Six

Week Six is in the argument for the greatest week of college football in recent memory. There were at least three games that will hold up as game of the year contenders at the end of the season, including one of the greatest editions of the storied Red River Showdown. #17 Ole Miss and #13 Arkansas put on a game for the ages in the Rebels 52-51 victory, and Bama was on the end of an upset defeat to unranked Texas A&M. Here are your weekly risers from a crazy slate of college games.

Jalen Nailor, Wr/Kenneth Walker Jr, RB Michigan State

Don’t look now, but Michigan State football appears to be back! After finishing with uninspiring 7-6 records in both 2018 and 2019, Michigan State looked like a shell of themselves during the covid impacted 2020 season, finishing with a 2-5 record. With revenge on their mind after dropping their 2020 matchup to Rutgers, Michigan State smacked the Scarlet Knights off the back of two phenomenal performances.

Jalen Nailor is the second Spartans receiver to be featured as a weekly riser, Nailor identified before the season as a player to keep an eye on. In the first half, Nailor torched the Rutgers secondary, scoring three touchdowns over 60 yards. Nailor finished with five catches for 221 yards. While Kenneth Walker has already been featured, it would be a mistake not to include the junior back. Walker gashed the Rutgers defense for 223 yards and a touchdown. Walker currently leads the NCAA in rushing yards and is a front runner for the top back in the 2022 NFL Draft class.

2. Kennedy Brooks, RB Oklahoma

Kennedy Brooks almost became the forgotten piece of Oklahoma heading into the season, and the junior back has reintroduced himself to the masses over the past two weeks in style. Brooks sat out the 2020 season due to covid concerns but is a two-time 1,000-yard rusher heading into this year. Brooks last week rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown against Kansas State. This week against Texas Brooks was a man on a mission, rushing for 217 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown.

3. Jameson Williams, WR Alabama

Jameson Williams has potentially emerged as the top receiving option in Tuscaloosa this season. With all the attention on the returning John Metchie and junior tight end Jahleel Billingsley, the Ohio State transfer has become Bryce Young’s favorite target. Williams currently leads the Crimson Tide with 510 receiving yards and five touchdowns and is coming off the back of a 146-yard two-touchdown performance against a very tough Texas A&M defense.

4. Isaiah Likely, TE Coastal Carolina

Isaiah Likely came into the season as one of the top tight ends in the nation and is firmly making his case as the best. While not receiving the volume as other top tight ends, Trey McBride from Colorado has this season, Likely only catching 27 passes so far this year, Likely has proven to be one of the most dynamic receiving threats in college football. Likely is tied for second in the nation in receiving touchdowns with eight, and his big performance against Arkansas State Thursday night boosted those stats. Likely beat the Red Wolves defense repeatedly, racking up 232 yards and four touchdowns. Likely is one of the premier targets on a very good Coastal Carolina team.

5. Tanner Mordecai, QB SMU

Looking back to preseason predictions, who did you, the readers, had leading the NCAA in touchdowns six weeks into the season? It would make sense for it to be a returning quarterback such as North Carolina’s Sam Howell, Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler, or Nevada’s Carson Strong. A new quarterback emerging as a superstar such as Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, or Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei would also be a good shout. Now six weeks in, who would’ve predicted former Oklahoma backup Tanner Mordecai leading the nation in touchdowns with 26, five more than the next closest contender?

All Mordecai needed was a chance. For three years four-star recruit Tanner Mordecai watched as new quarterbacks came in and got their shot. In 2018 Kyler Murray was given the job, in 2019 Jalen Hurts transferred in and took over, and finally in 2020 former #1 ranked quarterback Spencer Rattler was named the future of the Sooners offense (or so we thought until this week.)

Tanner Mordecai took a chance and transferred to SMU to try and replace Shane Buechele who was off to the NFL, and so far Mordecai has been an improvement over a very quality college QB. Mordecai had one of his best performances against Navy, throwing for over 300 yards and a touchdown while orchestrating a 21-7 comeback. Mordecai is doing some special things for an undefeated Mustangs team.