College Football Weekly Risers 2021 Week 6
What a week of exciting college football action. While not the barn burner of a crazy week that was last week, week six of the college football season still had a little bit of everything. We saw the number two team in the country upset with ease, four other top 25 teams knocked off their perch, mustard on the field, and a new batch of rising NFL prospects. Here are your week six weekly risers.
Bailey Zappe, QB Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky has been one of the biggest surprises in the country on offense this season. A team that averaged only a measly 19 points a game last season, 115th in the country, has turned into a scoring machine. While their 2-4 record isn’t anything special, the Hilltoppers are averaging just over 40 points a game and it’s due to the emergence of quarterback Bailey Zappe.
Who is Bailey Zappe? Relatively nobody outside of Bowling Green, Kentucky had the senior signal-caller on their radar, Zappe just breaking into the FBS level this year. One of the top quarterbacks in the FCS for Houston Baptist, Zappe saw his junior taken away due to COVID-19. Zappe transferred to Western Kentucky and has been on fire this season, throwing 24 touchdowns and 2,632 yards on 70% completion percentage through six games this season.
2. David Bell, WR Purdue
Throughout his collegiate career, David Bell has been seen as that other Purdue receiver. Despite being a 1,000-yard receiver his freshman year and looking to pass that in last year’s COVID-19 shortened season, Bell has always played second fiddle to current Arizona Cardinals receiver Rondale Moore. No more for the extremely talented Bell. Only once through five games this season has Bell failed to record over 100 yards. This week in Purdue’s grand upset over #2 Iowa, Bell caught 11 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. The breakout is here, look out for Bell going into draft season.
3. Devin Lloyd, LB Utah
Devin Lloyd has been nothing short of sensational this season. With the race for the best linebacker in the 2022 NFL Draft wide open, the Utah redshirt junior is staking his claim as the best. Through six games Lloyd already has 62 tackles, 13 of which for a loss, and four sacks. Lloyd is second in the nation in tackles for loss and is leading the Pac-12. In his most recent game against Arizona State Lloyd put in another strong performance, highlighted by his four tackles for loss and two sacks. Lloyd is an instinctive linebacker who excels at making plays in the backfield and could be the top linebacker in the draft.
4. Abram Smith, RB Baylor
Abram Smith has been phenomenal this season for Baylor, and he’s doing it at a new position. Last year Smith seemingly found his place as a linebacker, making four starts for the Bears. This year Abram Smith is one of the best backs in the Big 12. Currently, through seven games, Smith has racked up 785 yards on 7.5 yards per carry, reaching the end zone 10 times. This week against ranked BYU, Smith gashed the Cougars for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Smith brings the physicality of a linebacker to the run game and is certainly a prospect to watch out for.
5. Jaylen Warren, RB Oklahoma State
Jaylen Warren has been the focal point of the Cowboys offense this season. After a slow first two weeks, Warren has been handed the keys to the offense. The Utah State transfer is coming off of four straight 100 yard performances. The senior back was instrumental in Oklahoma State's victory over Texas, rushing for 193 yards against the Longhorns. Oklahoma State is 6-0, and will look to keep feeding the ball to Warren until it stops working.
Writer
-By: Jacob Keppen