Risers and Fallers

Updated on Feb. 13, 2007

With the postseason all-star games concluded, scouts are given the next two weeks leading up to the Combine in Indianapolis (Feb. 21-25) to catch their collective breaths and revisit their evaluations.

While scouts are obviously looking for the best athletes, conditioning and mental toughness also play huge roles in determining a player's overall grade. So part of the evaluation process now is taking a look at which players started off strong last season, only to plateau or even regress. Meanwhile, some others started off slow, picked up steam and continue to watch their stock rise as the all-important Combine approaches. This week's Risers & Fallers:

Risers & Fallers

1. Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC: Jarrett struggled with injuries early, but as the season wore on the Pac-10 career leader in touchdowns showed his mettle. And as the Combine draws closer, Jarrett continues to solidify himself as potential top 15 pick. As was the case throughout his entire career, Jarrett proved at his best with the lights the brightest. He averaged 158 receiving yards and scored at least twice in each of his high profile matchups against Notre Dame, Michigan and Nebraska. Jarrett scored at least once in five of his final six games for the Trojans.

2. Tony Hunt, RB, Penn State: Hunt is drawing interest as an immediate contributor in short yardage. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Hunt is one of the few big backs of the 2007 draft, and was a model of consistency throughout his senior season. The powerful back carried Penn State to three consecutive wins to end the 2006 season by averaging 152 rushing yards and a touchdown, and followed it up with a strong week of practice at the Senior Bowl.

3. Manuel Ramirez, OG, Texas Tech: Perhaps due to the perception that Texas Tech's offense is strictly a finesse one, scouts were surprised by the physicality and nastiness shown by Ramirez at the Senior Bowl practices. The 6-3, 335-pounder proved to be quite the road grader on the interior. Though Texas Tech returned to its reliance on the pass this season, Ramirez was a key reason Tech was able to rush for 25 touchdowns in 2005, the most scored via the ground at Tech in nearly a decade (1996).

4. John Beck, QB, BYU: While Beck was consistently effective in 2006, he may have been the nation's best quarterback in December and January. As a result, his stock is skyrocketing. Over his final four games, Beck threw for 1,527 yards (382 average) and a 12-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio in leading BYU to an 11-2 record and its highest ranking (15th) since 1996. He was particularly sparkling against hated in-state rival Utah, throwing for 375 yards and four touchdowns (with no interceptions) and engineering the game-winning 75-yard scoring drive in 79 seconds.

5. Eric Frampton, SS, Washington State: Perhaps the best safety no one seems to be talking about, Frampton emerged as one of the Pac-10's best overall defenders in 2006. The Cougar defensive back not only earned all-conference honors and led the team with 100 tackles and five interceptions, his biggest plays seemed to be reserved for the biggest games. Consider his career-high 16 tackles in Washington State's upset of then-No. 16 Oregon and his 43-yard interception for a touchdown against rival Washington to end his career.

1. Drew Stanton, QB, Michigan State: A few weeks into the 2006 season, Stanton had emerged as a viable candidate for the top overall selection. Possessing more physical tools than Brady Quinn, Stanton had scored nine touchdowns against just two interceptions in leading Michigan State to an impressive 3-0 start. Stanton's second-half meltdown against Quinn and Notre Dame led to a dramatic comeback victory for the Irish, and a tailspin for Stanton, personally, and the Spartans, as a team. Losers of eight of their final nine games, it was no coincidence that Michigan State won (Northwestern) the one game down the stretch in which Stanton threw for more touchdowns than interceptions.

2. Victor Abiamiri, DE, Notre Dame: Entering last season, Abiamiri was viewed as one of the country's best defensive ends. Averaging a sack per game through the first nine games of the season, his production reflected his grade. Abiamiri seemed to tire as the season wore on, however. He recorded only 4.5 tackles and 0.5 sacks over the final four games, and struggled to make an impact throughout the week of practice at the Senior Bowl.

3. Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Ohio State: Though Ginn is arguably the best deep threat available in the 2007 draft, his lack of sure hands or great route-running is a huge concern for scouts. Those issues combined with a slight frame could drop him surprisingly low come April. Ginn is by far the most inconsistent producer of the draft's top wideouts, and his initial impact will likely be as a return specialist while some team figures out how best to use him in three-receiver sets.

4. Kenny Irons, RB, Auburn: After transferring from South Carolina, Irons was an instant superstar for the Tigers in 2005, rushing for 1,293 yards and 13 touchdowns. He seemed well on his way toward duplicating those numbers in his first game of his senior season, rushing for 183 yards and a touchdown against Washington State. But the 5-11, 197-pound Irons proved injury prone throughout the rest of the season, and wasn't the same player despite playing through pain. His hands also remain a big question mark after he struggled as a receiver out of the backfield in Senior Bowl practices.

5. Kyle Young, C, Fresno State: Hailed by many as the top center prospect in the country, the 6-5, 328-pounder flashed dominating power and started 47 consecutive games for the Bulldogs. Young was suspended for the final four games of his senior season due to academics, however, and surprisingly was not among those initially invited to the Combine.

Rob Rang is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.