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Midseason Stock Report: Tyler Baron, Howard Cross III, and the Top Draft Risers of 2023

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports | By JC Nevils | Last updated 10/13/23

By: JC Nevils

Every year you have players come out of nowhere and raise their level of play, which in turn increases their draft stock. Here we take a look at the players who have upped their stock the most so far this season.

1. DL Tyler Baron, Sr, Tennessee

Coming out of High school Baron was a Top 150 player right in Tennessee’s backyard, but quite didn’t hit the ground running his first three years. This season though he has been on a tear. Through five games he already has four sacks, which ties his career high. I don’t expect him slowing down anytime soon.

2. DL Howard Cross III, RS Sr, Norte Dame

Cross has been an absolute menace this season for the Fighting Irish. While not the biggest, he uses his wrestling background, in which he was a state champion, to gain leverage and disrupt offenses. He is also very strong and uses his quickness very well. He already has 42 tackles, which is abnormal for a defensive lineman, and already more than he had all last season to go along with five tackles for loss.

3. S Jaylin Simpson, RS Sr, Auburn

While he was a consensus four-star recruit coming in, he has only seen time sparingly as a reserve. This year though Simpson decided to take matters into his own hands with a new regime and finally show his true talents. Moving to safety has shown to be a game changer as well. He is tall and rangy with great ball skills. Halfway through this season he already has four interceptions which leads the SEC.

4. RB Marshawn Lloyd, RS Jr, USC

While Lloyd was a great talent coming out of the legendary DeMatha Catholic, he has been injury-prone from day one. Originally starting out at South Carolina, he has been hurt for most of his three years there, only playing in 21 games. Since transferring to USC and being fully healthy, he has been able to show everything he is capable of. Not only can he hurt you with his vision and patience on the ground, but Lloyd also makes plays in the passing game using his soft hands. As of now, he is on pace to crack the 1,000-yard mark while averaging almost eight yards per carry. He is a three-down back who surely has a future in the NFL.

5. WR Xavier Legette, RS Sr, South Carolina

Simply put Legette is a legit freak of nature athletically. Standing at 6’3 and almost 230 lbs, he could honestly be mistaken for a TE, especially in today's age. He runs good routes while also having good hands, but the main thing that sets him apart is his speed. Once he hits the open field you can hang it up because there is no catching him whatsoever. Just last season he set the school record for kick returns averaging 29.4 per touch on only 15 returns. Up to this point, he has 32 catches for 606 yards, which is eighth in the country and second in the SEC to go along with three scores.

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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