Part of what makes college football so unique is that it can cater to just about any type of audience. Of course, fans and alumni of a certain program are going to tune in to watch their team every Saturday. But those aren't the only types of people who watch college football. There are those who just enjoy the pageantry and tradition that college football comes with. Some just like football and watch the sport no matter what level it is. Gamblers have plenty of games to bet on and surely get into that. But college football also presents NFL fans with the chance to catch the stars of tomorrow in action.
Plenty of those stars have seen their NFL Draft stock rise in recent weeks thanks to their play. There are a few that have caught the eyes of the NFL and those who follow the NFL Draft closely. Perhaps none have done so more than Missouri's Luther Burden III.
Luther Burden III
Remember when yours truly predicted that Luther Burden III would rack up at least 150 yards against LSU on Saturday? Well, that bold prediction came up short… by one yard. But make no mistake: Luther Burden understood the assignment and executed it. He absolutely cooked LSU's secondary the same way he's torched every other secondary he's gone up against.
Luther Burden tied a career-high with 11 receptions last week against LSU. He entered the game leading the country in receiving yards and added 149 yards to that ledger. He's up to 54 receptions and 793 yards on the season and continues to lead the country in both statistics. He also has six touchdown catches on the season. Burden also has at least 100 receiving yards in five of his six games this season. The game he failed to do so was against South Dakota to open the season when he racked up *only* 96 yards.
Burden is a sophomore who won't be eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft, but he is already raising his stock for the 2025 NFL Draft. College football fans will have a gem to keep an eye on for the next 1.5 seasons in the meantime.
Malachi Corley
Another wide receiver to keep an eye on is Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley. Corley's numbers aren't as eye-popping as Burden's, but Corley has put up 37 receptions for 538 yards and five touchdowns. Before his schedule gets diminished for playing in the Conference USA, Corley did drop eight receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State.
If Corley didn't put himself on the map then, he sure did last Thursday when he delivered a 207-yard performance against Louisiana Tech on eight catches, three of which went for touchdowns.
Though Corley is not in a power five conference, he and the rest of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will be very much worth watching as the season continues. Corley looks like he can be a potential round two or round three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Ray Davis
A running back who has really burst onto the scene is Kentucky's Ray Davis. Davis is well-traveled; he began his career at Temple before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2021. But Davis is spending his extra season of eligibility in Lexington with the Kentucky Wildcats and is making the most of it. Through six games, Davis has accumulated 653 yards on 91 carries and eight touchdowns, while adding 13 receptions for 182 yards and four touchdowns through the air. His breakout came two weeks ago against the Florida Gators where he rattled off 280 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries.
The 2024 running back class doesn't look as robust as the wide receiver class, but with the emergence of Davis and a few others, there will still be quality players at that position. Davis and Kentucky will be worth following as the season goes on.