2018 NFL Draft watch: Top Heisman candidates give MVP performances

Ron Clements

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2018 NFL Draft watch: Top Heisman candidates give MVP performances image

Each week during this year's college football regular season we will highlight some of the top draft-eligible performers from around the country.

If college football had an MVP award, some of the nation's top players would have made their case Saturday. 

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Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley turned in MVP efforts to lead their respective teams to victory.

Rudolph, Oklahoma State's 6-5, 230-pound senior signal-caller, completed 25 of his 38 pass attempts for 282 yards to lead the Cowboys to a 13-10 win at rival Texas. It was Oklahoma State's fifth straight win at Texas and third overall in the series, but didn't come easily. Rudolph led the 10th-ranked Cowboys (6-1) to a game-tying field goal late in the third quarter. He got his team in position to win the game in the fourth, but a missed field goal sent the game to overtime. 

Rudolph would love to accept the Heisman Trophy in December, but the reigning Heisman winner is also in the conversation. Jackson willed Louisville to a 31-28 win at Florida State. He ran for 178 yards and a touchdown while going 13 of 21 through the air for another 156 yards and a score in the road victory. There are some who don't think Jackson can be an NFL quarterback, but those people aren't paying attention to the touch with which he throws and his ability to make plays in and out the pocket. 

The 6-3, 211-pound junior is essentially a video-game player at the college level and NFL scouting departments should be drooling at his professional potential. 

Mayfield not only threw for two touchdowns, but ran for two to lead the Sooners to a 42-35 win at Kansas State. In what was a see-saw game, Mayfield had 410 passing yards on 32-of-41 passing and ran nine times for 69 yards. After K-State tied things up, Mayfield led a late scoring drive that ended with Rodney Anderson's 22-yard touchdown run with 7 seconds remaining. 

Then there is Barkley, widely regarded as the No. 1 running back in the 2018 draft class — should the 5-11, 230-pound junior forgo his season season. Barkley ran for 108 yards on 15 carries and caught three passes for 53 yards while scoring three times in Penn State's 42-13 win over visiting Michigan. 

He didn't take long to set the tone, either, with a 69-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. 

Barkley does everything well and is not only a probable first-round pick, he's Penn State's MVP and the favorite to win the Heisman. 

Here are some of Saturday's top NFL Draft-eligible players

Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame — Adams continues to be the workhorse for the Irish and the 6-2, 225-pound junior added 191 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in Saturday's 49-14 win over USC. Adams, who now has 967 yards on the season, runs with patience and power. 

John Diarse, WR, TCU — The 6-1, 214-pound senior entered Saturday with just 17 receptions for 212 yards and a touchdown, but the former LSU receiver has been reliable for the Frogs and recorded his second career 100-yard game. Diarse caught four passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 43-0 win over Kansas.  

Garrett Dooley, OLB, Wisconsin — The 6-3, 246-pound senior is in the same mold of Steelers rookie T.J. Watt. He's quietly put together a solid season and added a quarterback hit to force an interception in Wisconsin's 38-13 win over Maryland. Dooley has 5 1/2 sacks on the season on a defense that ranks sixth nationally in yards allowed and fifth in scoring. 

T.J. Edwards, LB, Wisconsin — Edwards is probably Wisconsin's most NFL-ready defensive player. The 6-1, 244-pound senior has dealt with a foot injury this season, but returned Saturday to benefit from Dooley's QB pressure. Edwards scored the game's first touchdown on a 54-yard interception return and finished with five tackles. As a three-year starter, Edwards is the leader of the Badgers defense. 

Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin — Fumagalli might be the most complete tight end in the country. The Badgers missed him against Northwestern and Purdue, but the 6-6, 248-pound senior was Wisconsin’s most reliable receiver Saturday against Maryland. Fumagalli has great hands, is a smart and polished route runner and blocks well. He caught seven passes for 83 yards in the win over Maryland. 

Derrius Guice, RB, LSU — If it wasn't for Barkley, Guice might be considered the top back in the 2018 draft class. The 5-11, 212-pound junior ripped through the Ole Miss defense with 276 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in a 40-24 win over the Rebels. 

Davon Grayson, WR, ECU — The Pirates may have the nation's worst defense, but the 6-2, 187-pound Grayson is an offensive playmaker. He caught 10 passes for 164 yards in East Carolina's 33-17 win over BYU. Grayson now has 47 catches for 795 yards on the season and more than 120 career receptions as he assumed the role as ECU's top receiver. 

DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State — Barkley is Penn State's best offensive player, but Hamilton is no slouch. Penn State's all-time leading receiver added six receptions for 115 yards against Michigan. Hamilton has good size at 6-1, 206, and is a polished receiver with excellent hands. 

Christopher Herndon, TE, Miami, Fla. — Herndon was the favorite target of junior quarterback Malik Rosier, catching 10 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in the 27-19 win over Syracuse. The 6-4, 252-pound Georgia native could continue Miami's strong tradition of sending tight ends to the NFL. 

Ryan Izzo, TE, Florida State — Things didn't end well for the Seminoles against Louisville, but the 6-5, 250-pound Izzo shined as a blocker. He uses his hands well and understands leverage to seal a defender. He's tenacious with his blocking and also caught two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals. 

Michael Jackson, CB, Miami, Fla. — The 6-1, 200-pound junior had a pair of interceptions in the win over Syracuse to earn Miami's turnover chain. Though in his first season as a starter, Jackson played as a true freshman and has the special teams experience necessary to make a roster at the next level. 

Jamie Jarmon, WR, Delaware — Jarmon is listed at 6-1, 200 pounds, but isn't that big and probably won't get drafted next spring, but he did have one of Saturday's best touchdowns. Jarmon scored on an end-around, going airborne to get into the end zone. It was one of three touchdowns in the game for Jarmon, who accounted for 144 yards of offense in the 42-35 overtime victory. 

Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama — The 6-1, 190-pound junior has very good hands and is a superb route runner with incredible feet. His eight catches for 82 yards in the 45-7 win over Tennessee give him 202 receptions for his career to join Amari Cooper as the only Alabama receivers with at least 200 catches. 

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA — Rosen got off to a hot start against Oregon, threading the needle with a perfect strike to redshirt junior Christian Pabico for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter. 

Pabico finished with four catches for 99 yards while Rosen went 21 of 36 for 266 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions to lead the Bruins to a 31-14 win. UCLA's win was highlighted by wild plays, like Bolu Olorunfunmi's leaping score in the third quarter. 

Christian Sam, LB, Arizona State — Sam is a 6-2, 237-pound redshirt junior who led the Sun Devils in tackles in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2016 campaign. He had one of four Sun Devils interceptions in Saturday's 30-10 win over Utah and entered the game with a team-high 58 tackles. 

Greg Stroman, CB, Virginia Tech — The 6-foot, 181-pound senior is pretty versatile and the Hokies have used him in multiple ways. He set the tone early in Saturday's rout of North Carolina with a 91-yard punt return. 

Jerry Tillery, DL, Notre Dame — Tillery led the Irish wrecking crew that shut down USC's offense. The 6-6, 306-pound junior entered the game as Notre Dame's team leader with thee sacks and 4 1/2 tackles for loss. He dominated the Trojans offensive line Saturday and harassed USC quarterback Sam Darnold for much of the game. 

Ron Clements