Commentary

Russell Wilson's stock falls

The Wisconsin QB had a tough game against Michigan State; Kirk Cousins impressed

Originally Published: October 23, 2011

By Todd McShay | Scouts Inc.

Now that Week 8 of the college football season is in the books, here is my stock report from this weekend's games. As always, I'll examine players who played well during the weekend and saw their stocks rise while also looking at the players who disappointed and saw their stocks fall. This week, wide receivers receive praise for outstanding efforts, while a couple of quarterbacks see their stocks drop.

Stock up

Clemson Tigers WR DeAndre Hopkins
Opposing defenses have had to pay plenty of attention to dynamic freshman WR Sammy Watkins, and also account for running back Andre Ellington and quarterback Tajh Boyd in the zone-read option game. Hopkins has continued to take advantage against soft zone and man coverage. His nine-catch, 157-yard, one-TD performance in a 59-38 win over North Carolina was a perfect example of that. Hopkins doesn't have the same rare speed and athleticism Watkins possesses, but he attacks the ball in the air, makes tough catches in traffic and has solid hands. Clemson is 8-0 and has a favorable schedule down the stretch, but with a defense that ranks in the middle of the pack, the Tigers need Hopkins, tight end Dwayne Allen and the rest of the supporting cast to step up.

Michigan State Spartans QB Kirk Cousins

To read the complete Week 8 stock report from Todd McShay, including what he thought of Landry Jones and Russell Wilson's performances, sign up for ESPN Insider.