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College football is back! We survived the hiatus. Despite most teams starting the year with a cupcake game, Week 1 College football prospects still showcased some impressive performances and disappointing ones. I hand selected a few of each to highlight in this article. This series will aim to keep track of the biggest risers among 2027 NFL Draft eligible prospects.
A big way for dynasty players to get a leg up on their league is by having a better understanding of draft classes and pick value than everyone else. Through these articles, you will be clued into some of the most important outcomes for relevant prospects. I am going to take opponent difficulty into consideration, not just consistently highlighting guys producing monster stats against lesser opponents.
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Week 1 College Football Risers and Fallers
3 Prospects Trending Up
Darian Mensah | QB | Miami | 6’3” | 205 lbs
Darian Mensah started the season as my QB7; however, I viewed him in the mix to end up as QB1. Mensah quickly showed me that I was too low on him. Against Stanford, the ball barely touched the ground. He completed 27 out of 30 passes for 401 yards in 5 touchdowns.
I loved seeing his poise when pressure was in his face. He always had an outlet. Furthermore, Mensah’s footwork, process, and accuracy seemed so polished. Last year at Duke, it seemed like so much was on his shoulders. At Miami, he has the chance to just play clean football and get the ball to his playmakers. So far, Darian Mensah looks every bit the role of Heisman contender and 1st Round Pick.
Dante Moore | QB | Oregon | 6’3” | 220 lbs
Dante Moore may not have too much room to rise. He’s on everyone’s radar. Many analysts view him already as a top-5 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and Dynasty Nerds Staff Writer, Steven Pintado, highlighted him as one of the top prospects to watch last weekend. That being said, his performance against Boise State was incredibly impressive.
In the face of adversity, Dante Moore played inspired football. He threw for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading Oregon to a hard fought comeback win. I loved the placement on his touchdown pass to cut the deficit to three right before half. He layered the ball in over the first level of defenders but under the safety, taking advantage of a tight window. Moore is still very much in the QB1 conversation.
Cam Cook | RB | West Virginia | 5’9” | 203 lbs
After transferring from Jacksonville State to West Virginia this offseason, Cam Cook made a quick impression on Mountaineer fans. His very first carry was for 72 yards, followed by a touchdown a few plays later. Cook’s final line was 30 carries for 142 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.
Cam Cook has an opportunity to prove himself at the Power 4 level this season. I think he has a chance to solidify himself as a Day 2 pick and land as high as RB5 in this class. Cook has proven that he is capable of a workhorse role. West Virginia will continue to feature Cam Cook as their offense very clearly runs through him.
3 Prospects Trending Down
Drew Mestemaker | QB | Oklahoma State | 6’3” | 215 lbs
I ranked Drew Mestemaker as my QB4 in the preseason, with hopes that he would clean up some of the raw aspects of his game. The early signs are not great. In his Oklahoma State debut, he was 29 for 49 for 241 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Due to his poor performance, Oklahoma State was upset by Tulsa.
Mestemaker is a gunslinger with arm talent. If he can’t reign in his decision making and accuracy, Mestemaker would be best served being a headliner for the 2028 draft class. It’s way too early to be making that call; however, the 2027 QB class is deep and doesn’t have room for a project anywhere near the top.
Justice Haynes | RB | Georgia Tech | 5’11” | 210 lbs
Justice Haynes would have been in the conversation with Jonah Coleman for my RB3 if he had declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, he transferred closer to home to play football for Georgia Tech. His debut left much to be desired. His 19 carries went for 64 yards in Georgia Tech’s loss to Colorado.
I want to be clear that his pedestrian performance was not all on Haynes. On average, initial contact was behind the line of scrimmage. His offensive line was not creating adequate holes; however, Haynes still chose to transfer to this squad, potentially prioritizing non-football reasons over development. He had 0 breakaway runs of 15 yards or more, so we need to see some big runs if Haynes can salvage this season.
Mark Fletcher Jr. | RB | Miami | 6’2” | 225 lbs
Another senior running back, I thought Mark Fletcher Jr. should have went pro last season in a shallow RB class. He’s a powerful runner who played really well in the CFB Playoffs last year. In his 2026 debut, Fletcher took 13 carries for 40 yards and no touchdowns. His longest carry was for 10 yards.
All night, Miami was basically doing whatever they wanted against Stanford, except when Fletcher had the ball. I didn’t see as much burst as last year down the stretch. Fletcher still has plenty of important football to play as the starting running back for one of the best teams in the nation; however, he needs to bounce back quickly to not become a forgotten man in a talented group of running back prospects.
Week 1 College Football Sign Off
Thank you for tuning into this week’s risers and fallers article. As values ebb and flow, I will remain tapped in to the biggest prospects all season long. It will only get more interesting as talented teams begin to match up with each other. Best of luck with Week 1 of the your dynasty season starting on Wednesday night!
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