As the conference championships concluded, some program records were broken, and teams were propelled into the playoffs this week. Because of their performances this week, here are some players who are Defensive Conference Championship Week NFL Draft Risers.
Defensive NFL Draft Risers In The 2024 Conference Championships
EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
Green and the Marshall defense absolutely suffocated the Louisiana offense en route to a 31-3 win in the Sun Belt championship. He set the SBC single-season sack record with a QB takedown this weekend and tacked on a pass breakup too. The 6’4” 238-pound pass rusher was dominant all game and flashed his impressive athleticism.
He’s been rising up draft boards all season and finishes his campaign with 17 total sacks in 13 games. Green is a similar prototype to Eagles’ EDGE Nolan Smith, among others, and has the freak physicality that teams love. His pass-rush moves are elite, and with some good testing, he could find himself in the first round.
Potential Team Fit: Atlanta Falcons
LB Kobe King, Penn State
The Penn State defense got torn up by Oregon in a thriller, but Kobe King had himself a game. He set a new season-high single-game tackle total with 10 and was able to disrupt a lot of plays over the middle. His sideline-to-sideline skills let him close out runs through any gap and shrink some potentially big gains.
King is seen as a Day 3 flyer if he declares, with a perceived high ceiling as a roving backer. He could see his stock shoot up with a strong performance in the College Football Playoff. It’s still undetermined as to if he declares, but he could be a later riser. His performance as the season has progressed has firmly improved, and he’s elevating his position every week.
Potential Team Fit: Seattle Seahawks
DB Daylen Everette, Georgia
Everette was doing it all against the Longhorns in UGA’s 22-19 overtime win, picking off two passes and swatting away another. He finished the game with an 85.8 PFF grade and 85.2 Coverage grade, both leading the Bulldogs defense. He only allowed three completions on nine total targets and had QB Quinn Ewers searching for answers all night.
His 12.0 passer rating allowed and consistent play against some of the nation’s top wideouts has caused his draft stock to rise significantly. Everette’s stickiness and his ability to succeed on an island should have teams looking toward him for secondary help. He’ll get his chance to continue rising in the CFP with some excellent matchups on deck.
Potential Team Fit: Baltimore Ravens
DB Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Mukuba has operated as a deep safety for most of the Longhorns’ season but was flying around in multiple alignments this weekend. The senior DB picked up 11 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection against an inconsistent UGA offense. His 83.5 PFF grade finished second on Texas’ defense and he allowed just -2 on one reception.
The 3rd-team All-SEC defender flashed some impressive tackling power in a stop during overtime and was almost flawless in coverage. Mukuba will get the chance to go against his former team the Clemson Tigers in the opening round of the CFP. A parlay of more strong showings could push him into the first two days of the draft.
Potential Team Fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
Main Image: Peter Casey – USA Today Sports
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