2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Birmingham Bowl

2025 NFL Draft Stock Report: Birmingham Bowl

The 2025 NFL Draft Stock Report series rolls on as we’re tasked with covering the Birmingham Bowl between Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt. I’m not sure there’s much to take away from this game in terms of next year but there are some players to review for the years after to come. Let’s just get to the notes because we have more Bowl game reviews to get to.

Georgia Tech

We can only play the cards we’re dealt but the portal really killed some buzz in this game. Eric Singleton left for Auburn. Romello Height left for Texas Tech. Those are two possible NFL guys who I would have loved to watch but that’s not the world we live in. It’s going to happen with the current landscape. Nothing I can do about it. I kinda like Height. I really like Singleton for anyone who cares heading into future NFL Draft posts.

Jamal Haynes is legit. Every time I watch him, he’s efficient, makes splash plays, and has a nice power / speed combo while being able to catch. 17 carries for 136 yards and added five receptions scoring through the air. 5-foot-9, 190 but never really plays small. Can run between the tackles. He looks like way more of a real running back than he should for a converted wide receiver. Although, Tyrone Tracy made this transition feel pretty seamless so maybe that part shouldn’t even be talked about. He’s been banged up throughout the year too and finished the season on a high note. Will be a senior next year. No idea if he declares or not.

Haynes King played and will be back next season. If I were Georgia Tech, I’d make a contingency plan. The guy literally gets himself hurt from running into brick walls out of his own flaws. Hurt again in this one on a QB draw because he can’t do anything else. Credit to the guy for being tough but a lot of it comes from a lack of self-awareness. He’s punishing himself.

Three passing touchdowns, one pick, but just 6.2 yards per attempt. Went nowhere on the ground too with 11 carries for nine yards. If you can take that part away, Georgia Tech has no second gear and will lose the game. Which is what happened in this one. King will likely be back next year but Georgia Tech better get a quality backup in there because the hits this guy takes at his own volition are ones he won’t be the same from when he’s 60 walking around.

Malik Rutherford looks like he will be the new Eric Singleton next year. 5-foot-9, 170 speedy waterbug. Three catches for 32 yards. Didn’t see anything crazy but we know he will fill that role now. Well, I should say might because they’re bringing in Eric Rivers from FIU. That will probably be their tag team punch next year.

Vanderbilt

The Diego Pavia show continues. He’s going to be back again next year too. No question Pavia is better than King. King gets by on his toughness by taking hits that he doesn’t need to take but has to because he can’t convert a third down passing the ball. Pavia is a twitchier athlete. The wrestling background shows. He’s a tick faster too. Throws a better ball. Some things you can’t quantify. He’s just way more magical and way more touch / feel on everything he does.

You can tell the weeks off helped him. Looked fresher. Took some hits throughout the year on the zone read stuff. Needs that part of his game to be successful. 17 for 84 and two scores on the ground. Added three more passing touchdowns on top of that at 7.6 yards per attempt. I’ll say this. I trust him to win me a game more than I would Desmond Ridder. That probably doesn’t mean anything but he’s not untalented. We’ll leave it at that for now. See you next year.

Wanted to see more out of running back Sedrick Alexander. It was a lot of meh. 13 carries for 32 yards. No power element in his game. Yucky.

Eli Stowers had a decent game. Four receptions for 55 yards and a score. He’s a receiving tight end. Not a blocker. Has some size on him. Maybe a late round target. Not sure how agile and crafty he is yet but he’s not a scrub.

CJ Taylor, the senior safety, made a hell of an interception in this one. Former converted QB. Had six tackles in the game too. Not telling you to get your panties in a bunch yet but a name to monitor as we start to enter the pre-draft process.

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