Editor's note: NFL.com analysts and former NFL scouts Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah will grade the performances of 5 top prospects each week of the 2016 season. Click the tabs above to see their Week 8 marks for each of the players.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
WEEK 8 GRADE: A
Stats: 20-of-34 for 355 yards, 3 TDs. 17 carries for 76 yards (4.5 average), TD. (vs. N.C. State)
Skinny: The most electrifying player in college football continues to live up to the hype that's been building since he set the CFB world on fire with a few spectacular performances to open the season. Jackson torched N.C. State with an explosive combination of skills as a run-pass threat on the perimeter. While the gaudy production stands out at first glance, it was his pinpoint passing from various platforms (pocket, on the move and set-and-reset) that impressed me the most. Jackson tossed dime after dime to Cardinals receivers, including a 66-yard pass to TE Cole Hikutini on a bootleg play rolling to the right. He later followed it with a 3-yard touchdown to the big-bodied tight end on a rollout that showcased his "whip" (arm strength) on the move. With Jackson also delivering darts from the pocket, it's easy for scouts to fall in love with his pure passing talent. Jackson continues to show remarkable stop-start quickness, balance and body control as a dynamic runner on zone reads and designated quarterback keepers. He exploded through the hole on a QB power on the way to a 36-yard score. With Jackson accounting for 34 touchdowns (18 passing, 16 rushing) in 7 games, scouts are intrigued by his long-term potential as an electric dual-threat quarterback. -- Bucky Brooks
Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
