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On3 Impact Rankings: The Top Risers from Week6

wam1Wl2j_400x400by: Clark Brooks10/07/25ClarkBrooks_On3
NCAA Football: Illinois at Purdue
Oct 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Hank Beatty (80) runs into Purdue Boilermakers defensive back An'Darius Coffey (24) during the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

In plays, the second act is often where the drama deepens, conflicts intensify, and characters are pushed to their limits. Often referred to as the “rising action,” the second act must hold the audience’s attention by developing complexity and emotional weight.

While Act I introduces the world and Act III resolves it, Act II is where transformation happens, making it essential to the play’s emotional and thematic impact.

A month-plus into the 2025, college football has now entered “Act II”. Though not much is needed to thicken plots for playoff-hopeful programs, the grind and added adversity tend to make good theatre.

And like every week in this glorious sport, some performances brought down the house with thunderous applause and earned rave reviews.

As far as our On3 Impact Rankings are concerned, let’s checkout some of Week6’s top showstoppers!

Impact Riser of the Week: WR Hank Beatty, Illinois

Previous Rank: WR 35, Player No. 232
Current Rank: WR 22, Player No. 190

Illinois’ sure-handed slot receiver continues to sizzle to fall. Hank Beatty hauled in all four of his targets against Purdue for a week-high 186 yards. His longest — a 62-yard catch-and-run score on a sail pattern — gave the Fighting Illinini the lead for good and showed off his next-level speed. Potent, efficient, and productive, he’s quickly making a splash on draft boards, as well as scoreboards.

Exiting the weekend, Beatty is unequivocally one of the most statistically pleasing pass catchers in the country. He joins USC’s Makai Lemon and TAMU’s Mario Craver as the only receivers to place inside the nation’s top6 in both yards (569) and yards per route run (4.66).

No. 2: iOL Matt Gulbin, Michigan State

Previous Rank: iOL 32, Outside Top300
Current Rank: iOL 11, Player No. 142

Sparty might have fallen this weekend. But, Matt Gulbin keeps rising up our Impact Rankings. Michigan State’s main man in the middle has been one of the more underrated transfer portal pickups so far this season. He’s only surrendered a single hurry. Subsequently, he’s 1/3 Power4 interior offensive lineman with at least 140 pass sets to have a sub-0.5% Pressure Rate allowed. And coming off another clean performance, he’s also 1/3 iOLs to rock +80 pass and run block grades per PFF.

No. 3: EDGE Miles Capers, Vanderbilt

Previous Rank: EDGE 41, Outside Top300
Current Rank: EDGE 21, Player No. 171

After his third-straight game with at least 3 pressures and a sack, Miles Capers catapulted inside the top300 in our Impact Rankings. Along with sharing the most tackles for loss in the SEC, his 35 impact plays (havocs + stops) are tops in the conference.

Though far from perfect against the Tide, his takedown of Ty Simpson was teach tape for blowing up a play action bootleg. As the frontside rusher, he knocked back the hot route towards the flat, neutralizing the threat and forcing Simpson to buffer. Then after nearly swiping the ball out, he finished the job and helped killed a touchdown opportunity.

No. 4: QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Previous Rank: QB 31, Outside Top300
Current Rank: QB 21, Player No. 190

Julian Sayin had his best game of his young college career this weekend. Against Minnesota, the second-year slinger completed 23/27 passes for 326 yards and three tuddys. Of course, it helps to have the likes of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to toss the ball to; but the Buckeye balled out and had several big time throws, including going 3/5 deep.

Along with leading the nation in Completion% (80.2%), Sayin is now the only P4 QB to sport a double-digit yards/attempt (10.4) and TD Rate (10.3%).

No. 5: WR Chase Roberts, BYU

Previous Rank: WR 79, Outside Top300
Current Rank: WR 58, Outside Top300

Chase Roberts broke out against West Virginia’s secondary, living up to his All-Big 12 credentials and preseason top300 impact ranking. His four catches totaled 161 yards and helped Bear Bachmeier finish among our Freshmen of the Week.

And after a few games of being on the same page, Roberts’ resume is rather robust. He sits inside the top15 among P4 WRs in First Down+TD Rate (56.7%), Yards/Target (13.2), and yards per route run (3.44). Plus, he’s 6’4 and can scoot. Having stats than matter and tools that translate will make him an intriguing pro prospect.

No. 6: EDGE Dylan Labarbera, Nevada

Previous Rank: EDGE 54, Outside Top300
Current Rank: EDGE 35, Outside Top300

Dylan Labarbera has been one of college football’s most productive defenders this year. No one, at any position, has totaled more than his 53 impact plays ahead of Week 7. His 25 stops are 7 more than the next edge in line. And, only Rueben Bain has more havocs than his 35. Plus, he has logged a sack in four-straight games.

Labarbera isn’t just a compiler crushing minor league fronts. His bang-for-buck is elite. He’s 1/5 edges to rock a +19% impact play/snap. Though arguably underrated in our Impact Rankings (6th-highest G5 defender, 2nd-highest G5 edge), continued domination certainly will see his notoriety rise, in addition to his stock.

No. 7: RB Nate Sheppard, Duke

Previous Rank: RB 51, Outside Top300
Current Rank: RB 36, Outside Top300

Duke’s Nate Sheppard keeps strengthening his case to be freshman All-American. A week after having one of the top rushing performances in college football, he carried the rock 12 times for 91 yards and 2 TDs in the Blue Devils’ win against Cal. With help of 5 broken tackles, two-thirds of his yards came after contact.

On the year, Sheppard has the ACC’s third-most yards (447) and places inside the nation’s top12 in Yards/Attempt (8.0). Seemingly ready to rip off a big gainer on any snap, his 16 carries of 10+ yards are tied for the 5th-most after Week 6. No one with at least 40 carries can boast a better Explosive Run Rate than his 28.6% clip.

No. 8: CB Elijah Green, Tulsa

Previous Rank: Unranked
Current Rank: CB 55, Outside Top300

While Memphis made Tulsa’s defense black and blue, Elijah Green was golden. In Saturday’s 45-7 rout at the hands of the Tigers, he was the only real bright spot. Green snatched 6 tackles, 3 stops, and 2 interceptions — his second 2-pick performance in the last 4 games. As you might suspect, his 5 across this season are presently the most in the land. Likewise, his 31.0% Hawk Rate is first among cornerbacks with at least 150 coverage snaps.

Blue Chip Shoutout: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Previous Rank: EDGE 6, Player No. 24
Current Rank: EDGE 5, Player No. 15

Cashius Howell played up to his Impact 5-star pedigree producing 3 stops, 3 hurries, and 3 sacks against Mississippi State. This season, over 19% of his rushes have resulted in a pressure, which is the SEC’s 3rd-best clip. And behind a steady dose pestering passers, no P4 defender has as many as his 7 QB takedowns exiting the weekend.