ESPN lists Cam Rising as one of the top quarterbacks in CFB in 2024, while Utah’s Cole Bishop shines in the NFL Combine and is projected to be selected in the first round.
It gives players an opportunity to increase their draft stock and, if they haven’t already, to possibly catch a team’s attention. Out of the six athletes Utah sent to the combine, safety Cole Bishop stood out due to his impressive performance and positive social media buzz.
His 4.45 40-yard sprint speed, which placed third among all safeties, and his 39-inch vertical, which ranked fifth among safeties, effectively put an end to any doubts regarding his athletic ability.
Bishop might have used his connections to get into early second-round talks and possibly even have an opportunity to go late in the first round, according to Rivals’ Alex Markham. Although Bishop was thought to be an established performer in Salt Lake City, there were doubts about whether his physical attributes would hold up in the NFL.
When he met with the Eagles and they asked him to shoot three jumpers, he may have had his worst combined performance when he admitted to missing all three.
Cam Rising is ranked by ESPN as one of the top quarterbacks in the CFB in 2024.
What seemed like a potential Pac-12 championship treble for Utah in 2023 turned into a lackluster season marked by numerous injuries for the Utes.
Throughout the year, they lost a number of players to season-ending injuries, but their quarterback and leader, Cam Rising, may have been the one most affected. Despite the staff’s constant pretense that he would, Rising never dressed up, which is unfortunate when someone is hurt.
The Utes extracted what they could from both Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson during the season, with the then sixth-year senior sitting out. Positively, Rising decided to come back for a seventh season in 2024 and will try to guide Utah to its first Big 12 championship. Sione Vaki, a two-way star at Utah, appears to have decided on his NFL position.
It is hardly surprising that ESPN ranks him among the top 10 quarterbacks in the nation, given that he is one of the more accomplished and seasoned quarterbacks in the nation. Rising was ranked ninth among signal callers in a recent ranking of the top 10 quarterbacks.
ESPN’s David Hale emphasized Rising’s significant loss against the Utes by pointing out the sharp drop in offensive output.
However, to truly understand Rising’s worth, consider what transpired to Utah’s offense after he was sidelined for the 2023 season due to a knee injury. The Utes suffered a reduction of 85 passing yards per game and a half in their total throw touchdowns, as they fell from averaging over 39 points in 2022 to just 23 last year.
The Utes should be aiming for the College Football Playoff, assuming he can regain the form of the quarterback who last time we saw him tossed for over 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2024, highly-touted freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson will have the opportunity to observe and learn from Rising, which will only improve matters for the program.