Every NFL Draft cycle, players rise and fall on draft boards from preseason and midseason expectations. More evaluators, including high-level personnel members and coaches, are finally putting eyeballs onto prospects as the NFL season comes to a close and the collective Eye of Sauron turns towards the draft.
As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players' stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.