A talented player on an NFL football field can come in a variety of forms, shapes and sizes. What truly makes a talented football player? Where in the draft do you usually stumble upon them? The answer is every round 1 through 7. Many of these gems can be discovered in the later rounds when the supposed stars oozing with talent have already been taken. Football fans are well aware of Tom Brady being a 6th round selection in the 2000 NFL draft. A few other examples are recent Super Bowl winning QB Nick Foles selected in the 4th round, Brandon Marshall who was also a 4th rounder, Richard Sherman was a 5th rounder, and current Steelers dynamo Antonio Brown wasn’t selected until the 6th round. The point being made here is the NFL draft is not always as top heavy as witnessed in other leagues. Many stars and elite contributors reside outside the top 32 picks and this makes the NFL draft so fascinating. The Wise Dudes are here to provide you with some under-radar talents that could make a huge impact in the league.
Let’s start with the most important position on any NFL roster, the Quarterback. In looking over this class, I am not fully convinced on any one of these prospects being worthy of a top-5 pick. What I am convinced of is, Texas Tech QB Nic Shimonek being a good value pick and potential steal in the later rounds at the coveted position. Shimonek has an NFL ready frame at 6’ 3’’ 225 pounds that displays very good accuracy in the pocket and had 33 TDs to go with only 10 interceptions this year to show for it. If you combine this frame with his above average athleticism it is easy to envision this prospect as one that could develop the mobility and creativity in the pocket to move around effectively and make the necessary next level throws.
The calling card here is his throwing accuracy as Shimonek completed 66.5 percent of his passes good for 7th in the NCAA while also placing 6th in passing attempts. This is nothing to sneeze at and the ability to make difficult NFL-type throws, most specifically the out breaking route tree, will go a long way in his early development at the highest level. The obvious red flag here is this prospect’s inability to perform in crunch time. As evidenced by a slew of sub-par 4th quarter performances against Oklahoma, Kansas State and TCU that eventually led to a benching for the Texas game. There are many doubters around but if I’m an evaluator the red flag is not so bright due to his ability to fight through a bit of adversity. He ended up leading a comeback victory in that same Texas game which he never should have been benched in the first place. This kid also opened up a small furniture restoration business while enrolled at school to make extra cash. This work ethic to go along with pocket mobility, and NFL-ready accuracy, will make a him a great late round pick-up for any QB-needy team.
Most teams these days are QB-hungry and that makes prospects who catch passes just as crucial to the equation of building a Super Bowl contending roster. Simmie Cobbs Jr from Indiana University made a real impression on the football world when he hauled in 11 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown against the elite level secondary of the Ohio State Buckeyes. The 6’ 4’’ 220-pound wide receiver has all the makings of an elite possession type red-zone pass catcher. He has displayed great hands and great body control this past season and caught some big-time touchdowns for an oft overmatched Indiana passing attack. If you look around the league at some teams (Browns, Rams, and Jets) who have struggled in the red zone in recent years, this receiver is the perfect mid-round selection. His only slight is his speed and quickness as he ran 4.64 40-yard dash and 4.32 shuttle at the NFL combine. Do not call this critique out to Jerry Rice who ran a 4.71 40-yard himself.
Speaking of measuring pure speed, Shaquem Griffin, a kid from St. Petersburg, Florida (WiseDudes Headquarters) starred for UCF and ran an astonishing 4.38 40 as a linebacker. This prospect is on another planet athletically. He flat out dominated the combine despite an early set back in his life in the way of amniotic band syndrome affecting his left hand, causing his fingers on this hand not to fully develop. The combine allowed Griffin to show the football world his pure athleticism and speed. But, let’s not get things misconstrued as this backer is not just some combine hero who has proved nothing on the field. The senior leader had 13.5 TFLs and 7 sacks from the LB position and was the undisputed leader on a 13-0 defense for the UCF Knights. Other than his tantalizing speed off the edge, Griffin provides unique versatility that could potentially allow teams to line him up at one of four positions OLB, MLB (in a coverage package), Hybrid SS, or Defensive end. This type of player is a defensive coordinators dream. The major weakness often brought up with Griffin is that he is a bit undersized and may not have a true position in the league. What some may look at as a weakness should really be heralded as talented versatility. He is a first round talent but will most likely be selected and a steal for a team on Day 2.
Another day 2 gem will emerge in USC defensive end Rasheem Green. This past season Green finished with 43 total tackles, 12.5 TFLs and 10 sacks to go along with 4 pass breakups. This pass rushing force has not gotten as much notoriety as you would expect. This is due to the lack of fill in his frame which led to a glaring hole in his run stopping abilities. As a very athletic 6 5’ box player he projects as a pure 4-3 end who can be a star for any team that scoops him up. Green has the rare ability to knock down passes with his long arms and leaping ability which is ideal for an elite edge rusher who can consistently go after 10+ sacks in his future. This future is bright because with NFL training, world-class facilities and improved dieting will go a long way in filling that frame to play inside against the run.
All these prospects mentioned have a ton of upside and when no one cares to pay attention in the later rounds keep an eye out for where these guys land. A diamond in the rough can change a team’s fortunes drastically. Some other late round gems to look for are Jaylen Samuels (RB/U-Back) out of NC State, Mason Rudolph (QB) from Oklahoma State, UCF’s Mike Hughes (CB), and the Nittany Lion Mike Gesicki (TE).