5 UNDERRATED NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS

The NFL Draft evaluation process is quite the extensive review. During all the scouting events, combine drills and all star games, sometimes we forget to watch game film. In a lot of cases, the NFL Draft can be the splitting of hairs when it comes to ranking players and having to make a case for someone. I use the eye test from watching the games as they occurred or rewatching game film. A shuttle run, high jump or catching passes without anyone else on the field can be misleading.

I think Iowa State Edge Rusher Will McDonald and SMU WR Rashee Rice will out perform their draft position, but I believe the 5 players below will be instant playmakers and have prosperous NFL careers. I am not saying they should be Top 15 draft picks, but I am saying that whoever drafts the players listed will reap the rewards. These are just smart, aggressive and explosive football players who show up to play every day.

WR. JOSH DOWNS. (NORTH CAROLINA):

• 5” 10. 4.48 40 YARD DASH
• OUTSTANDING ROUTE RUNNER, CUTS ON A DIME
• ELUSIVE AFTER THE CATCH
• UNDERSTANDS HOW TO SIT DOWN IN COVERAGE AND PLAY IN SPACE
• 195 RECEPTIONS THE PAST 2 SEASONS
• 2,483 CAREER RECEIVING YARDS
• 22 CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS
• 1 OF 2 UNC PLAYERS TO PRODUCE 2 CAREER 1,000+ YARD SEASONS
• MY NFL COMPS ARE STEVE SMITH SR AND RANDALL COBB

DL. ISAIAH FOSKEY. (NOTRE DAME):

• 6”5. 264LBS
• EXPLOSIVE PASS RUSHER WHO CAN PLAY INSIDE ON PASSING DOWNS
• SOLID LATERAL SPEED
• GREAT RECOVERY AND PURSUIT SPEED/ INSTINCTS
• VERY HIGH CEILING
• 11 SACKS IN 2022, 12.5 SACKS IN 2021 & 4.5 SACKS AS A BACKUP IN 2020…..28 CAREER SACKS IS PRODUCTION.
• CAN STAND UP AS AN EDGE OR PUT HIS HAND IN THE DIRT
• MY NFL COMPS ARE RASHAN GARY AND JOSH SWEAT

S. CHRISTOPHER SMITH. (GEORGIA):

• 5”11 4.5 40 YARD DASH
• LEADER OF THE GEORGIA SECONDARY THE PAST 2 SEASONS
• INSTINCTIVE AND ANALYTICAL …KNOWS WHERE TO BE AND HOW TO ALIGN THE DEFENSE
• PLAYMAKER….3 INTS THE PAST 2 SEASONS, INCLUDING A PICK 6 VS CLEMSON IN 2021 AND TOOK A BLOCKED FG THE DISTANCE FOR A TD AGAINST LSU IN 2022.
• TEXTBOOK TACKLER WHO BRINGS THE THUNDER…TURN ON THE FILM.
• MY NFL COMPS ARE LeROY BUTLER AND JOHN LYNCH

EDGE. ANDRE CARTER II. (ARMY):

• 6”7. 260LBS
• AP ALL AMERICAN IN 2021
• 20 CAREER SACKS FOR ARMY (15.5 IN 2021 WERE 2ND TO WILL ANDERSON JR OF ALABAMA).
• 2 YEAR STARTER WHO RACKED UP 85 TACKLES IN ADDITION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED QUARTERBACK SACKS
• HAS A NOSE FOR THE FOOTBALL
• VERY HIGH CEILING AND HE’LL ONLY GET BETTER WITH A FULL FOCUS ON FOOTBALL AND BEING INSTILLED WITH THE DISCIPLINE AND WORK ETHIC OF THE US MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT.
• MY NFL COMPS ARE MATTHEW JUDON, SHAQUIL BARRETT AND KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA

S. BRANDON JOSEPH. (NOTRE DAME):

• 6”1. 190LBS
• 2020 CONSENSUS ALL AMERICAN AT NORTHWESTERN
• 10 CAREER INTERCEPTIONS
• BALL HAWK AND TACKLING MACHINE
• ANALYTICAL LEADER OF BOTH DEFENSES (NORTHWESTERN & NOTRE DAME)
• DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM CONTACT
• MY NFL COMPS ARE HARRISON SMITH, JORDAN POYER AND DARREN WOODSON

If you are looking for positional rankings of the draft eligible players on offense and defense, we have you covered at Spinnable Sports. You can also find my Top 105 NFL Draft Prospects, Day 3 Gems on Offense & Defense and draft needs for every division in the same spot. My 3 Round Mock Draft takes us from pick #1 to pick #102. The Irrational Confidence Podcast (@IRConfidencePod on Twitter) will be dropping our Live Mock Draft Episode very soon. You can find The Irrational Confidence Podcast on any podcast platform as well as the Spinnable Sports YouTube Channel.