Last year, you guys were high on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as well as a few other players who turned out to be key ingredients on everyone's draft board.


Who are the guys this year that we should be aware of from colleges most of us aren't aware of?

There has not yet emerged any DR-C caliber small school guys who are "can't miss" first rounders. The best small school guy looks like a 3rd rounder type right now, in Cal Poly's huge WR Ramses Barden.

Most of the small school guys that have a shot are already in our position rankings, so you could scour through those.

Here are just a few small school guys that I think have a shot at being in a camp and making a practice squad or better:

(in no particular order)

James Harris, DE, Stony Brook
Mark Meng, OLB, Fort Lewis
Andy Strickland, WR, Wofford
Jovan Belcher, OLB, Maine
Curtis Pulley, QB, FAMU
Sherman Logan, DE, Richmond
Ralph Nguti, OT, Albany (NY)
Terrell Whitehead, S, Norfolk St.
Cecil Newton, C, Tenn State
Pierre Walters, DE, Eastern IL
Robert Haynes, CB, Michigan Tech
John Falotoese, DT, Cal-Davis
DreMail Hardin, S, Stillman
Jason English, WR, Tuskegee
Jordan Manning, LB, Towson
Tommy Breaux, WR, Towson
Cory Garver, TE, Cal of PA
Rob Plowman, LB, IUP
Gary Peach, DE, Eastern WA
Ryan Phipps, LB, Idaho St.
Kevin Grant, LB, Akron
Bryan Williams, S/CB/KR, Akron
Everette Pedescleaux, DL, Northern IA
Robbie Dehaze, P, No. Arizona
Larry Warner, HB/KR, So. Illinois
Evin Jones, RB, Sacred Heart

That's just to wet your whistle....

You consider Larry English from No. Illinois and Brandon Swain from West Tex A&M? I like both as situational pass rushers.

Curtis Pulley is an idiot

Here are a few more:
Though he might not go in round 1 like Rogers-Cromartie but big back Rashad Jennings 6'0.7" 232 4.52 could crack round 2 and his teammates:
WR Dominic Bolden 5'9.2" 178 4.46 might stick as a returner/slot, priority UDFA
QB Brock Smith Liberty U 6'1.6" 252 4.96 is a priority UDFA
Also-
Abilene Christian QB Billy Malone 6'2.2 236 5.06 Challenged Losman for the starting job at Tulane, had a medical issue but now has a clean bill of health, has a good arm and head for the game might go late day 2. His top WR Johnny Knox 5'11.5" 184 4.50 is a priority UDFA

Central Arkansas QB Nathan Brown 6'1.2" 213 4.78 Perfect WCO type QB mid rounder. Also their TE/H-Back FB Marquez Branson 6'2.2" 246 should go day 2.

Alcorn State LB Lee Robinson 6'2.1" 244 4.71 could be a 4-3 Sam or an ILB in the 3-4. Mid to late 2nd day selection.

Georgetown DE Ataefiok Etukeren at 6'2.5" 237 4.67 projects to OLB, priority UDFA .

Hampton has a few:
WR/KR Jeremy Gilchrist 5'8.6" 176 4.48 is a bit like Troy Brown.
FS Sam Pope a So. Carolina Transfer 5.11.4" 196 4.56 has good ball skills, priority UDFA.

Savannah St. FS Javorris Jackson 6'3.6" 216 4.64 projects to SS or WLB, priority UDFA who could get drafted with a great pro day.

Rogers-Cromartie's Alma Mater has TB Javarris Williams 5'9.3 218 who could go as early as the 5th.
As well as So. Carolina Transfer QB Antonio Heffner 6'0.3" 202 4.66 may be asked to move another position or head to the AFL or Canada as a QB, priority UDFA. Remond Willis 6'0.6" 251 4.59 projects to a cover-2 Mike LB the Transfer from Illinois is a priority UDFA who could get drafted with a great pro day.

WOW! Such vitriol!

A friend of mine in the NFL scouting community told me to keep an eye on QB Jason Boltus out of Hartwick (NY) College. I haven't seen him yet, but here's some info on him:

-School website lists him at 6040, 220#
-Through 8 games in 2008, he's thrown for 3265 yards, 35 TDs, 8 INTs with an efficiency of 171.65
-He's also rushed for 321 yards on 56 carries (net of 139 taking losses/sacks into account) and a couple TDs
-He crushed school records early this season for career pass yards and pass TDs

The scout I talked to really liked his arm and his intelligence.

Speed,size are interesting if they're legit. There doesn't seem to be an incredible amount of speed in this class of LBs... although, the position does look deep.



What's the story behind the transfer out of Illinois?

Not a terrible student, none of the field stuff just wanted to start and get back down south, his instincts are hit and miss and he is raw in coverage, but the rest is there.

Just seen this... link

T'was linked up on CFT and it looks like we might be hearing a lot more about this kid before April.

I'm going to see if he can appear on the CD40 with us sometime soon...

Sounds awesome, CJ!

Thanks for the link CJS. I hadn't seen that. I guess he's not really a secret anymore.

I'll tell you, the more and more I watch college football, the one sure thing about predicting pro football success is to have a QB who plays for 4 years in college. It doesn't really matter that he played for a big program (Joe Flacco, Tyler Thigpen) or a winning team (Jay Cutler), it's more important that he have a head on his shoulders (Trent Edwards), be able to handle adversity (Jason Campbell playing in 4 different offensive schemes in college), and be a real leader (Matt Ryan).

I think I'm going to have to check out this Boltus kid a bit more now.

So he's a project... but a good project.

Not playing four years from the spread in shotgun formation doesn't hurt, either.

That's why I hope Freeman plays somewhere next year before entering the draft. There are many talented JR QBs but IMHO none of them are ready. Other than Bledsoe, name another early entry QB with a truly great career.

Indeed. Lest we forget Todd Marinovich.

No argument from me, here. Every one of these guys look like 2-year projects before they're NFL ready. If you're a GM, and you expect your fan base to sit back and wait for their 'future franchise quarterback' to become ready, you're not going to stay employed long, either.

I have no idea if Tim Tebow will succeed in the NFL, but I'm 90% certain that he'll either the GM that drafts him, the HC who sits him, or both will be fired within his first two years.

Or Vick, Maddox, McNown, Henson, Quincy Carter, Akili Smith, Alex Smith, stop when ever you're ready!

Here's a real sleeper - Gregory Toler - St. Paul's College - CB - 5' 11" 191lbs - runs a legit 4.35
Was MVP of the East Coast Bowl - 2 ints - 7 tackles - 1 fumble recovery
He had 19 pass break ups this year along with 6 picks....you will hear about him soon enough

Marcus Benard - Jackson State University DE is going to fly up the boards.

Josh Heupel... what the hell was that guy thinking?

Richard Washington DT - Clark Atlanta University is going to surprise a ton people...remember Curtis Johnson LB last year from Clark Atlanta...he made the opening day 53 man roster with the Colts and he'sa playing.

Regarding Marcus Benard, Toler and Washington-
Marcus Benard is 6'3.6" 272 runs about a 4.78 40, is good against run and as a pass rusher. He is not great with his hands or at protecting his legs, but he is a tough guy with a good motor, a good pro day puts him perhaps as high as the 5th/6th cusp. He is the #2 prospect on the JSU defense. Domonique Johnson is the best prospect on the team and he may go as early as the 3rd/4th and can play nickel on day one.

Gregory Toler is a very good prospect but I bet in a combine situation we'll see him run in the 4.49-4.53 range, despite that he is a very good prospect but likely a UDFA with an outside shot at late day 2.

Richard Washington 6'2.3" 308 about 5.06 in the 40 is a very intriguing prospect, he could use some work on conditioning and technique, but he has all attributes to be a base 4-3 DE, quick and powerful, likely a UDFA with a decent shot at late day 2, even round 6 with a solid pro day.

That is intriguing. Normally there aren't a lot of project-DTs out there for the 4-3. Most of the DL who're "projects" are 3-4 DEs. With the number of teams who're trying to retool their cover-2s this off-season, I can't imagine this guy goes undrafted.... If, as you point out, he has a good work out. It's also pretty fortuitous for himt hat he has another prospect on his team. That should get more scouts to his Pro-Day... or be aware of them when they join the G-Tech players at their Pro-Day.... However, Clark-Atlanta usually handles it.

what?

Yeah,i got a Chance to catch that east coast bowl, and yes, he deffinitly empressed on looker's and scout's with his high speed and fluient play.The funny part was i talked to him after the game and he said he just love playing the game and having fun,just first impression he's a humble guy,with an edge for the game.I like it when there Hungry.Yeah keep ur eye's open forthis kid.



THANKS:
Tom Shorts

My school used to be in the CIAA, I am very familar with Toler, that 4.35 was hand timed, I reiterate-

Guess who's going to the Combine??? No, not me... Jason Boltus.

In order...D2 guys:

DT Sammy Lee Hill (Stillman College) (5th round)
OG Roger Allen (Missouri Western) (5th-6th round)
QB Mike Reilly (Central Washington) (5th-6th round)
WR Johnny Knox (Abilene Christian) (6th-7th round)
RB Bernard Scott (Abilene Christian) (7th round)
TE Jared Bronson (Central Washington) (7th round)
RB Branden Ore (West Liberty State) (7th-PFA)
ILB Dan Skuta (Grand Valley State) (7th-PFA)
TE Zachary Miller (Nebraska-Omaha) (7th-PFA)
QB Keith Null (West Texas A&M) (PFA)
OT Sam Allen (Grand Valley State) (PFA)
WR Julius Pruitt (Ouachita Baptist) (PFA)
WR Charly Martin (West Texas A&M) (PFA)
CB Greg Toler (St. Paul's) (PFA)
QB Billy Malone (Abilene Christian) (PFA)
ILB Terrence Jackson (Indiana PA) (PFA)
CB Darren Banks (West Liberty State) (PFA)