National Football League

Rob Rang ranks the top sleepers in the 2021 NFL Draft

Updated Jul. 21, 2021 5:36 p.m. ET

Rob Rang

By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst

What makes an NFL scout stick around in this business is the ability to find "diamonds in the rough" in the middle and late rounds of the draft.

Below is a list of players who, for whatever reason, haven't yet received the attention their physical abilities warrant, usually because they starred at a lower level of competition. Some are players who played at prominent FBS programs but battled injuries, a stacked depth chart or off-field concerns and therefore are being overlooked by many.

These players are hoping to overcome the huge leap in competition, just as many of today’s key NFL players have done since they were featured on similar lists from previous years.

Some examples of these players from years past include quarterback Gardner Minshew (Washington State, 2019), running back Kareem Hunt (Toledo, 2017), wide receiver Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington, 2017), tight end Dallas Goedert (South Dakota State, 2018) and two elite guards, Ali Marpet (Hobart, 2015) and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill, 2014).

On the defensive side of the ball, notable "sleepers" from the past decade include defensive end Maxx Crosby (Eastern Michigan, 2019), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (Charlotte, 2017), middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (Utah State, 2012) and defensive backs such as Robert Alford (Southeastern Louisiana, 2013), Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne, 2020) and Jeremy Chinn (Southern Illinois, 2020).

The 2021 NFL Draft features plenty of small-school prospects, including potential top-five pick Trey Lance out of North Dakota State. The point of this article is to dig much deeper than Lance, however, with most of the players listed below (along with their schools, heights, weights and 40-yard dash times) likely to be chosen on day three and needing just a little more polish to become "surprising" NFL starters.

QUARTERBACKS

Zac Thomas, Appalachian State, 6-1, 205, 4.56

Boasting a 32-6 record as a starter, which ranks second in this quarterback class only to that of presumptive No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence (34-2 at Clemson), Thomas epitomizes this year’s diamond in the rough class. While lacking the size and arm strength teams prefer, he is a quality athlete with good accuracy and nice touch to loft the ball down the seams and sideline. He likely would have generated more buzz this year had he been able to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but it was canceled because of the pandemic. Thomas did play in the FBS All-Americans Tropical Bowl, and he led the national team to a win and was named the offensive MVP.

Other quarterbacks:

Brady Davis, Illinois State, 6-2, 206, 4.74
David Moore, Central Michigan, 6-1, 198, 4.84
Zach Smith, Tulsa, 6-3, 222, 5.22
Kevin Thomson, Washington, 6-1, 198, 4.71
Brady White, Memphis, 6-1, 210, 4.84

RUNNING BACKS

Kene Nwangwu, Iowa State, 6-0, 210, 4.31

Sandwiched between current Chicago Bears starter David Montgomery and future NFL draft pick Breece Hall, Nwangu didn’t get much of an opportunity to show off his talents at Iowa State, but the flashes were bright. The physically imposing back averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry in his career and set a Cyclones record with 26.82 yards per kickoff return (with just one fumble) in 242 touches. Of course, the number scouts are most intrigued by is the 4.31 seconds in which he ran the 40-yard dash. The 38-inch vertical jump at his weight, 6.83-second 3-cone and 3.76 GPA with a degree in mechanical engineering are all unique as well.

Other running backs:

Jake Funk, Maryland, 5-10, 204, 4.48
Caleb Huntley, Ball State, 5-10, 225, 4.55 (est.)
Nate McCrary, Saginaw Valley, 6-0, 213, 4.50
Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana, 5-10, 201, 33
Jaret Patterson, Buffalo, 5-7, 195, 4.58

WIDE RECEIVERS

D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan, 5-9, 190, 4.35

The playmaking Eskridge is far from an unknown to passionate draft fans, but frankly, in a class as full of explosive receivers as this one, he still is being underrated, with a day two selection virtually guaranteed. Unlike some of the other "undersized" receivers of this class, Eskridge offers elite speed, as well as physicality and versatility. He lined up at cornerback, kick returner and gunner for the Broncos as well as wide receiver, where he led the MAC in receiving yards (784) and touchdowns (eight) despite his team's season being limited to six games.

Other wide receivers:

Kawaan Baker, South Alabama, 6-1, 210, 4.43
Jaelon Darden, North Texas, 5-8, 174, 4.44
Josh Imatorbhebhe, Illinois, 6-1, 218, 4.51
Cade Johnson, South Dakota State, 5-10, 184, 51
Michael Strachan, Charleston, 6-5, 226, 4.50

TIGHT ENDS

Quintin Morris, Bowling Green, 6-2, 243, 4.65

With NFL teams increasingly in search of athletic mismatches to attack the seams, Morris, a former wide receiver who kept gaining bulk and strength (but not losing speed), should be receiving more fanfare. His body control and acceleration (and, unfortunately, occasional drops) remind me a little of another former diamond in the dough at tight end: former South Alabama standout Gerald Everett, the presumptive starter next year in Seattle.

Other tight ends:

Matt Bushman, BYU, 6-5, 245, 4.80 (est.)
Daniel Crawford, Northern Illinois, 6-2, 245, 4.69
Zach Davidson, Central Missouri, 6-6, 245, 4.62
Scooter Harrington, Stanford, 6-5, 250, 5.15 (possible switch to OT)
Dylan Soehner, Iowa State, 6-7, 268, 4.83

OFFENSIVE TACKLES

Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa, 6-9, 314, 4.92

With all due respect to the top-shelf talent at offensive tackle this year, what separates this year’s class from most of the others I’ve evaluated over the past 20 years is its remarkable depth. Brown is among several future starters likely to still be available on day two and into the middle rounds. He has added nearly 90 pounds to his frame since he slipped through the recruiting cracks after playing tight end and defensive end in eight-man football in high school. Brown put forth one of the more remarkable Pro Day workouts of the year, with his 6.96-second 3-cone drill swifter than that of many cornerbacks. Best of all, the 32-game starter isn't simply a workout warrior; Brown is an old-school brawler with the strength, length and nastiness teams expect out of a right tackle.

Other offensive tackles:

Josh Ball, Marshall, 6-7, 308, 5.09
Brady Christensen, BYU, 6-5, 302, 4.89
Larnel Coleman, Massachusetts, 6-6, 307, 5.10
Tommy Doyle, Miami (Ohio), 6-8, 320, 5.11
Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State, 6-6, 301, 12

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater, 6-3, 320, 4.99

With a name, game and background such as Meinerz's (pronounced "Miners"), it seems appropriate to highlight this burly blocker in an article about diamonds in the rough. This isn’t just a play on Meinerz’s name, however. A self-made player who received zero FBS or FCS scholarship offers out of high school, Meinerz became a force at left guard for the Warhawks and was a late addition to the Senior Bowl, where he stole the show with his tenacity, agility and Ezekiel Elliott-like bare-midriff jersey. Now Meinerz is among the handful of candidates vying to be the first player from this article selected, with clubs split over whether he projects best at guard or center.

Other interior offensive linemen:

Adam Jewell, Air Force, 6-2, 289, 5.35
Robert Jones, Middle Tennessee State, 6-4, 307, 5.37
Jordan Meredith, Western Kentucky, 6-3, 302, 5.08
David Moore, Grambling, 6-2, 330, 5.13
William Sherman, Colorado, 6-3, 304, 18

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INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt, 6-5, 285, 4.90 (est.)

As a four-year standout in the SEC, Odeyingbo is far more proven than most of the other players on this list, but the fact that he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in January, sadly, threatens to make him one of this year’s most under-drafted players. After a standout prep career in which he spent time along the line of scrimmage and at wide receiver, Odeyingbo drew interest from plenty of blue blood programs but chose to sign with Vanderbilt to play with his older brother, Dare. With the sort of frame every NFL team is looking to develop, Odeyingbo used his raw strength and length (35¼-inch arms) to rack up 31 tackles for loss and 12 sacks against the top talent in the country the past four years. A team willing to invest a likely midround draft pick (and perhaps a redshirt year) could be handsomely rewarded when Odeyingbo returns to action.

Other interior defensive linemen:

Roy Lopez, Arizona, 6-2, 304, 5.16
Forrest Merrill, Arkansas State, 6-0, 322, 5.27
Cameron Sample, Tulane, 6-3, 267, 4.80
Khyiris Tonga, BYU, 6-2, 325, 5.07
Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech, 6-3, 284, 4.63

EDGE DEFENDERS

William Bradley-King, Baylor, 6-3, 252, 4.75

In a year when some players opted out of the 2020 season, Bradley-King deserves kudos for gambling on himself, jumping up a degree of competition to sign with Baylor as a graduate student after back-to-back All-Sun Belt seasons at Arkansas State, the only FBS school to offer him a scholarship out of high school. Although perhaps not as speedy off the edge as some rushers with similar size in this class, Bradley-King is strong, aggressive and intense, surprising opponents with his heavy hands and technique and proving just as effective against the run as he is against the pass.

Other edge defenders:

Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina, 6-2, 254, 4.71
Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern, 6-3, 260, 4.74
Malcolm Koonce, Buffalo, 6-2, 249, 4.70 (est.)
Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa, 6-6, 252, 75
Jordan Smith, Alabama-Birmingham, 6-6, 255, 4.75 (est.)

OFF-BALL LINEBACKERS

Tavante Beckett, Marshall, 5-10, 220, 4.77

Both smaller and slower (at least by the stopwatch) than typically required of linebackers in today’s NFL, Beckett might be forced to make an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent, especially given that he comes with character concerns, based on a 2017 arrest for possession and distribution of marijuana while playing at Virginia Tech. Reports suggest Beckett has since matured, however, and there is no doubt that he plays much faster than his 40-yard dash would suggest, showing swarming tenacity. Beckett led Conference USA with 121 tackles in 2019 and was operating at an even better pace this past season, with 90 in nine games.

Other off-ball linebackers:

Riley Cole, South Alabama, 6-3, 240, 4.73
Milo Eifler, Illinois, 6-1, 228, 4.57
Christian Elliss, Idaho, 6-2, 228, 4.57
Justin Hilliard, Ohio State, 6-1, 229, 81
Leighton McCarthy, Florida Atlantic, 6-2, 226, 4.86

CORNERBACK

Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas, 6-0, 193, 4.39

Likely the first defender drafted (and perhaps overall) from this list of 2021 sleepers, Rochell is yet another example of a late-blooming player who slipped through the recruiting cracks. He grew up in the talent-rich state of Louisiana, but FBS programs were not interested in the then-160 pounder. Rochell has since beefed up and emerged as one of the better small-school corners in years, dominating the Southland Conference with 38 passes broken up and 10 interceptions in his career — after initially signing as a receiver. With a terrific week at the Senior Bowl, Rochell erased any doubts about his ability to compete with top talent, and his pro day (which included a 43-inch vertical and 4.08-second short shuttle) ranked among the most impressive in a good year for cornerbacks.

Other cornerbacks:

Shemar Jean-Charles, Appalachian State, 5-10, 184, 4.51
Zech McPhearson, Texas Tech, 5-11, 196, 4.55 (est.)
Bryan Mills, North Carolina Central, 6-1, 174, 4.56
Antonio Phillips, Ball State, 6-0, 186, 50 (est.)
Nahshon Wright, Oregon State, 6-4, 183, 4.47

SAFETY

Darrick Forrest, Cincinnati, 6-0, 206, 4.41

While there was plenty of credit to go around, one of the primary reasons the Bearcats (9-1) finished eighth in the final AP Poll last season was the stellar play of their safeties, both of whom will be drafted. Forrest was overshadowed at times by his flashier teammate, James Wiggins, but the former was the more reliable player at Cincinnati, and he showed off his elite athleticism at the Bearcats’ Pro Day, with eye-popping results in the vertical (39 inches), broad jump (11 feet even) and 3-cone drill (6.91 seconds) with 21 repetitions of 225 pounds. The numbers I like most for Forrest, however, are his 36 career starts (including 28 consecutive to cap his career), 200 tackles and ratio of six interceptions to 12 passes defensed.

Other safeties:

Zayne Anderson, BYU, 6-2, 206, 4.43
Camryn Bynum, California, 6-0, 196, 4.56 (played CB in college)
Tyler Coyle, Purdue, 6-1, 209, 4.36 (Connecticut grad-transfer)
Devon Key, Western Kentucky, 6-0, 208, 53
Christian Uphoff, Illinois State, 6-0, 209, 4.63

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL draft for over 20 years with his work found at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.