National Football League

2024 NFL Draft sleepers: 7 underrated prospects outside the first round

Updated Mar. 15, 2024 10:23 a.m. ET

With testing numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine and this month's Pro Day circuit so much fresher in our minds, it is easy to fall into the trap of forgetting the more vital information learned from last year's college football season.

It's important not to lose perspective on which prospects available in the 2024 NFL Draft are actually good football players rather than "just" exceptional athletes.

The players listed below didn't necessarily have poor workouts, but they've been somewhat overshadowed by others who performed better. As a result, these prospects are flying under the public radar, though scouts see them as potential starters likely to be available on the draft's second and third days.

Players are listed alphabetically.

1. Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen

His last name virtually guaranteed Allen would be the first player in this article, but he's the perfect player to lead things off. A relatively pedestrian workout at the Combine should not distract from the fact that this 6-foot-1, 235-pounder averaged a hearty 5.9 yards per carry and racked up a staggering 35 touchdowns in just three seasons of college football.

Allen didn't run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. However, his 32" vertical jump and 9'9" broad jump were among the five worst results among running backs tested this year and suggest that his timed speed won't be much more impressive. Allen is surprisingly quick, however. And, as his size and 26 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press (second among RBs tested in Indianapolis) suggest, he runs with excellent power.

Allen isn't a fit for every offense, but he's among the best downhill backs in this class, projecting as a red-zone vulture at minimum and possibly a team's bell-cow.

2. Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker

Among the year's biggest breakout stars, Booker went from a reserve at Minnesota to a First Team All-Big 12 selection for the Jayhawks in 2023, ranking third in the conference with eight sacks and totaling 12 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder is cat-quick off the snap, showing the ability to beat tackles with a speed rush, as well as the arm length (33 7/8") and hand-eye coordination to lasso ball-carriers even while being engaged with blockers.

The workout in Indianapolis, however, wasn't as impressive as his tape. Booker was clocked at just 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash — significantly slower than top-rated edge rushers like Alabama's Dallas Turner (4.46), Penn State's Chop Robinson (4.48) and Florida State's Jared Verse (4.58). In fact, no edge rusher of his size showed less explosiveness in the 40 or the vertical jump (32.5") than Booker.

There is no denying that Booker's disappointing workout is a red flag. He is just a redshirt sophomore with only one dominant season, after all. But in a class with more questions than answers among edge rushers, I would still be willing to gamble a pick on Day Two that his best football is still ahead of him.

3. Oregon defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus

At 6-foot-3 and 283 pounds, Dorlus is considered by some to be a classic tweener. His workout at Lucas Oil Stadium suggested the same, as he posted below-average numbers in virtually every category.

But turn on the tape and you'll see a versatile defender who recorded 23 tackles for loss over the past three seasons and led all defensive linemen across the country with nine passes defended in 2023. I hate to mix my sports analogies, but too many of today's defensive linemen are sluggers who swing for the fences on each repetition. Dorlus is more of a contact hitter, who values a walk as much as a classic base hit up the middle.

He is a cagey defender who times his rushes well and knows when to ease off, read the eyes of the quarterback and gets his long arms (33 ¼") in the air to tip passes for easy interception opportunities for teammates.

4. Colorado State edge rusher Mohamed Kamara

Not every underrated prospect in this draft struggled during the athletic testing at the combine. Kamara, in fact, was one of this year's best testers among edge rushers with his 10-yard split (1.58) and 40-yard dash (4.58) trailing only projected first-rounders Turner (1.54/4.46) and Robinson (1.54/4.48) and he finished top-five at the position in the bench press drill (21 reps), as well — a test that neither of the latter two athletes elected to participate in at the combine.

Kamara compiled 45.5 tackles for loss over his college career, with 29.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. Sure, his production came against weaker competition than most and technically Kamara played five years with the Rams, but even if we focus on the past three seasons, he easily out-produced Turner (32.5-22.5-2), Robinson (20-11.5-3) and virtually every other edge rusher in this class.

So, what's the catch? Kamara is just over 6-foot-1 and weighed in at 248 pounds in Indianapolis. Further, he is more of a stand-up edge rusher than a traditional 4-3 defensive end. There will be all sorts of narratives used to explain away his production. Don't listen to them. Kamara happened to star in the Mountain West Conference. That won't keep him from earning a Day Two selection next month.

5. Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul

Like Kamara, stereotyping lesser competition is, frankly, the only reason I can offer as to why Paul hasn't received more buzz in the build-up to the 2024 NFL draft. He's been starting at left tackle for Houston since 2019 and during that time has surrendered a total of five sacks, including one in each of the past two seasons. He starred at the Senior Bowl, which is no surprise given that he is a two-time team captain whose older brother (Chris) is currently in the NFL (Washington).

Paul has a pro-ready frame, checking in at the combine at 6-foot-7.5 and 331 pounds with a floor-scraping 36 ¼" arm length. Better yet, he tested well, posting a quality time in the 40-yard dash (5.13 seconds). In fact, given his long arms, Paul's 30 repetitions in the bench press was one of the more impressive athletic feats of this year's Combine.

I've argued that this year's offensive tackle is not just good, it is historic. The depth of the position is one reason I can see as to why Paul isn't among the first 32 players off the board next month — despite his relative lack of buzz.

6. Washington wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk

The only position in this class deeper than offensive tackle is wide receiver. I believe four wideouts — Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington's Rome Odunze and LSU's duo of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. — are all virtual locks to be top-15 picks with All-Pro potential. The strongest argument for teams passing on them this early is the belief that so many other quality future NFL starters will still be available on Day Two and perhaps even into Day Three.

One such prospect is Polk, Odunze's former teammate with the Huskies.

At 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, Polk is not particularly big. His 4.52-second 40-yard dash time is still very good for his size, however, and Polk showed off his explosiveness in the vertical (37.5") and broad jump (10'9"). Most importantly, his tape is full of catches made in the air and through contact, proving that he is a very good player and athlete.

What I like most about Polk, however, is not just his classic combination of size, speed and hands, but his physicality and awareness as a downfield blocker. Forgive the pun, but this Dawg showed some bite in his overall game — not just as a pass-catcher — and history proves that those are the receivers who earn playing time early in their NFL careers.

7. Illinois tight end Tip Reiman

Cherry-picking favorites among stellar offensive tackle and wide receivers classes is relatively easy. Reiman just missed the cut of my rankings of the top 10 tight ends but like Polk, he plays with a different degree of versatility, toughness and pro-readiness than some of his flashier peers.

The 6-foot-5, 271-pound Reiman quietly enjoyed one of the better all-around workouts at his position at this year's Combine, posting a quality 4.64-second time in the 40-yard dash with a 10'1" broad jump, 4.26-second short shuttle and 28 reps on the bench press — more than 24 offensive and defensive linemen.

The strength wasn't surprising to scouts as the burly Reiman is widely viewed as one of this year's top blocking tight ends. He wasn't featured much as a pass catcher at Illinois, corralling just 19 passes each of the past two seasons. His testing numbers at the Combine indicate untapped potential, suggesting that, like many of the other players on this list, this former walk-on has a bright future in the NFL.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.