Hand Size: 9 (83rd). Chris Low: Peter Warrick Peter Warrick could do everything at Florida State. 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.08 (97th), Wingspan: 83 (98th) (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images), The other draft I loved was the Seahawks, was what happened with Kentucky QB Will Levis, Having gotten to know him a little over the years. A lot of his big catches over the middle came when Georgia was throwing four and five wide at a defense with all kinds of motion. Arm Length: 29 (1st) His career has been marked by injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries and an emergency appendectomy. NFL Comparison: Marshawn Lynch. Arm Length: 32 (35th) Bench Press: N/A 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: 80 (97th) Nady didn't see the majors again until 2003. Martin had 1,012 snaps in the slot, 851 at cornerback, 300 at free safety, 249 in the box, and 91 along the defensive line. He was finally signed by St. Louis in 1998, four years after graduating university, but didnt get to play a single game in the NFL. Not all NFL superstars are recruited out of high school, and some werent eligible to play right away. Height: 59 (7th percentile) Weight: 184 (16th) Stroud: 12 completions in 23 attempts for 391 yards, 270 air yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.6. On the basketball court, I was very aggressive so I was starting to foul out of a lot of games, Dexter said. The cornerback didn't play the sport for the first time until his junior year in high school, which means he only has six years of organized football under his belt. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Other than that, Johnsons primary weakness seems to be that he isnt Bijan Robinson but as we have established, nobody else is, either. Quinn looked like the perfect NFL prospect, playing in the perfect system to prepare him for the next level and with the perfect coach in Weis. 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.32 (17th), Wingspan: N/A Draft order and updated results:See every selection I think that Martin projects similarly, and perhaps even better over time, as long as the coverage kinks can be worked out. An All-State and All-County player who finished his high-school tenure with 187 catches for 3,019 yards and 32 touchdowns, Downs also lettered in basketball and track. This is true of his efforts as a run defender. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A Strengths: Musgraves high-percentile speed and burst at the combine absolutely show up on tape. He committed to Michigan over offers from UCLA and USC (among others), and transferred to UCLA in 2021 after fighting for reps in the Wolverines stacked backfield over two seasons. Stat to Know: Sanders lined up along the edge on 20% of his snaps last season, amassing five sacks and 17 total pressures when he did so. Cornerback Jaylon Jones went in the seventh round to the Colts (221st overall) and he was mocked anywhere from 83rd to 200th overall immediately prior to the event. Strengths: People tend to talk about Benton more as a run defender than as a pass disruptor, but theres enough tape of him getting to the quarterback from multiple gaps to make me think that his part of his game is undersold. Conclusion: White comes into an NFL that seems tailored for his skill set in some ways. Bench Press: 18 reps (39th) Instead, lets look at Witten, selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 draft out of Tennessee. Mauch is feisty as heck, he clearly wants to dominate on the field, and the only things stopping him from doing that are his physical limitations. I love that he goes to a place with a strong veteran presence in the position room, and he also has some familiar faces who know him well in Nakobe Dean, the leader of the 2021 Georgia team, and Jordan Davis. 1 overall since 1967, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Every year we played him he got better.. NFL Comparison: Dawson Knox. Still, he shows ability as a move tight end and H-back, and that should work pretty easily into his next phase. Broad Jump: N/A This 28-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman against Pitt in Week 2 wasnt over the middle, but I think it presented another example of Hooker reading the situation well and capitalizing when the opportunity arose. Some players who are red-shirted like Michael Crabtree come out after there Earlier this summer, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp became one of the most high-profile advocates for it. And you have to like that Mims doesnt fold up against aggressive coverage he can also beat press with foot fakes and quick movement, but hes not above putting an elbow in there to get open. This applies to Ika in both a positive and negative sense. Its great to plaster guys all over the field when you have that ability, but NFL teams will challenge you to play off-coverage with route combinations and reduced splits, and youd better be ready for it. because hell close with confidence and intelligence. 10-Yard Split: N/A In 2022, as the featured weapon in Josh Heupels field-stretching Air Raid/Veer offense, Hyatt had 311 snaps in the slot, seven out wide, two in the backfield, and one inline. In 2022, Henley played 560 snaps at linebacker, 59 in the slot, 39 along the defensive line, seven at cornerback, and one at free safety. News of Taylor's retirement spurred us to take a look at the 10 best active NFL players who started their college careers as walk-ons. NFL Comparison: Derek Cox. Particulars: Attended Alabama. Here are 10 great college football players -- Hall of Fame rs all -- who, for one reason or another, never played a down in the NFL. Conclusion: You dont often think of centers as touchstones for their offenses, but if you have a center like Schmitz, who can get the job done in any scheme and will tattoo his personality all over the team, centers can be just that kind of player. 3-Cone Drill: N/A His transfer to Washington State for the 2022 season put him on the national radar, and Henley responded with a season in which he had five sacks, 18 pressures, 74 tackles, 40 stops, and he allowed 34 catches on 46 targets for 361 yards, 212 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, one interception, one pass breakup, and an opponent passer rating of 101.8. Taking on guards and centers who outweigh him by 100 pounds is not always an optimal strategy. Over time, he had 39 starts for the Bison 37 at left tackle, and two at right tackle. And this red zone defense of a pass from USCs Caleb Williams to receiver Jordan Addison (one of the best receivers in this class) shows how well he moves from Point A to Point B and tracks the ball from there. 6'3", 210ish, ran a 9.9 100m in college, around a 4.3 40. Primarily an edge defender for the Crimson Tide in 2020 and 2021 (338 snaps on the defensive line, and just five in the box), Sanders chose to transfer to Arkansas for the 2022 season to move to a more traditional linebacker role albeit with a lot of pass-rushing pop. Making the most of Ikas potential would have some NFL team with the kind of defensive weapon you just dont see that often, but well have to wait and see if that actually happens. 3-Cone Drill: N/A What is consistent with all of these great NFL players who started their rise to glory late is that they never gave up, and they overcame some pretty remarkable obstacles to reach their goals. They had the opportunity but passed it up and he turned in another great year at nickel. So, not just a speed guy. Hand Size: 11 (98th). I still think that if he could go back and show up for the start of his first training camp instead holding out for a couple of weeks (his agent and the Redskins struggled with navigating the new salary-cap rules) that it would change the entire experience. Every players story is different, and everyone has to follow their own path. Neither ever had a 1,000-yard NFL season. Bio: Hyatt attended Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina after serving as a ball boy for the football program in his younger years. Particulars: Attended Kansas State. Be the first one to comment on this story. Hell get leaky when he shouldnt. 10-Yard Split: 1.51 (86th) By league rules, Fournette will not be eligible for the NFL until the 2017 draft. When in Cover-1 and Cover-3 last season, he led the nation in interceptions with five, allowing 15 catches on 29 targets for 156 yards, and one touchdown. Phillips played 1,364 snaps at outside cornerback, 424 in the slot, 87 in the box, seven along the defensive line, and three at free safety. He never saw the field but did bounce around a few practice squads until 2017 before he was washed out of the league. And those are just a couple of running backs. Over three seasons with the Tigers, Simpson had 12 sacks, 64 total pressures, 119 tackles, 79 stops, and he allowed 50 catches on 73 targets for 406 yards, 319 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, no interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 96.0. 10. As much as his burner speed will put him on the field, that might take him right off. 3-Cone Drill: 6.63 (93rd) NFL Comparison: Jay Ratliff. Conclusion: It should come as no surprise that Simpson is from the same program that produced Isaiah Simmons Clemson obviously has a lot of bandwidth for linebackers who play all over the defense, and do so successfully for the most part. Stat to Know: LaPorta led all tight ends in his class with 20 missed tackles forced, and I think about half of them came on this 27-yard catch against Kentucky in that bowl game. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A He became an offensive lineman in 2001, earning a scholarship in the process, and also was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs. Vertical Jump: 31 (5th) Conclusion: Tillmans athletic limitations will have some NFL teams wondering if he can be a credible starter in their offenses. If you want to echo Kyle Shanahan and run a bunch of Y-throwback stuff, Musgrave would be plug-and-play. In cases like that, you want to see consistent dominance to project his professional future, as opposed to stuff like this. Particulars: Attended Wisconsin. He was a walk-on at USC and didnt earn a scholarship for two years in college. Strengths: As an interior defender, Whites ability to displace far bigger blockers is just fun to watch. Move him all the way inside, go through whatever growing pains there might be, and there you are. This end zone interception against Georgia had Kelee Ringo retorting for other sins in that game. They're going to hang me for that, but [American football is] fun and it's contact. Hand Size: 9 (20th). Hes also mot afraid to catch the ball over the middle, probably because he knows he can just run away from defenders before they can get a lick on him. Height: 6 2 (68th percentile) Weight: 235 (33rd) Stat to Know: Roy drew five holding penalties in the 2022 season, by far the most for any player on this list. There are actually a few players from those Notre Dame-USC games in 2005-06 who I thought would do way better in the NFL: Quinn, USC quarterback Matt Leinart, USC wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano. DE Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah, Detroit Lions. Thats what its going to look like, right there.. As was the case for Simmons when he was selected eighth overall in the 2020 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, the challenge for his NFL coaches (which is still in place for Simmons and the Cardinals) will be to understand which parts of that amazing versatility transfers to the NFL, and which stuff is best left on the cutting room floor. Arm Length: 32 (46th) Weaknesses: That Cotton Bowl win over USC did have multiple instances in which Williams struggled to get off blocks to the ballcarrier generally speaking, linebackers his size are going to be better off looking for open space to exploit as opposed to trying to wrestle with giants. Vertical Jump: 38 (79th) 40-Yard Dash: 4.58 (42nd) Yes, Turner is fast when he needs to be, but hes also patient through routes, and he knows when and how to play the receiver and close to the ball. According to the Associated Press, the giant Lithuanian bench pressed 225 pounds a total of 24 times, and then followed that up with a 35-inch jump in the vertical. That does seem to have changed to an extent with the Aggies last few recruiting classes but that trend needs to be continued and even amped up as A&M moves into a football world thats evolved quite a bit conceptually since Fishers arrival in 2018. But I think hes going to make an impact. Bio: Spears attended Ponchatoula High in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, north of New Orleans. He runs the ball like you want. And if you want your cornerback to smother a receiver in man coverage well, this rep against Purdues Mershawn Rice is teach tape. And whether hes asked to press tight ends at the line of scrimmage from the slot, or blow up run plays behind the line of scrimmage, Brown has the size and playing personality to chase, or square up with, just about anybody. And the advantages presented by Josh Heupels Air Raid/veer offense are undeniable, as is the fact that some elements of that offense are not transferable to the next level. Disney made a movie about Papale's story called "Invincible" and stars Mark Wahlberg. Like Daniels, who finished his NFL career as one of Peyton Mannings more reliable targets in Denver, LaPorta has proven the ability to transcend broken offenses. Former football players are supporting new education initiative, Flag Football Under 14 "Please don't let your children play football until high school," one Hall of Ray Seals will turn 56 later this year. The cornerback didn't play the sport for the first time until his junior year in Height: 6 5 (85th percentile) Weight: 330 (87th) As a slot defender, which comprises a lot of the safety position for most of the players on this list, Branch is a real pain in the butt for opposing quarterbacks and receivers. Vertical Jump: N/A Hell eat up defenses from the slot with his superb change of direction and feel. Bench Press: N/A Hes a bit of a project in that regard, but the upside, and the existing tape, will have some NFL team betting with enthusiasm on what he could be. Strengths: While hes more than capable of running with power, Johnson can also turn on the jets both at the second and third levels, and when its time to bounce something outside. Eventually, Hyatt committed to Tennessee over Penn State, Michigan, and Miami (Fla). "With discus, it was something I think I did my best and it was time to move on," Kieras said. Rico Gathers had a very brief stay in the NFL. Arm Length: 36 (97th) Over three years with the Aggies, Achane gained 2,376 yards and scored 21 touchdowns on 369 carries, adding 65 catches for 554 yards and five touchdowns. Arm Length: 32 (72nd) He struggled to get starting reps and transferred to Kentucky in 2021. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Steelers in 2010. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A There, he became a star at tight end and defensive end, as well as a championship-level athlete in basketball and track. Quarterbacks like Wentz and Levis, whose athletic traits pop off the tape, are always attractive until its time to successfully operate outside of structure, and then you just never know what youre going to get. Strengths: Mauch is quick and agile on the move, whether its at the line of scrimmage or to the second level, and through his play strength is nothing to write home about, hes efficient and enthusiastic when its time to show the power hes got. He goes to Tennessee, a team with an established starting QB in Ryan Tannehill, who turns 35 this summer, battled injuries last year and will be in the final year of his deal. Vertical Jump: 38 (75th) Instead they combined for six touchdowns during their brief pro careers. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A Tennessee also took two other wild-card kind of guys who could really pay off. Hand Size: 10 (94th). On this 78-yard completion to Jalin Hyatt against Alabama in Week 7, was Hooker assisted by Hyatts preposterous downfield speed? Arm Length: 33 (74th) Strengths: When youre evaluating Hooker as an NFL prospect, you absolutely have to take his college offense into account. Im gonna fight, Spears said when I asked him what this block should tell the NFL about him. Strengths: Williams works well as a spy because of his closing speed, but also because hes alert to move well in short spaces to keep up with quarterbacks trying to get out of his radius. Bio: A four-year letterman and three-year team captain at Highland High in Highland, Illinois, LaPorta played wide receiver and defensive back to good renown. Conclusion: If Martin can get his head around route concepts as they begin, he projects well as a tough, feisty safety and slot defender who will be an asset to his NFL team in a lot of different ways. Itll be fascinating to see where his NFL team has him playing, and whether that changes from game to game and season to season. Selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 draft by the Bengals out of South Carolina, Joseph played 14 years in the NFL for Cincinnati, the Texans, the Cardinals, and the Titans. 3-Cone Drill: N/A Not that Bijan Robinson is easy to tackle under the best of circumstances, but. In the middle of the second round, the Colts addressed another big need by grabbing Kansas States Julius Brents, an extremely long corner who improved dramatically in 2022 by technique wise by also in his approach to the game. If a cornerback gets outside leverage on Mims, he can be compressed too easily to the boundary he would do well to learn how to shoot back to the middle of the field to make himself a more attractive target in those instances. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: 75(39th) Height: 6 3 (67th percentile) Weight: 229 (75th) One of the sports leading voices, he also is a sideline reporter for FOX College Football. This 62-yard run in the Cotton Bowl against USC is the one youd think hed want NFL evaluators to watch the most, though this wasnt even one of his four touchdown runs. Where you want him is in that role as a true half-field backer who can clean things up at the line of scrimmage, create pressure from all over the place, and cover beyond where most linebackers can. 3-Cone Drill: N/A If he gets beaten off the snap, he tends to stay there, and youd like to see him develop more aggressive strategies to get out of those negative situations. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 20th, Seattle; 2. Like Tillman (they ran the same 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine), Decker was not a land speed wizard, nor did he create separation with anything but his wits and play strength. Bryce Youngs frame and size would have deterred me for durability concerns. 3-Cone Drill: N/A Every college team has at least a handful of guys that began their careers as walk-ons, and every year, some of them are selected in the NFL draft. He started his collegiate career at Nevada as a receiver in 2017, moved to defensive back in 2019, and then to linebacker in 2020. I love the fit. The other draft I loved was the Seahawks. His professional coaches will have to clean up the diagnosis stuff, but Henley is well on his way to helping to define his eventual NFL defense. Bio: Born in London, Ontario, Canada, and the twin brother of Illinois running back Chase Brown, Sydney Brown was a football and track star in high school, and had 585 snaps as a true freshman for the Fighting Illini in 2018. Weaknesses: Charbonnet has proven to be a good receiver on simple swing passes and screens, but I dont know how much you want him running a more advanced route palette at this point. Vince Papale is 75. Height: 5 11 (28th percentile) Weight: 190 (3rd) WebWednesday is National Signing Day, when the nation's top high school recruits sign a binding letter of intent with their college football programs of choice. The Chiefs selected Morse in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Missouri and didnt think twice about moving him from tackle to center. Hes not going to separate with quickness. After that, Indy loaded up on more freak athletes, offensive Blake Freeland from BYU; explosive defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore from Northwestern, corner Darius Rush from South Carolina; safety Daniel Scott from Cal, speedy Miami tight end Will Mallory and edge rusher Titus Leo from FCS Wagner. Bench Press: 30 reps (89th) Taylor, 34, was with Pittsburgh for two Super Bowl wins and three conference titles. If you want to run a track team on the field, that concern would be entirely legitimate. In the 2022 season, Simpson had 404 snaps at linebacker, 129 along the defensive line, 88 in the slot, and one at cornerback. Strengths: Downs is regarded primarily as a slot receiver due to his size, but he was also a pest, over and over, from the outside on all kinds of shorter routes like slants, drags, hitches, and out routes from the outside. Bio: Over five seasons with the Fighting Illini, Martin transitioned smoothly from cornerback to more of a slot/safety hybrid role. 10-Yard Split: N/A Having gotten to know him a little over the years and talking a lot to his coaches and the guys who recruited him, hes really impressive. In 2022, he had 463 snaps aligned to the formation, 202 in the slot, 63 out wide, 19 in the backfield, and one on the offensive line. Conclusion: Phillips size will have some teams dropping him on their boards or taking him off altogether, but for teams who have a more open-minded approach could be rewarded with a technician in the slot, and especially outside. His focus was on basketball and he played on the same traveling team as 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. Along with Maryland, he received scholarship offers from Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. Bench Press: 25 reps (75th) As dominant as Avila can be against linemen who take him straight on, hell lose penetration to either side. Johnson also saw some time in the box and the slot, which would align with what I think Brents ideal usage strategy should be. This is a good time to mention that he forced 53 missed tackles last season. Vertical Jump: 34 (79th) The young talent the Eagles have added to their defense the past few years is eye-popping, and by adding Jalen Carter at No. Bio: Jones was primarily a basketball star at Ben Davis High Bio: A noted star prospect at both Meade High School in Maryland and Westwood High School in South Carolina, Smith redshirted his first year with the Gamecocks (appearing for just 40 snaps) before breaking onto the scene in 2020 with a two-interception season. Hand Size: 9 (27th). Stat to Know: In 2021, his final season at Nevada, Henley had four interceptions. He earned a scholarship one week into fall practice at CMU in 2007. Speaking of Johnson embarrassing Oklahomas defense, hes also got the ability to break off huge yards after catch on simple outlet stuff. Hopefully, his NFL coaches will have answers for Brents to reduce the transition time in necessary fast movements. His rookie year in Washington did nothing to dispute that until his fateful knee injury in a playoff game that season became the line of demarcation between RG III the talented wunderkind and RG III the struggling afterthought, a reminder of what could've been.
nfl players who didn't play until high school