In the 2015 NFL Draft, 19 players were selected out of non-FBS programs including a running back out of Northern Iowa named David Johnson in the third round. Johnson has given the football world one more reminder of the talent available out of smaller schools with 581 rushing yards and eight touchdowns along with an additional 36 receptions for 457 yards and four scores while helping the Arizona Cardinals lock up the second seed in the NFC and it’s stories like his that will have NFL teams doing their due diligence on small-school prospects once again this offseason. Here is a look at the four-best small-school sleeper draft prospects with the potential to be selected as high as the first round in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Defensive End / Outside Linebacker
Spence has been talked about a lot this season as an extremely talented defensive end that has the raw skill and physical attributes to be a top-15 pick but concerns away from the football field will be the biggest reason for caution when the 2016 NFL Draft rolls around. Spence dealt with a drug addiction at Ohio State and while all signs from his recovery point towards a bright future it’s obvious why some teams might be hesitant to pull the trigger on him with a first round pick. Spence has the raw size, athleticism, outstanding initial quickness and burst off the snap to dominate on the edges and potentially become an elite pass rusher in the NFL but the next couple of months will have a major impact on how high he goes with the NFL combine and interviews with teams a big part of the process for the small-school prospect out of Eastern Kentucky.
Carson Wentz, North Dakota State Bison
Quarterback
There hasn’t been a non-FBS quarterback taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2008 but the majority of experts have Wentz pegged as a passer that could break that trend with some even feeling he has the potential to be the best quarterback in this year’s class. Wentz has outstanding arm strength and is very mobile but it’s his accuracy, anticipation and pre-snap ability that has really put him over the top. Like any quarterback in this year’s class Wentz still has some work to do to make the jump to the NFL level but the raw ability is there and it wouldn’t be a major shock if a team took a chance on Wentz in the opening round in 2016. A lot of teams – like the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams – will be shopping for a quarterback
Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State Bulldogs
Defensive Tackle
Hargrave doesn’t have elite size at 6’2’’ and 290 pounds but he has been a very consistent and productive pass-rusher throughout his college career and the majority of experts believe that will transfer over when he makes the transition to the NFL. Hargraves had 13.5 sacks in his senior season at South Carolina State and his quick-twitch ability, athleticism and ability to consistently break down the line of scrimmage and get after the quarterback make him a very intriguing prospect. The lack of raw size might scare some teams away but don’t be surprised if Hargrave is selected somewhere between the second and fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Miles Kilebrew, Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Safety
Kilebrew has received a ton of attention from football experts in spite of his small-school status as one of the top safeties on the board regardless of the fact that he is coming out of Southern Utah. Kilebrew can cover a ton of ground and he showcased his excellent open-field tackling ability over the past couple of seasons while developing in to a complete safety prospect. His physicality and ability to quickly diagnose and anticipate plays allows him to jump in to the box and make plays against the run as well and if he can put together a strong performance at this year’s NFL combine then he will continue to climb up draft boards with the potential to surprise a lot of people and be one of the top safeties off the board in 2016.
