Super Sleepers

[MikeT14]

Josh Cephus, WR, UTSA

Jalen Green, EDGE, JMU

[sparky151]

Evan Anderson, DT Florida Atlantic

He'll likely get drafted in round 6 or 7 but has a chance to outperform that slot. 

[goldfishwars]

2 hours ago, sparky151 said:

Evan Anderson, DT Florida Atlantic

He'll likely get drafted in round 6 or 7 but has a chance to outperform that slot. 

Like what I’ve seen from him 

[Mr.UFO]

Justin Eboigbe [DE5, Ala]

Eboigbe has flown under the radar for such a productive D-lineman (and especially for a prospect from such a high profile program). He can be a consideration for a team with a 3-4 defense who could put him at 5-technique end, where he would not have to adjust to a new position. If he lands in a four-man front (which is becoming more rare in the NFL these days), he can fit in at 3t DT at 297 pounds.

[jofos]

Jared Wiley TE

[Scoundrel]

17 hours ago, jofos said:

Jared Wiley TE

He has a ton of hype don’t think he qualifies 

[jebrick]

No mention of Joah Elliss EDGE Utah

 

Or 6'7 352lb Canadian OT Giovanni Manu

 

[RaidersForever]

On 12/22/2023 at 6:52 PM, BetterCallSaul said:

I like Mitchell Evans from Notre Dame. Slow, but very strong hands and a good blocker. Rare to find a dude that can block in-line and catch the football at a high rate. Idk if he’s declared…pretty sure he could go back for another season. 

     He returned to ND, he might not be a sleeper by the 2025 Draft

[Tugboat]

8 hours ago, jebrick said:

No mention of Joah Elliss EDGE Utah

 

Or 6'7 352lb Canadian OT Giovanni Manu

 

 

Ellis makes me so dizzy just watching him on tape.  I really don't see much of anything there.  He's small, not very strong, and not very athletic either.  The main thing he has going for him is that he has a solid motor and plays like a kid in Madden spamming the "spin move" button.  lol.  Just not a very compelling prospect to me.  Feels like a deep rotational guy with some STs potential hopefully.  Though i've actually seen him getting Day2 draft hype, which would be hard to call a "super sleeper" imo.

 

As for Manu...he's definitely in that territory.  Extremely big ball of total mystery clay.  With the right situation, he could easily be one of those guys who disappears for a while and then emerges a couple years later as a high end starter out of absolutely nowhere.  Or he could just fade away.  Have to keep in mind with that "tape", the caliber of competition there is...very low.  That's mostly guys who are never even going to sniff a depth role in the CFL.  That's a whole bunch of accountants, teachers, etc.  So having what look like bona fide NFL caliber size and athletic tools there is...kind of unfair.  😆  But he's definitely a potential "super sleeper"...though also a total mystery box.

[Sugashane]

28 minutes ago, Tugboat said:

As for Manu...he's definitely in that territory.  Extremely big ball of total mystery clay.  With the right situation, he could easily be one of those guys who disappears for a while and then emerges a couple years later as a high end starter out of absolutely nowhere.  Or he could just fade away.  Have to keep in mind with that "tape", the caliber of competition there is...very low.  That's mostly guys who are never even going to sniff a depth role in the CFL.  That's a whole bunch of accountants, teachers, etc.  So having what look like bona fide NFL caliber size and athletic tools there is...kind of unfair.  😆  But he's definitely a potential "super sleeper"...though also a total mystery box.

Manu fits the old Parcells Planet Theory. But like you said, the competition he had was a joke. Being able to physically dominate a bunch of JAGs is way different than having to grind play after play against the guys you see in the NFL. He looks to have the size/length/athleticism but does he have the grit to compete at that NFL's level? Worth a late pick IMO, I'd have no issue with a 6th or 7th for him.

[Tugboat]

1 hour ago, Sugashane said:

Manu fits the old Parcells Planet Theory. But like you said, the competition he had was a joke. Being able to physically dominate a bunch of JAGs is way different than having to grind play after play against the guys you see in the NFL. He looks to have the size/length/athleticism but does he have the grit to compete at that NFL's level? Worth a late pick IMO, I'd have no issue with a 6th or 7th for him.

It's just such a jump from even an NCAA FBS "JAG" to a U Sport "JAG".  In the NCAA, there's tons of JAGs who are still harboring actual "professional football player" dreams.  With U Sport...the majority of them are just there because they like to play and to support their schooling.  The level of coaching is largely the same.  Like, everyone talks about the challenge of assessing FCS prospects...but U Sport is overall, dropped below that level by a noticeable amount even.  Even in the CFL draft, there's typically a premium on FCS JAGs over U Sport guys, only really mitigated by the Canadian Content rules...and more recently, all the AFL/XFL/UFL whatever type developments creating more landing spots stateside for American players (or top tier Canadians taking the NCAA route).

 

There have been some recent "hits".  Akiem Hicks, Dr Duvernay, Onyemata.  But by and large, these are the rare exceptions and despite what feels like unlimited upside because of the relative competition level and "mystery box" element...they tend to pan out as more like "solid players" than anything else.  Because it is really just a completely different world when it's like a guy playing several levels above their age group...and suddenly get to the NFL level and they're not long anywhere close to the biggest and best athlete on the field.  That's definitely a paradigm reset that not everyone is cut out for.

 

But still...if you can find an athlete like that late Day3...why not?  It's all just darts in the dark at that point anyway.  I'd rather wager on a guy like that and see what you can shape them into.  There's upside that comes with that.  Try to grab the low ceiling NCAA JAGs to fill out your camp roster/practice squad/Special Teams as UDFA.  🤷‍♀️

[thebestever6]

Kimani Vidal is an underrated rb in an underrated draft class.

Micheal Hiers QB Samford I just heard of him two days ago bc Denver had a top 30 visit. I definitely think he's draftable throws an accurate nice ball, throws receivers open, good processor. 

[nicfre2011]

1 hour ago, thebestever6 said:

Kimani Vidal is an underrated rb in an underrated draft class.

Micheal Hiers QB Samford I just heard of him two days ago bc Denver had a top 30 visit. I definitely think he's draftable throws an accurate nice ball, throws receivers open, good processor. 

I was actually coming in here to mention Vidal.

[jebrick]

9 hours ago, Tugboat said:

 

Ellis makes me so dizzy just watching him on tape.  I really don't see much of anything there.  He's small, not very strong, and not very athletic either.  The main thing he has going for him is that he has a solid motor and plays like a kid in Madden spamming the "spin move" button.  lol.  Just not a very compelling prospect to me.  Feels like a deep rotational guy with some STs potential hopefully.  Though i've actually seen him getting Day2 draft hype, which would be hard to call a "super sleeper" imo.

 

If your team is drafting 3-4 OLB then Elliss is a decent prospect( as is Jalen Green JMU).  If you are drafting a DE, not so much.

[Tugboat]

8 hours ago, jebrick said:

If your team is drafting 3-4 OLB then Elliss is a decent prospect( as is Jalen Green JMU).  If you are drafting a DE, not so much.

If you're looking for a 3-4 Rush LBer, yeah...that's pretty much the only thing where it feels like Elliss has any shot.  Maybe as a LEO or blitzing LBer in some hybrid front roles.  As a straight 4-3 DE he's basically a waste of time.

I'm just not really sure about whether he's got enough natural pass rushing ability for a designated rusher type role of any magnitude though.  And i'm not altogether sold on him not getting washed out in the run game even as a LBer.  Nor does he seem particularly athletic or rangy for coverage duties.  Just seems pretty limited to me.

 

Brennan Jackson is a similar-ish sort of "high motor" guy with underwhelming athleticism that i like quite a bit more as a likely Day3 pick.  Though the "upside" is pretty low for me to call a real "sleeper".  He's at least got more size and play strength to work with, and some scheme versatility to play 3-4OLB or 4-3DE.  A little bit less sophisticated and more just motor and instincts, but seems more natural, strong, and comparatively fluid to me.  So i could see something there with more technical development.