You may not have heard of some of these schools below, but make no mistake, the players that represent them are poised to do great things in the NFL. Finding supreme talent from a small school is something a team can brag about forever, whether it’s Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Walter Payton (Jackson State) or Deacon Jones (Mississippi Vocational College). Below are the best small school prospects in the 2016 draft class.
1. Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
He’s getting as much attention as any prospect in the entire draft and he’s got a legitimate shot at going 1st overall now that the Rams have traded for that pick. Whether he goes first or not, he’s viewed universally as a top 2 passer prospect in the class. Hard to believe North Dakota State would produce a prospect of this much potential.
2. Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky
This barely counts because Spence was a big time Ohio State recruit until he got booted off the team. His talent has put him on the NFL radar for a long time now, but poor decision making ruined his tenure in Columbus. Instead, Spence bounced to little known Eastern Kentucky where he seemingly got his life back together and produced at an impressive level. He’s now considered one of the best pass rushing prospects in the draft and he has a chance to go in the 1st round.
3. Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah
At 6’2″ and 217lbs, Killebrew is big, physical, and one of the hardest hitting prospects in the draft. He’s a tackling machine that posted 132 tackles last season. Good tackling is a lost art in today’s NFL and many teams could use that in their secondary. He’s viewed as a balanced player that can also handle coverage duty.
4. Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky
A modern day receiving tight end that added a lot of bulk to widen his frame the past couple of years. A converted receiver, Higbee is 6’6″ and 249lbs with fantastic hands and decent speed for his size. The way the league is headed, Higbee will fit right in with a pass heavy team.
5. Harlan Miller, CB, Southeastern Louisiana
He’s a physical corner with prototypical NFL size. His 11 interceptions over 3 seasons also shows good playmaking ability. He impressed greatly at the Senior Bowl.
6. Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State
He’s got the ability to line up at multiple spots on the D-Line in multiple fronts which makes him appealing at the NFL level. He was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He’s probably more of a rotational piece at first in the NFL but his high character will make him loved by coaches.
7. Jatavis Brown, OLB/S, Akron
Brown is a freak athlete who’s size makes him the dreaded “tweener” linebacker/safety player. Except that the NFL is becoming more and more accepting of guys that can run, cover and blitz based on the way the game is player. Brown didn’t receive a Combine invite despite having 4.4 40 speed. Size is a concern but his speed and coverage ability will land him a role on any team.
8. James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah
Killebrew’s defensive teammate is an intriguing prospect in his own right. High motor and high character player that totaled an FCS history record with 43 sacks during his college tenure. He gets to the quarterback with variety of moves, great technique, and relentless effort.
9. Matt Judon, DE, Grand Valley State
He was best in all of college football with 20 sacks last season. A man among boys. He’s raw and his lack of competition may be concerning, but his production speaks for itself.
10. Kevin Byard, S, Middle Tennessee State
He holds the Middle Tennessee State record with 19 career interceptions. When it comes to ball skills he’s as good as any prospect.
