8 Super-Athletes in 2023 NFL Draft Serving as Deep Sleepers
Every year, without fail, the NFL draft provides moments reminiscent of the introduction to Chris Pratt's Starlord character in the original Guardians of the Galaxy.
"With the redacted pick of the 2023 NFL draft, the [insert team here] select..."
Fans: "Who?"
"C'mon, man. Y'know..."
Not every selection will include a well-known prospect from a pipeline program. Others come from high-profile schools only to have flown under the radar for numerous reasons. Either way, exceptional athletes who double as excellent football players can be found at every level in any situation.
These deep sleepers have been determined for this particular piece as those not generally considered first- or second-day draft picks and didn't participate in the offseason's two premier all-star contests—the Senior and Shrine Bowls.
Furthermore, the importance of high-end athleticism continues to grow as the game continues to get faster with each passing season. As Pro Football Network's Kent Lee Platte noted, over 45 percent of current NFL players have a relative athletic score of 8.00 (out of 10) or higher. The number increases to 81.4 percent at the average of 5.00 or above. Anything over a nine is considered an elite score.
Each of these lesser-to-unknown prospects already registered a relative athletic score of 9.5 or greater. Their natural skill sets present the most upside if developed properly, thus placing them well on their way from complete befuddlement on draft day to fan-favorites.
RB Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh
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Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda is a little different than everyone else on this list in that he's not a "sleeper" by the truest sense of the term. He's a known commodity in a lot of ways.
Abanikanda received All-ACC honors and some All-American recognition from different sources. He ran for 1,431 yards to lead the ACC, and his 20 rushing touchdowns tied for first at the FBS level.
But two factors are working against him as a draft prospect.
First, the running back position is devalued. Even the most talented runners tend to see their status drop well below where their natural talent dictates. For example, Texas' Bijan Robinson is easily a top-five prospect in this year's class regardless of position. Yet no one actually expects him to be selected among the initial five, or even 10, picks.
Abanikanda posted huge numbers in 2022, but he only did so for the one season and he's not a huge threat in the passing game. His explosiveness and agility are impressive (more on those in a second), yet he's likely not an every-down back upon entering the league.
Second, the running back declared as a junior. Evaluations tend to be late on underclassmen who aren't considered first-round prospects. Abanikanda didn't have the benefit of building upon his resume with an all-star appearance, either. Furthermore, he suffered a tweaked hamstring during his predraft workouts and didn't compete in any of the events at the NFL Scouting Combine.
However, the running back opened up the throttle at Pittsburgh's pro day. The 20-year-old ball-carrier posted an unofficial 4.34-second 40-yard dash, according to the Panthers. The time shouldn't come as a surprise since Abanikanda is a two-time 100-meter champion at the New York Mayor's Cup Race.
The early entrant also posted impressive explosive numbers with a 41-inch vertical and 10'8" broad jump. Both numbers would have ranked first among running backs in Indianapolis.
WR Cody Chrest, Sam Houston State
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Sam Houston State wide receiver Cody Chrest will try to make an NFL roster after playing seven years between two different collegiate programs.
"My whole career has been a series of struggles that I've constantly overcome," the two-time graduate told NFL Draft Diamonds' Jimmy Williams in July 2022. "I'm going into my 7th year, and a lot of people would have given up by now. I was once told that I would never play football, but I never complained. I just kept my head down and never stopped working."
Chrest was the Bearkats' leading receiver, but he's still never been truly featured in a pass-first offense, which is a shame based on how athletic he is.
Obviously, the length of Chrest's collegiate career and his accompanying age will play a large factor in his evaluation, as they should. But teams will also see a supreme athlete who can be worked onto special teams and serve as a fifth or sixth wide receiver.
During Sam Houston State's pro day, the 6'0", 193-pound target posted a 4.38-second 40-yard dash an 38-inch vertical, per NFL Media's Eric Edholm. His change-of-direction numbers were even more impressive since both his efforts in the short shuttle (4.12) and three-cone drill (6.77) would have ranked among the top two wide receivers at the combine.
WR Matt Landers, Arkansas
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Matt Landers must be a Johnny Cash fan, because he's been everywhere, man.
The Florida native originally committed to the Georgia Bulldogs as part of the 2017 recruiting class. The former 247Sports 3-star recruit spent four seasons with the program, but he never really gained much traction as a threat in the passing game.
The wide receiver transferred in 2021 to Toledo, where he led the Rockets with five touchdown receptions. His average of 25.7 yards per catch was the highest mark in the nation, albeit he only managed 20 receptions.
In 2022, Landers found his way to Arkansas. As a member of the Razorbacks, the 6'4", 200-pound target finally broke out with a team-leading 901 receiving yards. He finished 11th nationally at 19.2 yards per reception.
"I did decide to go back to the SEC just to prove to myself that I could play at that level," Landers said at the combine.
Having done just that, Landers now has a clearly defined role for the next level. The tall and lanky receiver is a serious deep threat, and his testing numbers back up the previous statement.
Despite being a bigger receiver, Landers ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the combine. His explosiveness showed up with a 37-inch vertical and 10'10" broad jump, too.
Clearly, the two-time transfer presents the size-speed combination many professional teams want in an attempt to threaten every blade of grass on the field. Those traits alone make him a valuable target.
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OT Jake Witt, Northern Michigan
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When no one has been drafted from a school in the last 30 years and no pictures of a player can be found on the wire, he most definitely qualifies as a sleeper.
Even so, Northern Michigan offensive tackle Jake Witt has the physical profile teams desire to develop at left tackle.
The tight end-turned-blocker didn't even become a full-time starter along the Wildcats' offensive front until his final season on campus and only entered the lineup on the right side in 2021 due to an injury. But he continued to progress after being moved to the blind side and showed real potential, particularly with his natural skill set.
The 6'7" athlete now weighs over 300 pounds. Yet he ran a 4.89-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. The former basketball player's 37-inch vertical and 10'3" broad jump would have either tied or bested the top numbers ever for the position at the combine since the NFL began to reveal the results.
"I was confident in myself," Witt told The Athletic's Dane Brugler about his pro day performance. "I knew I could hit those numbers, and (I) could do even better in a few of the events. But I was super happy with the results."
Limited experience doesn't necessarily curtail interest from NFL teams when it comes at a premium position.
The Philadelphia Eagles chose Jordan Mailata in the seventh round of the 2018 draft despite him only ever playing rugby in Australia. Jason Peters previously went from being a 320-pound collegiate tight end at Arkansas to a potential Hall of Fame left tackle.
Great athletes adapt. Witt has the type of athleticism to not only hear his named called during this year's draft but to develop from a Division II conversion project into a starting NFL left tackle.
OG Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan
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Big, powerful and athletic are the simplest ways to define Eastern Michigan guard Sidy Sow.
The 6'5", 323-pound Quebec native joined the Eagles program then spent six years in Ypsilanti, Michigan. While the American game proved to be a slight transition for the French-speaking lineman, he went on to make an impressive 55 career starts—initially at left tackle, with the last four years spent at left guard.
His size and experience are obvious, though. A prospect's athletic traits aren't always as evident when he's playing for a mid-major program and is playing along the offensive interior.
Yet Sow dazzled by moving his big frame all over Lucas Oil Stadium during the combine.
His 5.07-second 40-yard dash turned out to be the second-fastest among linemen over 320 pounds. No heavier offensive lineman jumped higher than Sow's 32-inch vertical. The same can be said of his 7.63-second three-cone effort.
Weight-adjusted numbers are important because not all prospects are built similarly. In Sow's case, his relative athletic score falls just short of the highest possible score when his girth is taken into account.
Though a sixth-year senior, Sow has the size, experience and movement skills to possibly go higher than expected during the draft and push to start relatively early in his career.
LB Trevor Nowaske, Saginaw Valley State
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Any mention of the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football program should bring back fond memories of Jeff Janis or Todd Herremans. Maybe you go back a little further and remember the Seattle Seahawks selecting defensive lineman Lamar King in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.
Linebacker Trevor Nowaske is next in line to possibly hear his name called. He certainly didn't disappoint when nearly half the league showed up to see his workout at Saginaw Valley State's pro day.
According to Mid-Michigan Now's Sam Ali, representatives from 15 NFL teams attended the event to see Nowaske and other hopefuls from the GLIAC conference. The linebacker certainly stole the show.
The 6'2", 237-pound defender ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, 4.26-second short shuttle and 6.75-second three-cone. He also posted a 10'2" broad jump. Those numbers would have respectively ranked sixth, second, second and eighth at the combine.
On the field, the Cardinals coaching staff asked the outside linebacker to drop into space, kick over the slot at times, set the edge and play downhill. Nowaske led the team with 98 total tackles, four interceptions and seven pass breakups. He also plays a physical brand of football that overwhelmed other Division II talent.
A linebacker capable of doing all of those things coupled with elite athleticism tends to find a way onto a roster, even if it's just as a core-four special teams contributor.
CB Cory Trice Jr., Purdue
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With the heavy reliance on zone shells to slow prolific passing offenses, cornerbacks who are long and physical enough to play downhill, reroute wide receivers and squeeze throwing lanes are en vogue.
Purdue's Cory Trice Jr. is a 6'3", 206-pound cornerback with 32 3/8-inch arms, and he loves to jam and ride wide receivers off the line of scrimmage.
Typically, larger cornerbacks aren't as fluid or fast. In Trice's case, he doesn't necessarily have a top gear to turn and run when pressed vertically, though he did post a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the combine. It's really in his change-of-direction numbers where he surprised.
Corners built like Trice usually don't test as well during the short shuttle or three-cone drill. While Trice didn't do those drills in Indianapolis, he certainly excelled at each during Purdue's pro day.
The Academic All-Big Ten performer provided a 4.06-second short shuttle and 6.70-second three-cone. Again, it's important to compare those numbers to similar-sized prospects.
Had Trice posted the same numbers in Indianapolis, he and Kansas State's Julius Brents would have been nearly identical in those particular events. Brents, who is also 6'3", may sneak into the first round. He's almost certainly not making it out of the second. Trice isn't drawing nearly the same attention.
Press-man or zone-heavy schemes will feed directly into Trice's strengths.
CB Kaleb Hayes, BYU
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BYU's Kaleb Hayes is another sixth-year senior, but the cornerback is a little different in that he's still full of potential based on how he entered the collegiate ranks.
The Oregon State Beavers recruited Hayes as an athlete after he played quarterback, wide receiver and running back in high school. He took a redshirt season in 2017 before the transition to cornerback truly began.
"I didn't even know how to backpedal," Hayes joked in a 2021 interview with Fan Nation's Casey Lundquist.
Injuries wrecked Hayes' redshirt sophomore campaign before he chose to transfer to BYU. In doing so, he joined one of the nation's better defenses and continued to hone his craft. But the defensive back's athleticism is what allowed him to play relatively well at such a demanding position.
At BYU's pro day, the 5'11", 196-pound Hayes blazed an unofficial 4.31-second 40-yard dash. His lower-body explosivity can also be found in his jumps with a 40-inch vertical and 10'8" broad jump.
Only three cornerbacks at the combine posted a sub-4.4 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vert, and two of them—Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Maryland's Deonte Banks—are projected as first-round picks.
"I think we knew that he had a lot of explosiveness and athleticism," BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said, per the Deseret News' Jay Drew. "He worked really hard. He looks great, too. He is still raw, meaning that there is more he can accomplish. It was good to have the scouts see that."
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