Senior Bowl 2012: 5 Under the Radar Draft Prospects You Should Know

With the 2012 NFL Draft roughly three months away, keep your eyes on these five under the radar prospects who are tearing up the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Alabama:

RB Chris Rainey, Florida

If they say "speed kills" in the NFL, then Rainey certainly has a place and role on a roster at the next level. He might be the fastest player on the field in Mobile, and Rainey has been putting it to use. He's gained the attention of several draft analysts live at the Senior Bowl.

From Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated:

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RB Chris Rainey of Florida has shown impressive downfield speed and hands in receiver drills. He just beat former Gator teammate Janoris Jenkins for a long gainer on two separate instances.

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Also, from Pro Football Weekly:

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Florida's Chris Rainey caught my eye throughout the South's practice — how could he not, considering his blazing speed? Rainey had great cuts on his routes in the running backs vs. linebackers drill and then lined up in the slot later on in 7-on-7 drills. Rainey also caught a long pass down the sideline, which was one of the longest plays of the day. Rainey could get some looks as a change-of-pace back, especially if he keeps having success as a receiver.

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Could Rainey's game be in the mold of Darren Sproles? Teams are always looking for matchup winners, and Rainey might be one of those players.

S George Iloka, Boise State

As the tight end position evolves in the NFL, so too does the safety position that's forced to defend opposing tight ends. Iloka could be one of those who sees his draft stock skyrocket because of an ability to cover the game's athletic tight ends. This week, he's been an eye-opener. 

From Rob Rang of CBS Sports:

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Measuring at almost 6-4, 222 with above average length (nearly 34" arms), Iloka has had a very positive start to the week of practice. He has looked a bit tight when asked to cover in man and flip his hips, but he can plant and drive on the ball with good timing and ball skills. Iloka has shown the footwork and overall "feel" to match up against both receivers and tight ends so far in practice.

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From Pauline:

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Safety George Iloka of Boise State has had a quick start to the morning. He looks terrific in drills, displaying sound footwork in reverse and the ability to burst to the ball out of his plant.

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CB Dwight Bentley, Louisiana-Lafayette

There are plenty of big name cornerbacks in Mobile this week including Alfonzo Dennard, Janoris Jenkins and Brandon Boykin. But a guy that's flying underneath the public eye is Bentley, who is playing at a level every bit as elite as they three guys listed previously. 

From Rang:

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One could argue that the top cornerback from either practice on Tuesday was Bentley, a late add out of Louisiana-Lafayette. At 5-9, 176 pounds, he doesn't look like much physically, but he has quick feet with nice burst to drive on the ball. Bentley is very fluid throughout his frame and looks natural in his backpedal. He is a prospect to watch moving forward.

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From Pauline:

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CB Dwight Bentley of Louisiana Lafayette is having a terrific day. He's been able to stay downfield with receivers and shows the ability to stay on their hips out of breaks.

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From Pro Football Weekly:

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Louisiana-Lafayette CB Dwight Bentley had some real nice plays on the ball and impressed Redskins DB coach Raheem Morris.

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DT Mike Martin, Michigan

Every NFL teams needs tough guys who can grind in the trenches on every down. While guys like Quinton Coples of North Carolina steal all the attention, Michigan's Mike Martin has been one of the real surprises at defensive tackle. 

From Rang:

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At 6-1, Martin is undersized height-wise, but he has a thick, compact build on his wrestler's frame. He fires off the snap with a relentless attitude and uses his low pad level and violent hands to tear through blockers.

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From Pauline:

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DL Mike Martin of Michigan continues to impress. He's shown the ability to finish plays today and has been a disruptive force all day.

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WR Marvin Jones, California

While the NFL has become a passing league, the best offenses don't exactly need high draft picks at receiver to be dominant. Diamonds in the rough can be found, and Jones might be one of those players after impressing so far in Mobile. 

From Pauline:

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WR Marvin Jones of Cal continues to impress. We spoke of his route-running skills and burst earlier, but he's also a heady ball player. He just did a terrific job staying with the action and following his quarterback across the field, finding the open space to help out the signal caller, who was about to be sacked.

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From Pro Football Weekly:

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A lot of people talked about California WR Marvin Jones on Monday, and I can see why. He is very quick on his routes and made a couple of nice catches. He may have the best speed among the North's receivers.

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