2013 NFL Draft: 7 Rawest Prospects Available

Every year, teams take risks in the draft, sometimes as early as the first round. While everyone would love to draft a sure thing, sometimes gambling on a raw prospect with the upside to develop into a star is the right move. 

Here are seven prospects who will be selected at various points in the draft who may lack the skills to contribute immediately, but have the raw talent to catch the attention of NFL front office personnel. 

Ezekiel Ansah, DE/LB, Brigham Young

Meet the 2013 version of Jason Pierre-Paul. 

Ansah is a physical freak, but only recently began playing football after initially coming to BYU as a track athlete. While he's started to flash some signs of his elite talent this season, he is still as raw as they come. 

But no matter how limited Ansah may be early in his career, someone will gamble on him within the top 50 picks, and possibly even within the top 20. 

He may be best suited, at least early in his career, to play in a 3-4 scheme where he could be used as a situational pass rusher and allowed to pin his ears back and simply get after the quarterback. 

Margus Hunt, DT, SMU

Hunt's size and athleticism give him the potential to make a J.J. Watt-like impact in the NFL. But when you consider his lack of impact plays against Conference USA competition, it's clear that he's a few years away from reaching that level. 

Despite Hunt's inconsistent performances, he should come off the board on the second day of the draft. The old adage "you can't teach size" applies perfectly to the 6'8" defensive end/tackle out of SMU. 

Hunt would excel in a 3-4 or a hybrid scheme and could prove to be a steal if he lands in the right system, perhaps with a veteran group such as the Patriots or Texans. 

Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

In terms of his physical tools, Tyler Bray certainly has what it takes to play at the next level. But when he tries to put those tools to work, it's a jumbled mess. 

Everything from the awkward sidearm delivery to the poor decisions put Bray in the category of a developmental prospect. 

If Bray leaves early—a strong possibility considering the coaching change at Tennessee—someone will take a chance on him in the middle rounds of the draft, but don't expect to see him on the field anytime soon. 

Denard Robinson, RB/WR, Michigan

It doesn't get much more raw than a quarterback changing positions, which is why Robinson lands on our list. 

Some teams will view him as a receiver, and others will see him as a running back (I tend to agree with the latter). Either way, he's an electrifying player with the ball in his hands, and someone will try to find a place for him on the field at the next level. 

MarQueis Gray, WR, Minnesota

Gray, who spent the majority of his career as a quarterback at Minnesota, is an intriguing prospect due to his size. At 6'5" and 250 pounds, he has the size to be a dangerous tight end/receiver hybrid who could create matchup problems at the next level. 

He'll need to prove he has the overall athleticism during his workouts this offseason, but if he tests well, Gray could be a sleeper to keep an eye on in the 2013 draft. 

Kenny Tate, LB/S, Maryland

Tate has been slowed by injuries the past two seasons, which will severely hurt his draft stock. But when fully healthy, Tate is a tackling machine, and someone will take a look at him late in the draft due to his upside. 

However, even when Tate was healthy, the Terps struggled to find the right spot for him on the field. He's a safety/linebacker 'tweener and never earned enough experience at either position. 

He will take some time to groom, assuming he can get back to full strength and regain his athleticism, but there will be a place for Tate at the next level if a coaching staff is willing to work with him. 

Quanterus Smith, DE, Western Kentucky

Smith has been a force in the Sun Belt for three seasons, but he's purely a one-dimensional player at this stage in his career. He's a pure pass rusher who feasted on weaker competition, but struggles when asked to hold his ground against the run. 

That said, Smith definitely has the size and athleticism to develop into a more well-rounded lineman. He should come off the board in the late rounds and could be an intriguing sleeper if an NFL coaching staff develops him into a more disciplined player.