2025 NFL Draft: Small-School Prospects Who Could Be Biggest Steals on Days 2 and 3
Don't look at the logo on the helmet or the name on the back of the jersey. What matters is based solely on whether an NFL prospect can play. If he can, league scouts will find him.
Talent evaluators have repeatedly found top-notch talent at the lower levels of college football. And professional football's rich tapestry includes all-time greats such as Walter Payton and Jerry Rice, who played at small schools.
More recent examples include Cooper Kupp, Kyle Juszczyk and Quinn Meinerz, who developed into elite performers.
Looking at the 2025 class, North Dakota State's Grey Zabel is the headliner among those who didn't play at the FBS level. The versatile blocker is often projected as a first-rounder, but he's far from the only small-school prospect who will hear his name called, particularly along the offensive line.
Bleacher Report has identified eight other incoming prospects with a strong chance of being drafted outside the opening frame, contributing at the next level and possibly developing into far more.
QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State
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North Dakota State has quietly become a pipeline for quarterback prospects, with Carson Wentz, Easton Stick and Trey Lance all spending multiple years in the NFL. Cam Miller is next in line.
Miller falls somewhere between each of those points when discussing the previous Bison signal-callers. Obviously, he's not going to be a top-five pick as Wentz and Lance were. He's doesn't have their frame or top-notch athleticism. However, he has a better arm than Stick did when he entered the league.
The two-time national champion is an experienced quarterback, who led a pro-style offense. His passing numbers improved each season, including completing over 71 percent in each of the last two seasons. While he wasn't asked to drop back as often as other quarterbacks, tough tight-window and layered throws can be found on his tape.
Furthermore, the 23-year-old may not be Lance when it comes to running the football, but he's not immobile, either. The reigning Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year ran for 1,821 yards and 40 touchdowns during the last three seasons.
Whoever drafts Miller will get a prospect with extensive starting experience, a winning pedigree, NFL-caliber arm talent and some playmaking ability. A team can't ask for much more from a quarterback selected later in the process.
RB Marcus Yarns, Delaware
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In a loaded running back class, prospects must find a way to differentiate themselves.
The incoming crop has legitimate bell-cows with the size, strength and elusiveness to be high-round draft picks and lead backs. Once teams get into the Day 3 range, they'll be looking for individuals who provide something different as part of a stable.
Delaware's Marcus Yarns fits the bill.
He can be an excellent change-of-pace back. At 5'11" and 193 pounds, the first-team Colonial Athletic Association honoree has 4.45-second 40-yard dash speed to add some juice to any lineup. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry over the entirety of his collegiate career.
The 23-year-old is going to slice through holes and get what he can since he's not the most physical back to bang between the tackles.
The graduate prospect also has experience as a pass-catcher, with 64 career receptions. Though he does need to expand his route-running capabilities as he grows into a professional role.
While Yarns should never be looked at as a potential RB1, he can become a critical component to an offense looking for a little more zip out of its backfield.
OT Charles Grant, William & Mary
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When looking at this year's crop of small-school talent, the offensive line is where the group's strengths lie.
As mentioned, NDSU's Grey Zabel headlines this year's small-school offerings, but William & Mary's Charles Grant may represent the best opportunity to find a long-term starter at left tackle among this year's non-FBS options.
Grant is a 6'5", 311-pound prospect, with nearly 35-inch arms. He's a developmental option, of course, but he has something that could make a long-term starter on a quarterback's blind side.
"In pass protection, Grant is a loose, twitchy mover with the range to and redirect skills to mirror and protect his edges with a good understanding of how to play long, keep rushers at his fingertips, and keep his head out of the block," B/R Scout Brandon Thorn wrote.
"Grant shows strong hands to clench with very good lower-half mobility to get into his anchor. He will drift and get manipulated out of position by stutters and hesitations due to still raw, jerky footwork."
Any time the potential exists to find a long-term left tackle outside of the first round, NFL teams will take notice and usually draft those options sooner rather than later.
OT Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
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Speaking of small-school offensive tackle prospects with starting upside, Alabama A&M's Carson Vinson falls into the same category. Though he's far more raw than Charles Grant.
"Overall, Vinson has the foundational physical tools and demeanor to develop into a quality backup and possible starter down the road at tackle or guard but needs significant work with his footwork, hands and overall use of leverage to consistently sustain blocks in the NFL," Thorn wrote.
NFL scouting departments certainly can't overlook his physical tools. The first-team All-SWAC performer stands 6'7", weighs 314, has good length with 34.5-inch arms and moves well.
Good coaching at the next level may be able to unlock Vinson's full potential by improving his technique. Consistency, or lack thereof, is the biggest issue at this point.
The process may take a few years before the FCS standout can be a reliable option, but a patient franchise just might end up with an outstanding offensive lineman with the right mentoring.
IOL Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
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Normally, a small school's best offensive lineman plays left tackle. In the case of Sacramento State's Jackson Slater, he started 44 games at left guard, which is exactly where he could eventually earn a starting role.
However, the possibility of moving to center remains a viable option as well.
"Overall, Slater is a stoutly built, loose, fluid mover who plays with good leverage, delivers pop on contact and can line up targets on the move on pulls, climbs and screens," Thorn said. "With a move to center full-time, Slater could carve out a backup role with spot-starter potential inside a zone-based run scheme."
To Thorn's point about being a preferred zone-blocking-based prospect, Slater's athleticism is outstanding. The 6'3", 311-pound blocker posted a 9.37 relative athletic score, according to Kent Lee Platte.
Cross-training at different positions is vitally important at the NFL level because of roster restrictions. Typically, interior linemen are asked to learn all three spots, unless their entrenched as a starter.
Slater will compete to be a utility lineman at the onset of his career, while trying to find a role to earn a spot in a starting lineup.
IOL Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
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Clay Webb is different than everyone else on this list in that he began his collegiate career at a blueblood program.
He spent his first three seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs after committing to the program as a 4-star recruit. However, he failed to crack the Dawgs' lineup and transferred to Jacksonville State, where he started 32 games at left guard.
When Webb appeared at the combine, he was listed as a center, which might be his ultimate landing spot.
"Overall, Webb's lack of length, movement skills and polish in pass protection will make it difficult to stay at guard full-time in the NFL," Thorn wrote. "But after a solid Senior Bowl showing at center with his play strength, he has a viable developmental pathway to stick on a roster at the pivot with the ability to get a team out of a pinch at guard."
Webb did test better than expected during the predraft cycle and posted a relative athletic score above 9.0, per Kent Lee Platte. Still, it's clear where evaluators envision the former Bulldog playing at the next level.
The talent is there, even if a narrow pathway to success exists.
Edge David Walker, Central Arkansas
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Pass-rushers come in all shapes and sizes.
Myles Garrett may be the modern standard, but the 5'11" Elvis Dumervil spent 12 seasons in the league and went to five Pro Bowls.
As long as the edge-defender can get to opposing quarterbacks, NFL teams will want them on the roster.
Central Arkansas' David Walker falls more into the Dumervil category than the opposite end of the spectrum. The 6'1", 263-pound defender also understands the assignment.
In three seasons playing for the Bears, Walker amassed a staggering 63 tackles for loss, 31 sacks, eight defended passes and six forced fumbles. Clearly, he was a constant presence in obvious backfields against a lower level of competition.
For Walker, his frame isn't the concern. Dumervil actually had arms over 32 inches, while the incoming prospect measures shorter. A lack of length can be problematic against NFL-caliber blockers, who are masters at using their levers to steer defenders where they want them to be.
However, Walker does play with natural leverage and an extremely strong base that allow him to hold the point of attack and turn speed-to-power even against bigger offensive linemen.
As long as a coaching staff has a plan for Walker, he can be a productive part of a defensive-line rotation.
CB Isas Waxter, Villanova
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Christian Benford, Joshua Williams, Decobie Durant and Jeremy Chinn are examples in the last five years of non-FBS defensive backs who went on to be significant contributors for their respective teams.
Among this year's class, Villanova's Isas Waxter can have a similar impact, whether he plays cornerback or safety.
He is a big corner at 6'1" and 209 pounds. His game is predicated on physicality, at the jam and catch-point. He's going to make his presence known to wide receivers.
At the same time, a move to safety may be in the cards based on Waxter's play-style combined with a lack of fluidity in his backpedal and burst with a 4.56-second 40-yard dash.
In today's NFL where defensive coordinators are trying to confuse quarterbacks with disguised coverages and light boxes while dropping extra bodies into zones, Waxter could thrive, either remaining at cornerback being asked to reroute receivers or at safety playing through intended targets.
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