The Most Underrated Players in the 2020 NFL Draft

The year-round nature of the NFL draft and improved access to information have made it harder for prospects to be considered "underrated" and more challenging for teams to find the proverbial diamond in the rough.

However, we can still pick out a few underappreciated players in the 2020 NFL draft class. Several of our finds result from depth at a specific position. This year, for example, the incredible strength of the wideout class makes it easier for deserving names to be overlooked.

Other variables—such as spotty playing time or level of competition—can make players sleepers too.

Using The Draft Network's prospect rankings to get an idea of where things stand before the draft starts Thursday, the following players have the chance to be incredible values for teams who select them.

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Josh Uche, EDGE, Michigan

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Usually, teams would be all over an edge-rusher like Josh Uche.

Uche has it all. A big-name school like Michigan. A great frame (6'1", 245 pounds) and athletic profile. An ability to create the kind of pressure we don't see often in today's NFL.

Despite these facts, Uche has generated little buzz. Over at TDN's rankings, he sits as the No. 70 overall prospect. Perplexingly, he lands as the ninth-ranked edge behind names like Florida's Jonathan Greenard.

It has been a strange draft process for Uche, whose biggest knock seems to be that he lacks meaningful experience, but Lance Zierlein of NFL.com grades him as a player who will start in Year 1 or 2, and ESPN's Louis Riddick pointed out how there are "so many things [Uche] can do on all three downs. Perfect skill set for today’s game. Perfect!"

Edge-rushers were always going to have a hard time standing out in a class led by Chase Young. With Uche, though, it sounds like a team that emphasizes his moldable, elite skill set and shrugs off his lack of experience will find a steal.

Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Linebacker analysis these days seems to focus on the uber-athletic guys who can not only get from sideline to sideline but can also boast some form of positional versatility that makes them a chess piece in sub-packages. 

Bigger, instinctive and arguably more traditional linebackers seem to fall down the board these days, which will benefit the team that chooses Wyoming's Logan Wilson.

Wilson, 6'2" and 241 pounds, sits as the sixth-ranked linebacker at TDN. He's behind notable "modern" 'backers like Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray despite boasting three years of quality starter play. 

While Wilson doesn't pop in the measurables department, his experience and ability to read an offense consistently put him in a spot to make plays, something NFL.com's Lance Zierlein echoed while grading him as a player who could be a starter as a rookie or sophomore: 

"His play recognition, burst and lateral agility help him play faster than his timed speed and his fundamentals as a tackler are as good as you'll find in this draft. Wilson needs more consistency of approach at taking on blocks and it may take him a minute to adjust to NFL game speed. He should be a core special teams member early, but possesses the tangibles and intangibles to become a productive pro as an inside or SAM (strong-side) linebacker."

Teams right now value players with elite measurements more than they do players with instant-impact skills like Wilson, meaning Wilson will be pushed down the board more than he would be some years.

Daniel Thomas, S, Auburn

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

The heavy hitters at safety have stood in the spotlight for a long time now. Xavier McKinney and Grant Delpit lead the way, while intriguing hybrid players who can play a linebacker role in sub-packages (such as Jeremy Chinn) offer great value.

But there are also prospects like Daniel Thomas, who excelled in the SEC yet doesn't appear on a ton of big boards.

Thomas happens to be a favorite of B/R's draft expert Matt Miller, who tabbed him as a sleeper of the year recently.

"What stands out about Thomas isn't his testing times, it's his impact playing in the box for the Tigers defense. In big games against Alabama and other top SEC opponents, he was often the guy who shadowed the quarterback or made big plays in the backfield," Miller wrote.

Over four seasons, Thomas quietly tallied 199 total tackles with five interceptions and three forced fumbles. The downhill, in-the-box safety experience Thomas earned in the SEC should instantly translate to the NFL level, where a special teams and situational role could result in a lengthy professional career.

Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

It's a little weird to think an SEC offensive tackle with great measurements has problems standing out in a draft class.

Unfortunately for Georgia's Isaiah Wilson, he happens to fall into one of the better offensive tackle classes in recent memory. So much so, in fact, he ranks as the No. 13 tackle at TDN and outside of the top 100 outright.

But we're talking about a 6'6", 350-pound tackle who can come in and start on the right side of an offensive line immediately. He might need some refinement in pass-blocking sets, but the value of a mauler in the rung game and instant starter shouldn't go understated.

And B/R's Matt Miller has quite the notable idea when talking Wilson: "Re-watching Isaiah Wilson one last time. I think he's Orlando Brown, Jr.—which means rookie starter and a high-upside player who could continue to get better throughout his career."

While the pre-draft process hasn't totally smiled on Wilson, he could end up going much higher than expected if the NFL thinks more of what he presents than most coverage does.

Michael Pittman, WR, USC

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Most years, a wideout of Michael Pittman's caliber would be on many wishlists. 

This isn't most years. 

The crop of talent at wideout this year looks like one of the best of the decade if not longer. That leaves Pittman in a rough spot. For example, he's No. 71 overall at TDN...and the 14th-ranked wideout. 

It is more than a little staggering to see as Pittman checks in at 6'4" and 223 pounds. Despite getting tagged as a "possession receiver," he averaged 14.7 yards per catch over the course of his college career alongside 2,519 yards and 19 scores.

What an NFL coach told NBC Sports' Peter King speaks volumes: “He might get lost in a crop of receivers this good, but he shouldn’t. He’ll be a good receiver in the league for a long time.”

Flashier numbers exist. Other names are bigger. But barring a complete disaster, hindsight is going to smile on the team selecting Pittman.

Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma

Butch Dill/Associated Press

The top of the draft at quarterback is well documented given the attention paid to Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. Jordan Love out of Utah State has also widely been positioned as the "shocker" who could potentially go in the first round.

That leaves Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts on the outside. 

This is odd because Hurts' production over four years at Alabama and Oklahoma was superb. Hurts is a career 65.1 percent passer with 9,477 yards, 80 touchdowns and just 20 interceptions on his resume. He also boasts 3,314 yards rushing (5.4 per carry) and 44 touchdowns on the ground. Gaudy video game numbers.

His leadership and production speak for themselves, yet Hurts is only ranked 72nd at TDN and slots as the fifth passer. 

In a way, Hurts feels a lot like a Dak Prescott-type who could fall to the middle rounds and turn into a starter. The fact Ian Rapoport reports the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers have put in big work on him lends itself to such an idea. 

While Hurts might not start as a rookie, the ideal landing spot could maximize his development and have front-office personnel who passed on him kicking themselves.