Small-School Prospects Who Will Rise Up Draft Boards at the 2022 NFL Combine
For some small-school prospects, the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine will give them more exposure than they've had in their entire collegiate careers.
Southern Illinois' Jeremy Chinn and Lenoir-Rhyne's Kyle Dugger never played in front of a national audience in college. Yet, they secured their status as second-round selections in part because they lit up the combine in 2020.
Some of the biggest names at the event will opt out of drills and workouts. Presumed top-five selection Evan Neal has already announced he won't participate in on-field drills in Indianapolis this week.
These small-school prospects won't have that luxury. The opportunity to compete in football-related drills and interview with teams is their best chance to improve their draft stock.
Here, we'll take a look at players from outside the Power Five conferences who aren't already in the top 32 of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest big board and aim to do just that.
WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
1 of 7
Memphis has developed quite the reputation for sending explosive playmakers to the NFL. Tony Pollard, Antonio Gibson and Kenneth Gainwell are recent dynamic athletes who have showcased their athleticism and gone on to get drafted.
Switching to the defensive side, Dontari Poe put up one of the most jaw-dropping combines of all time out of Memphis.
At 5'7" and 173 pounds, Calvin Austin III has to show otherworldly athleticism if he wants to prove he can translate his back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Memphis to the pros.
If his past is any indication, he'll do just fine. Austin ran a 10.55-second 100-meter dash in high school, per Tracking Football. Tutu Atwell's testing numbers from last year should be the objective for Austin. The former Louisville receiver was drafted by the Rams in the second round after he ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash, 4.21-second pro agility and 6.87-second three-cone drill.
If Austin can do that with the quickness and agility he's shown on film, he could be a surprisingly early pick in April.
Edge Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina
2 of 7
Coastal Carolina has been a program on the rise, so it's no surprise the school is sending two players to the combine. Isaiah Likely (scouting report), made a name for himself at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.
It will be Jeffrey Gunter's turn when the pair visits Indianapolis.
His production with the Chanticleers was solid. He had at least five sacks in each of his final three seasons, but there's reason to believe he could develop into a better pro. At Coastal Carolina, he was asked to do quite a bit as a stand-up linebacker.
In the NFL, he could move to a role that asks him to be more of a pass-rusher, where his athleticism could be a scary asset. He was No. 8 on Bruce Feldman's list of prospects who "wow even those who observe gifted athletes every day" with a profile that includes a 39-inch vertical, 4.37-second shuttle time and 30 bench-press reps of 225 pounds.
In short, Gunter is strong, explosive and has good change-of-direction skills.
With a 6'4", 260-pound frame, he'll show NFL teams the kind of raw tools they'd like to see out of a pass-rushing specialist.
DT Travis Jones, UConn
3 of 7
At one point, UConn was in the Big East, so it's hard to call it a "small school." However, the Huskies lost to Holy Cross in 2021, so that alone tells you Travis Jones (scouting report) didn't see the best competition.
While the program isn't a football factory, Jones shouldn't be overlooked in a deep defensive tackle class. He was productive as a sophomore in 2019 when UConn played in the AAC, racking up 40 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
The team didn't play in 2020, so Jones couldn't add to his film. But he returned with slightly improved numbers as UConn played an independent schedule, posting 48 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Jones is not likely to put up flashy stats. He's a true nose tackle, but he can show off his strength and athleticism at the combine. He was another member of Feldman's list of athletic marvels, coming in at No. 13.
Feldman noted Jones has just 13 percent body fat, which is notable for a player of his size (6'4", 326 lbs). Most stunningly, though, is his reported shuttle time of 4.57. That's four-hundredths of a second slower than what Broncos wide receiver and first-round pick Jerry Jeudy ran at the 2020 combine.
If there's a defensive tackle who has a more exceptional blend of size, speed and strength than Jones, it will be surprising.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
4 of 7
Trevor Penning (scouting report) barely qualifies for this list. He's sitting at No. 33 on the B/R Big Board. However, he's already done work to improve his draft stock at the Senior Bowl.
The 6'6", 330-pound tackle made a name for himself with his athleticism and mean streak. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network was so impressed that he sent Penning to the Carolina Panthers with the sixth pick in his latest projections.
Penning was a three-year starter at Northern Iowa, where he put on more than 100 pounds since he stepped on campus as a 235-pound tight end, per B/R NFL scout Brandon Thorn.
It's safe to say that it has mostly been "good" weight. When you watch Penning's film or the one-on-one reps from the Senior Bowl, he doesn't move like a 330-pound man.
He looks like an agile, NFL-caliber athlete—and he likes to emulate horror movie villains. In short, he has the scary combination of athletic tools and mentality that teams would like to see in a lineman, so the interviews should play in his favor.
His physical transformation while at Northern Iowa points toward a man who will impress with his testing numbers. He set the school squat record at 625 pounds, according to Thorn. While the squat is not a combine event, it does point to his potential in strength and explosion tests.
Edge Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
5 of 7
Dominique Robinson's road to becoming an NFL draft prospect has been unconventional to say the least.
He played quarterback at Canton McKinley High School (which happens to be the alma mater of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels). However, he made the switch to wide receiver when he went to Miami University in Ohio.
That's not that unusual. High school quarterbacks shift to wide receiver in college quite a bit. However, his 2020 transition to defensive end took him from non-Power Five role player to legitimate developmental prospect.
At 6'4" and 254 pounds, he has an ideal edge-rusher's build. He has the physical tools, too, as he was another member of Feldman's list.
Robinson's 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in the MAC won't wow scouts. However, if he can post the testing numbers that Feldman reported, which include a 4.62-second 40-yard dash, 4.31 pro agility time and 34-inch vertical, he'll garner buzz.
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
6 of 7
North Dakota State has sent multiple players to the NFL, including quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Trey Lance and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz. They are about to add wide receiver Christian Watson to the list.
His production doesn't look great at first glance. He had 43 catches for 801 yards and seven touchdowns last year. However, that gave him a 44 percent college dominator rating, per Player Profiler, which notes that anything over 35 percent puts a player in line to "be a team's No. 1 WR and/or a high-caliber contributor."
The metric takes into account Watson's share of the receiving production. In North Dakota State's run-heavy offense, his numbers are more impressive.
But what NFL teams will find most impressive is his combination of size and speed. At 6'4" and 211 pounds, he's a big bodied-receiver who hit 20.25 miles per hour during the Senior Bowl, per Zebra Technologies.
That's a good indication he will run a great time in the 40, considering his size. If he can run a good three-cone time to show he can change directions, he'll generate even more buzz.
CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA
7 of 7
Tariq Woolen didn't put up mind-boggling numbers while at UTSA. The 12-2 Roadrunners had the best campaign in school history, but the cornerback had 25 tackles, an interception and five passes defended last season.
That wasn't enough to even get on the Thorpe Award watchlist among the country's best defensive backs. According to Pro Football Focus, Woolen allowed 25 completions on 42 targets for 349 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
The tape doesn't reveal a must-have outside corner, but once evaluators get an in-person look at his size and speed, it's easy to imagine NFL front offices convincing themselves they can turn him into a star.
At 6'3" and 205 pounds with 33 ½-inch arms, he won't get outmuscled by many NFL receivers.
But the most tantalizing aspect of his physical profile is his speed. Dane Brugler of The Athletic noted he was clocked at 22.45 miles per hour at the Senior Bowl. For reference, the fastest ball-carrier in the NFL last year was Jonathan Taylor at 22.13 miles per hour, per Next Gen Stats.
Size and speed have led to many combine superstars shooting up draft boards. Woolen could be next.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
