2011 NFL Draft: 25 Sleepers You Should Get to Know Now
The 2011 NFL Draft is going to be here sooner than you think. One of the fun parts about the draft is finding those diamonds in the rough who can turn out to be top players in the NFL.
You can look at the lesser conferences and schools that are way outside the mainstream to find them—and there are plenty of them.
With that in mind, here are 25 players who aren't getting a lot of talk and publicity, but have a shot to make an impact in the NFL.
Any thoughts or comments? Leave them below.
No. 25: Andy Dalton
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Andy Dalton is the quarterback for TCU, and while he's not a top quarterback prospect, I think he may turn out to be a good pro.
He's led TCU to the third spot in the BCS and has been putting up great numbers for the Horned Frogs. There are a lot of other quarterback prospects in the draft, but in the very late stages of the draft, it's worth it to take a shot at Dalton.
I mean, what do you have to lose at that juncture?
No. 24: Dwayne Harris
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Dwayne Harris is a wide receiver from East Carolina who I think can make a big impact in the NFL in the right system.
Harris was an option quarterback, but was moved to wideout at East Carolina. He's also the Pirates' kick returner. He's got speed, and it's clear East Carolina knows speed with Chris Johnson as its most successful alumnus.
I think he's got the potential to be a good deep threat for some team.
No. 23: Randall Cobb
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Randall Cobb is a standout wide receiver for the Kentucky Wildcats. While he won't be a high pick, his numbers are pretty impressive.
Cobb has 839 yards and seven touchdowns this year, and I think he'll be a good player for someone. This isn't a super-strong draft at the position, but guys like A.J Green will keep him out of the first round. I could see him being taken a couple rounds in and making an impact.
He's a playmaker and you can never have too many of those.
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No. 22: Benjamin Ijalana
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Benjamin Ijalana is a monster of a man on the Villanova offensive line.
He comes in at 6'4", 320 pounds, and good luck to any opposing pass rusher trying to get past him. He was a preseason first-team All-CAA selection and has started every game of his career at Villanova on that offensive line.
He can anchor a line and will be a great selection.
No. 21: Anthony Gaitor
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A cornerback from FIU, Anthony Gaitor will be a solid pick in a draft that's got plenty of good corners to choose from.
Gaitor was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team in his junior year and is a good cover corner who can help a team that needs some depth in their secondary. I'm not sure he's going to be a guy who can step in from Day One and produce, but he has the tools.
He'll be a steal for someone.
No. 20: Scooter Berry
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An injury slowed down Scooter Berry in his junior year, but I think he's going to come out of West Virginia and be a force on the defensive line.
Berry is 6'1", 287 pounds, and is a mammoth at the defensive tackle position. He made the All-Big East third team in the preseason and he has three sacks this year, the most of his career. He clogs up the middle and causes trouble for defenses.
He's got some question marks, but I think he's worth taking a shot on.
No. 19: Chase Reynolds
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Chase Reynolds isn't on a lot of people's radar coming into the draft and some of that may have to do with the fact that he plays for Montana.
Reynolds has 802 yards and seven touchdowns this year and was just named the Big Sky offensive player of the week for his performance against North Dakota. The running back rushed for 173 yards and ran for three touchdowns.
Not bad at all.
No. 18: Alex Frye
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Alex Frye is a safety from Wake Forest who has a good chance of making an impact in the NFL.
He's got good size and has good coverage instincts, which could see him play some corner if need be at the next level. There's a deep safety class in this year's draft, which is going to hurt his draft stock this spring.
He's got a lot of potential, though, and could be a good late-draft choice.
No. 17: Colin Kaepernick
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He's not Andrew Luck or Jake Locker, but Colin Kaepernick is a quarterback from Nevada who could latch onto a roster somewhere.
Kaepernick has Nevada ranked in the BCS standings and has thrown for 2,161 yards and 17 touchdowns this year. He doesn't throw a lot of interceptions, and he can make plays with his arm and his legs, rushing for over 100 yards against Utah State this year.
He can play under center, but can be used in gadget plays and formations as well.
No. 16: Dontay Moch
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Dontay Moch is a defensive end who comes in at an impressive 6'1", 245 pounds, and has caught the eye of people around the nation.
Moch was on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which is given to the nation's top defensive player, and the Lott Trophy. He was named the preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year and was named on the preseason All-WAC team by numerous publications.
He's going to be trouble for offenses in the NFL.
No. 15: Adrian Robinson
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The 2009 MAC Defensive Player of the Year is back and was named to several honors before the season.
He was on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award. College Football Insiders named him to an honorable mention All-American, and he was a preseason first-team All-MAC selection.
He's a beast on the defensive line and any team would love to have him.
No. 14: Shareece Wright
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Shareece Wright is a senior cornerback from USC who I think has the skills to make it as a pro.
Not only can he play in coverage at his position, but he also has three sacks this year coming off the edge. He'll be useful for a team that likes to be aggressive with their corners. He's got good size and the skills to be a good pro.
He'll land somewhere in the draft and make his team happy.
No. 13: Christian Ballard
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Christian Ballard, a defensive end from Iowa, is going to be a second-round pick and he's going to produce at the position from the start.
Ballard's sack numbers are down to one from last year's five, but I think he has the motor and the skills to turn into a good pro player under the right coaching staff. He's one of the best defensive ends in the draft and he's going to be a good pick.
A lot of teams could use a player like Ballard.
No. 12: Pat Devlin
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Take that Penn State jersey and sub it for a Delaware jersey and you have Pat Devlin.
Devlin transferred from Penn State after Daryl Clark took the starting job a couple years ago. The quarterback left Happy Valley for Delaware, where he has been productive, just like Joe Flacco a couple years ago.
While Devlin isn't nearly as talented as Flacco, he's worth a shot late in the draft.
No. 11: Ollie Ogbu
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Ollie Ogbu is a defensive lineman from Penn State who comes in at 6'1" and a hefty 285 pounds. He's a player who can really help your team.
I've seen him in person and he's strong, quick and has a lot of skill, especially against the run on the defensive line. He has all the tools to make him a great pro prospect. There's not a lot of talk about him right now, but there will be.
I think he's going to impress at the combine and get picked at a decent position.
No. 10: Greg Lloyd
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Greg Lloyd is a monster of a man on the defensive line for Connecticut.
Lloyd comes in at 6'2", 259 pounds, and is a big part of the Huskies' defensive game plan. He had a knee injury in 2009 that ended his season and required surgery. He shifted from linebacker to defensive end, and that flexibility should help him at the pro level.
He's going to be a factor at the pro level, shifting from the line to a vertical position.
No. 9: Tim Barnes
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Tim Barnes is one of the better centers in the nation and he should find himself being one of the top centers drafted this spring.
Barnes, while physically gifted, is also a leader on the field and in the locker room. He won the 2009 Team Underclassmen Leadership Award, which should impress some teams when they sit down to talk to Barnes.
Every team needs a player like Barnes.
No. 8: Colin Madison
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Colin Madison is a monster of an offensive lineman. There's nothing else that can be said.
Madison is 6'1", 323 pounds, and I wish the best of luck to any defensive lineman trying to get past him to the quarterback. Those are raw physical skills that you can't teach and will appeal to any team looking for some help on the line.
Madison was a preseason All-MAC selection and will draw the eye of some teams.
No. 7: Marcus Cannon
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Marcus Cannon is another offensive lineman who is going to be a huge factor at the pro level.
Cannon is 6'4", weighs 350 pounds and is a dominant right tackle. He's going to impress people when it's time to go to the combine after the season. ESPN named Cannon a Top 10 Workout Warrior.
He's going to catch someone's eye just by working out.
No. 6: Lee Smith
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It's not often that a tight end is a sleeper, but Lee Smith out of Marshall will surprise some people.
He didn't really find the end zone too often before this year, but in 2010 he's found the promised land three times. Smith is also well on his way to setting a career high in receiving yards and already set a new mark in receptions.
He'll make plays for a pro team one way or another.
No. 5: Mark Dell
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Mark Dell has had a big year for the Michigan State Spartans as the Spartans have had the best season they've had in a long time.
Dell has 653 yards and four touchdowns this year. It's the best year of his career at Michigan State and, while that's going to hurt his draft stock a bit, he's going to catch people's eyes when they see his tape from this year.
He'll be a project, but some team will take the risk and it will pay off in time.
No. 4: Owen Spencer
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Owen Spencer has had a good year for NC State and he's going to make some team very happy on draft day.
Spencer has 707 yards and two touchdowns this year, and that's coming off a year in which he had six touchdowns. The yards are still there and, while the touchdown numbers have dropped a bit, he's still a good player who can make plays.
He'll wind up on a roster and work his way into the lineup.
No. 3: Derrick Locke
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Derrick Locke is the starting running back for Kentucky, and while he's not jumping off the draft board, he's going to make plays for a pro team.
Locke has 719 yards rushing and nine touchdowns this year, and he's averaging 5.5 yards a carry, which is tied for the most he has averaged in a season. The nine touchdowns are the most he's ever had in his career, and every team wants a guy who can find the end zone.
He'll catch on with a team that needs a playmaker later in the draft.
No. 2: Allen Bradford
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While Allen Bradford isn't getting the type of touches he got last year under Pete Carroll, he's going to be a good sleeper for a team at the running back position.
This year, Bradford has 77 carries for 541 yards and four touchdowns. This is a year removed from 115 touches for 668 yards and eight touchdowns. Bradford's yards-per-carry numbers are up this year, but the total may scare some teams off.
However, they'll be mistaken to do so and the team that gets Bradford will be lucky to have him.
No. 1: Brian Anderson
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There are a lot of quarterbacks out there in this year's draft, and no one is talking about Marshall's Brian Anderson.
Anderson has thrown for 1,919 yards and 17 touchdowns this year, but the problem is that he's thrown 11 interceptions at the same time. That's a year after he threw 13 picks for the Thundering Herd, something that's going to scare teams away.
However, he's 6'3", 213 pounds, and has the physical tools to succeed at the next level. It's just about a team putting in the work to develop him.
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