Some 2008 Draft Sleepers.....

[Pixote]

I watched very little college football this year do to work, work, work....

 

I went to a couple of sites looking at the sleepers they have listed that had write-ups on the players (lists without some knd of breakdown on the player is meaningless to me for I do not even recognize the names, LOL).

 

Here are some I found on two sites. Do you guys have any to add I should be aware of? Angelo loves sleepers and small school prospects and has actually done well in this area of the later rounds.

 

2008 NFL Draft Sleepers (From Footballsfuture.com)

 

Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego

Johnson has put up amazing numbers at the Division I-AA level. He has been ridiculously efficient, throwing for 113 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions, while completing over 68% of his passes. He is an excellent athlete, that has the mobility to elude the rush and throw on the run, but is a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands as well. He has the arm to make all the throws and has been extremely accurate and productive throwing the football. He has only average size and will have to pack on some weight to his frame however. Johnson has not played against the greatest competition but he has the talent and has dominated at his level. With some time, he is a player that could definitely out play some of the bigger name QB’s from more well known schools.

 

Tim Hightower, RB, Richmond

Hightower was a solid all around back his first three years as a Spider, but he took it to another level this past season. He ran for 1,924 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground, but also added 32 receptions for 228 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. The 225lber can run it between the tackles and does not go down easily. He runs with authority and is decisive in his cuts with the ability to make the first defender miss. Hightower has also proven to be a real weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. His size and all around skills should be a welcomed addition to some NFL team next season.

 

Hershel Dennis, RB, USC

Injuries and the depth chart at USC have hindered Dennis’ ability to put up big numbers during his career. He was behind three senior tailbacks as a freshman, then was the starter as a sophomore. That was the year that LenDale White and Reggie Bush began their Trojan careers. Two knee injuries and stardom for those two has caused Dennis to see more time on the sidelines. He appears to be healthy again even though he spent the year with just mop up duty. When at 100%, Dennis has very good balance, quickness, and elusiveness. He runs tough and has always been an excellent receiver out of the backfield. He has only average size and the health of his knee is a major concern, but do not be surprised to see Dennis make an impact in the NFL.

 

Kendall Langford, DL, Hampton

Langford has an impressive combination of size and athleticism. He has the size to play inside at tackle, or on the end in the 3-4. He can hold his ground at the point of attack, but also shows the quickness and burst off the line to get into the backfield. His career numbers of 56 tackles for loss and 24.5 sacks speak to his playmaking ability. Langford is the ideal 3-4 end but also brings value to a 4-3 defense. A quality post season could make him a first day selection.

 

Spencer Larsen, LB, Arizona

Larsen is a little older than your average prospect, spending two years away on a Mormon mission before returning to the gridiron. He is a tackling machine though when he is on the field. He has excellent instincts and flies to the action in front of him. He has only average size and athleticism but he will not back down and will make plays solely on determination. Larsen is not the physical specimen you see in a high selection, but he is a true linebacker and will play on Sundays.

 

Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado

Wheatley is one of the best pure corners in the draft. He is athletic, quick, and fast but couples that with excellent ball skills and playmaking ability. On talent alone, he is a Top 50 selection. Wrist injuries have sidelined him and bothered him at various points though, which may be of concern. He also only has average size at best, and will lose out to bigger, physical receivers. If healthy though, Wheatley has the ability to develop into a quality NFL defender.

 

 

2008 NFL Draft Sleepers (From Deathrattlesports.com)

 

Pig Brown (S, Missouri) - Brown is as tough a safety as you will ever see. He's a very physical presence in the middle of the field and that alone will force quarterbacks to try and keep the ball away from his area of the field. He was one of the keys to Missouri's stellar run this year and racked up 70 tackles, 4 PBUs and 3 INTs in just 8 games before tearing his achilles. He also has top notch intangibles including great leadership qualities and could end up being the captain of an NFL defense in the next few years.

 

James Hardy (WR, Indiana) - Ok, so this isn't a true sleeper pick, but I really think Hardy is going to end up being the 2nd or 3rd best receiver in this class just behind DeSean Jackson and possibly Malcolm Kelly. There is no way that defenders will be able to match up with him at 6'7", especially in the end zone. That alone gets him the nod. Not to mention the guy runs a 4.6 forty too. Hardy also has shown improvement in each of the last three years and finally cracked the 1,000 yard barrier this year and had 16 touchdowns to boot. I look for him to end up somewhere in the late 2nd/early 3rd round.

 

Jamar Adams (S, Michigan) - This is one of my favorite sleepers in the draft. After a couple years of mediocrity, Adams finally, finally, finally lived up to the hype that came with him out of high school. He racked up 92 tackles this year along with 10 PBUs. Adams will test off the charts with his 6'2" and 210 lbs. frame and 4.5 speed, but his best attribute is his sure-tackling, football IQ and character. As a safety, it is important to embody leadership qualities and good character off the field and Adams truly does that.

 

Chase Ortiz (DE, TCU) - Ortiz has been overshadowed for much of his career by teammate and fellow end Tommy Blake. No longer will this happen as I see Ortiz having a better overall pro career than Blake. His numbers are solid...not amazing (42 tackles, 16.5 TFL, and an impressive 9 sacks). However, Ortiz's biggest asset is his non-stop motor and relentless drive to succeed. This willingness to continue to work hard and learn will bode well for him at the next level.

 

Thomas Brown (RB, Georgia) - Brown has had the unfortunate role of backup for most of his career to either Danny Ware, Kregg Lumpkin, or Knowshon Moreno. Most of this was simply due to injuries that plagued him throughout his career at Georgia. There is no doubt that Brown is undersized at just 5'8", but he plays much more physical than his frame would indicate. He hits the hole with force and has really quick and active feet. Though his stats aren't gaudy, he did average a solid 5 yards per carry over his career. He proved at the Shrine Game that he's ready to prove himself and was the running back that really stood out the most. If he can stay healthy there's no reason why he can't be a solid NFL running back.

 

Ben Moffitt (LB, South Florida) - Moffitt's most notable asset is definitely his maturity. Recent aligations of cheating in college shouldn't dampen his reputation or hurt his draft stock all that much. Moffitt has been able to stay healthy and had over 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons including 41 TFL. He also had all 4 of his career interceptions this past year and was the anchor of USF's defense along with George Selvie all year long. Not the most talented player on the field, but with his grit and determination will definitely get the most out of his abilities and give 110% on every single play. Doubting this guy just makes him stronger.

 

Chevis Jackson (CB, LSU) - The word for Jackson throughout his career is consistency. He has been a three-year starter in the toughest conference in college football and has been solid each and every year. He definitely improved this year with learning how to make the best out of his 6'0" 190 lbs. size as he had 16 PBUs and 5 INTs. Could benefit by getting a little faster, but it shouldn't hurt him too much. He's not as much of an athlete as he is a football player and if put in the right scheme, he could really shine.

 

Sam Keller (QB, Nebraska) - There's no doubt that Keller has underachieved since his breakout year at Arizona State in 2005, but the talent still lies there, brewing underneath the surface. He showed flashes of it this past year at Nebraska before injuring his shoulder nine games into the season. In those nine games, Keller threw for over 2,400 yards and was completing 63% of his passes. He has great size for the position. If he can avoid the injury bug his talent could boil over to the surface again.

 

Keilen Dykes (DT, West Virginia) - In terms of size, Dykes is one of the best DTs in this class. Unfortunately, it isn't all about size, but it does help because it is something that you can't teach. He positioned himself well when he and the rest of WVU's defensive line were able to overpower a seemingly unbreakable Oklahoma offensive line in the Fiesta Bowl. His maturity throughout his career along with his aggressive style of play should be something that an NFL team can look forward to.

 

William Franklin (WR, Missouri) - Franklin may not have been the flashiest of the Tigers in recent years, but he has most certainly been the most consistent. He racked up over 2,100 receiving yards in his career at Missouri and caught 49 passes this year, despite being basically the 3rd or 4th receiver in the offense. Franklin has good size at 6'2" and 205 lbs. and is cut like a greek statue. He has 4.45 speed and he's not afraid to go across the middle and has some of the best hands of anyone in this year's receiving class. I really like the way he plays the game.

 

Kellen Davis (TE, Michigan State) - Great prospect physically, but character is most definitely a concern. Davis really had a breakout year in 2007 catching 32 receptions for 513 yards and 6 touchdowns. If he gets with a coach who knows how to keep players heads on straight he will definitely be an intriguing prospect to watch over the next couple of years.

 

Ezra Butler (LB, Nevada) - Butler is amazingly quick for his size. He runs a 4.55 at 6'2" and 248 lbs! Opposing running backs and receivers will need to watch out when heading this guys way. He will truly deliver a cannon-type blow. A guy who has truly only gotten better over the last three years and I look for that trend to continue. Plays with a nasty edge and having a good team around him will only make him better. Would've gotten A LOT more attention had he played in a major conference, in my opinion. I look for him to go late 3rd round or early 4th round.

[Clenched_CLAW]

...

Here are some I found on two sites. Do you guys have any to add I should be aware of? Angelo loves sleepers and small school prospects and has actually done well in this area of the later rounds.

 

An interesting list from NFL Draft Guys:

 

2008 NFL Combine All-Snubbed Team

by Josh Buchanan

Below is a 26 man team on offense and defense and special teams that will not be attending the 2008 NFL Combine.

 

OFFENSE

 

WR Ed Williams, Lane College

WR Bruce Hocker, Duquesne

TE Tyson DeVree, Colorado

OT Thaddeus Coleman, Mississippi Valley State

OT Carlton Medder, Florida

OG Kerry Brown, Appalachian State

OG Shannon Tevaga, UCLA

C Fernando Velasco, Georgia

QB Mark Nicolet, Hillsdale

RB Keon Lattimore, Maryland

FB Brandon McAnderson, Kansas

 

DEFENSE

 

DE Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb

DE Rob Jackson, Kansas State

DT Keilen Dykes, West Virginia

OLB Anthony Hoke, Cincinnati

OLB Bo Ruud, Nebraska

ILB Joe Mays, North Dakota State

ILB Danny Lansanah, UCONN

CB Roy Lewis, Washington

CB Al Phillips, Wagner

FS Joe Fields, Syracuse

SS Derrick Doggett, Oregon State

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

K Brandon Coutu, Georgia

P Brett Kern, Toledo

RS Jayson Foster, Georgia Southern

LS Garrison Sanborn, Florida State

[Iguana]

An interesting list from NFL Draft Guys:

 

2008 NFL Combine All-Snubbed Team

by Josh Buchanan

Below is a 26 man team on offense and defense and special teams that will not be attending the 2008 NFL Combine.

 

OFFENSE

 

WR Ed Williams, Lane College

WR Bruce Hocker, Duquesne

TE Tyson DeVree, Colorado

OT Thaddeus Coleman, Mississippi Valley State

OT Carlton Medder, Florida

OG Kerry Brown, Appalachian State

OG Shannon Tevaga, UCLA

C Fernando Velasco, Georgia

QB Mark Nicolet, Hillsdale

RB Keon Lattimore, Maryland

FB Brandon McAnderson, Kansas

 

DEFENSE

 

DE Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb

DE Rob Jackson, Kansas State

DT Keilen Dykes, West Virginia

OLB Anthony Hoke, Cincinnati

OLB Bo Ruud, Nebraska

ILB Joe Mays, North Dakota State

ILB Danny Lansanah, UCONN

CB Roy Lewis, Washington

CB Al Phillips, Wagner

FS Joe Fields, Syracuse

SS Derrick Doggett, Oregon State

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

K Brandon Coutu, Georgia

P Brett Kern, Toledo

RS Jayson Foster, Georgia Southern

LS Garrison Sanborn, Florida State

 

As a Husker fan and season ticket holder Bo Ruud is not even as close to as good as his big brother. Poor technique, poor instincts

[AZ54]

Pass on LB Larsen from UofArizona. Too slow for what we need and doesn't have very good instintcs on the field. He'll hustle and work hard but he's always chasing the play after yards have been gained unless it comes straight at him.

 

Pig Brown S Missouri I could see some interest in except that injury is a huge question mark so he's a 7th Rd pick or UDFA. The injury probably means he'll be on IR his first season.

 

Sam Keller QB Nebraska (formerly at ASU) just say no. Holds the ball far too long doesn't read defenses very well. Does have the measurables though and he'll get a chance by some team with a late round pick (my guess Rd 4-6 depending on what he does at the combine). I'm more interested in his old backup Rudy Carpenter when he comes out. Rudy still has a few things to learn though.

 

Franklin WR Missouri definitely worth keeping on the draft list.

[BearSox]

A sleeper is someone from a non-division FBS school and is not being considered as a first day pick... Everyone listed in the original post are pretty much "under the radar" players, and a lot of them aren't even that.

[flea]

Pig Brown (S, Missouri) - Brown is as tough a safety as you will ever see. He's a very physical presence in the middle of the field and that alone will force quarterbacks to try and keep the ball away from his area of the field. He was one of the keys to Missouri's stellar run this year and racked up 70 tackles, 4 PBUs and 3 INTs in just 8 games before tearing his achilles. He also has top notch intangibles including great leadership qualities and could end up being the captain of an NFL defense in the next few years.

 

great Football name

[dawhizz]

A sleeper is someone from a non-division FBS school and is not being considered as a first day pick... Everyone listed in the original post are pretty much "under the radar" players, and a lot of them aren't even that.

 

I would disagree with that definition myself. I would agree that a true sleeper can't be widely considered a first day pick (like James Hardy in the original list), but I don't think they need to be non-division FBS players. I think they can just as easily be a guy buried on the depth chart of a good school (like Matt Cassel from a couple years ago) or who is from a big school, but has been too injured to show what he can do on a consistent basis.

[AZ54]

A sleeper is Danieal Manning in Rd 2 when I say who the heck is that and can't even find the guy listed on any draft sites.