Top 10 Small School Players In 2017 NFL Draft

The 2017 NFL Draft opens Thursday night and while you already know all the big names who will come off the board early, we thought we should get you acquainted with some other guys. Here’s our look at the 10 best small-school prospects in this year’s class. They’re listed in no particular order.

1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

Kupp left school with FCS career records in receptions (428), receiving yards (6,464) and receiving touchdowns (73). Poised to be a third-generation NFL player, Kupp has good size (6’2″ ad 204 pounds) and outstanding hands. He grabs the ball out of midair just when you think he can’t and tucks it away quickly. He’s a great route-runner and great at finding the ball and shielding defenders down the field. He has outstanding ball skills.

Don’t be fooled by his small-school status, Kupp can play. The downside is his lack of top-end speed and quickness. He ran a 4.62 40 at the combine, and showed average-at-best athleticism. Though his 4.08 20-yard shuttle was impressive.

Kupp looks like a solid possession receiver who can work in the slot or on the perimeter. He’s not going to drop balls and he’ll get open underneath because of his route-running ability. He can play now and will likely get better over time as he adjusts to the competition level.

2. Derek Rivers, OLB, Youngstown State

Rivers is a high-effort edge rusher who hits all the measureables but may need to add weight once he hits the NFL. At 6’4″ he has the frame to handle more bulk, but he measured in at 248 at the combine. Still, he’s plenty strong (30 reps) and with 4.61 speed, a 35-inch vertical and a 6.94-second three cone drill, there’s plenty of athleticism there.

He was a third-team FCS All-American as a senior after racking up 58 tackles, 19.5 for loss and 14 sacks. Rivers is an outstanding tackler who almost never misses his target and is great at shedding blocks in traffic and getting to the ball-carrier. He can be a true three-down linebacker, as he holds up well against the run and can chase plays down from behind.

The only thing holding Rivers back will be adjusting to the size, strength and length of the linemen he’ll be facing in the NFL. That will take time, but he should be a solid option for a team willing to be patient.

3. Jessamen Dunker, OT, Tennessee State

A top 100 recruit out of high school, Dunker transferred out of Florida after one year following an arrest for third degree grand theft. He went to Tennessee State, kept his nose clean and showed why he had been a prized recruit. A four-year starter at both guard and left tackle, he has solid size (6’4″ and 318 pounds) and athleticism and could wind up being the best tackle in this class long term. He was an FCS All-American as a senior and was All-Ohio Valley Conference in his final two years at TSU.

Dunker tested well at the combine, with a 4.98 40 and had a 1.80 10-yard split. He needs to get stronger after just 23 reps, but with good coaching and an NFL weight program, that shouldn’t be an issue. He’s still raw and needs a lot of work but, again, the tools are all there.

Teams have to decide if he’s worth the character risk after his issues at Florida. If he is, he could be the kind of guy who sits for a year and develops, then bursts onto the scene. The talent, size and raw ability is there.

4. Keionta Davis, DE, Chattanooga

Davis is a heavy defensive end at 6’3″ and 271 pounds and could fit at end in a 4-3, and with some work could also jump to OLB in a 3-4. He was a two-time FCS All-American and racked up 24 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in his final two seasons at Chattanooga. Was the team’s captain as a senior and boasts intangibles as a leader.

While he didn’t work out at the combine, he ran a 4.67 40 at his pro day, while also throwing up 30 bench reps and posting a 37-inch vertical. That puts him among rare peers athletically. As with most of his peers on this list, he’ll need some added development because of the level of coaching and competition he’s seen. Still, it’s easy to like what he brings to the table.

Davis looks like a fringe Day 2 prospect who can immediately add solid depth off the edge and eventually develop into a starter in the right situation.

5. Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland

Shaheen went to D-II Pittsburgh-Johnstown to play basketball out of high school before transferring to Ashland for football after one season. It was a good move. Shaheen is enormous, checking in at 6’6″ and 278 pounds. For his size, he’s a ridiculous athlete who can split out wide and hold his own or play like a traditional tight end. While he doesn’t have electric speed (4.79 40), he has all-around skills and the strength (24 reps) to not only be a solid blocker, but get himself open underneath.

He’s a two-time All-American who absolutely dominated the D-II level thanks to a huge catch radius, and his aggressive pass-catching style. He will benefit from NFL-level coaching as he refines the way he plays the game, but this is a guy who has so much raw ability as a receiver that, given time, he should make an impact.

Shaheen is the typical basketball player-turned tight end, in that he’s a great athlete who has a unique style that must be refined. But his hands, strength and effort should make him a great value pick.

6. Jordan Morgan, OG, Kutztown

Never heard of Kutztown? You’re not alone. The Division II school isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but Morgan certainly is. At 6’3″ and 309 pounds with 34 5/8-inch arms, he has all the traits of a top-end NFL guard. Morgan was an AP Little All-American in both his junior and senior years as a tackle. He’s an obvious guard at the next level but the versatility to slide outside in a pinch will be helpful.

He needs work as a pass protector, but the move to guard should help with that. Where the four-year starter really excels is in the running game, where he hammers opponents by driving through them from a solid base. He’s obliterated his competition at the D-II level but obviously will need time to develop in the NFL.

Morgan is a project like most of the guys on this list, but he has the size and length to be a solid NFL offensive lineman given time.

7. Eric Saubert, TE, Drake

If this wasn’t a stacked tight end class, Saubert would be getting far more buzz. A two-time All-American at Drake, the 6’5″ and 253-pound pass-catcher put up big numbers (111 receptions, 17 touchdowns) over the past two seasons. As a four-year starter he caught 183 passes for 2,179 yards. While he’s definitely not a blocker, Saubert can line up all over the field and haul in passes thrown in his direction.

Saubert can stretch the field as he showed at his pro day, running a 4.65 40. His size-speed combination is impressive, and while his blocking needs serious work, scouts were encouraged by his improvement during workouts. The guy can catch the ball (though his tape does show some maddening drops) and move, in today’s NFL that’s what tight ends are most often called upon to do.

The Drake product is a Day 3 prospect, but there’s a lot of upside to like here.

8. Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T

Cohen was a monster at the FCS level despite being just 5’6″ and 179 pounds. He was the first three-time Offensive Player of the Year in the MEAC and is the conference’s all-time leading rusher (5,619 yards). He was a two-time All-American and posted 34 rushing touchdowns combined during his junior and senior seasons.

He ran the third-fastest 40 among running backs at the combine with his 4.42 showing. He has the ability to make ridiculous open-field moves and can be really exciting in the open field. Nicknamed the human joystick. He’s also an excellent receiver out of the backfield.

The issue for Cohen will almost surely be his size. Surviving in the NFL when you’re as small as he is can be incredibly difficult. Darren Sproles is the rare example of a guy who has made it work. That’s the kind of role Cohen will have to aim for. He’s a third-down back who can help on special teams.

9. Chad Williams, WR, Grambling

Williams is another guy who ran into off-field problems that hurt his stock after an arrest for marijuana possession and possession of firearms before his senior season. But the kid got things done on the field, and if he can stay out of trouble he could be an FCS gem.

An All-American in 2016, Williams caught 90 passes for 1,337 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has great hands and is a powerful runner after the catch. Williams was solid during the Senior Bowl, and after not being invited to the combine, he killed it at his pro day. Williams ran a 4.35 and 4.39 in the 40, put up 21 bench reps and flashed a 35.5-inch vertical. At 6’1″ and 207 pounds those are impressive numbers.

Williams is certainly a Day 3 kind of guy, but man is there some serious upside here.

10. Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis

Aside from having a fantastic football name, Lorenzo Jerome is also one of the smartest football players in this year’s draft. His instincts jump off the screen when watching his film. The kid knows how to play safety, the issues come when you dig into his measureables.

Jerome checked in at 5’10” and 204 pounds at the combine and ran a 4.70 40 while posting just 11 bench reps. None of that is good for a pure safety who might be able to help out in coverage as a nickel back. The thing is, Jerome has made it all work, as a two-time FCS All-American who put up fantastic production as a four-year starter. He also showed well at the Senior Bowl with his football IQ, ball skills and leadership. He had two interceptions in the game and made a huge impact.

Lack of size and speed will hold Jerome back, but he’s a Day 3 pick for sure. He’s smart and would be great immediate depth on any team’s roster. Whether he can compensate for his size and speed deficiencies will have a lot to do with whether or not he ever becomes a starter.