The Maryland native took a post-graduate year at Fork Union Military Academy, but stayed committed to Virginia Tech. He has stayed with the Colts ever since. But he is pretty short and really productive. Vincent Jackson, WR (Northern Colorado) (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Chris O'Meara/AP2012. In June 2016, Jones flipped his commitment to the Crimson Tide, becoming the second QB in Bamas 2017 class (alongside a guy named Tua Tagovailoa who you may be familiar with). "It's not much talking," he said. 6 wide receiver. The Jaguars announced they were adding 10 undrafted free agents to their 90-man roster. "I think the experience [of] being a student athlete at Princeton is something that you can't really get anywhere else, or even other Ivy League schools," he said. 1 running back. Alex Leatherwood committed to Alabama early, making his decision in the summer between his sophomore and junior years of high school. Players Born in North Carolina, USA | Pro-Football-Reference.com The Houston native was ranked by Rivals as the No. "Not being from a Power 5, you're going to be an underdog no matter what, no matter the things that you've done," Miller said. Opponents had to commit to stopping the run -- NDSU would just keep hammering teams with the ground game until they did so -- which meant Watson was generally left to beat overmatched cornerbacks and distracted safeties. LaDainian Tomlinson sustained an injury in a playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. The NFL's All-Small Team - Sports Illustrated Owens would make plenty of scouts and coaches look rather silly, as he went on to be one of the greatest wide receivers in the history of pro football; even if he was a pain in the neck for coaching staffs and teammates. Iosivas indeed put on a show at the combine. He was already a heralded prospect at that point, but he ended up ascending to the top of the Rivals rankings for the class of 2017. Predicting the quarterbacks every move, he knows when to use his speed to make a move on the ball. Others, including Joshua Williams, Noah Elliss and Cordell Volson, had skills that could not be ignored. Najee Harris had one of the more infamous recruitments in recent memory. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The steady stream of scouts who came through campus marveled at Williams' fluidity and size. The Rangers were wise to snatch Girardi up when he was available. Slater quickly moved into the starting lineup for the Wildcats and ended up starting 37 games in his career 26 at right tackle and 11 at left tackle. Jaguars 2023 NFL Draft concludes with 13 players chosen, . In all, he threw for 10,098 yards and 90 touchdowns as a college QB. His career at Buffalo hit a peak when in 2003 he recorded 107 tackles, 3 turnovers, and 11 deflected passes. 8 8. Oweh ended up picking PSU, where he ended up displaying his raw pass rush skills. We knew when he was dunking a basketball against over-matched high school opponents that LeBron James was, once he entered the National Basketball Association, going to be special, and he has lived up to every expectation had for him. "No one has ever given me anything or honestly expected much from me because of where I've come from. Warner won the Most Valuable Player award for Super Bowl XXXIV. -- Harry Lyles Jr. While he initially committed to Arkansas State after deciding to leave Missouri, Deion Sanders convinced him to go to Jackson State, where he was one of the leaders of a defense that allowed just 13.5 points per game in 2022. 2017 position ranking: No. 9 strongside defensive end. Jackson is the opposite of Ray Rice. "The eye test might not always pass here at this level," Luther Elliss said, "but the heart and the passion to play this game is just as much equal or maybe even better because they know they don't have all of those measurables." Volson played on both the right and left sides and logged time at both tackle and guard. He tries to hurt you," Wright said. Rivals rating: 4 stars, not in Rivals 250. Recording great stats, he eventually moved up to become the team's top receiver. He has played in four Pro Bowls and has nearly 8,500 career receiving yards. The names George Kittle and Tristan Wirfs are well-known, as are many others. He played 188 NFL games, all with the Cincinnati Bengals, and made two Pro Bowls (1987, 1988) and two All-Pro teams (1987, 1988). Micah Parsons was a five-star recruit out of Harrisburg, Pa., who mainly played defensive end and running back in high school. The numbers speak for him. It's always been a dream of mine and something I've always wanted.". "You know, I think there was a bias against the outside schools recruiting West Virginia players," Shepherd coach Ernie McCook said. So what the heck is the catch here? 1 player from the state of Florida, the No. He flourished in that position and, despite multiple back surgeries, worked his way into the first round. 2017 position ranking: No. The Gophers were on Bateman early and Bateman stuck with Minnesota even after multiple SEC schools, including Georgia, began recruiting him. Smith made official visits to four schools: Alabama, Florida State, LSU and Miami. After having a couple above-average seasons as only the second string running back in Jacksonville, Jones-Drew was made the starter for 2009. 212 pounds isn't that small for a running back. Elliss said he consulted an online program based in California to help strengthen his knee, and while most FBS teams have a full-time nutritionist, Elliss said most of the dietary monitoring during that time was on him. He ended his career as one of the most celebrated players ever for a celebrated small-school program. 3 state in the country that sends players to the next level. Just being able to play football was the only thing that mattered to me.". That versatility helped Toney land in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Joe Flacco, Deleware. . But what really impressed were his perfect blend of rushing, receiving, and kick-return yards. The loss ended a 7-3 campaign for McCook's Rams, who missed the Division II playoffs for the first time in four years. The 2023 NFL Draft has arrived! He switched to psychology and earned his undergraduate degree in 2020; he is now halfway to his master's degree in engineering management. The rumors swirled all the way up to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, and Harris apparently had three plane tickets with him during that trip: one to Alabama, one to Michigan and another back home to California. ", He just needed a chance. One of the best small forwards in the history of the NBA was barely an afterthought following his high school days. With the explosion of websites, podcasts and analysis of the NFL draft, it can be hard to go unnoticed if you're a Power 5 player with some potential. He still recorded 727 all-purpose offensive yards. As with Watson, what we know about Volson is almost universally positive. He was mainly an unbelievable kick/punt returner who started to get noticed for his ability. He thrived late in close games, leading his team on a number of two-minute drives, late comebacks and, in 2021, a pair of last-second playoff wins. 2018 position ranking: No. The Odds Of Playing Professional Football: A Look At The Numbers He started out in the nursing program before realizing that some of his classes and shift rotations would interfere with football practice. NFL draft: Where every first-rounder ranked as a recruit - Yahoo Sports This includes a man who was part of one of the greatest one-two punches in the history of the NBA and two of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. The big schools' loss was Shepherd's -- and now, perhaps, the NFL's -- gain. He always has. He became the epitome of a "clutch" receiver. But touchdowns were stolen by McGahee and McClain. He has slightly below 4,000 kick/punt return yards in his career. Do not ignore them. "I was really surprised that [West Virginia] didn't offer him," McCook continued. He opted out in 2020, but was still able to slide in as the last pick of the first round. Strong said he felt that his NFL dreams came within reach once the Jackrabbits played Colorado State last season. His experience has molded him into one of the top corners in the league today. In 2010, the Chargers dropped Tomlinson and named Sproles the starting back for the team. How did Tyson Bagent end up at Division II Shepherd? Watson was, like so many FCS stars, a late bloomer. Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft is officially underway. A Houston native, UH was Payton Turner's best offer by a significant margin. That, along with his talent and his tenacious play on the defensive side of the basketball, helped Pippen to evolve into a player who is often under-appreciated because he played alongside Michael Jordan. But, every once in a while a few small guys will come into the NFL and wreak a little havoc. Leatherwood ended up as the No. Pierre Strong Jr., a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, didn't have any in-state scholarship offers coming out of high school despite a prolific career, which led him to believe that if he couldn't get an offer in-state, he certainly wouldn't get one out of state. Good thing for Nelson that somebody saw what he could become, as Nelson has been a stud for a quarterback who will be mentioned later in this list. Some of the entries were high-profile high-schoolers. In an age when online recruiting profiles often detail how future NFL or NBA players were underhyped coming out of high school, there is a common storyline. 14. Even though he is shorter than almost every other player on the field, he still capitalizes on every opportunity he gets. We decided to go back and look at how all 32 were perceived as high school recruits. In 2020 he put up a whopping 102 tackles. He is a whole lot lighter though. He was pursued by the top schools from around the country and ended up circling back to the Nittany Lions. But most people forget to imagine how small this receiver really is. One of those schools was Alabama. He spent his freshman season as the backup at UGA and eventually chose to transfer to Ohio State. The old adage in sports is that you cannot teach speed. Take a look at these players from small schools who are making a big impact in the NFL. "I think the combine showed that as well, I'm just a really well-rounded athlete and all aspects of how I play and how I am.". All of that is what made Kraft, then a freshman, call home from SDSU, where he'd been redshirted by one of the two schools above Division II to even bother giving him a look, and declare to his mom that one day he was going to play in the NFL.