nfl players who didn't play until high school

You take players like this, and you dont really ask them to muscle up. Stat to Know: LaPorta led all tight ends in his class with 20 missed tackles forced, and I think about half of them came on this 27-yard catch against Kentucky in that bowl game. The Colts took Blackmon in the 2020 draft out of Utah, and over time, Blackmon has become more of a slot defender to add to his reps at free safety. Not at an elite level for the most part, but good enough to stay in the game. When hes blocked, he seems at times to be more interested in getting aggressive against whoevers blocking him, as opposed to finding ways to slip off blocks and stop the play. Bench Press: N/A Georgias Jalen Carter, the best defensive lineman (and perhaps the best overall player) in this class found it out on this rep, when Jones got his hands out, and Carter just couldnt get anywhere near C.J. Strengths: We dont usually start tight end evaluations with blocking prowess, but in Washingtons case, well make an exception. At his size, Spears wont always make the killer block, but when I asked him to name his favorite play from last season, he immediately brought up this block against Memphis. Conclusion: Branch is the very model of the modern versatile safety in that you can play him just about anywhere on the field, but were projecting him as a safety and slot defender here because this is where his best NFL value might lie. Lawrence Okoye will turn 30 this year. The cornerback didn't play the sport for the first time until his junior year in WebWednesday is National Signing Day, when the nation's top high school recruits sign a binding letter of intent with their college football programs of choice. Like Wentz, who was selected with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft out of North Dakota State, Levis brings a compelling bag of attributes that look good on their face until you dig underneath. 40-Yard Dash: 4.26 (99th) Most NFL defenses would be able to take him in the first round the find first-round value for him sooner than later, because he does so many things so well from multiple positions. 3-Cone Drill: N/A Broad Jump: N/A He can learn from Tannehill and develop in the Titans system. Ike Hilliard and Reidel Anthony teamed up with Danny Wuerffel to really make the Fun 'n' Gun offense at Florida fun -- and the envy of college football coaches everywhere. The original plan was for Johnson to be a dual-threat quarterback, but running back injuries had his coaches moving him there. Conclusion: You have to do some projecting to classify Johnson as a top-five back in this class, but based on the reps he had, it wasnt difficult for me. Broad Jump: 125 (88th) In 2022, as the featured weapon in Josh Heupels field-stretching Air Raid/Veer offense, Hyatt had 311 snaps in the slot, seven out wide, two in the backfield, and one inline. 440 of Mims 1,082 receiving yards last season came after the catch, and hes fully capable of basting a defense on screens or any other quick pass especially anything with angles in which he can further use his short-area quickness to win after the catch. Broad Jump: 131 (92nd) 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. That led to his trade to the Chiefs, in which Brown became a starting left tackle at a size you wouldnt normally expect. Arm Length: 36 (97th) 40-Yard Dash: 4.70 (66th) Washingtons NFL team should love him as an inline blocker, and as an H-back on sweeps and pulls. Hand Size: 10 (95th). Running back Devon Achane wound up being the first Texas A&M player selected and surprisingly ahead of safety Antonio Height: 6 0 (70th percentile) Weight: 180 (8th) The most damning thing about it was Stanford had those five draft picks but only six total wins the past two years. Strengths: Smith is also excellent in off coverage because he anticipates routes so well, and he closes to the receiver quickly. The 6-foot-8, 363-pound Brown was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Oklahoma. I wonder if he might be seen as a cornerback/safety hybrid at the next level. That happened well enough for Minnesota to reward ONeill with a five-year, $92.5 million contract extension with $49 million guaranteed in 2021. NFL Comparison: Dawson Knox. Musgrave also brings a good sense of creating openings through route breaks; he knows how to maximize space and leverage, and this will be important in his professional development especially as he expands his route palette. There was a late offer from Kansas State, but Spears stayed put with head coach Willie Fritz. Its not impossible for him to succeed in the NFL; his coaches will just have to understand what he does well, and put him in positions where the measurables dont matter. It's unfair to call Warrick a complete bust because he did have a couple of productive seasons, but he never blossomed into the electric playmaker he was at FSU. This means a player who graduates in 2009 cannot be drafted until 2012 so it is usually only juniors and seniors who are drafted. Broad Jump: 131 (91st) But Decker showed that theres still a place for a receiver like this in todays NFL and again, with quick-game and RPO concepts increasing in popularity, there might be more of a place now than in Deckers heyday. It went well for the Sooners, as Mims became the first Freshman All-American in school history in 2020. Last season, he had 815 snaps in the slot, 16 in the backfield, 14 out wide, and one inline. Johnson could be that kind of player with a few technique fixes, and maybe a couple of protein shakes. This is where his short arms show up, and if he isnt striking the first blow outside, things can escalate quickly. The team announced on Friday that they've signed Tautvydas Kieras, a track-and-field star out of Mississippi State who's never played organized football in his Particulars: Attended Kansas State. A four-star recruit, Mims first chose Stanford among a host of major schools, and then decided that he preferred Oklahoma. When he can accentuate that with the acumen to seal off Bryce Youngs escape route, as he did on this play against Alabama thats the good stuff. pic.twitter.com/IVk7ksfahE. We were running a little inside zone, Spears told me. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A Broad Jump: N/A On the other hand, if Sanders can get the hang of the nuances of the linebacker position over the next couple of seasons to add to all his existing attributes, he could be a true one-of-one player in the league. It's probably a good thing that Kieras moved to America because he doesn't really like the "football" they play over in Europe. It took Smith a long time to succeed at the NFL level for multiple reasons, but when he finally caught on all the way with the Seahawks, he combined athleticism, accuracy, velocity to the second and third levels, and leadership attributes to make himself into a franchise quarterback. Nope. Vertical Jump: N/A Bench Press: 23 reps (75th) NFL Comparison: Jaycee Horn. We talked about the importance of the Y-iso position in the Dalton Kincaid discussion, and LaPorta is another prospect with the athleticism to be that guy. The Texans took Daniels in the fourth round of the 2006 draft out of Wisconsin, and Daniels managed to make two Pro Bowls as an undersized tight end with a lot of savvy, despite mostly bad-to-horrible quarterbacks. Those two accomplishments were a marvel on their own; Baylor was an annual laughingstock in the Big 12 before Griffin's arrival. Hendon Hooker, in the third round, is a terrific value. Hes undersized but blazing fast and way more physical and stout than his 239-pound frame would indicate. Weaknesses: Branch is a feisty player, and stronger than you would expect for his size, but there are times when that third percentile weight does show up in a negative sense. Uzomah, and JaWuan James), and he was called up to the varsity team in his freshman year. Last season, he allowed one sack, two quarterback hits, and six quarterback hurries on 304 pass-blocking snaps in North Dakota States run-heavy offense. Maybe. Bench Press: N/A NFL commissioner Roger Goodell watches a Play Football clinic ahead of the NFL draft Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Center High School in Kansas City, Mo. Arguably the best NFL player to never play football in college, Gates played from 2003 to 2018 as a tight end. Dexter didnt play football until his junior year at Lake Wales High School in Florida. I love that he goes to a place with a strong veteran presence in the position room, and he also has some familiar faces who know him well in Nakobe Dean, the leader of the 2021 Georgia team, and Jordan Davis. Roy can play outside to five-tech roles in various fronts, but I like him best as an inside prospect with a team playing a lot of those five-man alignments in which he can eat up single-teams, and work to the ball. Bench Press: N/A A few years from now, it wouldn't be surprising if Cody Mauch is the best center from this draft class. As this interception against Youngtown State showed, Levis struggles with the combination of these three aspects too often. Phillips profiles very much the same way. A lot of his big catches over the middle came when Georgia was throwing four and five wide at a defense with all kinds of motion. Bench Press: N/A 10-Yard Split: 1.62 (69th) Hand Size: 10 (63rd). He played 126 games in the NFL and recorded 46.5 total sacks, six forced fumbles and 386 solo tackles, according to Pro Football Reference. ), and a passer rating of 72.2 by far the worst performance of his season. Turner played 1,202 snaps at outside cornerback, 94 in the box, 73 in the slot, five at free safety, and one along the defensive line. Height: 6 0 (35th percentile) Weight: 176 (5th) NFL Comparison: Jay Ratliff. Height: 5 11 (28th percentile) Weight: 190 (3rd) Weaknesses: Charbonnet has proven to be a good receiver on simple swing passes and screens, but I dont know how much you want him running a more advanced route palette at this point. There is a caveat to Watt's selection: He originally signed in 2007 with Central Michigan, which gave him a scholarship; he was a defensive end in high school but played extensively at tight end at CMU that fall. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. LSU safety Joe Foucha experienced that unpleasant sensation when Achane just whipped around him on this 10-yard touchdown run. Included are three active superstars in the NFL today, one retired multiple Super Bowl Champion, and one who left the game after playing arena football only to come back and become the NFL and Super Bowl MVP in the same year. He helped Justin Herbert excel as a rookie with the Chargers, and he most recently aided Jalen Hurts rise from a 2-5 start to leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Here, it was Texas Techs Tyree Wilson (our second-ranked edge defender) working him to the outside shoulder that created the issue. Well, if any place can get him and keep him on track this is the spot. He probably could play all five line spots. Like Mauch, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Morse was limited in arm length, hand size, and pure power, but he had all the grit and movement skills youd want in the middle of your offensive line. The ways in which hes able to casually Godzilla defensive linemen is kind of hilarious. 4 by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2000 NFL draft. Broad Jump: 104 (62nd) Watching Ike and Reidel team up to make one remarkable catch after another, then turn on the jets to fake defenders out of their shoes, was a treat to watch as a student at the University of Florida. Weaknesses: The problem with the throw we just saw is that Levis is too inconsistent in putting the timing/accuracy/velocity equation together. Which leads me to Darren McFadden, who was probably the best running back I've covered at the college level, and I was absolutely certain he was going to be a superstar. Arm Length: 31 (59th) Hell be a good weapon for Stroud. Hes just all over the place.. Despite coming from a football family with all kinds of Trojans ties, Matthews wasn't considered much of a prospect out of high school. That does seem to have changed to an extent with the Aggies last few recruiting classes but that trend needs to be continued and even amped up as A&M moves into a football world thats evolved quite a bit conceptually since Fishers arrival in 2018. Arm Length: 32 (46th) Arm Length: 31 (40th) 13. He was a walk-on at USC and didnt earn a scholarship for two years in college. 3-Cone Drill: N/A The three-star recruit received a ton of offers from MAC schools, deciding on P.J. Kieras' bench press number would've ranked third overall among linebackers. Particulars: Attended Oregon. Stat to Know:Ika is seen primarily by some as a nose tackle, but six of his 18 pressures last season came when he was either aligned right over the guard, or to the guards outside shoulder. 27 overall by the Jags, is Bedenbaughs first Sooner offensive lineman to be taken in the first round. Sanders profiles pretty well in that same way. There is still a place for those big earthmovers in todays NFL (Iupati made four Pro Bowls and had one All-Pro nod) as long as they have enough athleticism to get past the obvious transitive issues with this kind of size and strength. Strengths: When you throw a 266-pound defensive end out in a wide-9 alignment, youre assuming that he has not only the power, but also the speed to beat an offensive tackle around the arc. If he gets stronger, can he blossom in Tennessee? Arm Length: 32 (15th) Hand Size: 10 (62nd). Stroud. 3-Cone Drill: 7.34 (80th) Torrence is going to have to work on his ability to pick anything up to either side its a problem with single-blockers, as well. You dont want to assume that a tight end hears footsteps over the middle, but. He was drafted in the fifth round by the Ravens in 2013. His 58 catches on 90 targets for 648 yards and one touchdown should be seen in context. Hand Size: 10 (67th). He will not be limited to an inside role at the next level, nor will he be automatically tethered to the tackles shoulder. I cant think of a guy coming out that had his ability since Ndamukong Suh, an NFL defensive coordinator told me last week. An undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, Woodyard got on with the Broncos for the 2008 season, and over the next six years in Denver, matched with six years with the Titans, Woodyard transcended any questions about his size to become one of the NFLs more instinctive move linebackers. Vertical Jump: 34 (60th) There arent 31 better/cleaner prospects in this years draft.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/XkWGgTHIcz. In Cover-1 and Cover-3 last season, Brown allowed 13 catches on 31 targets for 155 yards, one touchdown, five interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 29.0.

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nfl players who didn't play until high school