There are several defensive stars from the lower ranks of college football that could be drafted in less than three weeks, and have the talent to make an impact in some way on the next level.
The top name, of course, is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but seeing as we’re already quite familiar with him, let’s take a look at some of the other guys from little schools that are big on talent.
Curtis Johnson, DE, Clark Atlanta: Johnson burst onto the radar after two excellent seasons at D-II Clark Atlanta, being named first-team All-SIAC in both 2006 and 2007, and the league’s defensive POY last season, as he recorded 112 total tackles and led D-II in sacks (13.5) and tackles for loss (27.5).
At 6’3, 242, Johnson will likely move to outside linebacker in the NFL, where his speed (4.6 at his Pro Day) and strength (25 bench press reps at the combine) will be an asset.
Draft Projection: 5th or 6th round.
Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner-Webb: Johnston, the two-time reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year, is a quickly rising prospect.
Johnston wasn’t invited to the combine, but he made the most of his opportunities in front of the scouts. At the Hula Bowl, he recorded two sacks, and then at San Diego St.’s Pro Day in March, he was very impressive in his hometown, showing off great speed and quickness with a 4.66 in the 40, a 4.18 time in the 20-yard shuttle, and a time of 6.96 seconds in the 3-cone drill.
With that quickness coming from a guy who’s 6’5, 274, he has the tools to be a beast off the edge, as his collegiate numbers showed (269 tackles, 53.5 TFL, 20.5 sacks, 69 QB pressures).
Draft Projection: Fourth round. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he jumped into the third, with his great physical tools and potential. If he gets into the right system and has the chance to hone his skills for a couple of seasons, he could definitely make an impact in the NFL.
Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton: Langford is a big body with big collegiate production (56 TFL, 24.5 sacks in four seasons as a Pirate).
Langford played well at the East-West Shrine Game, which earned him a place at the Senior Bowl, where he also impressed.
With his frame, he could play anywhere on the line, or even step back and play linebacker, though his speed might keep him on the line.
Draft Projection: 3rd or 4th round.
Bryan Smith, DE, McNeese St.: Smith was a force for the Cowboys in the last three seasons, recording 56.5 tackles for loss and 31 sacks, and was named the Southland Conference Defensive POY and an I-AA All-American in each of the last two seasons.
At 6’2, 231, Smith is another guy who’s likely going to move to linebacker in the NFL, and either way, needs to add a little bulk.
Draft Projection: 5th or 6th round. He could very well get drafted in the latter rounds, but at the same time, he could end up going undrafted. I think he will get snapped up on draft weekend, and have the chance to develop into a solid linebacker over the next few seasons.
Brian Witherspoon, CB, Stillman: Witherspoon, a Division II track star, may never be a star corner, but his speed will give him a chance to get on an NFL field.
Witherspoon flashed that speed by running a 4.29 at his Pro Day workout, and showed off his athleticism with a 40-inch vertical and a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches.
He has playmaking skills in the secondary, but if he’s to make a difference, it’ll likely be in the return game.
Draft Projection: 6th or 7th round, at best. Someone might take a chance on him in the late rounds because of his speed and raw talent, and use him primarily as a returner, though with a little development, he could be a solid addition to the depth chart at corner.
Antwaun Molden, CB, Eastern Kentucky: Rodgers-Cromartie hasn’t been the only small-school corner to send his draft stock skyrocketing in the last few months. Molden, who played a year at Toledo before transferring to Eastern Kentucky, was part of a defensive unit that picked off 24 passes in 2007, making 70 tackles and two interceptions, and breaking up nine passes.
Molden played well in the Texas vs. The Nation game and got an invite to the combine, where he did wonders for his draft stock by being one of the best corners there across the board.
Molden has great size at 6’1 and nearly 200 pounds, and has all of the other physical tools: speed (4.39 40 at the combine), strength (23 bench press reps), agility (4.14 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle, 6.85 in the 3-cone drill), and leaping ability (37 1/2 inch vertical, 10 feet, 9 inches in the broad jump).
Draft Projection: Second or third round. Molden has room to improve to get the most out of his great physical tools, but he has the skill set and potential to be taken in the first three rounds, and could sneak into the second.
Corey Lynch, S, Appalachian St.: Many people might know him as the guy who blocked Garrett Rivas’ field goal to give the Mountaineers an upset win at the Big House last season, but that wasn’t the only highlight of Lynch’s decorated collegiate career.
From start to finish, Lynch established himself as one of the best players in I-AA and was a key part of the Mountaineers’ three straight national championships.
Somehow, he wasn’t invited to the combine, but that enabled him to make the most of his Pro Day. His 4.58 40 wasn’t spectacular, but his 20-yard shuttle (3.99 seconds) and 3-cone drill times (6.71) show just how agile he is.
Lynch may not be the fastest guy on the field, but wherever the ball is, there’s a good chance he’s going to be in the area, may it be defending or picking off a pass, or making a big hit, as shown by this video. He’s no slouch physically, as the above numbers show, but the intangibles really make him someone to watch for.
Draft Projection: Fifth or sixth round. If he takes that playmaking ability to the next level, he could end up being a great steal, even if he just winds up being a special teams ace.
Mike Dragosavich, P, North Dakota St.: After Rodgers-Cromartie, Dragosavich is the top prospect at his respective position, as he is considered by many to be the #2 punting prospect behind Georgia Tech’s Durant Brooks.
The 6’6 Dragosavich didn’t have a lot of punting to do in his last two seasons, with only 57 attempts, but he made the most of them, averaging 46.2 and 45.4 yards and putting 25 of them inside the 20. For his four-year career, he was quite a weapon for the Bison, averaging 44.5 yards per punt.
He showed off his strong leg at the Senior Bowl with punts of 69 and 68 yards, outperforming Brooks, whose two efforts were 47 and 43 yards.
He did have three punts blocked in college, so that may be one concern, but he’ll be snapped up in the late rounds, and be booming kicks for someone in the fall.
Draft Projection: 6th round.
