10 Standout NFL Draft Prospects from Smaller Programs

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While NFL draft prospects from schools like Alabama and Ohio State are getting plenty of attention, there are a handful of guys from smaller programs starting to turn heads.

Draft season is now in full swing for almost every NFL franchise, and after months of scouting players from some elite programs, some scouting departments are starting to focus on some of the smaller schools to find some potential gems.

We’ve recently seen players from small schools like Khalil Mack out of Buffalo, T.Y. Hilton out of FIU and Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State starting to make big names for themselves out of smaller programs.

There are always a handful of players that start to generate buzz out of non-Power Five or FCS programs that wind up being solid contributors every year, so let’s take a look at some of the standouts in this year’s draft.

Jan 28, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; South squad tight end O.J. Howard of Alabama (88) is tackled by North squad inside linebacker Haason Reddick of Temple (57) after a pass reception during the first quarter of the 2017 Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports /

Switching positions from college to the NFL is never an easy task, but Temple’s Haason Reddick looked awfully number playing linebacker in the senior bowl last week after spending most of his time as a defensive end with the Owls.

Reddick was an extremely productive player for the Owls during his career, progressively becoming more and more involved on the defense. In 2016, Reddick was an unstoppable force, racking up 22.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

It was a smart move for Reddick switching to linebacker for the Senior Bowl, because he wasn’t likely going to find a home as a defensive end/edge rusher at just 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. He’s got a really high motor and a nose for the ball, but what stood out the most for Reddick was how comfortable he looked dropping back into pass coverage.

Reddick isn’t going to be a first-round pick, and it’s going to take some time before he’s completely comfortable playing linebacker. However, the instincts and athleticism are there. If he can post some strong numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him be a second or third-round selection.

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