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NFL Draft 2017: 10 biggest sleepers from non-Power Five schools

By Zach Bigalke

Mar 6, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Diego State defensive back Damontae Kazee runs the 40 yard dash during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Diego State defensive back Damontae Kazee runs the 40 yard dash during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) scores on a 36-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys during the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) scores on a 36-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys during the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

A knee injury derailed Jamaal Williams’ junior season in 2014, forcing him to take a year off. He came back to BYU in 2016 and picked right up where he had left off in Provo.

Williams finished the season ranked fifth in the country in rushing yards per game. He finished off his college career with one of the bowl season’s biggest rushing performances, piling up 210 yards and a touchdown against Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Related Story: BYU’s Jamaal Williams is college football’s most overlooked RB

Williams, though, did not have a great Combine performance among sleepers at running back. Aside from a decent broad jump, Williams finished outside the top 20 running backs in every drill in which he participated.

That will likely cause him to fall to the lower rounds of this year’s NFL Draft. But on the field, the BYU rusher has demonstrated the capability to burst for highlight-reel plays. The team that eventually picks him up will receive a strong runner who will serve any platoon situation well.

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