NFL Draft Diamonds Small School “Underrated” Team

Offense

QB- Rogan Wells, Western Carolina – Former Valdosta State National Championship winner who is returning to play for his old ball coach. Wells has dominated at the Division 2 level, can he continue to shine at the FCS Level? Our staff at NFL Draft Diamonds believe he will not only shine, he will dominate.

RB- Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison – Agyei-Obese is one of the best running backs in the country. He was a stud last year rumbling for 717 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a first team All-CAA running back and I expect him to continue tearing up his conference this season.

RB- Quay Holmes, East Tennessee State – Holmes had a monstrous 2019 season where he rumbled for 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns on just 206 carries. The Powder Springs, Georgia native is a big back standing at 6’1 and weighing 216 pounds. He has been a stud since arriving at ETSU.

WR- J.F. Thomas, Tarleton State – Tarleton State has some studs at the wide receiver position, but J.F should be talked about more. The 6’5, 200 pound wide receiver has been a star. He was named the FCS Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 by Phil Steele. Tarleton has been a powerhouse and he is a huge target. Remember his name!

WR- Chad Gailliard, Saginaw Valley State – The 6’3 wide out from Dearborn, Michigan has been impressive since touching down at Saginaw Valley. He has 30 career touchdowns entering the 2021 season. I would not be shocked if he adds 15 more this season. He is a stud with big play making abilities.

WR/Slot- Lonnie Moore IV, Monmouth (NJ) – Every team needs a star slot wide receiver. Lonnie Moore IV is that guy. The New Jersey native is a waterbug that is tough to tackle. The 5’10, 175 pound wide out is a first team All-Big South prospect and I expect him to have a monster senior season. He has 13 career receiving touchdowns, I could see him hit 10 plus this season.

TE- Jake Ellis, Truman State – If you are looking for a sleeper Jake Ellis could be your guy. The 6’7 tight end from Illinois is a big time target. He hauled in 21 receptions in the spring for 267 yards and four touchdowns scoring one touchdown in every game. I would like to see Truman State get him the ball more. HIs final game against UIndy, he caught 11 receptions for 138 and a touchdown. I feel he could have that production every game.

LT- Kofi Appiah, Villanova – Villanova has been a powerhouse, but this big kid is going to be huge for Daniel Smith’s growth in 2021. The 6’6 senior from Bowie, Maryland is expected to start on the left side and has all the potential in the world to be a super star.

LG- P.J. Burkhalter, Nicholls State – P.J.’s versatility has become a huge asset for Nicholls State. The 6’4, 330 pound offensive tackle has been named first team multiple years in a row. He has played center and guard and in the FCS Nicholls State is not to be played with.

C- Ethan Culberson, Grand Valley State – Grand Valley State has a multiple First Team All American at center anchoring their line. Culberson is huge at 6’4, 320 and he logged 650 snaps in 2019. In 2019, the Lakers offense went for 401.1 yards per game behind Culberson and that vicious offensive line. That is pretty impressive.

RG- Jimmy Burchett, Notre Dame College (OH) – I love me some Jimmy Burchett. The Notre Dame College right guard is super underrated. We have sat down with Burchett and created some highlights on him. He is a bad mamma jamma. You need to check this kid out.

RT- Sebastian Gutierrez, Minot State – The 6’6, 295 pound offensive tackle helped pave the way for Ali Mohamed to become the NSIC Newcomer of the Year back in 2019. The season was cancelled last season due to the pandemic. But in 2019, Minot State averaged 159.1 yards per game for 12 total rushing touchdowns.

Defense

DE- Trevante Jones, Central Connecticut State – A 6’4, 280 pound tackling machine. Those are the first words that come to mind when I think of the Blue Devils star linebacker. He has 126 tackles in his career including 14 sacks. When you add in the 29 tackles for loss, you can expect him to have a big year.

DT- Devonnsha Maxwell, UT-Chattanooga – The Valdosta, Georgia big boy has some tenacity in him. I love his film! Marshall is a two-time first team All SoCon defensive lineman and a Freshman All-American. WE do not talk about him enough. He is a 6’2, 300 pound defensive tackle with a motor.

DT- Logan Swanson, Augustana (SD) – Tons of great talent have come out of Mankato, Minnesota, and Logan Swanson could be the next prospect to make the city proud. The 6’3, 300 pound defensive tackle has a knack for getting after the quarterback. He is a First Team All Conference player.

DE- Ty Kelly, Newberry College – Big Tyrone played in six games in the spring and did well. He finished with 22 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. In his career he has 13.5 career sacks and 61 total tackles. I think you will see his production increase big time in 2021.

OLB- Kaden Roy, Pittsburg State – Pitt State has produced several NFL prospects, but maybe none as underrated as Kaden Roy. The 6’5, 245 pound outside backer has and NFL body and looks the part. He played at South Dakota State University before transferring to his home state. This kid is going to be turning heads.

ILB- Glenn Cunningham, Fordham – Old School linebacker, who has dominated the Patriot League. Cunningham is a very smart, and distinctive linebacker who played in three games in the spring. In those three games he racked up 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. He is a playmaker that has a nose for the ball.

ILB- Grant Dixon, Youngstown State – The 6’3, 225 pound linebacker from Succasunna, New Jersey is a tackling machine. He played in seven games and racked up 55 tackles and 2 sacks. He caused two forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovered, and 1 interception in 2021.

OLB- Sam Heyboer, Ferris State – He has been a star on the Ferris State defense over the past several years. The 6’5, 240 pound star linebacker helped the Bulldogs reach the National Quarterfinals twice in his career. He is a dog with a huge heart. He takes great angles and is one of the most underrated prospects in Division 2.

CB- Don Gardner, South Dakota State – If you turn on a South Dakota State game you are going to see number 21. The feisty cornerback from Chicago, Illinois has been a nuisance for opposing quarterbacks. Gardner stands at 6’1 and has great speed. He is an All-Conference player that you need to remember because their secondary is special at SDSU.

SS- Jordan Canady, North Dakota – Jordan Canady is everywhere on the field. He had a season ending injury last season, but I would expect him to come back with vengeance this year. It was the first time he missed a game since 2017. He had 25 tackles and in the open field one on one, you are going to struggle getting past him. He is a sound tackler, and has great size at 6’2, 210 pounds.

FS- Anthony Budd, Monmouth (NJ) – Monmouth secondary is special, and they are led by free safety Anthony Budd. Budd is a 5’11 prospect from Maryland who is a tackling machine. He also has a great nose for the football. He led the team in interceptions over the spring and was third in tackles. He will come up and pop you as well.

CB- Justin Terry, Monmouth (NJ) – BROOKLYN STAND UP! Yeah, this kid right here has swag, you need that in a cornerback and JT is a that guy. The 5’11, 180 pound cornerback is always fighting with receivers to break up passes. He is a scrappy player, with great ball skills.

NB/CB- Nazir Streater, Indiana (PA) – Nickel cornerbacks are getting paid in the NFL, and Nazir Streater from IUP is a player to remember. He played at LIU Post before transferring to IUP. He was an All-American in his first year with the school. He has 13 career picks and 21 PBU’s throughout his career.