Every year that the NFL Draft happens, small school prospects or players that barely anyone, except for the draft leaders who are involved in essentially every draft entrant, is aware of, break onto the scene and makes a name for themselves in the league. Players like wide receivers Donald Driver, Julian Edelman, and Marques Colston, center Tom Nalen, and even running back Jamaal Anderson were seventh-round draft selections, showing that talent can come from any and all areas of the draft.
For the 2020 draft, there are a bunch of players that fit the bill of underrated this year, but teams will be more than happy to select them as the rounds progress. While none are expected to be first or most likely even second-day selections, early on day three should be when these five prospects start to trickle off of the board.
These five, while coming from all different schools and conferences, all have been fighting to make a name for themselves, and the draft is going to be the culmination of that uphill fight.
Logan Wilson
Linebacker, Wyoming
The first player on this list may also be the most known name of the bunch too, Logan Wilson of Wyoming. Profiling as being able to fill the hole on the defense of what this league is transitioning to, a featured hybrid linebacker-safety, Wilson looks to be a great mid-round option for a team looking for a solid contributor on their defense.
Ranked as a starter within two years of entering the league by NFL.com, the former Cowboy is 6’2, 241 lbs. with a 4.63 40 time. While nowhere close to being put into the echelon that includes Isaiah Simmons, Kyle Dugger, Jeremy Chinn, and Ashytn Davis for being the top hybrid prospects in the draft, Wilson is a solid addition that has a ton of upside and can easily grow into the defensive leader.
Round 4-5 should be his projected draft range, but if there is a run on hybrid options early, like many are projecting, Wilson could see himself being tracked and selected late on round two, but only if the league decides to focus a ton of their efforts on the same role that he would play in the NFL.
Isaiah Coulter
Wide Reciever, Rhode Island
Receiving high potential praise from draft pundits on how he could potentially become this year’s D.K. Metcalf (longtime NFL scout Gil Brandt specifically said that), WR Isaiah Coulter is a guy to keep an eye on starting around round five. The former Ram took advantage of an unfortunate roster and QB play around him and parlayed it into a successful team and a 70+ catch, 1,000+ yard, 8 TD season in 2019.
For Coulter, his 4.45 40 combine time is a solid testament to his physical skills that he can bring to the table. Right around 6’2, his stature would be a valuable asset for any team looking to add a mid-round vertical threat that can win jump balls over shorter defensive backs in the league.
Round 5-6 looks to be a likely projection for Coulter, but with much NFL franchises love their positional players, he could jump to early on day three if there is a run on wideouts.
Eno Benjamin
Running Back, Arizona State
Being compared to Devin Singletary, Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin is going into the draft as one of the better scatback options towards the middle of the draft. Projecting to be a solid pass catcher as well as elusive on the ground, Benjamin is a solid add for a spread-based offense that doesn’t need to rely on decisive running.
Coming in as a top-75 prospect to ASU, he combined two consecutive All-Pac-12 appearances (2018 & 2019) and a third-team Associated Press All-American in ‘18 into a solid collegiate career, but he fell off a bit in ‘19, receiving the ball a bit less than in his previous impressive season. While putting a worse year on tape more recently than your best is not a good metric to show scouts, Benjamin ran a 4.57 40, is 5’9 and 207, and is a change-of-pace runner that, if drafted into the right scenario, could reach his ceiling and become a solid backup or even a starter within a few seasons.
Trevis Gipson
Defensive End, Tulsa
The first of two defensive prospects on this list, Trevis Gipson, put together two stellar seasons to end his collegiate career. His 2019 season saw him earn a spot on the First Team All-AAC after recording 49 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks.
Even though Gipson projects to be a DE in the NFL, he was lining up over tackles as a DE in a 3-4 scheme, which limited his production – but only a little bit. Gipson was able to use his raw rushing abilities and generate consistent pressure from an inside rushing spot, getting into the backfield on a regular basis.
Many people involved in draft circles are viewing him as a very rough prospect but one with a ton of potential, and a mid-round grab of Gipson would be a solid get for a team looking for great DL depth.
Marc-Antoine Dequoy
Safety, Université de Montréal
Adding a little bit of international flair to the list, Marc-Antoine Dequoy is going to be asked to make the transition from Canadian football rules and regulations to those of the NFL. But most people, citing his raw talent alone, do not think that this should be an issue.
A 4.36 40 alone should put Dequoy on team’s draft boards, but his tape showcasing how well he played in Canada in U Sports, which is the Canadian equivalent of the NCAA, should do the trick too. His 6.65-second three-cone drill would have been the fastest among all defensive backs at this year’s scouting combine, showing that his speed is what keeps him involved in every single play.
He made an All-Canada team three times, the second team in 2017 and the first team in both ‘18 and ‘19, and Dequoy has the skill set to transition into the NFL. With his physical traits still blooming and his weight increasing, his ability to become a bigger force by playing in the box would be a huge step forward in boosting the type of player that he could become.
While not focused on by a lot of draft boards, Dequoy may very well become a highly sought after undrafted free agent, or a team could like him so much that they may want to spend one of their seventh-round selections on him as a lottery ticket prospects.
Regardless of how Dequoy is acquired or what team gets him, they should be getting a diamond in the rough with this player, who honed in his talents north of the border and is finally able and ready to showcase them on the biggest stage of them all.
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