04-22-2021, 03:34 PM
Cameron Sample, Edge, Tulane1 of 9
- Unlike a lot of the guys on this list, Cameron Sample's athletic testing doesn't jump off the page. He comes into the draft with a relative athletic score of 7.46, placing him 343rd out of 1,349 defensive end prospects since 1987.
The good news for Sample is that the average Pro Bowl defensive end boasted an RAS of 7.88, which means there should be no worries about his athleticism.
Sample is athletic enough to make the transition to the pros, and he's among the most productive players on this list. The 6'3", 267-pound defensive end racked up 48 pressures, the third-best pass-rush grade and the best pass-rush win percentage in the nation, per Pro Football Focus.
- Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State2 of 9
- Traditionally, it's hard to be a secret coming out of Florida State. But the Seminoles program isn't what it used to be, and Tamorrion Terry's draft stock may have been a casualty.
This particular draft class is lacking in big-bodied receivers. Terrace Marshall Jr. is the only notable receiver over 6'1" who is likely to enter the first-round discussion. He comes in at No. 35 on the Bleacher Report big board.
However, teams looking for a red-zone target that miss on Marshall should have their eye on Terry as Day 2 draws to a close or Day 3 begins. The 6'2½", 207-pound target is likely down on boards because of a lack of production in 2020. Terry is much further down the B/R big board at No. 25 among wide receivers and 156 overall.
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Elerson Smith, Edge, Northern Iowa
3 of 9
- When Elerson Smith signed with Northern Iowa in 2016, he was a 6'6" 190-pound 2-star project. Fast-forward to 2021, and he's now 6'7" and 262 pounds with one of the most intriguing athletic profiles of the edge prospects in the class.
Smith's pro day at Northern Iowa included a 41.5-inch vertical, demonstrating his natural explosion. For reference, the highest vertical posted by a defensive lineman at the 2020 combine was Jonathan Garvin at 36 inches. Only five players posted better numbers, including Jaelen Reagor, Kyle Dugger and Henry Ruggs III.
Smith's production is what you'd expect from an NFL prospect playing at the FCS level. He tallied 14 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in his 2019 season at Northern Iowa. It's worth noting that he posted five tackles (2.5 for loss) and one sack in the team's season opener against Iowa State.
- Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa4 of 9
- Spencer Brown is not a well-kept secret to fellow Panthers prospect Elerson Smith. The mammoth tackle is an intriguing draft target in his own right and had to see Smith in practice every day.
At 6'8" and 311 pounds, Brown is a mountain of a man and Smith believes he has the skills to go with that frame.
"Tristan Wirfs is a guy I would compare him to on skill level. I've seen Spencer's best. When Spencer is on he is playing low, getting underneath guys. A guy who is 6'8" and can get underneath you and as strong as he is. He is a monster in the weight room. It translates well because he is a really smooth athlete," Smith told Jim Nelson of the Times Herald.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2940...ce=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial