NFL fans around the country are buzzing about the upcoming draft as their favorite teams look to add talent for the upcoming season.
Most fans know the big name players, but several young men have impressed scouts and GMs with their off-season workouts. Most small college players finally got their chance to play in off-season games against big college talent, and for a few, it was the chance they needed to get noticed.
Here are some late round sleepers to keep an eye on.
Ron Brooks (CB/LSU): Brooks played behind two of the country’s best college football corners, but his size and speed won’t go unnoticed, and the young man will get a shot playing professional football. Brooks should hear his name called in the later rounds of the upcoming draft, but his skills could make him a solid pick and a special team’s standout for any team willing to take a gamble on his upside.
Austin Davis (QB/Southern Mississippi): Brooks had a solid career with the Golden Eagles. Davis has good size, speed, and arm strength, and though he won’t be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the draft, he will make an NFL team this fall as a backup and with some good coaching and hard work, could become the steal of the 2012 draft.
Lennon Creer (RB/Louisiana Tech): In my opinion, Creer is perhaps the biggest sleeper at running back. Granted, he’s missed several games with injuries this past season, but has proved when healthy, he has the skills to play at the next level. He has has good size and speed, but his vision is what sets him apart, and any team willing to take a late round gamble will get a solid player for the upcoming football season.
Several great stories will come out of the upcoming draft, but watch these names as these young men will get their chance this fall and could become the next Tom Brady or Arian Foster.
The 2012 NFL Draft gets underway on Thursday in primetime on ESPN.
