2018 Draft Chatter

Risen Star

Risen Star

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http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2018/i...e-round-sleepers-undrafted-free-agents-steals

Every year there are notable late-round picks or undrafted free agents who make a difference for their teams.

Corey Clement (2017), La'el Collins (2015) and Adam Thielen (2013) are recent examples of undrafted players who have found big roles.

Here are 10 potential late-round picks or undrafted from the 2018 class who could make an impact right away:


Cole Reyes, S, North Dakota
Reyes had trouble staying healthy, and he missed most of the 2017 season with an arm injury. He has the range to cover a deep half, the athletic ability to compete with tight ends and the closing speed to limit production after the catch when he lines up in off coverage over the slot. He flashes the ability to grab interceptions on 50-50 balls.

Chris Covington, LB, Indiana
Covington is a one-year starter who played quarterback and tore an ACL in 2014. He finished the 2017 season with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass deflections and one fumble recovery. He's a strong tackler who drives through contact, chases with good effort and has the range to hold up in underneath coverage.

Dee Delaney, CB, Miami
Delaney is a graduate transfer from the Citadel who missed three games with a knee injury and had only one pick last year. His arm length (30½ inches) is a red flag and he's not the most fluid corner. But he's instinctive, has above-average top-end speed and is a tough run defender. Plus, he picked off 13 passes at the Citadel and looked like a natural pass-catcher at the combine.

Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State
Cannon has the burst to turn the corner, the lateral quickness to make defenders miss and the second gear to pull away when he gets a seam. He's a decisive between-the-tackles runner with the balance to break initial contact. He's a threat after the catch and he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last year. He eased concerns about playing at the Division II level with an excellent pro day workout, highlighted by a 4.4-second 40, 38½-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad jump.

Greg Senat, OT, Wagner
Senat played basketball for four years at Wagner. He played tight end for two years in high school and played offensive tackle for two years in college, so he's raw and needs to work on his technique -- most notably his footwork in the run game. The flip side is he has the length (34⅞-inch arms) and athletic ability to develop into an above-average pass-blocker and effective run-blocker.

Deon Yelder, TE, Western Kentucky
Yelder is a former walk-on who didn't have a catch until his senior season, when he caught 52 passes for 688 yards (13.2 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns. A late invite to the Senior Bowl, Yelder has the frame to develop into an effective in-line blocker who can box out defenders underneath. He has the big hands to snatch the ball out of the air and make contested catches.

Justin Lawler, DE, SMU
Lawler's top-end speed (5.03 in the 40) and arm length (31¾ inches) are red flags for a defensive end, and he might not have the skill set to make it in the NFL. But he's an effective hand fighter with a quick inside move and he's relentless. He recorded 203 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks over the past three seasons.

Jeff Badet, WR, Oklahoma
Badet is a graduate transfer from Kentucky who caught five passes over his last five games in 2017, but he flashed early in the season and had an impressive workout at Oklahoma's pro day. He ran a sub-4.3 40, posted an outstanding broad jump (10-foot-11) and posted a borderline outstanding vertical (39½ inches).

Evan Brown, C, SMU
Brown is a four-year starter with experience playing center and guard. He's an effective positional blocker in the run game and has the athletic ability to stay in front of his assignment in pass protection. He had an excellent pro day. His 40 time (5.03), short shuttle time (4.46), broad jump (9-foot-5) and performance on the bench press (36 reps of 225 pounds) are outstanding results for an interior offensive lineman.

Larry Rose, RB New Mexico State
Rose has the speed to bounce between gaps and make defenders miss. He's quick to and through the hole, plus he has the speed -- he ran a 4.42 40 at his pro day -- to rip off chunk yards when he gets a seam. Although he's a small target with small hands, he's a productive receiver who caught 55 passes last year.
 
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