Top 5 NFL Draft sleepers

The late rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft may not pack the star power that the first round does, but overlooked players who eventually blossom into stars can turn teams from fringe contenders to Super Bowl challengers.

Here are five players projected to be drafted in on the second and third days of the Draft this year who could turn out to be steals.

J.K. Dobbins (RB, Ohio State)

Dobbins is currently ranked as the No. 5 running back in the draft, behind D’Andre Swift (Georgia), Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (LSU), and Zack Moss (Utah), according to WalterFootball.com.

His frame (5-foot-9, 210 pounds) has probably played into his second- or third-round draft projection. However, Dobbins compares favorably to a young Doug Martin, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards during his rookie season in Tampa Bay. Dobbins rushed for more than 2,000 yards during his senior year at Ohio State, and 174 came against a tough Clemson defense in the Fiesta Bowl.

Akeem Davis-Gaither (LB, Appalachian State)

At 6-foot-2 and 219 pounds, Davis-Gaither is undersized for a linebacker, but the versatility he showed in his time at Appalachian State is giving NFL talent evaluators something to think about.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, who has Davis-Gaither as the fifth-best linebacker in the draft, says the North Carolina native “is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker with outstanding instincts and awareness.”

James Proche (WR , SMU)

Proche was a standout receiver at SMU, where he reeled in 204 passes over his last two seasons, for 2,424 yards and 27 touchdowns. But Proche does not have breakaway speed and is not tall for a wideout (5-foot-11), so he could fall into the later rounds.

The team that takes the gamble on Proche will get a player who has “strong hands and intelligence as a route runner.”

Malik Harrison (LB, Ohio State)

Harrison stepped up his game in his senior year at Ohio State, and as a result has moved from a Day 3 to a Day 2 selection. He had just 8 1/2 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks as a junior. Those numbers spiked to 16 and 6 1/2, respectively, in 2019.

Harrison has the traditional linebacker frame (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), which helps his cause.

Anthony Gordon (QB, Washington State)

Anthony Gordon filled Gardner Minshew’s shoes very well in his senior year at Washington State. He set single-season school records for passing yards (5,579), completions (493), and passing touchdowns (48).

Now he’ll try to follow in Minshew’s footsteps and become a rising star in the NFL, despite being a late-round pick (Minshew was a sixth-round choice in 2019). According to thedraftnetwork.com, Gordon has a quick release, poise in the pocket, and an indefatigable work ethic. Work ethic is a hallmark for successful late-round selections. 

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