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2020 NFL Draft: Small School Prospects

Bruce Matson Posted On April 20, 2020
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There are very few prospects from the FCS or even the division two ranks who will become fantasy-relevant. Most of these players will struggle to maintain a spot on the practice squad, let alone lead your dynasty team to a championship run. However, we do see some small school prospects make an impact from time to time.

David Johnson played for Northern Iowa before he made his transition to the league. Adam Thielen played ball in NCAA Division II for the Minnesota State Mavericks before he became one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. There are many other success stories, but the odds of a small school prospect developing into a long-term fantasy asset isn’t very good.

Having some knowledge of the less-heralded small school prospects can be beneficial. Some of these players are trendy targets in the later rounds of rookie drafts. As the war of attrition occurs during the season, we will see a handful of small-school prospects receive an opportunity to prove themselves. Having an understanding of how a player could win on the field might be the determining factor to whether or not you want to add that player to your dynasty team.

QUARTERBACK

Kevin Davidson, Princeton

Even though the former Ivy Leaguer only has one full season as Princeton’s starting quarterback, he displayed enough talent during his senior season to receive an invite to the Combine and potentially get drafted. With this being a draft deep with talent at the quarterback position, Davidson will be one of the few FCS QBs who will be in consideration come draft day.

Davidson has the arm talent to push the ball downfield on a consistent basis. Measuring at 6-foot-4 and weighing 224 pounds, he’s your traditional big-bodied quarterback. As you would expect from your prototypical Ivy League passer, Davidson is very cerebral and a student of the game. The coaches didn’t know when he had time to sleep because he would post up in the film room for hours studying tape while also handling a full course load.

At the Combine, he ran a 5.0-second 40-yard dash which ranked in the 18th percentile among quarterback prospects. His lack of mobility isn’t going to win many fantasy championships. Unfortunately, his hands measured in at 8 1/4 inches. Hand-size is usually an overstated metric. From watching the tape, it appears he is more than capable of holding onto the football.

Ben DiNucci, James Madison

DiNucci passed for 6,823 yards and 51 touchdowns during his four-year collegiate career. He played for the Pitt Panthers during his freshman and sophomore seasons where he was unable to get his career off the ground before transferring to James Madison. DiNucci capped off his career completing 70.9 percent of his passes while leading the Dukes to the FCS Championship Game

The 6-foot-2 and 210-pound quarterback did a phenomenal job a developing his game at the FCS level. At James Madison, he showcased his arm strength and good pocket awareness. There’s a slight chance he might get drafted but more than likely, he will be a trendy undrafted free agent once the draft is over.

RUNNING BACK

James Robinson, Illinois State

Robinson, a three-year starter, finished his career with 1,917 yards and 18 touchdowns during his senior season. He posted eight games with over 100 yards rushing. His best game came against Southeast Missouri State where he rushed for 297 yards and one touchdown. The Redbirds utilized Robinson as a key focal point of the offense, allowing him to achieve an elite level 48.7 percent dominator rating.

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At the Combine, Robinson ran a 4.64 40-yard dash which equated to a 94.5 size-adjusted speed score. He displayed his burst with a 40-inch vertical and a 125-inch broad jump. His athletic metrics translate to the tape where he shows good footwork and acceleration through the hole into the second level of the defense. Robinson’s 5-foot-9 and 219-pound frame lends the notion that he has the size to be a three-down workhorse. He’s a smooth runner who has excellent contact balance. If given the opportunity, he could shoulder the load for an NFL team.

Pete Guerriero, Monmouth

Guerriero will forgo his fifth year of eligibility to enter the draft. He blew up during his junior season rushing for 1,995 yards and 18 touchdowns while posting nine 100-yard rushing performances. Guerriero owned a 35.18 percent market share of Monmouth’s offensive production.

He profiles as a change-of-pace back who has the speed to break loose if he sees the open field. NFL coaches will instantly notice his burst through the hole once they get him in camp. Don’t expect him to consistently carry the load between the tackles but since he has game-breaking speed, he has enough gusto to contribute to your fantasy team when given the opportunity.

WIDE RECEIVER

Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island

Coulter is a playmaker with tremendous ball skills. His strong hands allow him to pluck the football right out of the air. He can also run short-to-intermediate routes like slants, outs, and digs. At the Combine, he tested with a 4.45 40-yard dash and measured in at 6-foot-2 while weighing 198 pounds. His 102.4 size-adjusted speed score ranked in the 75th percentile among wide receiver prospects.

After finishing his junior season with 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns while owning a 31.3 percent dominator rating, Coulter looks to hit the NFL stage. He is a very sudden athlete who is always looking to attack the football while it’s in transit. With him being a small school prospect, the odds are already stacked against him, but his skill set translates to the NFL game. Coulter is projected to be drafted anywhere between the middle to late rounds of the draft. He could develop into a trendy breakout candidate if he gets drafted to a team with an open depth chart.

Aaron Parker, Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Rams somehow only won two games with two NFL -caliber wide receivers on their roster. Parker is a jump ball machine. He can easily outleap defenders to catch the ball at it’s highest point to make the catch. He knows how to use his size to create enough separation at the catch point to prevent the defensive back from disrupting the play. Unlike his teammate Isaiah Coulter, he will not stretch the field with his speed and is not a threat to churn out chunks of yardage after the catch.

During his final season at Rhode Island, he caught 81 passes for 1,224 yards and nine touchdowns while accumulating a 37.6 percent dominator rating. He initially broke out as a freshman with a 24.89 percent market share of URI’s passing production. From an ownership standpoint, his production profile is rock solid.

On the contrary, his athletic profile isn’t as enticing considering he ran a 4.57 40-yard dash along with a 26 1/2-inch vertical. His 6-foot-2 and 209-pound frame suggest he has enough girth to compete at the NFL level. There’s a chance he could sneak into the last couple rounds of the draft, but he is more than likely going to test the free agency waters once everything is said and done.

Josh Pearson, Jacksonville State

In his last two seasons at Jacksonville State, Pearson caught 126 passes for 2,066 yards and 30 touchdowns. His best game came in 2019 against North Alabama where he caught seven passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns. He broke out during his sophomore season with a 37.52 percent dominator rating while owning a 29.09 percent market share of the team’s offensive production.

There are multiple ways he can win on the field. He can beat you on the deep ball with his speed and ball skills. His release off the line combined with his large frame makes him tough to cover on slant and curl routes. Contested-catch situations are where he makes his money. He is aggressive at the catch point and knows how to use his 6-foot-3 and 205-pound body to shield himself away from the defender while the ball is in flight. His hands are sticky and he is more than capable of climbing the ladder to make the catch.

In March of last year, he tested with a 4.45 40-yard dash and a 41.5-inch vertical jump. Pearson’s athleticism will allow him to compete in camp for a roster spot. His size-adjusted speed might be enough to keep him floating around the league or even him some snaps somewhere down the line.

Chris Rowland, Tennessee State

Rowland might be the top slot receiver from the FCS level. His skill-set is very comparable to Andy Isabella’s from last year’s class since he’s a smaller wide receiver who can command targets from the slot and while stretching the field from the outside. He is also a dynamic kick/punt returner.

Rowland finished his senior season catching 104 passes for 1,437 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 13.8 yards per reception. He also toted the rock 19 times for 132 yards and one touchdown. Tennessee valued him as a key contributor to the offense. He owned a 46.01 percent market share of his team’s passing production.

TIGHT END

Adam Trautman, Dayton

There’s a very good chance that Trautman is one of the top tight ends off the board. DLF has him ranked fourth among tight ends in the draft class. He was a big-time receiving threat at the University of Dayton, catching 70 passes for 916 yards and 14 yards while owning a 33.73 percent market share of the team’s passing offense during his senior season. At the Combine, he posted a 4.8 40-yard dash, 34.5-inch vertical and a 6.78 three-cone. Even though he’s not an athletic marvel, he’s still athletic enough to compete in the league.

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For a small school prospect, Trautman is about as close to pro-ready as it comes. He runs proficient routes, has good hands and when it comes to run blocking, he serves more pancakes than IHOP.

He’s a very sound prospect who has the potential to compete for significant snaps early in his career.

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