2025 B2B Directional State Team: Sleepers, Small School, & Undervalued Draft Prospects Part 1

Transfer up to Power 4 Defensive POY #1:  CB Marcus Harris, Idaho –> California 

5106. 189 lbs  7500 wing. 4.38 40y (98 pct) 4.25 SS  7.13 3c
Style Comp: Jalen Ramsey

Marcus Harris is going into the Idaho Football Hall of Fame someday. In his 36 straight starts for the Vandals, he had an All-American season. setting the school’s all-time record with 36 Passes defensed and leading the team in his final year to a 9-4 record and FCS Quarterfinals appearance.  Taking a shot to grad transfer to Cal resulted in a bit of a shock to the system,  but he continued his strong career arc with 2 Interceptions and 6 passes defensed as a newcomer to the Power 4.

And here he is on the first play of the highlights, outjumping the aforementioned Lan Larison:

Transfer up to Power 4 Defensive POY #2: CB Ethan Robinson, Bucknell –> Minnesota

5105. 195 lbs  7438 wing. 4.55 40y 4.39 SS  6.94 3c (). 42″ VJ ().10’7″ BJ ()
Style Comp: CJ Gardner-Johnson

8 INT. 33 PBU. 3 FF 10 TFL in 44 games

A physical DB who was dominant at Bucknell, but decided to move up to Power 4. Good decision.  He continued to stand out with big plays at all three levels of the field, earning all-B1G honors.  You want a Nickel CB who can rush the passer, play the run aggressively, cover from the slot, and even drop back as a safety at times… Robinson is exactly the kind of player you want in that role.

Transfer up to Power 4 Offensive POY:   WR Isaac Teslaa, Hillsdale –> California

6035. 214 lb  1000 hand. 3118 arm. 7668 wing. 4.43 40y (99th percentile Height Adjusted Speed Score) 4.05 SS (99th pct) 6.85 3c (87 pct) 39.5 VJ (97 pct) 10.75 BJ (92 pct)

(99th percentile Height Adjusted Speed Score)
Style Comp: Puka Nacua

Prospects who started as lowly D3 players don’t often get draft respect, even if they transfer all the way to the SEC, put up solid numbers, continue to create big play highlights, and storm the combine with a studly performance. TeSlaa combines elite athleticism with the best hands in college football–zero drops in his collegiate career (see video in the section below this) and a large catch radius.

Underappreciated Non-Power 4 FBS DPOY: EDGE/DL Adin Huntington, Louisiana-Monroe –> Tulane

Height/Weight-Adjusted Explosion of 1.16 (99.797th percentile)

Style Comp: Milton Williams

Playing for a generally under-the-radar team in a lesser FBS conferences like the MAC, Sun Belt, and American comes with a cloak of obscurity, even when you are the best player on your defense and putting up a 16 TFL and 8.5 sack season, numbers that some high-profile defensive linemen have for their entire career.  Huntington’s ability at 280lbs to bend and burst past OTs on while on the edge and overpower and out-quick interior blockers is the kind of skillset that should come in handy in the NFL.

Underappreciated Non-Power 4 FBS OPOY:  WR Nick Nash, San Jose State
2024: 104 catches for 1382 yds and 16 TDs

Style Comp:  Elic Ayomanor
Former QBs abound in this year’s draft.  Usually, the best football player on whatever team they’re on, when they find a path to transition to other positions, the results can be dynamite.  Nash has only been playing WR full-time for two seasons, but this year he seemed to figure it out, snagging 104 catches for 1,382 yds and a FBS-leading 16 receiving TDs.  He shows a strong contested ball game and has an ex-Qbs knack fro finding holes in coverage, but this year he added better footwork and route-running… a player on the rise.

FCS Defensive Player Of The Year:  EDGE David Walker, Central Arkansas

23 TFL 10.5 sacks. 8 QBH 6 PBU. 4 FF
Style Comp:  James Houston

David Walker terrorized the Great American Conference of the FCS with 63 TFL, 31 sacks, 8 passes defended, and 6 forced fumbles in only 34 games and won the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defender in the FCS. He wins with lower-half strength and power, enjoying an excellent sense of when an opposing OLman is off balance even slightly and how to instantly turn that into an advantage.

FCS Offensive Player of the Year:  OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Style Comp:  Joe Thuney

Although he played at perhaps the top program at the FCS level, and was part of an OL that historically has sent others to the NFL, Zabel was still pretty far outside the mainstream awareness… and then he went into Mobile and dominated the Senior Bowl practices and game. I believe he didn’t lose a single rep, despite moving all over the line and facing all kinds of opponents. At one point, defenders started asking to go against him, perhaps out of disbelief that this unheralded FCS prospect was getting the better of well-known defenders from big-name programs.  He doesn’t have superior length but he wins with solid foot and hand timing, plus an extremely strong base… impossible for DTs to push him back in bull rushing situations. And he might be better as a run blocker.  Feels like he’s headed for an earlier-than-expected draft slot and a long career in the NFL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XxDBZVf150

D2 Defensive Player Of The Year:  DB Major Williams, Carson-Newman

Style Comp:  Brian Branch

A former 3-star recruit to Virginia, Williams transferred to D2 Carson-Newman after a redshirt freshman season and never looked back. He not only was a do-it-all defensive back playing inside, outside, slot, & safety at some of the highest level in D2, he was also an all-time school best as a punt returner.  He’s the type who can Moss a receiver on a contested play, and instead of merely stepping out of bounds, he turns up field and tries to take for 6.  He racked up 22.5 TFL (including a school-record of 10 TFL by a DB in one season), 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 4 INTs, 26 PBU, and scored 4 TDs and a defensive PAT. Although very talented in coverage and with the ball in his hands, his physicality as a tackler and hitter is going to take him far.

D2 Offensive Player Of The Year: Aiden Williams, Minnesota-Duluth

Style Comp: Garrett Boles

Aiden Williams was recruited as a TE and is a newcomer to Offensive line, but he got attention with his play this year for the Bulldogs, earning himself an invite to the Shrine Bowl. At practices in Dallas, he acquitted himself well for a small-school, raw prospect. His lack of ideal length might force him into a move inside but he seems a likely, athletically-gifted candidate for a professional redshirt while he grows into the position, both literally and figuratively.

D3/NAIA DPOY:  CB Dylan Brown, Wisconsin-River Falls

Style Comp: Benjamin St. Juste

10’9″ BJ (91st percentile)

Brown not only tested like a superior athlete by NFL standards, he flashes some of the best while-the-ball-is-in-the-air technique of any prospect I have seen in the years of doing this.  You know how some young CBs can mirror receivers but just can’t get their head around to the ball at the catch point, leading to panic and DPIs? Brown’s film is like teach tape on how to get your head around. It seemed to work out for him, as he managed 4 Interceptions and 48 passes defended in 4 seasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loBpkGV0ZtY

D3/NAIA OPOY: TE Mitch Van Vooren, St. Norbert

Style Comp:  Jake Ferguson

Van Vooren was an all-conference track star at Marquette, including setting the school record in the 400m hurdles. After graduating, he found himself with an itch to revisit football, a sport he hadn’t played since 8th grade.  I guess it’s a bit like riding a bike, because Van Vooren dropped right in to become the team’s leading receiver and TD scorer, accounting for over 38% of their passing offense & TDs. He displays obvious athleticism but from the limited games I was able to see, it looked like he improved and looked more comfortable as the season went along.  Once St. Norbert starting making him the focal point of the offense, they rattled off 8 straight wins to end the season. Sometimes NFL teams aren’t the most patient with developing players, but it seems like Van Vooren has enough promise to make it worth a shot.