The NFL Draft is heading into a remainder of single digit days before the events get going in Dallas, and we are entering into the final territories of anticipation for every pick of the 2018 Draft.
Today we specifically focus on the prospects from D2 Football, those who are considered small school prospects but who have shown in years past that they can definitely be impact performers in the NFL.
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Below we have set up a big board of every major D2 prospect that we have heard about in some way through the draft process. Each section is broken down between players who will be drafted, could be drafted, or will be priority signings and players signed to UDFA contracts.
Make sure to remember these names and keep this page handy during the NFL Draft from April 26-28, as you never know who might be picked by your favorite team from the ranks of Division 2.
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Big Board: Version 1.0 (March 8)
Related: Pro Comparisons for Top D2 Prospects
Mock Drafts: HERO 8.0 | D2 Football Edition
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Future Draft Picks
| Player | Position | School | Potential Draft Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Shepherd | DT | Fort Hays State | 2-3 |
| Desmond Harrison | OT | West Georgia | 3-4 |
| Alex Cappa | OL | Humboldt State | 3-5 |
The three players listed above are going to be picked in the Draft, that much seems to be sure. But where and when is the biggest question as there is a possibility we could see each of these top prospects off the board by the end of day two.
Various draft analysts have insisted Shepherd to be a mid-second rounder with Harrison and Cappa some of the best offensive lineman for teams that could wait a few years and let them develop.
Either way, we will see each of these three former D2 stars who have each taken very different journeys to get to this point realize their dream and be picked to play in the NFL.
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Potential Draft Picks
| Player | Position | School | Potential Draft Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Sieler | DL | Ferris State | 6-FA |
| Nick Keizer | TE | Grand Valley State | 6-FA |
| Luis Perez | QB | Texas A&M-Commerce | 6-FA |
| Travon Blanchard | DB | Texas A&M-Commerce | 6-FA |
| Marcus Martin | FB / DL | Slippery Rock | 6-FA |
| Max Redfield | DB | Indiana (PA) | 7-FA |
There is a decent chance we could see as many as nine players picked from D2 Football which would eclipse the six selected in the 2017 Draft.
Sieler is the one player most likely to be picked after leaving following his redshirt-junior season with the Bulldogs. It's unlikely he would have declared early if he wasn't told he has a decent chance to get drafted.
As for other players worth mentioning, Luis Perez has seen his best stock rising late in the draft process and could finish out the run by being drafted late as a flyer with potential to grow into something impactful. The same goes for former teammate Blanchard who walked on to TAMUC following a career at Baylor.
Keizer, Martin, and Redfield are all players who are worth shots in training camp and could be drafted if teams don't want to lose out on their talent to the free agency pool. That especially goes for Keizer who is one of the rare tight ends in this class that is better at blocking and is still progressing in his ability to catch the ball.
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Priority Free Agents
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Vyncint Smith | WR | Limestone |
| Ian Park | OL | Slippery Rock |
| Joe Kupcikevicius | OL | Azusa Pacific |
| Jalen Tolliver | WR | Arkansas-Monticello |
| Gary McKnight | WR | NW Oklahoma State |
| Damon Gibson | TE | MSU Moorhead |
| JJ Jones | WR | West Georgia |
| Mike Cirino | DB | Adams State |
| Glenn Harris | DB | Wayne State (NE) |
The list of players who should be considered among the better players to potentially be undrafted is littered with pass-catchers that could follow in the footsteps of former Kentucky Wesleyan receiver Keelan Cole to go from UDFA to impact player on a playoff team.
Smith is the one player above who could potentially sneak his way to being drafted a la David Moore from East Central in 2017, but is more likely to get his choice of play setting. A couple former D1 players in Joe Kup (South Dakota State) and Ian Park (Northwestern) should catch the eyes of teams as they have been scouted heavily in the draft process.
Training camp seems to be a certainty for most of these players and it will be at that point whether we know they can handle the NFL game.
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Undrafted Free Agents / Tryout Players
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Ashton Grant | WR | Assumption |
| Ty McCulley | OL | CSU-Pueblo |
| JT Luper | WR | Central Oklahoma |
| Trenton Cannon | RB | Virginia State |
| Kyle Kitchens | LB | Catawba |
| Lavonte Hights | OL | Shepherd |
| Marcus Jones | DB | NW Missouri State |
| Osband Thompson | LB / DB | Tuskegee |
| Shaq Roland | WR | West Georgia |
| Myles Humphrey | DE | Shepherd |
| Jared Machorro | OL | Texas A&M-Commerce |
| Ja'Quan Gardner | RB | Humboldt State |
| Tanner Hudson | TE | Southern Arkansas |
| Malik Watson | QB | Dixie State |
The players listed above will likely be those who sign later in the UDFA process after the big names from D1 and top competitors from D2 all sign. In other words, these are players who will add depth to rosters and will need to show a lot to make an impact in the NFL.
There is a tendency towards the offensive side of the ball among these players, with our second quarterback – former San Jose State player Malik Watson – having concluded some talks with teams that could bring him in during rookie camps for a tryout.
For most of these players a practice squad spot will be a reasonable goal with hopes to continue developing their game and eventually make it onto an active roster in later years.
