In this most unusual upcoming draft year, nothing is for certain. Thanks to COVID-19 and a ruling by the NCAA, players could opt to come back for another season (fall 2021) even if they play this spring. Nobody’s eligibility will be affected by this pandemic year.
So, our Top 10 Division II and Division III prospect chart — in which we consult our subscription to DraftScout.com’s database — could change quite a bit by the time the 2021 NFL Draft rolls around. But we are ranking a player based on his “class” as it stands now, along with obvious underclassmen who have expressed their desire to take a shot at the draft.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Some of the players listed below have entered the transfer portal, but unless they’ve already selected their next school, they’re listed with the Division 2 or Division 3 school they played for in 2019.
THE RANKING
NO. 1: Quinn Meinerz, OG, Wisconsin Whitewater
PROJECTED ROUND: 6th to 7th Rd.
DRAFTSCOUT TOP 750: No. 231
THE SCOOP: Meinerz is actually the lone Division 3 player who makes this list, and he tops the chart. Standing 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, he has started as an All-American and has been projected as a day three kind of selection by more than one scout. In fact, his status is so solid, he decided to enter the draft a year early.
NO. 2: Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri
PROJECTED ROUND: 7th Rd.
DRAFTSCOUT TOP 750: No. 240
THE SCOOP: How versatile is Davidson? He even has drawn some mentions at a punter at the next level, that’s how. But he will largely be mentioned as a 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end prospect, with a day three draft grade on the high end of projections. He was an all-american at the Division 2 level, catching 40 balls for 894 yards and a 22.4 average per catch. He also scored 15 touchdowns. Oh, and also averaged 40.3 yards per punt with nine going for more than 50 yards. He did declare for the NFL Draft on Dec. 14.
NO. 3: Sam Webb, CB/FS, Missouri Western
PROJECTED ROUND: HPFA
DRAFTSCOUT TOP 750: No. 368
THE SCOOP: Some scouts feel he might be a very late pick on day three, or a high-priority free agent pickup right afterward. As a corner, one thing scouts will be keeping an eye on in evaluations is his speed. But if his wheels are high-end, some scouts think he could even reach into the sixth round. Last year he had three interceptions and broke up 12 passes. He stands 6-foot-1, 190 pounds.
NO. 4: Kenny Randall, DT, Charleston (W.V.)
PROJECTED ROUND: HPFA
DRAFTSCOUT TOP 750: No. 399
THE SCOOP: Randall has opted out of his senior season back in October and scouts seem to feel he’s a free-agent lock at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds. He played alongside recent Atlanta Falcons draft pick John Cominsky and felt he was ready to take a shot at the pro level. He began his college career at Temple under Matt Rhule.
NO. 5: Mike Strachan, WR, Charleston (W.V.)
PROJECTED ROUND: HPFA
DRAFTSCOUT TOP 750: No. 399
THE SCOOP: With good size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), he’s going to get some attention from scouts, and is looked at as a guy who secure a contract within minutes/hours of the conclusion of the draft, if he isn’t taken himself. He just made the decision this week to forego his final year of eligibility to declare for this draft cycle. In 2019, he caught nearly 80 balls for 1,300-plus yards and 19 touchdowns. If he can prove he has good speed to fit his frame, this could get really interesting in the spring.
THE NEXT FIVE
No. 6 – JaQuan Hardy, RB, Tiffin
No. 7 – Zaire Mitchell, TE, Notre Dame (Ohio)
No. 8 – Lawrence Woods, CB/KR, Truman State
No. 9 – Dareke Young, WR, Lenoir-Rhyne
No. 10 – Devin Butler, WR, Tiffin
NOTE- HPFA = High Priority Free Agent, which means they may not be projected to be drafted at this time in the cycle, but they’ll likely be signed within a few hours of the draft’s conclusion.
