The all-star games for NFL Draft prospects are complete and several FCS players shed that "small school" label.
These games, and more importantly the practices leading up to them, are key in getting lower subdivision players in front of pro teams, coaches and scouts. Some FCS players flew onto radars in the last couple of weeks while others lived up to pre-draft hype.
The following five guys helped their draft stock the most:
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Jimmy Moreland, James Madison CB
Moreland impressed enough in the East-West Shrine Game to earn an invite to the Senior Bowl. His play in practice continually caught the attention of those in attendance and he followed it up with solid performances in both games.
Game stats: Senior Bowl – 3 total tackles, 1 TFL; Shrine Game – 1 tackle, 1 pass defended, 61-yard return off a missed FG
What they said: "The praise for James Madison cornerback Jimmy Moreland continues to roll in. This time it's from a competitor, as South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel has told people Moreland is the best cornerback he’s faced all week." – Tony Pauline said on DraftAnalyst.com
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Keelan Doss, UC Davis WR
Size – check. Hands – check. Route running – check. Doss showed it all at the Senior Bowl. He drew a ton of praise while "fluid" was used several times to describe the 6-foot-3 receiver.
Game stats: 4 rec. for 55 yards (2nd most on North Team), long of 21
What they said: "One day into the Senior Bowl and today's practice, I couldn't be more impressed with what I've seen." – Senior Bowl commentators said in this video
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Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois DT
Saunders drew buzz before the Senior Bowl when a video went viral of the 320-pounder doing a backflip. Then at the beginning of the week of Senior Bowl practices, he made headlines again when his fiancée went into labor and they both agreed it was best for him to stay put and compete at the Senior Bowl. Then, if they hadn't already, people realized this dude can ball as Saunders was a dominant force in practice and the game.
Game stats: 1 sack, 3 total tackles
What they said: "Dominant. That is the only way to describe Saunders’ performance in Mobile. Saunders simply could not be blocked all week long, consistently wreaking havoc in the backfield. Especially on gameday, when he was arguably as impressive as anyone on the field." – Scott Wright wrote on DraftCountdown.com
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Nasir Adderley, Delaware S
Adderley was already looked at as a potential first or second round pick coming into the Senior Bowl. He lived up to expectations and was named a team captain for the game, where he picked off a pass.
Game stats: 1 INT. returned for 16 yards, Team-high four solo tackles and five total tackles
What they said: "Very explosive, very instinctive. Really good ball skills in the deep part of the field. He’s a ball player, very instinctive, catches on quickly, plays at a high level with a high engine. Really like him, got a big time future.” – Oakland Raiders DBs coach Derrick Ansley said on Raiders.com
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Tytus Howard, Alabama State OL
Many were curious about Howard entering the Senior Bowl. The story of how he went from a high school QB to arriving at Alabama State as a tight end to now being a 6-foot-6, 311-pound offensive lineman was well reported. He put that athletic ability on display and drew great reviews while also moving into some Top 10 OL rankings.
What they said: "We know OT Tytus Howard has the feet to play tackle in the NFL, but it’s great to see this type of physicality from him." – Dane Brugler said in a tweet
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