Top 2018 NFL Draft Prospects In The FCS — February Update

5. SKYLER PHILLIPS, OG – IDAHO STATE

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Idaho State offensive guard Skyler Phillips (71) was injured last year and received a medical redshirt (ISU Athletics)[/credit]

2018 PROJECTION: No. 146 overall, 4th to 5th round projected

Phillips — who was invited to the Senior Bowl — was a fifth-year senior with loads of NFL potential, and he has proven to be quite versatile on the line also. Scouts love the fact that he could scoot over to the center position or play guard — and if you need him at left tackle, he's done that too. This is exactly what a pro staff is looking for when it is putting together a 53-man roster, and Phillips is a brawler on the line and a smart player.

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4. NICK DELUCA, ILB – NORTH DAKOTA STATE

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Nick DeLuca – 49 (Photo: Sam Herder)[/credit]

2018 PROJECTION: No. 141 overall, 4th round projected
2017 STATS: 74 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks

DeLuca seemed like he'd been a contributor at NDSU forever. He even played in 12 games in 2013 as a freshman and won a national title, and he finished his Bison career with 329 career tackles and 26 TFLs, as well as 7 INTs. A true gritty playmaker, he has turned the heads of scouts this year as he recovered from a 2016 season-ending injury that led him to receive a medical redshirt and come back this year. He is currently flying up the charts and was on display in the Senior Bowl.

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3. DARIUS LEONARD, OLB, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE

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South Carolina State's Darius Leonard is flying up the charts (SCSU Athletics)[/credit]

2018 PROJECTION: No. 112 overall, projected 3rd to 4th round
2017 STATS: 114 tackles, 12 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 10 hurries

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2. BRANDON PARKER, OT – NORTH CAROLINA A&T

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North Carolina A&T O-lineman Brandon Parker will be watched closely this spring (NC A&T Athletics)[/credit]

2018 PROJECTION: No. 91 overall, 3rd round projected

Parker — who was at the Senior Bowl — was one of the big reasons North Carolina A&T went undefeated and captured the Celebration Bowl in December. He is flying up the charts in recent weeks if not months. In just a few short months he has gone from being considered a late day three possibility to a solid day two pick and trending. This weekend could be another massive move forward for Parker.

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1. DALLAS GOEDERT, TE – SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

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South Dakota State Athletics[/credit]

2018 PROJECTION: No. 41 overall, Projected 2nd round
2017 STATS: Try 72 receptions for 1,111 yards and 7 TDs.

Goedert — who was at the Senior Bowl — may be 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, but he moves and catches the ball like a guy who is much, much smaller. That's what makes him an absolute lock for the NFL Draft this spring. While he was certainly productive as a sophomore in 2015, it was 2016 when he became a human highlight reel — catching one-handed passes and lighting up defenses with his pass catching partner in crime, Jake Wieneke.

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FCS Projected 2018 NFL Draft Prospects

EDITOR'S NOTE: This chart includes seniors and one early entree underclassman from FCS schools (Maea Teuhema). NFLDraftScout does rank underclassmen as part of their projections, now that we are in the new year. 7th-FA = Projected 7th rounder to Priority NFL Free Agent.

Also: If you see "UP" next to a player's rank, it means he is trending upwards in the eyes of NFLDraftScout.

As mentioned on page one, the "PROJ. ROUND" is based where NFLDraftScout.com has placed them as of Feb 28, 2018.