Potential NFL Draft Sleepers

Yesterday, we listed our top ten potential draft busts. Today, we list our top eight potential draft sleepers.

1. Pat Devlin - QB: Devlin has travelled a strange road to the NFL Draft. He started at Penn State, then transfered to Delaware after losing out on the starting job. At Delaware, he followed in the footsteps of Joe Flacco, and turned himself into an NFL prospect. Devlin has good size for an NFL QB (6'4, 220) and decent athleticism. He has a strong arm, and is a very accurate passer. The biggest questions regarding Devlin involve his footwork and his arm slot, but those are easily fixed at the pro level. A team that is looking for a quarterback of the future to sit behind their starter for a couple years would be well served to take Devlin.

2. Ben Ijalana, T/G: Ijalana played tackle for his college career, but is a bit undersized for that position by NFL standards. As such, a lot of teams are looking at him as a guard at the professional level, where he should be a beast. In fact, this position change is causing Ijalana to move up the draft board, to the point where he may not be much of a sleeper at this point. Ijalana has great feet, showing an ability to move laterally and mirror opponents well. Notonly does he have a solid initial burst off of the line, but he can also recover well, and get back into the play if beaten. His greatest strength is as a run blocker, where he is a bulldozer off the line. At this point, Ijalana may have moved up to the second round, and would be an absolute steal or a team there.

3. Titus Young, WR: Versitility is the name of the game with Young. In his college career, he has lined up as both a wide receiver and a running back, and also returned kicks. He was very productive in college, with 204 receptions for 3063 yards and 25 touchdowns. Young is also fast, running a 4.43 in the 40. The best comparision to Titus Young may be Troy Brown, a solid pro that will have a long career and outperform majority of the receivers taken before him.

4. Ricky Stanzi, QB: Stanzi is another probable mid round draft choice that will, like Devlin, be a great pick for a team looking to draft a quarterback of the future. He is a smart, accurate passer with good size (6'4, 223). He also played in a pro style offense in college, which will limit his learning curve in the NFL. The biggest knock on him is his inconsistant footwork, but that is easily corrected. Stanzi is also not very mobile, but his good pocket awareness will make up for that.

5. Taiwan Jones, RB: There is a video clip of Jones jumping out of a pool - backwards. This video shows exactly how stron ghis legs are, which helps him to break low tackles. He is a great athlete with excellent quickness. Jones also has experience as a receiver out of the backfield, where he showed good hands and an ability to run routes with precision. He is an explosive runner, and a potential home run threat every time he touches the ball. Jones projects as a three down back in the NFL, and will be an excellent value where he gets drafted.

6. Shiloh Keo, S: Keo is essentially a guided missile as a safety. He was extremely productive in college, with 354 tackles and 11 interceptions. Keo plays with intesity, and loves to hit receivers and running backs. He is also not afraid to blitz and take on blockers. While he is not great in coverage, he has all the makings of a safety that can drop down into the box and play great against the run, and be a solid zone safety.

7. Richard Sherman, CB: Sherman stands out not just because of his size (6'2, 195), but because he played as a receiver for his first three years at Stanford. As such, he has above average ball skills as a defensive back. Sherman plays physically, and has tremendous leaping ability and solid speed. While he is a bit of a project, Sherman looks like someone that will develop into a solid cornerback in th future.

8. Clay Nurse, DE: Nurse is a solid pass rushing defensive lineman with a great burst off the line. He is very much a high energy player, giving his best effort at all times. He has a good initial burst, and closes on running backs or quarterbacks well. He doesn't have a lot of different moves, and lacks size (259 lbs), but he has solid instincts and will not give up on a play. Nurse also has good character and displayed solid leadership skills in college. As someone that is projected to be a late round draft choice, Nurse could make an impact in the near future.