The first night of the NFL draft brings anticipation and excitement as college football’s biggest names are selected.
After the initial wave of selections, the draft becomes more intriguing, separating astute evaluators. NFL teams seek value, particularly from the end of Day 2 into Day 3.
Identifying Potential NFL Draft Sleepers
NFL talent evaluators are looking for sleepers, or under-the-radar players outside the top 50-60 selections who can fill key roles and become regular starters. The league has productive players who were overlooked in the draft and had to wait for a life-changing phone call.
More than 30 college coaches were polled to identify potential sleeper picks for the upcoming NFL draft. Some coaches discussed their own players, while others identified under-the-radar prospects they faced and explained why they’re going to succeed.
Some names may be familiar, including Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia and Texas defensive mainstay Michael Taaffe, but others may not be. These are names to study before the end of the month.
Players Whose Draft Stock is Rising
Jordan Reid breaks down the players who saw their NFL draft stocks rise after their pro days, including Rueben Bain Jr.
Luke Altmyer: A Potential Sleeper Pick
Luke Altmyer is considered a potential sleeper pick. Altmyer had 7,607 passing yards and 57 TDs in three seasons at Illinois, while adding 741 rushing yards and 12 scores. He set career highs for completion percentage (67.4) and passing yards as a senior and ranked 14th nationally in QBR (78.5).
Altmyer is ranked No. 191, No. 8 QB, with a grade of 49 by Scouts Inc.
Altmyer grew up in the shadows of Mississippi State and started his college career at Ole Miss, but he made his mark at Illinois, starting for the past three seasons. He set team records for career passer rating (144.31) and completion percentage (64.36), while ranking second in quarterback wins (23) and touchdown passes (57). Altmyer made 35 starts and helped the Illini to their first consecutive seasons of nine or more wins. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Altmyer stood out during Senior Bowl practices and clocked the No. 6 time in the 40-yard dash at the combine (4.72 seconds). A Big Ten coach described Altmyer as “Not flashy, but he is a winner.”
Illinois coach Bret Bielema said, “I’ve had a lot of people reaching to me since the combine, on him. Being in that league for three years, everybody’s going to pay that premier guy $150 million. But they need that next guy, in case things don’t work out from an injury standpoint, or emergency substitution. And Luke prepares so well every week, I think he’ll be a guy that’s drafted in the league as a quality backup.
Every NFL talent evaluator is looking for a few sleepers.