nfl players who were small in high school

See all 259 picks | Team by team "It's kind of more of an action thing. Later in the process, though, Tryon received offers from Oregon, Utah and Washington. He was then selected to the Pro Bowl in just his second NFL season. Offers poured in for the Florida native, and Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Miami and Ohio State were all heavily in the picture. Check out the highlights from South Dakota State's tight end Tucker Kraft. Like Patrick Surtain, Jaycee Horn is the son of a longtime NFL player. 5 offensive tackle. He was already a heralded prospect at that point, but he ended up ascending to the top of the Rivals rankings for the class of 2017. XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. "And yet there's other kids at Alabama, Georgia, that aren't even getting looked at -- three, four stars. Anudike-Uzomah, who . 14 quarterback prospect on the board. At that point, Jones was an unheralded three-star prospect who had only a few offers. "Here I was in the Tennessee weight room, and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Jackson State had an undefeated regular season before losing to North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl. "I couldn't really turn down Princeton, and I loved the coaching staff as well. Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season, but put up huge numbers in 2019: 54 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. "I think there was a lot of good that came out of the Senior Bowl in his mind and my mind," Lott said. I know he hasn't even started playing in the NFL yet, but I could not pass up on this Texans rookie. Round 1. He knew that once his opportunity came, he needed to stand out with his performance because of where he was coming from. Rodgers will one day have his day at Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he could, if he wanted to have a laugh, give a shout-out to all of the college coaches and scouts who passed on him when that night comes. He caught the national title-winning touchdown as a freshman and won the Heisman Trophy and another national title as a senior. Iosivas indeed put on a show at the combine. A Houston native, UH was Payton Turner's best offer by a significant margin. The road to the NFL away from the Power 5 spotlight and through the Football Championship Subdivision or even Division II presents its own set of obstacles, from lesser facilities and amenities to the challenge of catching the eye of pro scouts. Or he can run a 20 yard pattern and catch a deep pass, acting as a receiver. Nick Fairley is an NFL defensive tackle, most recently with the New Orleans Saints. "Coming from Miami--the competition is just different," said Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper. Check out some of the best photos from the 2023 NFL Draft! A total of 247 high schools contributed to the 262 players selected in the seven rounds of the April 28-30 Draft, the most different schools represented since 2016 (247 schools). "Where he explodes on film is through his blocking," further explained the man they call "Coach Stig." ", "Of course, he knows the ins and outs of pro football if you talk about the NFL, you talk about college football, he was a high guy at all levels," Miller said. If you're not a 6'5", muscle-strapped male fast enough to blow past offensive linemen while . Did Pats make Mac Jones happy? But because he wasn't a huge recruit out of high school, he and his father had to do the legwork themselves. college players are selected. Just behind Lawrence in the 2018 rankings was Justin Fields, another Georgia native. But those who know Kraft, and especially Kraft himself, will tell you that he does his best work where there is work that must be done. For Horn, his father is Joe Horn, the former New Orleans Saints receiver. Houston even uses him as a tight end every now and again during games. Unlike the lightly recruited stories above, cornerback Joshua Williams never even had a profile created, his high school career was so obscure. From that point, he said scouts started taking him more seriously. "If you can play, they'll find you," said Luther Elliss, who spent nine seasons with the Detroit Lions and five seasons as an assistant coach at Idaho. Penei Sewell was the top player from the state of Utah in his recruiting class and ranked as the fifth-best tackle in the country. The 2023 NFL Draft has arrived! Brady instead stuck it out and eventually won the starting job, and just about every decision he has made since then has worked out rather well for him. Walter Payton #34 of the Chicago Bears celebrates on the field as the Bears win the NFC Championship. He's got the physical tools an NFL passer is supposed to have, and he wasn't some wild "5-foot-8 in high school and enjoyed a late growth spurt" story. But he is pretty short and really productive.Rice uses pure toughness and speed to overcome his small size. A life philosophy forged from playing nine-man high school football in Timberlake, South Dakota, population 509, and spending every Friday night playing quarterback, running back, linebacker and punter. Alex Leatherwood committed to Alabama early, making his decision in the summer between his sophomore and junior years of high school. He was listed as the third string running back. He played 188 NFL games, all with the Cincinnati Bengals, and made two Pro Bowls (1987, 1988) and two All-Pro teams (1987, 1988). Virginia Tech was the second school to offer him a scholarship, doing so just a day after Wake Forest. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Other than his hometown team, Turner's only other listed offers on Rivals were Alcorn State, Army, Brown, Cornell and Texas Southern. In 2009, the Chargers had him rushing beside Tomlinson as the starter. How did Tyson Bagent end up at Division II Shepherd? The names George Kittle and Tristan Wirfs are well-known, as are many others. He is among Mel Kiper Jr.'s top five running backs. Or a quarterback in Division II? The coaching staff at Central Michigan instead saw a tight end in Watt and he played that position until he chose to return to his home state and walk onto the University of Wisconsin football team. Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft is officially underway. 50, Man United in pole position for top four, but can't take their eyes off Liverpool, The VAR Review: Red cards for Jota, Skipp; Richarlison penalty claim, Zags, Vols have gained spots in men's WTE Top 25, Titans quarterback Will Levis opens up about emotional draft day, After hoopla of going No. By his sophomore year, Leatherwood was a starter. Gregory Rousseau played all over the field during his high school career and was listed as an athlete by Rivals. The three-star recruit chose the Wildcats over offers from Illinois, Kansas, Rice, SMU and Wyoming. Each story from each five-star recruit to players without an FBS offer is unique. He is relatively short for a receiver, but not too much shorter. Starks was expelled from that school following a theft, but he found new life at Oklahoma State University. Micah Parsons was a five-star recruit out of Harrisburg, Pa., who mainly played defensive end and running back in high school. A lanky cornerback known for his speed, Eric Stokes was recruited at a variety of positions. He earned a scholarship after making the Wisconsin roster and Watt is now a football star who will be noticed just about anywhere he goes. He is the best little man in the game today. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5): Cameron Brate (Harvard), Aaron Stinnie (James Madison), Josh Wells (James Madison), Chris Cooper (Stony Brook), Cam Gill (Wagner) Gary Putnik has worked at the FSView . Or he can split to the outside and outrun the entire defense for an 80 yard touchdown. . A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Mac Jones initially committed to Kentucky in July of 2015. The 6-foot-5, 307-pound Strange has also showcased his versatility, as he worked at center during Senior Bowl week after playing left guard for most of his college career. Jimmy Graham is a unique instance of an elite athlete not being noticed in high school because nobody could have guessed, at the time, that he would develop into the best tight end in the NFL. Later on, he resurfaced at Miami and showed the traits that made him such a coveted recruit. During his time in uniform with the Trojans, Vera-Tucker showed his versatility by starting games at both guard and tackle. The famous quote that has been associated with the National Hockey Leaguer was made by Mark Forster, who coached Dan Girardi when Girardi played for the Welland Cougars: The scouts just messed up when it came to Dan. Girardi was a solid young player and he won the Memorial Cup as a member of the London Knights. Pick, Pos., Player, NFL team . Others had to scratch and claw just to receive a college scholarship. Florida Times-Union. 17 offensive tackle. But several players have navigated that route and are hoping to hear their name called during the 2022 NFL draft on April 28-30 on ESPN and ABC. But he wanted to play quarterback and North Dakota State, which sent Carson Wentz and Easton Stick to the NFL, was the best fit. He is an experienced eleven year veteran who still has huge hits left in him. Tracking fifth-year options for 2020 first-rounders: Which were picked up, and which were declined? Paul George put up impressive numbers during his high school career and he won multiple awards for his performances on the court. Active Coaches: Bill Belichick, . Vincent Jackson, WR (Northern Colorado) (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Chris O'Meara/AP2012. The NFL has 1,696 active players, according to the league. It didn't matter that he was small, because no one could catch him. The 29-year old has been special for the Green Bay Packers. "It's not much talking," he said. 14. That, along with his talent and his tenacious play on the defensive side of the basketball, helped Pippen to evolve into a player who is often under-appreciated because he played alongside Michael Jordan. Bagent's parents are both Shepherd grads. In the end, Sewell signed with Oregon after quickly striking up a relationship with new coach Mario Cristobal. Area high school graduates selected on final day of NFL draft. Strong said he thinks building his career up from a smaller program has helped fuel the work ethic that pushed him to this point, with the beginning of his NFL career on the horizon. The Jets guaranteed Leonhard a starting job, and he agreed. Despite not playing linebacker before college, he led PSU in tackles as a freshman and became an All-American as a sophomore. Toney ended his recruitment before his senior season by choosing Florida before even stepping foot on campus. Pro scouts and coaches attend high school and even middle school sporting events in the hopes of finding the next James or the next Crosby. Remember Brett Gardner before you do that. So once I got to that 40-yard dash, I just knew what time it was. T.O. Glossary, Stat Minimums, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football. 36 offensive guard. Do not ignore them. College scouts and coaches were left wanting more for whatever reasons, though, and George was ignored by the top programs in the NCAA. His physical traits are thrilling, and he has NFL in his blood: His father, Tim, spent five seasons in the league, while brother Tre had a cup of coffee with the Miami Dolphins. Bagent hails from Martinsburg, a town of less than 20,000 in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle, 10 miles from the Shepherd campus. The Utes, with a commitment from another QB in the class of 2018, never offered Wilson a scholarship. Jimmy Graham. "No one has ever given me anything or honestly expected much from me because of where I've come from. At the opposite end of the spectrum are the athletes who were either not noticed or not highly recruited coming out of high school. Starks was not recruited to play following high school and he was only on the taxi squad a group of backups who replaced starters who are either injured or suspended at Rogers State College. The California native was set to enroll early at Alabama, but Michigan continued to stay in the picture. After sorting through dozens of offers, Sewell whittled his choices down to four: Alabama, Oregon, USC and Utah. 35 defensive end. "We had played for a Division II national championship in 2015, and I really believe that it came down to him having a chance to play in front of his family and friends." Bagent was invited to the NFL combine and projects as a late-round pick, somewhere between the No. He was drafted in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. As far as what kind of a player an NFL team would get if it drafted him, Miller describes himself as "old school" with his leadership, aggression and leading by example. Smith is a nine year veteran that still has a lot of gas left in his tank. Rashawn Slater was a bit of an unheralded prospect coming out of Sugar Land, Texas, in the class of 2017. Now Lance is headed to San Francisco. Perhaps the smallest receiver in NFL history to be so dangerous, fast, and hot-tempered at the same time, Smith has defenses guessing and arguing over defending him week after week. Newman Lowrance2012. At 5'5", Holliday is the smallest player in the NFL. And he can stuff backs at the line. The move paid off in a big way. All Player Colleges, High Schools. In an age when online recruiting profiles often detail how future NFL or NBA players were underhyped coming out of high school, there is a common storyline. When Kraft finally hit the field in Brookings, he scorched it. Only 5'9" tall and 185 lbs., yet still a huge playmaker on that Patriots team. 1 offensive tackle in the nation and No. 69 jersey and a pair of knee braces sitting in front of his locker when he arrived at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga back in 2016. "Tyson, to me, is a once-in-a-lifetime guy." -- Bill Connelly. Nelson made the team as a walk on and he was eventually moved to wide receiver. Smith made official visits to four schools: Alabama, Florida State, LSU and Miami. "[Insert player] was only a two-star . "It shows we have talented kids, but it also shows you how difficult it is to get into the league because here we are, we're a smaller, lower-level FCS program, still putting out a couple of kids who have opportunities every year. "I kind of had to almost keep track of what I was eating to keep myself in shape every day," he said. Now the kid no FBS schools bothered to call is projected as a Day 2 pick at worst, following in the cleat steps of another Jackrabbits tight end, Philadelphia Eagles standout Dallas Goedert, a Day 2 selection in 2018. When the season began, he immediately made up for the lost time, returning an interception 32 yards for a touchdown in the season opener. We want that Cinderella story of the small guy defeating his huge, mean nemesis. He ended up playing both guard and tackle for the Crimson Tide. 2017 position ranking:No. He had to split his carries with both Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain. Friday night high school football games are an American tradition. We all feel the need to be a part of the "Rudy" stories of the NFL. He totaled 20 pass breakups and made a highlight reel interception against Justin Fields and Ohio State in the 2020 Big Ten title game. Fields initially committed to Penn State. "We had a tough loss against UVA Wise, and as things imploded around us as a team -- and when you lose a game you don't feel you should lose, you see everybody else losing their minds -- Tyson just remained calm, cool, collected. "I think the experience [of] being a student athlete at Princeton is something that you can't really get anywhere else, or even other Ivy League schools," he said. A month later, the Georgia native signed with South Carolina in the early signing period. Rice uses pure toughness and speed to overcome his small size. Davis committed to Kentucky in March of 2016 but did not waver with his commitment after receiving a host of other Power Five offers later that year. Strange is no longer flying under the radar as he prepares for the NFL draft on the heels of an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl and a remarkable display of athleticism during workouts at the combine. His career started in 1999, when the Buffalo Bills drafted Winfield in the first round of the NFL Draft. 30). @SURamsFootball pic.twitter.com/OIG1PdkygE. Eric Edholm provides analysis for every player drafted . Lauren Smith. In June 2016, Jones flipped his commitment to the Crimson Tide, becoming the second QB in Bamas 2017 class (alongside a guy named Tua Tagovailoa who you may be familiar with). And a handful of those players have North Texas ties, whether they played here in high school or . Detroit (MI) produced the third-most players (16) in 2022 followed by Tampa (FL) with 15 players. Darrell Green went to college at what was known, at the time, as Texas A&I University, which kinda/sorta sounds like an online school that would email you a degree when you were finished taking classes. Over his last two years at UF, Pitts caught 97 passes for 1,491 yards and 17 TDs. Fields was brilliant in his two seasons in Columbus, throwing for 5,373 yards and 63 touchdowns with two top 10 Heisman finishes. He had been sidelined six weeks by leg injuries suffered during the very first drive of the campaign, a 7-3 loss at Iowa. Yes I know. 2018 position ranking: No. ", Miller said the biggest thing he got out of Jackson State and Sanders was "playing for a coach who's a pro. He is a whole lot lighter though. The story of how Tom Brady fell to the New England Patriots and the 199th pick of the 2000 NFL Draft has been told and retold on television shows and in articles. But he took it for everybody.". Scottie Pippen was undersized and downright scrawny when he walked onto the Central Arkansas University basketball team. Warner won the Most Valuable Player award for Super Bowl XXXIV. 2018 position ranking: No. "I think he understood that, 'Hey, I'm from Fayetteville State University, but I'm here with all these other guys and I'm competitive.'". An immediate star, Holliday burned defenders. Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles; We're Social.for Statheads. The loss ended a 7-3 campaign for McCook's Rams, who missed the Division II playoffs for the first time in four years. 212 pounds isn't that small for a running back. 2017 position ranking: No. Both men now serve as inspirational stories for younger athletes who find themselves struggling in high school or even in college. Did Pats make Mac Jones happy? After that first season, I thought that he had a chance to be a really special player. He was even qualified for the 2007 World Championship Athletics competition for sprinting, but he decided not to go. But most people forget to imagine how small this receiver really is. It proved to be a massive coup for the Tigers. He was a three-year starter at UH who finished his career with 114 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Four high school athletes with metro ties drafted. After going through a couple of seasons involving limited playing time with Buffalo and Baltimore, Strong Safety Jim Leonhard decided it was time to go somewhere where they would start him for his ability and forget about his size. Jackson is already a Pro Bowler, and he is just getting started. He committed to Florida with Georgia and Virginia Tech as his other finalists. One of the top strong safeties in the game today, Bob Sanders dominates on the football field. He led the league in receptions in 2007 and 2009. 1:16. In 2009, he was named the sole starter for the Ravens as the every down back. "I think I made myself a little bit of money today," he said to the media following his workout, laughing. That's a mindset formed from being the youngest of three boys, where every ball in the yard and biscuit on the table represented a battle of brothers. Using his speed and shiftiness, he always seemed to get pass defenders. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. It's always been a dream of mine and something I've always wanted.". Yes I know. Gardner has played for the New York Yankees since 2008, and he is an All-Star outfielder and a World Series winner. Not to mention he returned kicks a few times, too. "I just knew I had to do something to separate myself from the others that were already on the map," he said. Well before he was the best rebounder in the NBA and a charismatic and controversial figure who should maybe give more thought to the heads of state he hangs out with during his free time, Dennis Rodman was undersized and even rejected by basketball and football teams. "There wasn't really a moment that it clicked for me at the Senior Bowl or anything like that. He also put up 19 reps on the bench press, an impressive number for a wideout. He started in 2019 and the 2021 spring season, and took advantage of the extra year of eligibility allotted to all 2020-21 athletes by starring again as a super senior this past fall. He is now one reason that college football coaches watch basketball tape to locate wide receivers and tight ends. He found this with the New York Jets. But he missed the entire 2006 season due to an ankle injury, and he fell off the radar again. Stokes' other offers included Florida, LSU, Ole Miss and West Virginia. He switched to psychology and earned his undergraduate degree in 2020; he is now halfway to his master's degree in engineering management. "As far as effort-wise, as far as character-wise, teaching you things to say, how to carry myself, as far as how to be a pro on and off the field. "But that doesn't stop me as well. The Florida native narrowed his choices down to LSU, Miami, Oregon and USC. Here's the high school breakdown that shows the breadth and depth of the No. His experience has molded him into one of the top corners in the league today. Where every 2021 NFL first-round pick ranked as a high school recruit. You know Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt as maybe the best defensive player in the NFL and a superstar who has cashed in on a massive contract and on numerous endorsement deals. Newsome cracked Northwestern's starting lineup as a true freshman and ended up playing in 21 games with 18 starts over three seasons. Fantasy women's basketball: Why to focus on guards early in your draft, Miami Heat celebrate Florida Panthers while trolling Boston Bruins and Milwaukee Bucks, Transfer Talk: Manchester United see Lautaro Martinez as a striker option, Meet Cody Mauch, the most interesting offensive lineman in the NFL draft, NFL draft tier rankings: McShay stacks the 100 highest-graded prospects in the 2023 class, Kiper's final 2023 NFL draft rankings: Top 150 prospects and best at every position, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Jones spent three seasons as a backup in Tuscaloosa before becoming the starter in 2020. He has gone to two Pro Bowls in the previous two seasons. In the sixth round of the 2010 Draft, the Texans drafted this speed demon as a kick/punt returner. His dad and former position coach, Luther Elliss, described it as a "flash in the pan of a college career" that included overcoming a torn ACL and MCL in 2019. Fans of the New York Knicks still, to this day, talk about the great basketball John Starks gave to the team even though he never won a championship while with the Knicks. -- Heather Dinich, Virtually any North Dakota State draft prospect, especially on offense, has to be viewed through a very specific lens. Get better soon, Jordy. Two of his brothers also played for the Vandals, and Kaden Elliss was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. Some of the entries were high-profile high-schoolers. 1063 player of his class. Kyle Pitts began his high school career playing quarterback before he made a move to tight end. The big schools' loss was Shepherd's -- and now, perhaps, the NFL's -- gain. -- Chris Low. In the end, he stuck with his Alabama commitment. By 2001, he was in a starting role. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. McCook swears he knew what he had from the start. He measured 6-6 and 315 pounds, and despite his length, he was an absolute mauler in the run game. There are just 14 active NFL players from Colorado, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com, including four from Denver (population 704,621) and three from Colorado Springs (population 464,474 . Of course, because of these physical advantages, Watson probably hasn't been tested much when it comes to things like route precision and his ability to catch contested balls. I just can't wait to show it." Add in a COVID-canceled 2020 season that resulted in a six-game 2021 spring season. 12. His career at Buffalo hit a peak when in 2003 he recorded 107 tackles, 3 turnovers, and 11 deflected passes. "When I first got into coaching 30-plus years ago, I remember recruiting a high school player, and the high school coach telling me he's a 'one in 10' -- a kid that you only get to coach one of these every 10 years," McCook said. 2017 position ranking: No. Or a kid who played nine-man football in a town of about 500 in South Dakota? 2018 position ranking: No. Because of that, attending Stanford was his goal because of its standing as a Division I program in the Pac-12 that also has high academic standards. Kadarius Toney was a quarterback at Blount High School in Alabama, but colleges recruited him as an athlete. This year eclipsed that by one. His best season was in 2007 when he recorded 96 tackles and multiple turnovers. But he also brings a predictable unknown to the table when it comes to pass blocking. In 2021, he caught 65 passes for 773 yards and six touchdowns, and was named to a pile of FCS All-American teams, but only in part because of those receiving stats. Graham was initially a basketball player and he played that sport while at the University of Miami. The four-star prospect chose USC as a high school junior and remained committed to the Trojans even as schools like Texas A&M and Washington continued to recruit him. Not too many people who are running backs run 4.3s, so I've got to make myself stand out even more. For many players, high school football is the end of their playing careers. Other outliers include Lukas Van Ness, who ranked as a low three-star and the No. He understands how to read quarterbacks and make the play. Juston Lewis. Rounds 2-3. In total, Miller had 226 tackles, 23.5 for loss, 8.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in 26 games at Jackson State. 26 running back. Unfortunately for Howard at the time, nobody seemed to care all that much about his talents. Iosivas still feels like he has something to prove, despite getting to where he felt he always could. However, South Dakota State's running backs coach at the time, John Johnson, had heard of Strong because he also is from Arkansas. In 2008, Rice was drafted by . The Jaguars announced they were adding 10 undrafted free agents to their 90-man roster. Jamin Davis was rated as a three-star recruit coming out of the talent-rich state of Georgia in the class of 2017. He is now one of the most-feared defensive players in the league and a man who makes the Pro Bowl squad pretty much every year that he plays. That is followed by a list of a few schools, who are then credited for their superior evaluations.
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