Every year we see a handful of small-school sleepers emerge at the NFL Scouting Combine. While many small-school prospects already have some hype going into the combine, a good performance in Indianapolis can confirm that they can hang with the best players in college football, and do wonders for their draft stock.
While all combine performances should be taken with a grain of salt, here are 5 intriguing under-the-radar prospects to keep a close eye on at this year’s event.
Adam Trautman | TE | Dayton
Listed at 6-5, 255 pounds, Trautman was a big winner at this year’s Senior Bowl and more recently, the combine weigh ins. Trautman was ridiculously productive over the past two seasons by accounting for more than 1,500 receiving yards and a whopping 23 touchdowns. The highlight of his 2019 season came against the Jacksonville Dolphins when he went for four touchdowns while looking completely unstoppable.
Don’t let his Trautman’s size fool you into thinking he’s a big guy that can’t move. He appears to be a dynamic athlete on tape with the ability to make a man miss in the open field. He has every athletic tool to not only put on a big-time performance at the combine, but to also become a TE1 at the next level. The arrow is very much pointing up for Trautman.
Check out our exclusive interview with Trautman here.
Kyle Dugger | S | Lenoir-Rhyne
One of the best safeties in the entire class comes from a gem of a school by the name of Lenoir-Rhyne. Dugger is chiseled throughout his 6-foot-0, 217 pound frame. His arm length of 32 7/8 and wingspan of 78 4/8 are especially impressive for a player of his stature.
Every indication points to Dugger putting his outstanding athleticism on display all throughout the combine. The buzz on Dugger is real, the tape is excellent and we expect his draft stock to continue to soar once the dust settles on the combine. Dugger is going to be the first player drafted from Lenoir-Rhyne since the year 2000, and it’ll likely be with the highest selection in their school history.
Check out our exclusive interview with Dugger here.
Ben Bartch | OT | St. John’s
Bartch was another big winner at this year’s Senior Bowl, proving that he could hang with the biggest and best defensive linemen in the country. Standing in at a smooth 6-5, 309 pounds, Bartch absolutely dominated the competition on a weekly basis.
Bartch is extremely light on his feet and is an impressive overall athlete for an offensive linemen. There have been some questions on whether or not he’ll have to play on the interior at the next level, and the combine could be a big deciding factor on how that decision is made. We expect Bartch to look incredibly smooth during the on-field portion, and he should test well athletically.
Read our exclusive interview with Bartch here.
Antonio Gandy-Golden | WR | Liberty
We have to show some love to a small-school pass catcher. A towering presence at 6-4, 223 pounds, Gandy-Golden’s strength has already been on display in Indianapolis when he posted a silly 22 reps on the bench press last night. For comparative purposes, most receivers come in around the 10-14 range.
On the field, Gandy-Golden’s ability to win above the rim stands out. He has a full understanding of how to use his massive frame to his advantage. It’ll be especially interesting to watch what time he can put up in the 40 yard dash and how he changes direction during the on-field drills, because there are some whispers about his long speed and ability to separate at the top of his routes. A good performance in both areas would really help his draft stock.
Jeremy Chinn | S | Southern Illinois
That’s right, Dugger isn’t the only small-school safety worth highlighting. Chinn measured in as the tallest safety at the combine at 6-foot-3. His arm length of 32 1/8 and 77 5/8 are also well beyond the threshold you hope to see from a safety.
On the field, Chinn was a flat-out play-maker in every sense of the word. He routinely dominated the competition in front of him, something you love to see when scouting a small-school gem. Chinn never recorded less than three interceptions in a single season during his four years in Carbondale, showing the consistent ball production that will make him a hot commodity at the next level. We’re ready to watch him dominate the combine.
