Ten College Stars Flying Under The Radar In The NFL Draft Process

These ten college stars, for whatever reason, are flying under the radar as the NFL Draft approaches.

We all know that college stardom doesn’t always lead to successful NFL career. But, these ten college stars, of varying draft stocks, are seemingly underrated in the draft process.

Penn State S KJ Winston

Winston was considered a potential first-round pick heading into the 2024 season after a stellar 2023 for the Nittany Lion. He dominated against West Virginia in Week 1, but suffered a knee injury that kept him out the rest of the season, minus a few snaps the next week against Bowling Green. Some team is going to get a first-round talent quite possibly in Round 3.

Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon III

Gordon’s numbers were way down on a terrible Oklahoma State team in 2024 following a dominant year in 2023. But, he’s fallen way too far down draft boards given his talent level. Yes, he lacks speed, but he’s a great runner.

Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison

Morrison was a consensus first-round pick before a hip injury in early October. He’s likely to be the same elite prospect he was before the injury, and he will be a steal in Round 2.

Michigan CB Will Johnson

Will Johnson is going to go in the first round, so it’s not like teams have forgotten him. But, he was the top-overall prospect on many draft boards heading into last season. He missed some time with minor injuries, but he did nothing that should suggest he should fall out of the top ten, like he’s now projected to do.

Ohio State C Seth McLaughlin

The Alabama transfer was stellar as a Buckeye in 2024 before tearing his Achilles late in the year. That’s a scary injury, no doubt, but he has starting center potential if a team is willing to wait on him to recover from the injury.

Notre DL Rylie Mills

Mills is an old prospect at 24. But, he was a game-wrecker at Notre Dame who can play multiple spots and techiques across a defensive line. He’s the type of player every franchise should be targeting in later rounds.

Colorado WR Jimmy Horn

All the attention was on Travis Hunter in terms of Colorado pass-catchers the last two years. But, Horn, who some think may go undrafted, absolutely flashed what it takes to make an NFL roster at times in Boulder the last few years. He’s definitely worth a late-round flier.

Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor

Anyone who watched him play in college knows that Elic Ayomanor should go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Yet, he’s trending towards being a second-round pick. It makes no sense. Teams need to turn on the film.

UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger

Not only is he more athletic than people give him credit for, but Schwesinger was a phenomenal playmaker at linebacker for the Bruins. There’s a lot of Zack Baun in his game, and some team is going to find a starting linebacker on Day 3.

Ohio State S Lathan Ransom

Ransom was far from the most athletic player on the Buckeye defense. But, he was the leader of the defensive backfield, and was always making big plays in big spots. He’s the kind of guy who makes a roster and sticks in the league for the better part of a decade.