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Ten college stars who could be steals in the NFL Draft

Andy Staples head shotby: Andy Staples04/16/26AndyStaples

The bulk of NFL draft coverage focuses on the first round. But as Dak Prescott, Maxx Crosby, Jason Kelce and — of course — Tom Brady will attest, there is plenty of talent to be found later in the draft. 

Here are 10 players whose college production suggests they can be excellent NFL players. All of them have at least one issue (size, scheme dependence, etc.) that will push them down the draft board, but all have the potential to thrive at the next level.

D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

Projected round: 2
Ponds is expected to go in the middle of the second round, but his play at a premium position suggests he should go closer to the first round. He won’t because he’s 5-foot-9, but Ponds was plenty capable of smothering top receivers in college with little schematic help.

This should come as no surprise, because Ponds spent much of high school covering 2027 draft WR1 (and maybe 1-1) Jeremiah Smith every day at practice. There probably are only a handful of receivers currently in the NFL more difficult to cover than Smith. (Ponds also won Class 1A state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dash in high school.) What’s interesting is if Ponds does go in the second round, he’ll still be getting more respect from NFL teams than he got from power conference colleges when he was coming out of Chaminade-Madonna High in Hollywood, Fla. Syracuse was the only power conference offer Ponds reported, and he wound up signing with James Madison, where he played for a season before following coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana.

Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan

Projected round: 3
Moore is an excellent pass rusher who led the Wolverines in sacks (10) in 2025. He’s also someone Miami tackle Markell Bell wishes he’d never met.

But Moore doesn’t only get after the quarterback. NFL teams should also love how the 255-pounder plays the run. 

Perhaps the most impactful play of Moore’s career was the final snap of the Rose Bowl against Alabama on Jan. 1, 2024. Moore made the tackle on Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe on fourth-and-goal after immediately diagnosing the play and beating Alabama tight end C.J. Dipre down the line of scrimmage to make the tackle while getting held. It was a blend of preparation, football IQ, technique and execution. Moore made a lot of plays like that at Michigan, and he’ll make more in the NFL.

Keionte Scott, DB, Miami

Projected round: 3
He’s going to be your team’s starting nickel as a rookie, and here’s betting Scott is a captain in year two or year three. There were quite a few reasons for Miami’s defensive turnaround in 2025, and Scott transferring to the Hurricanes from Auburn — with a pit stop at Houston — was one of the biggest. He set the tone on the back end, and he’s a Swiss Army knife who can provide a lot of options for a creative coordinator.

Max Klare, TE, Ohio State

Projected round: 3
Klare played his first three seasons at Purdue and then finished his college career at Ohio State playing alongside a 2026 first-round receiver (Carnell Tate) and a 2027 first-round receiver (Jeremiah Smith). He still wound up catching 48 passes for 448 yards, but he probably would have carried more of the statistical load in a less talented offense.

In the NFL, he’s unlikely to be playing with receivers who can get as wide open against their competition as Smith and Tate could at Ohio State. That’s where the 246-pound Klare’s ability to create mismatches will come in handy. He’ll drag linebackers farther down the field than they’re comfortable going, and he’s big enough and strong enough to box out corners and safeties.

Trey Zuhn, OL, Texas A&M

Projected round: 3-4
Zuhn started 50 games for the Aggies, and 48 of those came at left tackle. But when Texas A&M was in dire need of someone trustworthy to snap, who got the call? Zuhn.

Zuhn could survive at tackle in the NFL, but he should thrive at center or guard — which is where he’s projected to play. The team that takes him will be blessed with someone athletic enough and smart enough to play all five offensive line positions. That’s an incredible value if he winds up falling to the fourth round.

Logan Jones, C, Iowa

Projected round: 4
If the Ravens are looking to replace departed-in-free-agency Tyler Linderbaum seamlessly, then they should pick up the next Iowa center after Linderbaum to win the Rimington Trophy. Comparing any center’s athleticism to Linderbaum’s is unfair, but the 299-pound Jones is about as close as it gets in this draft. 

Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU

Projected round: 5
Perkins was never going to have a role in the NFL like the one that allowed him to burst on the scene at LSU as a freshman. At 223 pounds, he’s just not big enough to play every down on the edge. But for an imaginative coordinator, Perkins can be a see-ball/get-ball weapon who can move around the defense from play to play and force offenses to account for him.

Michael Taaffe, S, Texas

Projected round: 5-7
Taaffe’s size and athleticism has been challenged since the moment he declined a scholarship to Rice to walk on at Texas. But even though the Longhorns kept bringing in players with better measurables, Taaffe kept excelling. He started for three years and grew into the soul of the Texas defense.

The cycle will repeat itself in the NFL. Taaffe will be doubted because of his size (6-foot, 190), but he’ll probably ultimately win a starting job and hold it for a long time.

Zane Durant, DT, Penn State

Projected round: 6-7
Durant needs to play in a scheme that welcomes gap-shooting three-technique tackles and runs plenty of twists and stunts, but fortunately there are a few of those in the NFL. The 6-1, 290-pounder isn’t designed to occupy blockers so linebackers can make plays. He’s the one who can make the plays for a coordinator creative enough to take advantage of Durant’s elite quickness. In the right defense, Durant can be a steal.

Eli Heidenreich, WR/RB/?, Navy

Projected round: 6-7
Heidenreich caught 51 passes for 941 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. That’s an absurd stat line for a service academy player. He also averaged 6.5 yards a carry on the ground. 

It’s unclear exactly what position the 6-foot, 198-pound former slalom skier will play in the NFL, but he could excel in an offense that likes to move backs around and throw them the ball. He’s fast enough (4.44 in the 40 at the combine) to play tailback or receiver, and he showed at Navy that he’s capable of carrying and catching the ball.