2014 Senior Bowl Sleeper Prospects for the NFL Draft
Jan 20, 2014; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad running back Charles Sims of West Virginia (33) pulls in a pass during practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to believe, but another Senior Bowl week is about to come and go. The practices are truthfully what people pay more attention to, because you get to see prospects in-depth and up close, but the game is a lot easier for people to sit down and watch because everyone is off of work to see it.
Here are some sleeper prospects you’ll want to be aware of while watching Saturday’s game.
DE/OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech
Attaochu is an ultra-athletic pass rush prospect who could go in the top 32 picks come May. He has a high ceiling and he’ll be pinning his ears back in the Senior Bowl, playing defensive end and trying to put pressure on the quarterbacks. The first-team All-ACC defender is considered anywhere from a 1st-3rd round prospect, and could rush the QB from a DE position in a 4-3 alignment or an OLB in a 3-4.
WR Robert Herron, Wyoming
Who knew Wyoming had so many guys eligible for the draft this year that will warrant some early-round consideration? The Cowboys WR caught 72 passes for 937 yards and nine touchdowns, and could be one of three Wyoming players drafted in the first three or four rounds. He’s only 5’9″ but has a nice frame at 193 pounds and can absolutely fly. He’s impressed at the Senior Bowl practices this week.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
The same school that produced Mike Shanahan and Tony Romo is getting set to send another player to the NFL this year, and it’s one of everyone’s favorite sleeper quarterback prospects. Jimmy Garoppolo has the National spotlight on Saturday, and will have a chance to cement his stock as a solid second round prospect.
DT Daniel McCullers, Tennessee
This dude is absolutely massive. Tennessee always has some guys pop up on the radar as the draft season approaches, and this kid has the potential to be special. He’s 6’6″ 348 pounds with a wingspan of 85.5 inches. With his ability, if he can find a way to give consistent effort, he could wind up being one of the top value picks in this year’s draft.
RB Charles Sims, West Virginia
The former Houston transfer has been compared to Matt Forte, and when you take a look at his resume’ from WVU, it’s easy to see why. He’s got a great build at 5’11” 214 pounds, and showed consistent improvement throughout his collegiate career. He’s got great hands out of the backfield, and right now is being touted as a top 10 back in this class. He could be a player that teams look at in the top 75 selections with his versatility.