The ideal NFL Draft prospect had tremendous production in college and boasts jaw-dropping athletic traits. Of course, many don't check both boxes. But sometimes you have to trust a prospect's physical capabilities even if he's not a great, finished product football player yet.
This is the second in a two-part series that will examine a pair of unique subsets of every draft class. You can check out the first, my #TrustTheTape prospects, here. Now we're heading to the other end of the spectrum with #TrustTheTraits prospects,
For this article, my #TrustTheTraits prospects, are NFL hopefuls who didn't have extraordinary film and/or production in 2022 (or aren't garnering much buzz) but just give me a feeling that, in time, with the proper coaching, in the right scenario, they can become quality pros because their traits either pop on film or did so at their combine/pro day workout.
These are my "Trust The Traits" prospects in the 2023 class.
Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
I didn't adore Smith's film. I did see freaky speed-to-power forcefulness and flashes of amazing bend around the corner. I would've loved to see a better pass-rush move arsenal, but as I progressed through his film, I saw him winning on athleticism alone.
Then at the combine, Smith confirmed what the film showed. He ran 4.39 with a 41.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 inch broad jump at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, a gargantuan workout. In most cases, outside pass rushers can't solely lean on athleticism to win at the NFL level, and Smith will want to work on his hand work when he's rushing the passer as a pro. But Smith shouldn't be included in "most cases," because he's a magnificently explosive and flexible athlete with surprising pop on contact at his size.
We didn't get a full season from Smith in 2022, and his rushes aren't the most diverse in the class, but he headlines the prospects I'm trusting the traits on in this year's class.
Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State
Like clockwork, Penn State is sending supreme athletes to the NFL in another draft class. Strange's vertical and broad jump were in the 82nd and 92nd percentile among tight ends, respectively, and he ran a respectable 4.7 at just over 6-foot-3 and 253 pounds. His agility drills weren't great, but he leans on his explosiveness on the field. Strange wasn't an offensive focal point for the Nittany Lions, but it was impossible for me not to notice Strange repeatedly making the most of his limited opportunities. And he did so after the catch. Over and over.
He only caught 70 passes across four seasons in Happy Valley and never even averaged 12 yards per snag in a single season. That stats would indicate Strange won't be able to cut it at the next level. I'm trusting his outstanding traits and well-proportioned frame will be the catalysts to the former Penn State tight end far outplaying his draft position.
Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn
Does anyone know why Hall isn't generating more buzz? Anyone? ANYONE? Bueller? Now I'll admit, this is not exactly a bad football player with freaky traits we're talking about here. Hall registered 19.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss in his final three seasons at Auburn. Hall's inclusion in this article directly references the lack of buzz, which makes no sense whatsoever. Why's that?
Because in every other occasion I can remember, a monster combine workout coupled with a strong pro-day showing, has equated to a prospect's draft stock skyrocketing. Just hasn't materialized for Hall for some reason. Maybe super-close to the draft? I don't know. Anyway, at a rocked up 6-foot-2 3/4 inches and 254 pounds, with 34 1/2 inch tentacles for arms, Hall ran 4.55 (95th percentile among edge rushers) with a 10-foot-7 inch broad (93rd percentile). At the Auburn Pro Day, his 4.20 in the short shuttle was outstanding, particularly at his size. Hall is a first-rounder on my board. He checks all the boxes for me.
Matt Landers, WR, Arkansas
Landers has a unique story -- three-star recruit who lands at Georgia, barely plays in his first two collegiate seasons, transfers to Toledo, catches 20 passes for 547 yards with five touchdowns (!), arrives back in the SEC via a transfer to Arkansas and leads the Razorbacks with 901 receiving yards at 19.7 yards per with eight scores.
Then he proved at the combine he's an elite athlete for the position at over 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. And his timed 4.37 speed translates to the field. To me, Landers is much more than a tall, straight-line track type playing receiver. He's nifty after the catch and hauled in some big grabs in traffic too. Landers' minimal production will scare some people away. Not me. If given a legitimate opportunity early on in the NFL, Landers can be one of the steals of Day 3 of the draft.
Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina
Not too dissimilar from Landers, Green is a sleek, speedster with low-volume production who's barely appearing on anyone's draft radar, Green is one of my favorite big-time trait wideout in the class. And at nearly 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he has a quality size profile to live on the perimeter in the NFL. At that bigger size (especially compared to the litany of light wideouts in the 2023 class), Green ran 4.47 with a 10-foot-2 broad, and quick 6.99 three-cone time.
Green was a Tar Heel for five seasons and never reached 45 catches in a single season. He set a career high with 43 grabs in 2022 and averaged over 19 yards per reception over his past two seasons in Chapel Hill. Plus, he aligned outside on close to 96% of his snaps this past season. Unlike many of the wideouts in this class, Green doesn't have to reduce into the slot for his skills to be maximized at the next level.
