Prospect evaluation is an inexact science. Every year we see a handful of players fall to the later rounds or go undrafted entirely, before going on to make an impact in the NFL. Last season it was Jaguars’ running back James Robinson, who set the scrimmage yard record for an undrafted rookie. Here are five undrafted prospects who could have a big impact for their respective teams in 2021.
Ar’Darius Washington – S, Baltimore Ravens
Washington was of the biggest names to go undrafted this year. He had an excellent career at TCU and was voted a Freshman All-American in 2019. His tape was consistently impressive, particularly in coverage. He gave up just 172 yards in his two years as a starter and had more forced incompletions than first downs allowed. His instincts are exceptional too and he logged a forced incompletion rate of 32.4 per cent, the second highest in the class. A big reason for his fall down board was his size. At just 5’8″ and 176 lbs he is noticeably small for the position. That said, he hits harder than a lot of bigger safeties and is surprisingly reliable as a tackler. His safety/slot corner versatility should get him opportunities with the Ravens.
Marvin Wilson – IDL, Cleveland Browns
No prospect fell as far as Marvin Wilson over the past year. Before the 2020 season he was widely regarded as the top interior defensive lineman in the class. Some even saw him as a potential top 15 pick. He looked like a different player last season and had nowhere near the impact of previous years. A public spat with his coach and a lacklustre pro day didn’t help either, but Wilson has plenty to offer. His play strength is impressive and he has flashed production as a pass rusher. He racked up 26 pressures and five sacks on his 291 pass rushing snaps in 2019. His 16.5 per cent pass rush win rate ranked ninth in the country that year.
Cade Johnson – WR, Seattle Seahawks
Johnson was another player that I expected to be in the mix early on Day 3. As a small school prospect he didn’t receive a tonne of attention, but he has all of the traits to translate to the NFL. He was a fantastic slot receiver at South Dakota State and is one of the shiftiest players with the ball in his hands. Johnson forced 32 missed tackles on his 139 career receptions, numbers you may expect from a running back. He was also one of the standout performers at the Senior Bowl, with the highest win rate in the one-on-ones of any receiver. I had Johnson ranked just four spots behind D’Wayne Eskridge, who the Seahawks took at No. 56 overall.
Trill Williams – CB, New Orleans Saints
Williams was another player that should have been in the mix at the top of Day 3, but fell out of the draft entirely. It is easy to see why some teams could have concerns. Williams is 6’0″ and 208 lbs, but played mainly as a slot corner in Syracuse’s defense. This isn’t the role he will play in the NFL, but we haven’t seen a tonne from him on the boundary or at safety to know how he will fare there. That said, there is a tonne to like about his game. He is an elite athlete, with the fluid hips you want at the position. He allowed just 133 yards on his 21 targets in 2021 and logged a 23.8 per cent forced incompletion rate. Given the Saints’ lack of cornerback depth he could make an instant impact in 2021.
Pooka Williams – RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Williams had a great college career at Kansas, earning First Team-All Big 12 honours in each of his first two seasons. He surpassed 1,000 yards in both 2018 and 2019 and averaged 5.8 yards per attempt throughout his career. Despite lacking prototypical size at 5’8″ and 175 lbs, Williams has excellent contact balance and is elusive in space. He forced 0.33 missed tackles per attempt, a higher rate than first rounders Najee Harris and Travis Etienne. Williams also offers versatility as a receiving back and had just one drop on his 66 career catchable passes. He has had off-field issues in the past, but he has the tools to produce in the NFL if given the chance.
