NFL Draft: 5 off-the-radar prospects who can crash Round 1

3. Chase Claypool

The lack of talent at tight end in this year’s draft class could really benefit a player like Claypool. He’s never going to play as an in-line blocker, but he could really excel as a move tight end for the right team.

Claypool and his camp desperately want to see him regarded as a wide receiver at the next level. The difference between a big slot receiver and move tight end is largely semantics. It’s easy to envision a scenario where a team looking for a pass catching tight end decides they’re better off relying on Claypool to do that job than one of the tight ends in his draft class.

Claypool doesn’t quite have the speed or burst to succeed as a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver on the outside. His Notre Dame tape shows him to be a guy who makes big plays with his body, but struggles to achieve separation.

Isolating him against safeties or linebackers in the middle of the field would create a positive mismatch for the offense. He’s got enough foot speed to run away from those sorts of defenders. He also has the size to beat up slot corners who try to jam him at the line of scrimmage.

Claypool needs to find the right system to be effective, but he has a tremendous upside in the right ecosystem. A clever offensive coach picking at the tail end of Round 1 might decide he’s the best choice available.