2020 NFL Draft: 5 best small school prospects who could be hidden gems

LSU, Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson have a lot of top 2020 NFL Draft prospects, but these are the best small school prospects you need to know.

Happy draft week everyone! Very soon, the 2020 NFL Draft will begin, and it will be the weirdest one we may ever experience. Because of the shelter in place, teams will conduct their war room chats over the phone, and the commissioner will be announcing picks from his basement.

One thing that won’t change this time around is the prevalence of small school prospects taken early in the draft. There are always players who grab attention during the draft process from smaller programs, whether it be at the Senior Bowl or during the scouting combine. That opportunity is big for those prospects, and many take advantage, putting themselves firmly into the early day two conversation.

In 2019, we actually saw one player get picked in the first round. Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard was taken in the first by the Houston Texans a year ago. Delaware safety Nasir Adderley was a major part of the small school talk, and he went to the Chargers in round two. Khalen Saunders grabbed headlines with a backflip after practice one day in Mobile, and he became a Super Bowl champion in his first season with the Chiefs.

Who can forget about the Darius Leonard pick back in 2018? The Colts selected him early in the second round, and the South Carolina State alum has become one of the best linebackers in the league.

There’s no doubt that one (or more) of these small school players will make an impact on Sundays. Let’s look at the top five in the 2020 NFL Draft.