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

5. Derrek Tuszka, Edge, North Dakota State

Rounding out the top five is North Dakota State edge rusher Derrek Tuszka. He didn’t get a lot of attention in the 2020 NFL Draft process until the combine, where he posted an excellent three-cone time of 6.87 seconds, along with solid explosion numbers and a fine athletic profile. Those numbers prompted many analysts to get back to the tape.

Tuszka tied for fifth all-time with 29 career sacks for the Bison and finished tied for sixth all-time with 42 tackles for loss. In 2019, Tuszka posted 13.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss, a great way to finish his career. He received a Shrine Bowl invite and put together a solid week.

Tuszka could be a guy that many take a chance on in the middle rounds because of his athleticism and production. Don’t forget about the tape either. Tuszka bends around the edge well and shows great hand placement. He can set the edge well in the run game too. He’s been getting a lot of Maxx Crosby comparisons over the past few weeks, and if he were to make that type of impact early on, his return on investment would be outstanding.

Make sure to tune in to the 2020 NFL Draft to see where the small school prospects end up.