D2 NFL Draft Pre-Season Prospectus - High Expectations for D2 Prospects

Players from the D2 ranks normally hope to be a late round pick or catch on with a team as a free agent; however, this year there are player with hopes of first day status or landing in the mid rounds. This year could be the best talent we have seen in the D2 ranks in a long time.

This year's list will feature 15 players who will be profiled. 50 players will be ranked all together in the initial ratings.

The 2008 Class is one of the best ever and should feature many future NFL veterans.

Quick Facts

- Heath Benedict has already gotten an invite to the East-West Shrine and should receive a Senior Bowl invite.
- There are nine former transfers who make up the list and they are Heath Benedict, Kurt Hout, Kolo Kapanui, Jermaine Moye, Mike Peterson, Shane Simmons, Bobby Tatum, Edward Williams, and Brian Witherspoon.
- Schools who formerly boasted some of these players include Texas, Tennessee, and USC.
- For the first time in recent memory there is no quarterback on the preseason list.
- Only Abilene Christian?s Bobby Tatum has a relative who played in the NFL.
- The fastest hopeful is Stillman CB Brian Witherspoon who has clocked as low as 4.19 in the 40.
- The slowest hopeful is Bentley guard Mackenzy Bernadeau who was clocked at low as 5.20 in the 40.
- There are over five players who would be drafted heading into the season and over forty-five players who would receive at least an invite to a training camp.

Many have asked how players are selected, so here is the main criteria for selection:

NFL scouts must give you a grade from the spring's pro day.
- Your size/speed combination has to be enough for an NFL team to even consider keeping the player.
- Your coach and/or sports information director was talked to about your play so the school must feel like you could make a roster next year.
- You can't have any known arrests or team suspensions for preseason selection.
- Have a productive career
- Possess the athletic ability to play at the high level expected in the NFL.

If your player was left off, can they get on? The answer is yes. Players can be added and taken off at any time.

Without any further ado here is the official preseason list of D2 Pro Hopefuls

Many solid players have been left off, so here is my expanded list (16-50) of players on the NFL radar:

D2 53-MAN ROSTER

People will often ask who I would select if making a D2 all-star team. When I think of a team I think of a 53-man roster in the NFL. I decided to list my guess at who would be on a D2 all-star team of 53 players.

QB Kyle Spotts, Kutztown State, 6?3, 201, 4.76
QB Brad Roach, Catawba, 6?6, 250, 5.09
RB Xavier Omon, Northwest Missouri State, 5?11, 219, 4.55
RB Jamar Brittingham, Bloomsburg, 6?1, 208, 4.60
RB Osagie Osunde, West Chester, 5?10, 208, 4.50
FB/H-back Mike Peterson, Northwest Missouri State, 6?2, 246, 4.59
WR Edward Williams, Lane, 6?4, 205, 4.57
WR Dwayne Croker, Upper Iowa, 5?8, 183, 4.60
WR Weston Dressler, North Dakota, 5?7, 160, 4.50
WR Nate Forse, California PA, 6?4, 222, 4.57
WR Jarrett Byers, Northeastern State, 5?10, 182, 4.42
WR Cory Sleeth, Nebraska-Kearney, 6?1, 180, 4.62
WR/RS Ashton Gronewald, Missouri-Rolla, 5?10, 187, 4.48
TE Kolo Kapanui, West Texas A&M, 6?3, 271, 4.71
TE Terrence Parks, Tarleton State, 6?3, 274, 4.84
TE Tyler McNitt, Nebraska-Kearney, 6?3, 229, 4.80
OT Mike Butterworth, Slippery Rock, 6?7, 334, 5.48
OT Tim Schneider, South Dakota, 6?7, 290, 5.18
OT/OG Heath Benedict, Newberry, 6?6, 328, 4.97
OT/OG Ben Hochstein, Nebraska-Omaha, 6?3, 289, 5.43
OG/OT Joe Wohlscheid, Grand Valley State, 6?6, 309, 5.12
OG Mackenzy Bernadeau, Bentley, 6?4, 305, 5.20
OG Bill Bourdlais, Ferris State, 6?3, 293, 5.06
C Thomas Crowley, West Texas A&M, 6?4, 286, 5.12
C Christian Morton, South Dakota, 6?4, 292, 5.15
DE Alex Hall, St. Augustine, 6?5, 238, 4.65
DE Jacob Owens, Fairmont State, 6?5, 262, 4.83
DE Dallas Flynn, Northwest Missouri State, 6?5, 280, 4.82
DE Kirby Griffin, California PA, 6?1, 264, 5.03
DE/DT Kurt Hout, Ferris State, 6?1, 285, 4.84
DT Tywain Myles, Tarleton State, 6?2, 310, 4.90
DT Keith McCleary, Mary University, 6?0, 307, 5.17
DT Kyle Clement, Northwood, 6?4, 312, 5.12
OLB/DE Ronald Ellington, Catawba, 6?3, 216, 4.63
OLB Steve Allen, West Texas A&M, 6?1, 231, 4.62
OLB Christian Serena, Western New Mexico, 6?0, 229, 4.65
OLB Michael Eubanks, Delta State, 5?11, 212, 4.64
ILB Matt Robertson, Northwest Missouri State, 6?1, 235, 4.73
ILB Anthony Adams, Grand Valley State, 6?2, 234, 4.85
ILB Shane Simmons, Western Washington, 6?1, 226, 4.56
CB Brandon Carr, Grand Valley State, 6?0, 205, 4.41
CB Brian Witherspoon, Stillman, 5?10, 163, 4.19
CB Denatay Heard, Stillman, 5?9, 172, 4.35
CB James Thabuteau, Truman State, 6?1, 209, 4.46
CB Donovan Alexander, North Dakota, 5?11, 176, 4.40
CB De?Audra Dix, Johnson C. Smith, 5?9, 173, 4.49
FS Jermaine Moye, California PA, 6?2, 202, 4.68
FS Kendall Ricketts, Central Missouri State, 5?11, 200, 4.67
SS Bobby Tatum, Abilene Christian, 6?0, 191, 4.49
SS Patrick Wells, Ferris State, 5?11, 195, 4.52
K David Chudzinski, Wayne State, 5?11, 182, 4.77
P Eric Schwan, Northern State, 6?2, 201, 4.92
LS Robby Kelly, Tusculum, 6?2, 234, 5.00

Projected Risers

Here is a look at some players who could see a rise up draft boards as the season plays out:

OT/OG Brandon Barnes, Grand Valley State- Barnes has played tackle in college and has proven to possibly be the best linemen in the D2 ranks. The problem is his size at just 6'1. Scouts are projecting a move to guard and even then he is not the ideal size. His size has kept him off the hopefuls list but his dominant play can not be overlooked. He is perhaps the best in the D2 ranks.

OG Bill Bourdlais, Ferris State- Bourdlais has run in the 5.06 range and displays the toughness and athletic ability to be a hopeful. Watch for him to finally make All-American teams and get into a camp for sure.

CB Brandon Carr, Grand Valley State- If there has been a better corner in D2 over the last three years I dare you to find him. Carr has been a true shut down cover man who has the size/speed combo to excel in the NFL. Scouts have not given him the type of grades that he deserves but that should change after this year.

C Thomas Crowley, West Texas A&M- Crowley is a former Butte CC transfer that was just raw last year but still did a tremendous job of keeping defenders off Dalton Bell. He could be a surprise player this year.

DE Alex Hall, St. Augustine College- Some around Hall feel he will be a late first day or early second day pick. Right now NFL scouts have him as a 7th round or PFA grade. Don't be surprised to see him run in the 4.6 range at his senior pro day and possibly see the same type of rise we saw out of Greg Peterson last year.

OLB Christian Serena, Western New Mexico- He is undersized but runs in the 4.6 range and should warrant major looks. He was 1st team all-conference last year after transferring from Scottsdale CC and should be even better in '07.

ILB/OLB Shane Simmons, Western Washington- This former Idaho transfer ran in the 4.5 range at his junior day in what were considered cold conditions. Expect him to be in the 230 range and run a 4.5, maybe even 4.4, at the end of the season.

QB Kyle Spotts, Kutztown- Spotts transferred from Colgate two years ago and shows the upside to be a hopeful but will need to add weight and raise his completion percentage and that should very well happen with Elfren Quiles returning.

2009 NFL Draft

Here is a look at some of my top names to remember:

OLB Jared Brock, West Texas A&M, 6?1, 210, 5th round
QB Billy Malone, Abilene Christian, 6?3, 235, PFA
DE Andre Bernardi, North Greenville, 6?3, 250, 4.65, PFA
WR Charly Martin, West Texas A&M, 6?2, 205, PFA

This wraps up my preseason preview and next will be my mid-season rankings and updated hopefuls list.

Thanks for all of you who read and please keep the comments coming. You can reach me via email at joshb@comporium.net.

Note to players/coaches/SIDs

My phone number has changed. If you need to reach me via phone, please email me and I will get it to you.