D2 NFL Prospects for 2024 NFL Draft

[canadarican]

Here is a list of D2 players getting looks based on what I have compiled from talking to NFL connections and some names I liked enough to get a look based on what I saw.

Pos	First Name	Last Name	School
FS	Daniel	Mendoza	Adams State
RB	Gei'vonni	Washington	Ashland
OT	Blake	Larson	Augustana (SD)
WR	Kameron	Johnson	Barton College (NC)
QB	Brandon	Alt	Bemidji State
CB	Josh	Heyward	Benedict (SC)
FS	Quentin	Gaskill	Bloomsburg
FS	Major	Williams	Carson-Newman
DT	David	Olajiga	Central Missouri
WR	Max	McLeod	Colorado School of Mines
QB	John	Matocha	Colorado School of Mines
RB	Noah	Roper	Colorado School of Mines
OG	Jake	Edwards	Concordia-St. Paul
CB	Eli	Pittman	CSU-Pueblo
CB	Daniel	Bone III	CSU-Pueblo
FS	Cory	McLellan	CSU-Pueblo
WR	Preston	Smith	Davenport (MI)
ILB	Julius	Wilkerson	Davenport (MI)
DE	Deshawn	McCarthy	East Stroudsburg
CB	Shon	Stephens	Ferris State
WR	Xavier	Wade	Ferris State
FB	Ian	Hall	Ferris State
OT	Michael	Jerrell	Findlay (OH)
DE	Christian	McCarroll	Grand Valley State
TE	Michael	Harding	Hillsdale
TE	Cole	Laney	Indiana (PA)
WR	Derek	Lockhart	Indiana (PA)
FS	C.J.	Brown	Kutztown
DT	Andre	Jefferson	Lenoir-Rhyne
CB	C'Darius	Kelley	Lenoir-Rhyne
WR	Jelani	Baker	Limestone (SC)
WR	Drew	Dixon	Limestone (SC)
ILB	Landon	Honeycutt	Mars Hill
SS	Tristan	Rankin	Mars Hill
OT	Aiden	Williams	Minnesota Duluth
TE	Sam	Pitz	Minnesota Duluth
OT	Marshall	Foerner	Minnesota State-Mankato
CB	Trey	Vaval	Minnesota State-Mankato
DE	Maven	Kretche	Minnesota State-Mankato
DE	C.J.	Ravenell	Missouri Western State
OT	Keith	Russell	Missouri Western State
WR	TJ	Davis	Nebraska-Kearney
TE	Kevin	Foelsch	New Haven
RB	Corey	Watkins	North Greenville (SC)
DE	Curtis	Ryans	North Greenville (SC)
WR	DeWaylon	Ingram	Northern State
WR	Kashan	Griffin	Northwest Missouri State
TE	Carl "CJ"	Kiss	Notre Dame College (OH)
WR	Michael	Marshall	Oklahoma Baptist
TE	Devon	Garrison	Pittsburg State
CB	Rico	Payton	Pittsburg State
OLB	Dubem	Okonkwo	Pittsburg State
SS	Michael	Woolridge	Saginaw Valley State
WR	Jairus	Grissom	Saginaw Valley State
WR	Kyle	Sheets	Slippery Rock
OT	Grant	Smith	South Dakota Tech
RB	Gage	Porter	Southern Nazarene (OK)
WR	Anthony	Lowe	Tiffin (OH)
FS	Jermaine	Wimpye	Tiffin (OH)
DT	Branden	Spencer	UNC-Pembroke
CB	Willie	Drew	Virginia State
OT	Matt	Foster	Virginia State
CB	Dalen	Peeks	Wayne State (MI)
OT	Blake	Bustard	Wayne State (MI)
WR	John	Jiles	West Florida
QB	Byron	Jarrett	West Florida
DE	Demetrice	Lofton	West Georgia
RB	Wesley	Kennedy III	West Georgia
WR	Damon	Hickok	Western Oregon
CB	Tre	Morrison	Wingate (NC)
ILB	Jaquan	Edwards	Wingate (NC)
WR	RJ	Mobley	Winston-Salem State (NC)

Front the information I have gotten, both Jalen Anderson and Major Williams will be returning to school next year for C-N.

[Matt Witwicki]

https://www.nfl.com/news/full-list-o...outing-combine

Looks like Willie Drew (DB) from Virginia State is the only D2 guy on the combine list. FYI for those that'll be watching. Josh and I chatted, this isn't a high top end D2 class with Murphy, Bagent, and so forth of a year ago.

[Predatory Primates]

I saw the blocking TE from Pitt (Steele Roring) got some kind of postseason bowl invite.

[Josh Buchanan]

https://www.nfl.com/news/full-list-o...outing-combine

Looks like Willie Drew (DB) from Virginia State is the only D2 guy on the combine list. FYI for those that'll be watching. Josh and I chatted, this isn't a high top end D2 class with Murphy, Bagent, and so forth of a year ago.

That is what was 100% expected. There are a few players who could get drafted with a good pro day but several who had a chance decided to come back for another year. I do think there are some good free agents but not a loaded class up top based on what I have been able to gather.

[Josh Buchanan]

D2 Top 5 after the combine. I will update this and expand to a top 25+ when pro days are finished.

Rank	Pos	First Name	Last Name	School	HT	WT	Spd	Projection
1	CB	Willie	Drew	Virginia State	5115	191	4.44/4.50	6th-7th
2	CB	Shon	Stephens	Ferris State	5092	180	4.50/4.55	PFA
3	WR	John	Jiles	West Florida	6026	209	4.50/4.55	PFA
4	CB	Josh	Heyward	Benedict	6005	195	4.48/4.53	PFA
5	WR	DeWaylon	Ingram	Northern State	6010	190	4.60/4.66	PFA

[KleShreen]

D2 Top 5 after the combine. I will update this and expand to a top 25+ when pro days are finished.

Rank	Pos	First Name	Last Name	School	HT	WT	Spd	Projection
1	CB	Willie	Drew	Virginia State	5115	191	4.44/4.50	6th-7th
2	CB	Shon	Stephens	Ferris State	5092	180	4.50/4.55	PFA
3	WR	John	Jiles	West Florida	6026	209	4.50/4.55	PFA
4	CB	Josh	Heyward	Benedict	6005	195	4.48/4.53	PFA
5	WR	DeWaylon	Ingram	Northern State	6010	190	4.60/4.66	PFA

Only one projected draft pick. Seems like a historically weak draft class for D2.

[Josh Buchanan]

Only one projected draft pick. Seems like a historically weak draft class for D2.

The portal has thinned this group some along with a lot of potential draft picks who had a COVID year and chose to take it. There could end up being more than 1 depending on how pro days go.

[KleShreen]

The portal has thinned this group some along with a lot of potential draft picks who had a COVID year and chose to take it. There could end up being more than 1 depending on how pro days go.

That's true. Most draft-level guys are transferring to FBS. That's disappointing.

And the sad part is there's probably a lot of guys transferring to FBS and becoming backups or poor starters who end up tanking their own draft stock when they likely could have raised their profile by continuing to be a star at the D2 level.

[champgymusa]

That's true. Most draft-level guys are transferring to FBS. That's disappointing.

And the sad part is there's probably a lot of guys transferring to FBS and becoming backups or poor starters who end up tanking their own draft stock when they likely could have raised their profile by continuing to be a star at the D2 level.

100%...IF you can play and have tape to prove it the NFL will find you. We have proof!

[Predatory Primates]

I read that the Flournoy kid from SEMO via UCM, did well in the combine.

[Josh Buchanan]

That's true. Most draft-level guys are transferring to FBS. That's disappointing.

And the sad part is there's probably a lot of guys transferring to FBS and becoming backups or poor starters who end up tanking their own draft stock when they likely could have raised their profile by continuing to be a star at the D2 level.

Someone posted a stat on G5 players moving up to P5 and most of them see less playing time so I am sure it is the same or even higher percentage from FCS and D2.

[Josh Buchanan]

100%...IF you can play and have tape to prove it the NFL will find you. We have proof!

100% correct. I know the process they go through starting in December from May to identify rising seniors and then what they do during the season and they will find a player. Even if they miss during that point they have senior pro days and all-star games where they will certainly find a player.

[Josh Buchanan]

I read that the Flournoy kid from SEMO via UCM, did well in the combine.

He did really well. I expect him to get drafted. Had some clocks as low a 4.38 and the highest I heard was 4.48. 39 1/2 VJ, 11'0 broad jump, 1.50-1.55 times on the 10-yard, and did 19 reps. He chose not to do the shuttle or 3-cone though so I wonder what his change of direction times are going to be. He has good size at 6'1, 202 with 10 1/8 hands.

[Josh Buchanan]

Here is an updated top 10. I will post a much deeper list as soon as all workouts are done and visits are known a few days before the draft. I might drop Stephens down below Jiles, Sheets, Johnson, and Payton since Stephens is undersized. He had great year and good workouts though so I do think he will be a PFA.

Rank	Pos	First Name	Last Name	School	Projection
1	CB	Willie	Drew	Virginia State	6th-7th
2	OG	Mike	Jerrell	Findlay (OH)	PFA
3	CB	Shon	Stephens	Ferris State	PFA
4	WR	John	Jiles	West Florida	PFA
5	WR	Kyle	Sheets	Slippery Rock	PFA
6	WR	Kameron	Johnson	Barton College (NC)	PFA
7	CB	Rico	Payton	Pittsburg State	FA
8	TE	Devon	Garrison	Pittsburg State	FA
9	DE	Deshawn	McCarthy	East Stroudsburg	FA
10	TE	Kevin	Foelsch	New Haven	FA

[Predatory Primates]

I really hope Payton can catch on somewhere. His versatility and importance to the Pitt D wasn't talked about nearly enough last year. He was really fun to watch.