Hidden Gems in the 2020 NFL Draft on the Offensive Side of the Ball – Scouting Notes

Hidden Gems 

2020 NFL Draft Sleepers by Matt Anzio

Offensive Weaponry # 4  Sleepers That Can Score 

SCOUTING NOTES!

QB Nate Ketteringham 

• North Dakota # 8 ( FBS Independent) 
• Height 6’ 4     
• Weight : 203 lbs 

Good body frame tall, long but not lanky has a sturdiness to his body type.

Ketteringhams Dream after his 5 years of College has been since he was a kid, to Serve Our Country as a Navy Seal.  Which is just more evidence of the tenacity of this young signal caller, intelligent, courageous with the work ethic of a Navy Seal. Sure if the NFL came knocking he would take his shot, but he is a man with a plan.  Either way, it is my honor to write about someone that loves his country so much, he is willing to risk it All.  

Strong arm  yet he shows touch on the short passes or hitting his backs swinging out the backfied. Has a confidence in his stance & composure when he drops back goes through his progressions.  Stands strong under pressure usually gets the ball out, if not he can slip defenders with his feet. Nice size can be difficult to tackle, especially on short yardage plays. Can throw some darts down the sideline or the middle of the field. Can definitely out throw coverage . Can drop dimes along the right sideline like he’s been practicing it, since he was born. He has put up some good numbers limited his mistakes, over the last couple years. Enough to catch the attention of NFL scouts? Guess we will see. Most definitely flashes consistency & accuracy 2 tendencies that help his probability to succeed. 

Had 1835 yds & 16 TD’s last year as a junior, with 4 – 200 plus passing yard days.  Had 3 pass TD’s & a rush TD vs Mississippi Valley State last season. Through 9 games of 2019 he had 218 completions of 336 attempts for 2,343 yds 16 TD’s with 9 picks & 2 more scores with his feet. Career of 3,291 yds 25 TD’s with 17 INT’s, at North Dakota. Before which he played 17 games at Sacramento State had 3,387 yds with 24 TD’s & 15 INT’s.     Has improved every year , has developed into a viable Pro QB option whether here up North. Should be interesting depending how the playoffs shake out could be a major determining factor.                    

As he leads his team to success in the FBS Independent ranks  he has definitely turned a few heads in his neck of the woods.  Would like him to catch notice on a National stage, gonna take some All Star game invites or CGS small school showcase. To show the skills he possess against some other talented competition.    

Gets set quick, good balance drives the ball strong precise motion good footwork stance follow thru on the throw.  Just a strong durable mobile QB with a ton of production & potential for an NFL team to develop. Ketteringham still has one lone game to play but was an integral part of North Dakota’s 7-4 record. Coming off 2 straight wins against Northern Colorado & Southern Utah , now they head to the first round of the Playoffs. Against Nicholls State this Saturday , UND will look to get  their first ever Div 1 playoff win. Going against a 8-4 Nicholls State team,coming off a nail biter against Southeast Louisiana last Sat 28- 27. Already will go down in UND history books, a win here would make it that much sweeter.                                                                                  

• RB  Maxx Norris 
• Western Illinois  # 35 
• Height : 5’ 10     
• Weight : 210 lbs 

Coming Off A Nice Workload With 16 Carries For 73 yards including a 36 yd explosion. 

Coming from behind, along with some other talent in the backfield Norris can fly under the radar. Still a real eye for RB talent can see this stout, shifty tough runner brings a lot to the party. He can run up the middle or off to the side. He adds a threat in the pass game & is an ideal fit for blocking special teams duties. 

Sharing the backfield with a young Jr talent Clint Ratkovich  who really exploded in the run & pass game. He still has been a mainstay in that Leatherneck backfield, getting 10-15 carries every game. Despite a 1 win season this year, a win nearly a year in the making. That doesn’t make a difference to a beast like Norris.  

Although it has not been a walk in the  botanical gardens for anyone on or a fan of this Leathernecks team. They can take pride in the fact they are a young team that fought many teams tough in the first half. Unfortunately for Western Illinois there are 2 halves to every game or they might have more wins . Norris has the heart of a champion, can see it in he cuts his stiff arm, the way he runs. His burst is extremely combustible that is far from easy to tackle. Athletic enough to be a force in the pass game & special teams.   A big time recruit out of High school , they knew what they were getting, a weapon from day 1. 

He has had some good outings & some not so good outings for the Leathernecks. Grant it, let’s not forget the Leathernecks have to abandon the run many times.  When you are lacking the blocking on the line needed to get yards or just not running much Norris has been kept generally in check this year. That doesn’t mean nothing, when he flashes it is apparent that he has the tools to utilize into success at some pro level. 

Can he burst of the line? Check , Can he break tackles ? Check, Does he have the breakaway speed? Check & the list goes on of what he can get done . Given the right team the right coach he could be a top flight runner in the NFL. We have to see him against / behind some real talent, given a real opportunity both running & catching. Watch Maxx put up some yardage because he is a quick forted tough intelligent smaller back that can be a utility player. Not going to be easy but think he  has the guts to persevere in the difficult journey after the draft.  

• WR / H Back  Dominique Dafney 
• Indiana State University #89 
• @DDafney24 on twitter 
• Height : 6’3      
• Weight : 235 lbs

Dafney Can Score Multiple Times, In Multiple Ways…

Coming off A Big Win On SeniorDay Against Youngstown, where he showed off his break away speed.  Then followed up with a monster 244 yds 4 rush RD’s & a 1 TD catch the following week. Dafney is making it hard not to notice the attributes he brings to the table as a weapon. Being used in the running game at 6’ 3 235 lbs , it is pretty dang exciting to witness. Dudes a beast, no doubt about it. Anyone with that size, that ability ro run make plays running, catching & blocking make him a commodity many teams need.  

The Iowa Hawkeyes transfer  that played in 10 games for them last season in 2018 before transferring to the Sycamores for his Senior season.  Most of his production in Iowa came on special teams, so it is nice to see him get some offensive action at Indiana State. 

The Sycamores now 5-7 haven’t had huge receiving days but when Dafney has taken on sort of the Big back or H back roll. He is used both for his power/size but also his athletic ability to run like a true running back.  Hard to tackle with as much burst as many backs much smaller. He is proving to be a weapon no matter in the pass or run game. True team player & muscle to punch it in at the goalline. 

When you look at the 2020 class there is a lack of big wide outs, big pass targets. H backs & Tight ends will be of need, in the NFL the 2020 season as well.  Dafney is striving in the H back role, running up a storm. Scoring at will ,becoming a threat in the red zone, possible sleeper Priority undrafted free agent.  Either way you splice it , think he will be in an NFL camp next spring. 

Goal-line weapon is what he will be viewed as going into the draft.  He has the combination of size, toughness athleticism to strive in the Redzone whether running, catching or blocking Dafney adds extra value in  the End zone. Strong just built like a bag of bricks yet still moves much quicker than most guys his size. Special talent that can both move or truck over defenders in the red zone. Can get rolling like bowling ball, knocking DB’s over like pins.  Indiana State found a way to utilize Dafney to help fill a need. Versatility & flexibility to do what is needed, should be taken into account when filling out the back end of the roster. 

• WR   Josh Fink
• Abilene Christian University 
• Twitter @JoshFink23
• Height : 6’0   
• Weight : 190 lbs

Don’t judge a Book By The Cover. 

One thing that I have learned over the years is do not look at a player & think just because he looks like a well adjusted 19 year old, means the prospect can’t play( No disrespect) . Look at Amendola, Edelman guys like Danny Woodhead who looked like he was about 15 his rookie year. Much like those amazing tough offensive weapons, Fink has the same type of skill set where he can be a huge playmaker for an NFL team. 

Fink is a leader, a 2 year team captain that is a pass catching  machine. A 2nd Team Preseason All American this year. While last year as a Junior he had a boat load of Single Game Highs including TD’s, Points Scored, Rec yards, Rec TD’s, All Purpose yards Punt yards to name a few. 

A weapon that’s all you can label a player of Finks caliber, explosive, tough, hard working lunch pail type of prospect. Type of player a team like the Pat’s will get a decade of use out of, because they know how to use players for their strengths. Whether that’s in the pass game, return game or special teams.   Teams that don’t have that success go out & actually have to buy these guys for top dollar. If you can’t even put together a special teams unit, no wonder your team is subpar crap every year. 

A true slot wide out, so you know your getting a tough pass catcher across the face of the D. Locates the ball catches it in traffic,  has the agility concentration to catch contested balls. After the catch, he is out like he just robbed the Federal Reserve. On a team with it’s share on fast human beings, he is one of the quickest. His best attribute is his willingness to do whatever it takes to help his squad win. It is also that he seems like a high character individual, who’s teammates respect & want to play ball with. 

• QB Caleb Evans 
•  Twitter @caleb_the_king1    
• Louisiana Monroe ULM  # 6 
• Height : 6’ 2    
• Weight : 210 lbs 

Evans has   1,978 yds , 15 TD’s &  only 6 INT , A 71. 1 % completion percentage . 

Thus far on the year  with a few games left, when I wrote this.  Updated off sports reference .com & his career stats read as follows –  In 41 career games from 2016 -2019 , passed the ball 1214 times with 734 completions for 9,190 yards. . That is a 60. 5 completion percentage had 56 carrer pass TD’s with 32 INT’s . 

Talk about consistent check these stats out,  Evans had 2,868 yard with 17 TD’s in 2017. In 2018 he had 2,869 yds & 16 TD’s. The  only difference was he had more picks last year but this year his mistakes are down once again. 

Coming off  a big day against Georgia State  where he had 291 yds, 3 TD’s, ran for another 110 yds & a rush score.  In a 43 – 31 win in week 10 making the Warhawks 4-5 & 3-2 in the Sun Belt Conference.  Now are one game behind Louisiana in the Conference along with Arkansas State. The War Hawks took Florida State down to the wire the Seminoles snuck away with a 45 – 44 win. Evans  had 241 yds , 2 TD’s .with no INT’s & 32 rushing yds in a showing that definitely looks good on his football resume. 

Quick release with precision accuracy on the right & middle of the field. Gets the job done in the Redzone finding away to score with his arms or legs.  Throws a strong deep ball can out throw coverage. Shown from day one that he is dependable, durable intelligent signal caller. Obvious that your gonna get like 3,000 yds passing every year & 15 or more scores. He is not Lamar Jackson but he is more than sufficient in escaping the rush to move the sticks. 

This is a deep class of senior Pass throwers. Evans should land in a camp on the initial 90 man Rookie mini camp roster.  In the ideal situation Evans could stick as a camp arm, practice squad member working his way up the food chain. 

•  RB Napoleon Maxwell
• Florida International  # 23 
• @MadMax_23 on Twitter 
• Height : 6’0         
• Weight : 215lbs 

Monster Powerful Back That can Move like He’s 20 lbs Lighter. 

Has 554 yds & 5 TD’s on the year. 

Had 83 yds & 1 TD vs Old Dominion to help his team come up with a 24 – 17 win. 

Bruiser of a back that can just be endlessly feed the ball like it’s an All You Can Eat buffet. The frame that is perfect to not only mow down defenders but to block on an elevated level. Maxwell is a blunt force object pretty much one cut hit the hole hard wins with power while also having steady moving feet. Fluent in his cuts, change of direction is a sweet spot for the powerful Maxwell. 

This is a pretty deep running back class, as many have been over the last several NFL  draft classes. This class is no joke either, need to see Maxwell in an All Star setting. Like to see him mix it up at a bowl game against some other players on the cusp.  Has a tremendous amount of skills that can serve him well in the NFL. He can block, has the burst to score, size to break tackles ecen the hands to add value in the pass game. 

Maxwell & his fellow Panthers now 6- 5 will head to 7-4 Marshall, for a Conference USA fight. Excited to see  this contest sure that Maxwell will be heavily featured in the game plan.

FIU has had way too many penalty yards this year, 100 alone against Miami last week. The Panthers were able to pull off the win against Miami, despite the mistakes.  RB Anthony Jones ( Senior) is coming off a big game for the Panthers with 112 yds, 1 TD on 16 carries. Johnson they see as more of an every down back but Maxwell gets the tough yardage.  Maxwell has to do more with less, still think he could get another score against the Herd Sat. 

Both of these backs are big tough vets that run with hunger  strength effective speed. 

• WR Douglas Johnson 
• Henderson State  # 1 
• Height : 5’9      
• Weight 180 lbs 

4.3 Forty Speed  Johnson Has the Necessary jets  To Suceed At a Higher Level. 

Like to see him against some competition at the All Star Level.  College Gridiron Showcase could be a nice place for him to show off his elusive abilities. AS Ive mentioned many of the prospects, getting them against other top small school players is key.  Has spent time at Texas Tech, Blinn & Arizona Western before finishing his studies & ball career at Henderson State for the Reddies. 

  Good flow in & out of breaks, atechnition of the route tree.  Strong hands with the concentration to find the ball in a crowd. The vertical skills to go up get overthrown or contested passes.  Goes hard at the top of routes & beats coverage a good percent of the time. Once he gets a leg up on the defensive back, might as well say good night. All though not the biggest wideout on Earth Johnson can block extremely well.  He is about as fluid as you can be running outside routes but also crossing routes & quick hitters. Weapon you just find a way to get him involved in the game plan, a good coach or coaching staff will find a use for a lightning bolt like Johnson. 

Had 34 catches for 500 yds & 5 TD’s this season, with his best game against Southern Nazarene Oklahoma 10/12/19 had 8 catches for 99 yds.  Stats are one thing but feel, he will test well & should beat top flight Pro caliber DB’s more than your average pass catcher. 

Another player that can be a vital part of a quality special teams for a good team. The return speed & moves to be an exciting addition to any legit ST.  

• RB Remus Bulmer 
• The Citadel    # 21 
• Height : 5’ 8     
• Weight : 175 lbs     

Coming off A Dominant Performance with 130 yds & in a 1 point tough loss to Chattanooga Tenn on Saturday, week 12 in FCS play. He averaged a spectacular 10.8 yard per carry, Chattanoooga just could not contain the  explosive running attributes of Bulmer. Bulmer also had a catch for 11 years, keeping that average on par. 

A transfer from Sam Houston State where he had 357 carries  his time there amazing 2,117 yds on the ground while having 15 TD’s. Had another 237 yds  in the pass game with a reception TD.

Love to see him targeted more in the pass game, feel he could really be a major factor in that aspect of the offense. Getting him in open spaces is the name of the game, once he is in the open field Bulmer is out instantaneously. 

Ridiculously shifty can zig zag his way through defenses like a field mouse thrus a maze of cheese.  Juke move like a breakdancer & insanely swift feet, oil hips with a head fake to have defenders grabbing dust.  Can be an even more effective weapon in the pass game, in a pro type scenario. Looks real good catching the ball whether short tosses to long bombs he can catch. Bulmer has the potential to influence the game in 3 phases running, catching & special team ace. 

This is a Hidden Gems dedicated to 2020 NFL draft prospects that can score, that is something Bulmer can provide.  Guys like this fly under the radar all the time, sometimes it just takes a little luck or maybe the right coach being promoted. Never easy but every team has a smaller fast back to add depth to the backfield. Why not have a smaller backer that has moves on top of moves.  Stronger than many guys that weigh much more than himself. Tough straight up dynamic back that adds value in so many ways. 

• WR/ TE  Riley Stapleton
• James Madison  #10
• @rileystapes on Twitter 
• Height : 6’ 5   
• Weight : 230 lbs 

Redzone Threat Coming off a Pair Of Scores In a Lopsided Win Over Richmond Spiders.

This Offense has been putting up some big time points & he has been a major factor. Love their mix of talent all over the offensive skill positions. 

Stapleton can easily be a tight end, yet he does have the short area burst to be a full time wideout.  Gotta think of the lack of quality tight ends in the 2020 draft, then think of the type of weapon Stapleton can be inline. Whether on an out route or holding the line against   a blitz, Stapleton is a perfect option in either scenario. A player that you want to see in an All Star or Combine setting at both wideout & TE drills. If he developed under a top flight TE coach, how good could he become in that role. The same time if they leave him at wide out,those are numbers to keep an eye on at his size.Sorta like Kelvin Benjamin frame, as far as height weight. What needs to be established in his pro day or combine is does he have that burst.  

A 2019 Preseason Hero Sports All American 3rd Team Selection. Had 13 stars the previous year as a junior where he earned 2nd Team All CAA at wide receiver.  He had 710 yards with 7 TD’s ranking him 3rd in catches & 4th in TD’s in the conference. Missed 3 games this year due to suspension but still had a nice showing getting 4-5 nice snags a game with several scores. The big  ball catcher could be an absolute dominant force in goalline situations, big tough with just enough speed that you can’t give him a 10 yd cushion. He can fire up the jets in the open field.