NFL Draft Sleepers
By James Santelli

Kevin O'Connell: QB, San Diego State

When it comes to tall small-school quarterbacks, the first-day list begins and ends with Joe Flacco of Delaware. However, one late-round prospect has the prototypical size and skill that have shot him up draft boards, and that is Kevin O'Connell. The 6-5, 225-pound signal caller is a dual-threat at QB, tallying 15 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns in his senior season. Though O'Connell started all four years for the Aztecs, he missed six games due to injury, raising some durability concerns. O'Connell's draft status really started to rise following the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash, second out of all of the QBs at the combine. Two major concerns for O'Connell are the aforementioned durability and his throwing technique, which can affect his accuracy on deep balls. It is his size, athleticism, and throwing ability, though, that have the scouts drooling over him, and those attributes will make O'Connell a solid mid-second day selection.

Dexter Jackson: WR, Appalachian State

The goal of teams on day two of the NFL Draft is to find players who won't just make the roster, but, ideally, deliver an on-field impact. In 2006, the Saints hit the goldmine with Hofstra WR Marques Colston. This year, Jackson (no relation to the Bengals' safety) is the small-school player to keep a close eye on. Jackson doesn't possess Colston's size (he's only 5-9), but he certainly has game-breaking speed. The 4.37-second 40 he ran at the NFL Combine was the second-fastest of all receivers. Though it's possible that his speed could stretch the field for a quarterback, Jackson's lack of size and offensive production at ASU mean that he likely won't go above No. 3 on a team's wide receiver depth chart. The greatest production from Jackson will come as a returner, where his outstanding quickness and great vision will give a team a dynamic weapon on special teams. After a fantastic showing at the combine, Dexter Jackson will find himself an early selection on the draft's second day.

Kendall Langford: DE, Hampton

One aspect of a FCS (formerly Division I-AA) player that will make him an instant draft target is outstanding size. And if there is one player in this year's defensive end class that has the large frame that makes defensive coaches drool, it's Langford. At 6-5, 287 pounds, the Hampton product has the strength and bull rush ability to provide a D-Line with a top-flight run stopper. With 24.5 sacks in his career with the Pirates, Langford has proven that he can be stout in passing situations as well, even if he didn't play against top competition. What keeps Langford from being a guaranteed first day selection is his athleticism. He doesn't have great quickness and will need to play with better leverage. However, with his size and workmanship, the team that drafts Langford will certainly find a position where he can thrive, even if it ends up not being at end. He could go as high as round three.