Small School Sunday: 5 DL Prospects With College Upside

Georgia is littered with future CFB players, which often results in several capable players flying way under the radar. Here are 5 senior DL prospects playing well at a small-school level.    James Dean-Smith is a stout DL prospect whose size would project best to defensive end. He has a muscular 6'2 240 frame and relies on his first-step quickness to do the most damage. He is the definition of a gap shooter, immediately penetrating the backfield by slipping past blockers, often without getting touched. He arrives at the ball carrier several yards in the backfield, and then ragdolls to the turf when he gets his hands on him. He has enough play strength to anchor down and avoid getting washed. He has the athleticism and motor to flag the football down across the field. All in all, Dean-Smith looks to have taken a big jump as a senior and is a senior sleeper worthy of small-school attention.     Jordan Jones has added some small school offers to his name during his senior season, and more could be on the horizon. He is thickly built around 6'3 290 and has the raw power and play strength to create push in the middle of the defense. For a bigger guy, he moves well and settles down in running lanes to shadow ball carriers. Uses his length to fully engulf ball carriers and will also deliver some hard contact. Either way, he arrives with good pad level. He utilizes his arms well to shed blocks and is capable of hand fighting. He plays with a motor running hot, which allows him to chase the football on the outside. Jones is certainly capable of making a difference quickly at the small-school level, and I could even see an FCS school throwing its name in the running around signing day.     [player_tooltip player_id='1563121' first='Marquis' last='Williams'] is an athletic DL prospect with decent measurables at 6'2 230. He is fiery off the snap and is a fantastic pursuer of the football, which enables him at times to stand up and rush off the edge. He is best when he uses his explosive to shoot gaps and his suddenness to side-step across the face of blockers and enter a new pursuit lane. He quickly sends QBs in retreat and often makes plays several yards in the backfield. He is developing as a block shedder, but he works hard to free himself and will gradually win, especially if the QB holds onto the ball for a while. He would provide a pass-rushing presence from several spots for a small school.     Chidiebere Agbahara is a fluid DL prospect who is good against the run and the pass. He is listed at 6'2 250, but still looks fairly thin for his weight and should have more physical development left in the tank. He is long in his arms, allowing him to push blockers onto their heels, helping him set the edge and shed. He is a fiery pursuer of the football, utilizing enough bend and flash to finesse his way around blockers, while also overwhelming them physically. Agbahara wins in a lot of ways and is having a productive senior season. He is yet another player capable of playing at the small-school level.     Preston Evans is probably the most intriguing prospect on this list. He is listed at an athletic 6'3 210 with room to add. He has the speed and bend combination off the edge to win consistently as a pass rusher. He is still gaining confidence and refining specific movements, but his sheer length and speed alone make it difficult for blockers to handle him. He mirrors QBs well in the scramble drill, often cornering them and putting them in a hopeless spot. He can bend at the hips and dip his shoulder when rushing the passer, keeping his chest clean and allowing him to run. Evans holds small school offers.

Georgia is littered with future CFB players, which often results in several capable players flying way under the radar. Here are 5 senior DL prospects playing well at a small-school level.