The headlines throughout draft season are constantly bombarding fans with the biggest and brightest names from the upcoming class. These players are also usually from the nation’s best and most-successful schools like Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State. If a prospect doesn’t play for one of these blue bloods, or heck, even a school at the Power 5 level, you’re not going to hear their name all that often leading up to the draft.
But small-school players — those who are good enough but may lack the institutional brand name — also tend to find their way to the spotlight if they are truly good enough to compete at the next level.