Worth the Risk – 10 Flawed Prospects Your Team Should Take in the 2020 NFL Draft

Risky vs. Reward, Boom or Bust, High Ceiling/Low Floor. You have heard all of the terms, but just who are these players in the 2020 draft and, more importantly, who among them is such a talent that he’s worth the gamble?

Admin | Apr 21, 2020

Worth the Risk – 10 Flawed Prospects Your Team Should Take in the 2020 NFL Draft /

When evaluating college prospects for the rigors of professional sports there is only so much game tape to watch before it becomes clear whether the player has the physical attributes needed to compete.

Often it takes significantly more time to evaluate the desire, competitiveness and integrity of the man behind the facemask.

This article identifies players with significant flaws which NFL teams were forced to vet throughout the draft process. Some of them are based on mistakes on the field or in the locker room, with others off the field. Sadly, the issues will remain for some of the players on this list, which could keep them from reaching their full playing (and earning) potential.

Others will follow the lead of former flawed prospects like the Kansas City Chiefs’ duo of Tyreek Hill and Frank Clark to become NFL stars and perhaps even Super Bowl champions.

Who are the players (listed alphabetically) worth the risk this year? Check out this photo gallery to see.

When projecting the highest possible ceiling for players, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed with Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, whose exceptionally rare combination of size (6-7, 364) and athleticism (5.07 second 40-yard dash) suggest he could grow into an All-Pro tackle. There is plenty of red-flags on Becton’s tape, however, as he can get fundamentally lazy and resort to leaning on opponents rather than truly controlling them. The real questions, of course, are off the field as was demonstrated with Becton’s Combine test for banned substances was flagged by the NFL. A single failed drug test will not likely have a huge impact on Becton’s draft stock – he is still safely in the top 15 mix – but it is an indication of poor decision-making and there are plenty in the scouting community worried that Becton’s weight could spiral out of control, as well.

Arguably the most athletic player on an LSU offensive line which won not only a national championship but the Joe Moore Award as college football’s best blocking unit, Saahdiq Charles is a top 64 talent. His agility and understanding of angles allow Charles to make blocks that his guard-like frame suggest are next to impossible. Unfortunately, it will be next to impossible for Charles to reach his potential if his commitment does not improve. Charles was repeatedly in the dog house at LSU for immature behavior, reportedly testing positive for marijuana on numerous occasions and serving a six game mid-season suspension in 2019 before announcing his plans to enter the draft with eligibility remaining.

The second of three LSU Tigers on this list, cornerback Kristian Fulton is a prospect with first round tools who may just have to check some boxes to be drafted as such. Fulton certainly requires some vetting, as he was caught attempting to pass off another player’s urine as his own during a drug test early in his college career. Fulton later admitted that he knew he would fail the test as he had consumed marijuana recently. The test, however, was for PEDs. He was initially banned for two years before the NCAA reduced the penalty to a one-year suspension after a review of the case. While Fulton has since stayed out of trouble, he also comes with medical red flags, breaking bones in his finger and foot, abruptly ending his 2016 and 2018 seasons.

The risk with the 6-0, 228-pound Antonio Gibson is positional fit and football intelligence. He is a highly explosive athlete with seven touchdowns of 50+ yards over just two seasons at Memphis and did so while splitting time at receiver (mostly slot), running back and kick returner. He is physical, coordinated and accelerates in a flash, boasting many more highlight reel-worthy plays than one might expect for a player who touched the ball 10 or more times in just two of 19 career games for the Tigers. The question is why didn’t Memphis use Gibson more knowing what an explosive athlete he was? Some believe Gibson will follow in the footsteps of Cordarrelle Patterson and Josh Cribbs in proving an exceptional athlete who struggles to find a consistent niche outside of special teams. Others see an ascending talent whose best football will come in the NFL.

Given his remarkable athletic talent and inspirational backstory of rising up from homelessness, South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw is perceived by some as one of the safest players in this draft. Perhaps. Kinlaw’s production (and some believe his effort) waned depending on the opponent, however. Kinlaw put up solid numbers against top competition (averaging four tackles and a sack against Alabama, Georgia and Auburn) but recorded just seven total stops (and 1.5 sacks) in five games last season against D-II Charleston Southern, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Appalachian State. Even with these reservations, the supremely gifted prospect checks in 10th overall on my final Big Board.

A Texas native who originally signed with the Aggies out of high school, defensive end Alton Robinson had his scholarship rescinded after he was charged with second degree robbery for allegedly stealing his girlfriend’s purse and pushing her into bushes. The charges (both misdemeanors) were ultimately dropped but so was Robinson from Texas A&M and so he went the JUCO route to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, where he initially planned to springboard into Oklahoma State. That fell through, as well, with Robinson ultimately landing at Syracuse. Robinson has legitimate burst, and unlike many of this year’s edge rushers, he’s physical and competitive against the run, as well. His off-field issues seem behind him but the team that drafts him will want to have vetted him to be sure.

At 6-1, 227 pounds, Colorado wide receiver, running back, returner and occasional Wildcat quarterback Laviska Shenault, Jr. is a beast with the ball in his hands, which is why teams may consider him as early as the first round. Unfortunately, like many of the players on this list, Shenault struggled with durability throughout his college career, missing at least one game each of the past three seasons. His injuries – turf toe (2017), shoulder (2018), core muscle (2019) – may not sound especially serious but each required surgery with the latest keeping Shenault from performing at his best at the Combine. Shenault’s potential as a mismatch monster is exciting. He is my 22nd rated prospect, overall, so clearly, I’m a believer but the durability red-flags require caution.

Making the switch from receiver to tight end and having the son of an NFL legend transfer in to take the starting job left LSU's Stephen Sullivan with just 12 catches (for a total of 130 yards) in his final year in Baton Rouge. Fortunately, the sharp-eyed scouts working for the Senior Bowl opted to invite him to their prestigious game anyway, where the 6-5, 245-pounder ran like a deer and caught everything in sight, looking like the second coming of Raiders breakout star Darren Waller. And I'm not the only one using that comparison. Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy is, as well. There is no question that Sullivan is sushi-raw and likely will never offer much as a blocker, but if teams are willing to exercise some patience, he could be quite the late round steal.

Labeled as immature and unwilling to commit to his craft and the program, Jeff Thomas was in and out of the dog house with both former Miami head coach Mark Richt, as well as Manny Diaz, even briefly exploring a transfer to Illinois. It is troubling that a player as gifted as Thomas never scored more than three touchdowns in a single season for the ‘Canes. There is no denying his raw talent, however, as Thomas’ electric elusiveness and acceleration is right on par with potential Top 50 pick KJ Hamler, making Thomas a potential late round lottery winner for the team willing to buy the ticket.

With all due respect to LSU’s Grant Delpit and the voters who gave him the Thorpe Award, there is no question that the most impactful defensive back in the country last season was Minnesota's Antoine Winfield, Jr., whose seven interceptions and game-winning exploits prompted the diminutive safety to declare early for the NFL draft despite his playing just four games each of the past two prior seasons. The instincts and ball-skills demonstrated by Winfield are no surprise given his NFL (and Thorpe Award) lineage, but there are only so many teams who will invest an early round selection in a 5-09 safety, especially one with durability red-flags (Lisfranc ligament tear in 2018, hamstring injury in 2017).

Published Apr 21, 2020

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