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To me, a sleeper is a guy that outperforms his draft ranking. The guy that catches on as Mr. Irrelevant, or the unheralded 6th rounder that goes on to retire as the GOAT. Finding such players is an NFL scout and GM’s job. Being good at it is the realm of just a handful, and it’s the organizations that can find talent in later rounds that often find a way to succeed in the postseason. With that said, here are five guys all ranked to go in round five or later that I think will outperform their 2023 NFL Draft position.
Riley Moss, CB, Iowa
6’1, 193 lbs, 4.45 40-yard dash
Projected 5th to 7th round
Ranked 13th to start the combine, Moss measured in with the ideal size and showed better than expected speed with a 4.45 in the 40. That goes along with a solid size for the position. A ballhawk with three pick 6s for his college career, Moss is a zone coverage guy who may be worth upgrading to a third or fourth-round pick for the zone-oriented Bears, Cardinals, Giants, or Lions, rather than converting to a traditional Free Safety, as might be the desire of other teams interested in him.
Ryan Hayes, O-Line, Michigan
6’ 6’’, 298 lbs, 32 1/2’’ arm, 1.78 10-yard split
Projected 6th to 7th round
Though he finished with a 40 right between Top-3 OT Peter Skronski and likely 1st-round OG Steve Avila, Hayes’ combine performance was considered just average – please – dude was a two-year starter at left tackle for a unit that won consecutive Joe Moore Awards for the best OL in the nation. He’s downgraded because his short arms mean he’ll need to switch to OG in the NFL, but scouts get paid to find these guys and Hayes has not been hiding. He’s an easy backup right away with a path to starting in Year 2. I can see round four or five in an O looking for interior pass protection for a drop-back passer.
Braeden Daniels, O-Line, Utah
6’4”, 294 lbs, 33” arms, 1.71 10-yard split
Projected 6th to 7th round
Tied for second among all O-linemen with a 1.71 10-yard split at the NFL Combine, Daniels allowed only 5 sacks in almost 1,400 pass-blocking snaps during his collegiate career. That makes Daniels the rare lineman who can both protect the passer and who has the motor to pull to the edge and lead block. He will need to move to the interior at the next level, hurting his draft grade much like Michigan’s Ryan Hayes, but Daniels is very well-equipped for the transition. I would not be surprised to see him go in the fourth or fifth round to a team looking for value at the OG.
Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
5’11, 192 lbs, 28 ⅞” arms, 4.67 40-yard dash
Projected 6th round to UDFA
Ranked between QB#7 and QB#12 depending on who you’re reading, Bennett is an undersized but mobile quarterback, from a winning, pro-style offense. He was a finalist for the Heisman and won the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top walk-on player. Bennett is linked to the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree and exhibits the playmaking tendencies that the system of offense is predicated upon. The risk on the crocodile-armed Bennett is using a draft pick to take him as your QB3, then either having to cut him or not having a place to stash him on your practice squad come the regular season, and getting nothing in return. The upside is: the dude knows how to win. Maybe someone will gamble on that.
Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton
6’3”, 205 lbs, 4.43 40-yard dash
Projected 7th round or UDFA
Ranked as low as the #40 WR on some draft boards, Iosivas showcased his exceptional track and field athleticism in Indy, finishing with a 4.43 40, and tied for 5th in the vertical jump. While a top-notch runner and leaper, the Princeton man needs to work on his route running and hands and must learn to run after the catch with physicality. He’s worth a pick in round 6 or 7 for a team seeking athletic playmakers and special teams contributors, otherwise he will probably get a shot as a priority UDFA for a team seeking an athlete on special teams.
NHL FAQs
How do you play NHL Survivor Pool?
In an NHL survivor pool, members choose one team from the Saturday games (or games for that week). Each team can only be picked once throughout the season. If they win, the member moves on to the next week. If they lose, the member is eliminated. The last member standing is the winner.
What is NHL Survivor Pool?
In an NHL survivor pool, each member picks one NHL team to win for the week. Each team can only be chosen once during the season. If their pick wins, the member moves on to the following week. If they do not win, the member is disqualified. The last one standing wins.
How to make an NHL pool?
You can just use a hockey pool hosting service like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you! Just sign up to create your own pool, customize your pool settings and invite your friends to play!
How do you play NHL Pick'em Pool?
In NHL Pick'em pools, members will pick the winner of games. The pool commissioner has options to have members pick all games or a specific amount. For each correct pick during regular season, members receive one point. The person with the most points at the end of season wins. Administrators can choose to have 'best bet' picks or 'confidence' points as well.
What is NHL Pick'em Pool?
NHL Pick'em pools have members select the outright winner of each game. The specific amount of games picked is up to the pool commissioner. For every correct pick, members receive one point. These pools typically end in the regular season, as the person with the most points wins. Also, commissioners can choose to have 'confidence' points or 'best bet ' picks.
How to set up an NHL pool?
To set up an NHL pool, you'll need to first choose a pool type like Survivor or Pick'em. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As pool commissioner, you'll enforce these rules and make sure the game runs smoothly throughout the season. Many commissioners use pool hosting sites like RunYourPool to make it easier and more engaging.
How to run a weekly NHL pool?
In order to run an NHL pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do you play NHL Playoff Pools Power Ranking?
To play in an NHL Playoffs Power Ranking Pool, you need to assign a point value to each NHL team from highest (16) to lowest (1). When a team wins, they receive points based on the number you assigned to them! The member with the most points at the end of the playoffs wins.
What is NHL Playoff Pools Power Ranking?
An NHL Playoff Power Ranking Pool involves all members ranking all 16 NHL teams competing in the NHL Playoffs from strongest (16 points) to weakest (1 point). Members are awarded the number of points assigned to an NHL team when that team wins!
How to run an NHL pool?
How you decide to run a hockey pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.
