Media by Associated Press – Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda (2) runs past Miami linebacker Caleb Johnson (40) for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and recently retired Tom Brady show the value of drafting well beyond the first round. Both in terms of helping the salary cap and finding hidden gems, the best Super Bowl teams have players outside of people with blue chip pedigrees on the roster.
Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt Panthers
Israel Abanikanda left a strong mark during his time at Pitt. The Panthers junior running back set school records for rushing yards set by former Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett. Abanikanda put up 320 yards on 36 carries with six touchdowns against Virginia Tech last season.
Abanikanda more than doubled his production from his sophomore year, going from 651 yards to 1,431. One knock against Abanikanda is his size; he is only 5-foot-11 but runs hard. Abanikanda helped carry the load for Pitt, which finished 9-4 and upset UCLA in the Sun Bowl.
Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue Boilermakers
The 6-foot-4 quarterback is stuck in a difficult year to be a quarter with a lot of top-end talents at the top of the draft. O’Connell finished 19th in the NCAA last season with 3,490 passing yards. He also tossed 22 touchdown passes.
In his final two seasons at Purdue, he threw for 50 touchdowns. O’Connell also threw 24 interceptions in that time frame, something he’ll have to cut down on as a pro.
Brian Cobbs, WR, Utah State Aggies
Cobs finally showed his potential during his fifth season in 2022. He hauled in 76 passes for 923 yards and averaged 12.1 yards per catch for Utah State. Cobbs, who is 6-2, also hauled in five touchdowns and had a long catch of 44 yards.
Cobbs transferred to Utah State following three less-than-productive seasons with Maryland. Cobbs’ 76 catches last season were the sixth-most in Utah State history.
Justin Rogers, DL, Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky had a nice season last year, and Rogers helped anchor the defense line. He finished with 36 tackles, including nine solo stops. He isn’t much of a pass-rusher, only recording 3 in his college career, but at 6-3 332 pounds has the size to help occupy offensive linemen and help create opportunities for teammates.
Nick Anderson, LB, Tulane Green Wave
While bowl games don’t seem quite as meaningful in the College Football Playoff era, the Green Wave’s Sugar Bowl win over USC was a masterpiece. Tulane scored a touchdown in the waning seconds to stun the West Coast powerhouse. Anderson made 113 tackles last season, including 62 solo stops.
Anderson, who is a bit undersized at 5-10, 225 pounds, also was able to make some big plays outside of stopping the running game. Anderson recorded four pass defenses, two sacks, and also forced two fumbles. Anderson was consistent throughout his past three seasons with the Green Wave and could land a roster spot on special teams and eventually grow into a solid NFL linebacker.
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