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Keeping tabs on every NFL draft prospect is a tall order. Rankings shift weekly, and the pool of players is vast. The stars who dominate highlight reels and secure Day 1 draft status are well-known, but what about those who excel without the national spotlight? The following three athletes have been performing at an elite level while flying under the radar.
Ty Benefield, Safety, LSU
If a safety who flies around the field for 60 minutes is what you seek, Benefield fits the bill. At 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, he stands out in LSU's secondary alongside athletes like edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and defensive back Tamarcus Cooley. A transfer from Boise State, Benefield has recorded 33 tackles, two pass breakups, and two sacks through eight games. His tracking ability shines weekly, though coverage remains his biggest area for improvement. Despite some rough matchups, he has allowed a passer rating of just 36.5 when targeted this season. Benefield thrives near the line of scrimmage—his sack against Auburn last weekend showcased that—and in the open field, he closes on ball carriers like a rocket. He is a fun watch and undeniably deserves more attention.
Kwabena Asamoah, Offensive Guard, Rutgers
NFL teams covet experienced offensive linemen, and Asamoah has plenty. In five seasons at Rutgers, he has logged over 2,700 snaps while surrendering only five sacks, per PFF. At 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, his height (7th percentile) could cap his draft stock, but his sturdy build should hold up at the next level. On tape, he is a pure power guard—confident in pass sets, able to sink his hips and keep his chest up against rushers, with exceptional balance and calm throughout reps. This season, he has allowed zero sacks in over 450 snaps. His experience shows in handling blitzes and stunts; against Northwestern last weekend, he passed off a tight-end stunt effortlessly on a couple of reps. The main limitation is his work in zone schemes—he struggles moving laterally, though he had a nice block that sprung running back Antwan Raymond for a touchdown in a zone look. Asamoah will thrive in a downhill, man-blocking scheme where he can overpower defenders. Guards typically go later in the draft, so expect him to be selected on Day 2 or Day 3. Whoever lands him gets a seasoned player with filthy pass protection.
Sebastian Cheeks, Linebacker, Wisconsin
Two sacks against USC will earn some love, and Cheeks has rightly drawn more attention after Wisconsin's win over the Trojans last week. He has been on a tear for the Badgers this season, racking up 34 pressures—the fourth-most in the country. What excites most about his game is his answer for every situation: he can stem rushes inside, win with quick hands, or bend around the edge. He dominated USC, but also Michigan State earlier this season with nine pressures in that game alone. An older prospect in his fifth college season (his first two were at North Carolina), Cheeks has accumulated 61 pressures and counting over the past two years at Wisconsin. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, the limiting factor is his ability to be a three-down edge player. He has 18 run-stop tackles this season, but mostly because he is a quicker athlete than many college tackles. He needs to set a true edge more consistently and stack and shed blocks to rise up draft boards. Even with that concern, Cheeks can carve out an NFL role with his pass-rushing ability—whether strictly on third downs or in specific packages. It will be hard for an NFL general manager to overlook his pass-rush tape and pass on him.
Originally reported by yahoo.