Feldman's 2021 "Freaks List" (Reference for 2022 Draft)

(Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player and may differ from school rosters)

1. *Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU (6-1, 195)
A long, smooth athlete, Stingley can mirror and stay in phase against all different types of route runners. There will be an occasional focus lapse here and there, but the Baton Rouge native shows a natural feel for cutting off routes and disrupting the catch window. With his natural instincts and fluid athleticism, Stingley is an outstanding man-coverage NFL prospect with Pro Bowl-level talent.

2. *Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon (6-4, 255)
Thibodeaux arrived in Eugene with massive expectations and he has yet to disappoint. He is a springy athlete with length and power and although he is still learning how to string together his moves, most blockers have a tough time dealing with his natural tools. I don’t quite put him on that Chase Young-level yet as an NFL prospect, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he is there by season’s end.

3. *Kyle Hamilton, DS, Notre Dame (6-3, 218)
With his athleticism, length and diagnose skills, Hamilton has a unique blend of traits that draw obvious parallels to former top-10 pick Isaiah Simmons. The Notre Dame star casts a wide net as a tackler with a knack for squaring and striking through his target with thump. You want to see more big plays from him in coverage this season, but Hamilton has the cover skills to blanket pass-catchers and force quarterbacks to look elsewhere.

4. *Evan Neal, OT, Alabama (6-7, 357)
There are not many humans on this planet with Neal’s mix of size, strength and movement skills. He carries his 360-ish pounds well from head to toe with the natural body coordination and lock-down power to shine in the run game and pass protection. He is also further along mentally than most blockers his age and has displayed his versatility, starting at left guard as a freshman, right tackle as a sophomore and soon to be left tackle as a junior.

5. *DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M (6-4, 290)
While watching Leal’s tape, I had immediate flashbacks of Jonathan Allen at Alabama – athletic footwork, strong hands and the versatility to be productive inside or outside and against the run and the pass. He isn’t as advanced technically as Allen coming out of college, but he plays with impressive bend, body control and power with sky-high potential.

6. *Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina (6-1, 225)
From his size to his arm to his movements, the similarities between Howell and Baker Mayfield are undeniable. While he needs to clean up a few bad habits, the Tar Heels quarterback is rarely rattled and plays with an impressive sense of composure. There are quarterbacks in this class with higher ceilings, but Howell has the confidence and feel to be a winning NFL quarterback.

7. *Kenyon Green, OT/G, Texas A&M (6-4, 325)
With Green moving outside as a junior, time will tell if teams view him as a legitimate left tackle prospect. But they know what he offers at guard, which is enough to warrant early first-round consideration. Green explodes out of his stance with outstanding body control and heavy hands at contact to control the point of attack.

8. *Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma (6-0, 209)
Based on natural ability, Rattler is a prime candidate to jump up this list over the next few months. He has impressive arm talent with his ability to deliver accurately from any platform. He will occasionally get reckless with the football and needs to be more consistent working through things, but Rattler has impressive field instincts for a rising redshirt sophomore with only 11 career starts.

9. *Drake Jackson, Edge, USC (6-4, 255)
A long, loose-jointed pass rusher, Jackson has the ankle flexion to run the hoop and the lateral suddenness to win in small areas. His get-off is average and he is still raw in areas, but his ability to vary his rush speed, including a finishing burst to the quarterback, translates to pocket disruption. Jackson also showed his versatility as a stand-up linebacker last season, spot-dropping and showing off his range.

10. *Christian Harris, LB, Alabama (6-2, 232)
The best all-around linebacker in the class, Harris can make plays in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer. He has the range and fluidity to stay attached down the seam while also displaying the toughness and hand work to scrape and shut down runs at the line of scrimmage. Along with Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o, Alabama has the best linebacker duo in college football.

11. *George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue (6-4, 275)
Last season did not go as planned for Karlaftis due to injuries and the pandemic. However, his freshman season (17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks) showed a charged-up, powerful rusher with straight-line explosion and violent hands. With opponents like Notre Dame, Minnesota, Iowa and Ohio State on the Purdue schedule, Karlaftis will have plenty of opportunities to show why he belongs in the top half of round one.

12. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (6-1, 182)
The top-ranked senior on this preseason board, Olave was considered a potential first-round pick if he entered last year’s draft because of his combination of speed and refinement. A dangerous deep threat, he understands how to leverage coverage and win at the catch point, even if he doesn’t have desired size or strength for the position. Although he might not be a true No. 1 pass-catcher in an NFL offense, Olave projects as a productive “Z” receiver and arguably the top player at his position in the class.

13. Aidan Hutchinson, DL, Michigan (6-6, 260)
A Buckeye is the top senior prospect on offense and a Wolverine is the top senior defender. With his mix of physical talent and competitive drive, Hutchinson is a football coach’s dream. He has logged snaps at every defensive line position while at Michigan, flashing the upper body physicality to be a battering ram, but also the agile, flexible lower body to stay balanced on his feet. He was on a first-round trajectory last season before a fractured leg prematurely ended his 2020 campaign.

14. *Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (6-0, 186)
The second Ohio State receiver in the top 15, Wilson has only average size (like Olave), but he is an easy prospect to like because he is a three-level threat with the route sophistication and gear-changing speed to create separation. And despite the occasional focus drop, he has athletic ball skills and a quarterback-friendly catch radius to make wow catches.

15. *Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas (6-3, 232)
A receiver with the size of a linebacker, Burks is a bully of an athlete who thrives on physicality to dominate the catch point in contested situations. A hybrid slot receiver for the Razorbacks, he is clearly raw with many of the details of the position, but he thrives through contact and his competitive toughness (before and after the catch) is something you feel on tape.

16. *Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson (6-0, 193)
A rotational player over his first two seasons at Clemson, Booth has flashed in a big way for the Tigers. He has plus ball skills and timing with the ball in the air, using his length to obstruct passing windows. Although he must show a level of consistency as a starter, Booth has first-round traits with his athleticism, length and ability to find the football and make plays.

17. *Jalen Catalon, DS, Arkansas (5-10, 200)
Four programs have multiple prospects in the top-20 of this list: Alabama, Ohio State and Texas A&M are expected, but Arkansas is a pleasant surprise. Catalon has only one season of starting experience, but he was everywhere on the Razorbacks’ 2020 film. While undersized, there are explosive elements to his game and his instincts and compete skills make up for his lack of inches – somewhat similar to Antoine Winfield when he was coming out of Minnesota.

18. *Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss (6-2, 198)
The third quarterback on this list, Corral is a creative competitor and plays the position like a shortstop – quick eyes, agile feet and a rapid release. He plays with distinguishable smoothness, and mobility is a key part of his skill set. He makes stubborn decisions and lacks ideal size, but his exciting talent has been showcased in Lane Kiffin’s offense and year two of that partnership (with a full offseason) should be a lot of fun.

19. *Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington (5-11, 195)
McDuffie put his name on the NFL radar as a true freshman starter two years ago and the game has never appeared too big for him over two years of tape. He walks the fine line of playing patient but fast, and his balanced footwork allows him to stay attached to routes. I wish he were bigger and had more plays on the ball (only four passes defended in two years), but he is tough in run support and has the cover skills to suffocate targets.

20. *Tyler Linderbaum, OC, Iowa (6-3, 292)
A defensive tackle when he arrived in Iowa City, Linderbaum has thrived in his transition to center, which has showcased his initial quickness, fluid lower body and tight hands. Aside from his athleticism, he is smart, tough and competes with a never-lose attitude that helps make up for his lack of elite size and length.