2024 NFL Draft all-underrated team: 10 prospects who are better than you think

RUNNING BACK: Marshawn Lloyd, USC

Lloyd averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season and is strong at the point of contact. Per Pro Football Focus, he forced 47 missed tackles in 2023 and averaged 3.97 yards after contact, the 18th-most among running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts.

WIDE RECEIVER: Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Despite being undersized, Thrash plays a big game. The 5-foot-11, 188-pounder is a skilled route-runner and even more dangerous once he gets the ball in his hands.

TIGHT END: Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

Sinnott is a player every team could use. He's a talented receiver who is sharp in his route-running and capable of making contested catches.

But he shines as a run-blocker. On the following play against Texas Tech, he made two blocks to spring his quarterback into the end zone for six.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Matt Goncalves, Pittsburgh

A season-ending 2023 toe injury may have altered Goncalves' draft trajectory, but the 6-foot-6, 327-pound lineman has the size to make it in the NFL. He also proved to be an excellent pass-blocker in 2022, when PFF credited him with not allowing a sack in 379 pass-rush opportunities. 

DEFENSIVE TACKLE: DeWayne Carter, Duke

The fifth-year senior had a quiet 2023 compared to his sophomore and junior seasons but managed to have his best game against a strong Fighting Irish offensive line.

At the NFL combine, he graded exceptionally well in drills measuring explosiveness and speed, per his Relative Athletic Score.

EDGE: Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State

The 2023 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year had 13 sacks last season and 33 tackles for loss in his final two years combined. The following chart shows his pash-rush win-rate sitting comfortably next to 2017 No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett and 2022 No. 2's Aidan Hutchinson.

LINEBACKER: Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State

The five-year Buckeye linebacker is quick at processing information but even faster in pursuit.

Here he is in the 2022 opener identifying a hole in Notre Dame's offensive line and quickly getting to the quarterback for a sack.

On the following play, he simply sees where the quarterback is going with the football, turns on the jets and tackles the receiver for a two-yard gain.

CORNERBACK: Kalen King, Penn State

Per Reel Analytics, King grades as one of this year's top corners in in-game athleticism and career production.

However, he ranks outside the top 100 in big boards for PFF (No. 149 overall) and ESPN (No. 248 overall). Per data from PFF, he allowed a reception on fewer than half of his targets in three collegiate seasons and didn't allow a touchdown in 2023.

SAFETY: Sione Vaki, Utah

During his junior year, Vaki emerged as a dual-threat star, finishing the season with two more offensive touches (53) than tackles (51).

Vaki averaged 7.5 yards on 42 carries and added 203 yards on 11 receptions. Utah deployed him as a Wildcat quarterback on this 72-yard touchdown against California.

With the NFL's revised kickoff, who knows, he could become a special teams ace on both ends.