NFL Draft intel: Five under-the-radar prospects to know

Each week, Yardbarker has monitored the 2025 NFL Draft, hosted Thursday-Saturday in Green Bay. This week, we're looking at under-the-radar prospects.

From a Boise State edge-rusher to a Maryland wide receiver, here are five players worth tracking:

Boise State edge-rusher Ahmed Hassanein

Hassanein — who could become the first Egyptian selected in the draft — didn't start playing football until his sophomore year at Loara High School in Anaheim, California, in 2019. Before that, he participated in boxing, wrestling, swimming and CrossFit.

Hassanein is more inexperienced than other prospects and thus a little raw. However, he clearly has upside. In 2024, Hassanein recorded 16 tackles for loss in 14 games and earned a first-team All-Mountain West nod. 

Hassanein (6-foot-2, 267 pounds), who got a seventh-round grade from NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein, will probably be a Day 3 pick. 

"Wherever he goes, he will not only be a really good defensive player for them, he'll change their culture," Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg in a story published April 14. "I honestly believe he's a 10-year NFL guy." 

SMU RB Brashard Smith 

Smith has seemingly been overlooked in a class deep at his position. Tankathon lists 16 RBs on its big board, but the 5-foot-10, 194-pounder isn't one of them.

Smith's skills suit modern NFL offenses. In 14 games in 2024, he had 1,332 rushing yards and 327 receiving yards. Keep in mind that last season was his first as a full-time RB. He played wide receiver in his first three seasons with Miami. 

"I would take [Smith] on Day 2," analyst Ryan Wilson said Tuesday on "CBS Sports HQ." "He can do some Christian McCaffrey-type things for you. He's not Christian McCaffrey, but he has that sort of game." 

In his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia has the Buffalo Bills taking Smith with pick No. 173 in the fifth round. He could become a valuable playmaker for Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong 

Armstrong (6-foot-4, 202 pounds) led the SEC in receptions (78) and receiving yards (1,140) in 11 games in 2024. At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash. 

Despite his solid resume, he's not generating much buzz. The Athletic's Dane Brugler has him going undrafted in his latest seven-round mock draft. 

Armstrong isn't letting that faze him and plans to prove his skeptics wrong when he enters the NFL.

"At the end of the day, it's work. I've been working out for a long time," Armstrong told Jackson Fuller of the Fort Smith Southwest Times Record in a story published Tuesday. "When I get my chance in the NFL, to show I'm that guy, I'm a dog. Personally, I think I'm a top-five receiver in the draft."

Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsden II

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. tabbed Gadsden as his biggest sleeper at TE in a story published on April 20. 

"At 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, Gadsden is basically a wide receiver in a tight end's body," wrote Kiper. "He catches everything." 

Gadsden showcased his impressive catch radius in his final season at Syracuse, recording 73 receptions for 934 yards and seven touchdown catches in 13 games.

Questions about Gadsden's blocking ability remain. Per Pro Football Focus, he posted an average 66 run-blocking grade last season. Still, the team that drafts him should realize his ability to create potential mismatches in the passing game could be a massive asset.

Maryland WR Tai Felton

Felton (6-foot-1, 183 pounds) had 96 receptions for 1,124 yards and nine touchdown catches in 12 games in 2024, earning a third-team All-American nod. At the combine, he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash. 

However, NFL.com gives him a prospect grade of 5.96, meaning he's projected to become an average backup or special-teamer. Perhaps that's a mistake. 

"Felton projects as a slot/movement Z receiver with quick route runner and separation abilities," wrote Bleacher Report's Dame Parson in a February scouting report. "He's an adequate NFL receiver with a solid ceiling to buy into." 

Tankathon's latest mock draft has the Denver Broncos taking Felton with pick No. 122 in the fourth round. He could emerge as a reliable target for Broncos QB Bo Nix.

The first round is Thursday (8 p.m. ET, NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes), followed by rounds 2 and 3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes). The draft concludes with the final four rounds on Saturday (noon ET, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network).