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College Football IDP: Underrated NFL draft eligible players

Thomas Christopher
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College Football IDP: Underrated NFL draft eligible players

We’re in full swing for the football season, and there’s plenty of unheralded players in their final collegiate year who could find their way to fantasy football relevance in IDP leagues. We are looking past the big names like Harold Perkins, Barrett Carter, Danny Stutsman and Jay Higgins while looking for names that are off most people’s radar. But these players have shown an innate ability to find the ball, or the ball carrier – and that means points for fantasy managers. As these players look to continue their careers into the NFL, fans should be keeping an eye on these intriguing prospects.

Shaun Dolac, LB – Buffalo

The thing about small school players is that they never get the hype that’s deserved of them. That’s the case with Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac. Dolac has been a sufficient tackler throughout his career thus far, but really started to pick things up in 2022. He was a do-it-all type of player for Buffalo that year, accumulating five sacks to go along with 112 tackles.

Dolac missed time last season due to injury but has picked up where he’s left off this season. In just three games this year, Dolac already has two sacks and 29 tackles (five for loss). Per PFF, Dolac has the 39th-best defensive grade among all linebackers in the FBS.

Not only is Dolac great as a run stuffer, but he’s excellent in coverage. He currently holds the most coverage snaps among linebackers with 123 and has the third-highest among those with at least 100 coverage snaps.

At 6-foot 1 inch, and 215 pounds, Dolac has good size for the position and could find himself in a contributing role once he lands in the NFL. He may not be a household name due to the school he plays for, but he will be on team radars in the 2025 NFL draft.

Teddye Buchanon, LB – Cal

Teddye Buchanon wasn’t used to maximize his potential at UC Davis, but transferring to Cal this offseason has done wonders for the Golden Bears linebacker. Playing alongside Cade Uluave, Buchanon has been a force along the Cal defense.

While he needs to clean up his missed tackles (16.1 missed tackle percentage), he’s been all over the field for Cal. In three games, Buchanon has three sacks to go along with 23 total tackles. Like the aforementioned Dolac, Buchanon is also great in coverage.

Cal utilizes their linebackers in coverage a lot, and Buchanon has performed well. Uluave and Buchanon are two of 14 linebackers with at least 100 coverage snaps. Teddye currently ranks fourth among those 14 in coverage grade, proving he isn’t a liability in pass defense.

Kolbe Fields, LB – LA Tech

Kolbe Fields is an interesting prospect. He sat out last season after transferring from LSU. And to be honest, sitting out and learning may have done wonders for him.

Early in the 2024 season, Fields has been a monster for the LA Tech defense. He’s secured three sacks and one interception, while having a missed tackle percentage of zero.

While Fields does somewhat struggle in the run game, he’s shown excellent prowess as a pass rusher and in coverage. While he is slightly undersized for the position at six feet, he holds good weight (220 pounds) and shows tremendous athleticism.

Considering he’s a redshirt junior, there’s a chance that Fields returns to school instead of entering the draft. However, we’ve seen stranger things happen – and if he has a great year, who knows what’s in store for the young linebacker.

Kahzir “Buggs” Brown, CB – Florida Atlantic

Kahzir Brown came to FAU this offseason from Maine, where he was a stalwart on the Black Bears’ defense. He was a leader in tackles in his last two seasons at Maine and showed tremendous prowess as a ball hawk and a playmaker. At FAU, it’s been no different.

“Buggs” can line up anywhere on the defense and excels. For a cornerback, he’s not afraid to make contact with ball carriers to make a tackle. On top of that, his knack for finding the ball is tremendous. Whether it’s forcing incompletions, fumbles, or getting interceptions, Brown is a true difference-maker on defense.

Brown has been added to the Senior Bowl watchlist prior to the 2024 season and is showing why he was mentioned with his tremendous play. Not only should he shoot up draft boards as we get closer to 2025, but he will likely become a high-end contributor at the NFL level, too.

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