With all of the offensive talent in the 2021 draft class, you will probably spend your early round picks on offense. Here are some IDP options you can grab in the late rounds.
The 2021 draft class is stacked with offensive talent and even as a fan of IDP, offense is where you should be using your early round picks. The good news is that the IDP side of the ball is pretty deep as well. There are a few players that are likely to drop who could have potential impact immediately for whoever drafts them. In this article I am going to cover who can be a top IDP rookie prospect which you can likely grab in round 4-7 of rookie drafts. This way you can make your rookie drafts as successful as possible.
Under the Radar 2021 IDP Prospect
Ar’Darius Washington – Safety – TCU
Ar’Darius Washington is a big play waiting to happen. During his redshirt freshman year he was third in the Big-12 and seventh nationally in interceptions with five. Washington is a sound tackler, especially for his smaller frame, and rarely missed a tackle during his time at TCU. He is super fluid in coverage and has terrific ball skills. His instincts are excellent and his speed helps him make strong breaks on the football in both run support and coverage. Watch this clip compilation that showcases Washington’s strengths:
Ar'Darius Washington, S, TCU-
+ Instincts/Awareness in coverage
+ Pre snap communication
+ Range and angles taken
+ Understanding of route concepts
+ Excellent ball skills
+ Highly competitive
+ Very good positioning
+ Smooth transitions
+ Run support#NFLDraft #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/ZKGaiiAH5A— Ryder McConville (@RyderM25) February 24, 2021
Washington will likely line up as a free safety or slot corner but that should not make you shy away from drafting him. His tackling ability is next level and he could even be tasked with some slot duties. He sat in the shadow of Trevon Moehrig for a few years, do not let his lack of exposure skew your view.
Hamilcar Rashed Jr. – Edge – Oregon St.
Hamilcar Rashed Jr. may be the forgotten edge in this class after a bit of a lackluster 2020 season but I am not holding 2020 against anybody. Rather I am looking at Rashed’s redshirt junior year where he was an absolute beast. He set single season school records for tackles for a loss with 22.5 and sacks with 14. His pass rush technique is still a bit raw though he has the strength and athleticism to succeed at the next level. He has good, though inconsistent hand usage and a solid swim move with electric feet. Watch this move here where he uses his swim move to get inside, pay attention to his footwork too:
Ladies and gentlemen…Hamilcar Rashed Jr.
An electric EDGE out of Oregon State. This dude’s film is electric and man is he fun to watch. Take notice. pic.twitter.com/JYMUDmRXgP
— Reformed Bigfoot (@RefBigfoot) September 16, 2020
Rashed Jr. did not post a sack in 2020 but his 2019 was enough of a sample size for me. If he lands in a spot where he can get some solid playing time Rashed Jr. could be a wonderful late round add and a great 2021 IDP prospect.
Elijah Molden – CB/S – Washington
Elijah Molden likely will not go drafted but you may want to take a flyer and grab him with your last rookie pick. Molden is one of the smartest defensive backs in the class and can play both safety and cornerback. He may not be the most athletic defensive back but he has a nose for the football and does a great job reading routes. Molden is super aggressive and has tremendous ball skills. Molden will likely make his mark playing nickel cornerback in the NFL. Watch how he undercuts this slant route:
Elijah Molden is a stud nickel. Stays patient and undercuts the slant to come away with the pick. pic.twitter.com/80xJAgLGPU
— Lorenz Leinweber (@ScoutingLenz) February 20, 2021
Slot corner is one of the more productive defensive back positions, especially the top ones in the NFL. Molden is the top 2021 IDP prospect for the slot corner position. Kenny Moore, Mike Hilton, Quandre Diggs and Taron Johnson come to mind as some of the top slot corners. Molden could end up being one of the more productive defensive backs drafted.
Jamin Davis – LB – Kentucky
Jamin Davis may be the most overlooked linebacker in the draft but his ceiling is literally through the roof. He was only a one year starter in the SEC at Kentucky but he fits the NFL mold perfectly. He is athletic and rangy with good length at 6’4″ and has tantalizing coverage skills. Davis plays zone coverage like a seasoned veteran and understands depths perfectly. Watch here as he drops and makes a nice play, his length makes it very hard to throw over:
Jamin Davis could. Go. All. The. Way. he's raw as sushi but man is he a fun watch pic.twitter.com/WkbzfQf1Ml
— Mike Spencer Hrynyshyn (@MikeHrynyshyn) March 6, 2021
Davis lit up the SEC with 102 total tackles and had three interceptions, one of which he took to the house. He is terrific at shooting gaps and he is quickly rising up my linebacker rankings. Make sure you keep an eye on where he lands and he could be a great 2021 IDP prospect.
Summary
I have been preaching that this draft is very deep on the IDP side, though there is not one true superstar. Because of this you should be waiting until the late 3rd and maybe early 4th round of your rookie drafts before you start drafting IDPs. There is plenty of usable talent that many people will overlook that will more thank likely get ample playing time. Keep your eyes on all of these players, they could have clear paths to IDP success.
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