2017 NFL Draft: Prospects Still Being Underrated Only Weeks from Draft

We're just a couple of weeks out from the 2017 NFL draft, and the predraft hype machine is in high gear.

Draftniks far and wide have extolled the virtues of players such as Texas A&M edge-rusher Myles Garrett, Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas and LSU safety Jamal Adams. All three are considered locks to be among the first five picks April 27.

However, there are more than a few young players who aren't getting their due.

For some, it's a matter of perceived flaws in their games. There's no point in the NFL calendar more chock-full of nitpicking than the weeks leading up to the draft.

Others battled injuries in college. Or played at a school some people have never heard of. Or got in the sort of off-field dust-ups that raise the dreaded red flags.

Whatever the reason, there are plenty of young stars in the making who are still being underrated. Players such as the following.

Whether it's Dak Prescott a year ago or that Tom Brady fella back in 2000, there's no more coveted pick in the draft than the quarterback who goes from Day 3 pick to playoff starter.

This year, one of the leading candidates to be that sort of surprise star is Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs, who passed for 2,946 yards and 27 scores for the Volunteers in 2016.

Dobbs certainly has the brains to play football at the highest level—he was an aerospace engineering major in Knoxville.

The wheels are there too. In addition to throwing for nearly 3,000 yards, Dobbs topped 800 yards on the ground for the Vols in 2016, scoring a dozen touchdowns.

One AFC college scouting director told Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks of NFL.com that despite an uneven 2016 throwing the ball that included 12 interceptions, he's convinced Dobbs has the potential to start in the NFL:

Dobbs definitely has the tools to be a solid player in the league. He's smart, tough and athletic. Plus, he showed at the Senior Bowl that he could adapt to a pro-style offense. ... I'm not saying he is a Day 1 guy, but I would certainly take a chance on him as a developmental player. He's a much better player than people think.Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who coached Dobbs in that Mobile, Alabama, game agrees."I thought he ran the offense, moved the ball and did the things we thought we could do," Jackson told NFL Network (h/t Shehan Jeyarajah of SEC Country). "He did a good job."For his part, Dobbs told David Cobb of the Times Free Press that he's aware of the questions surrounding his accuracy. Hintention of proving those doubters wrong: I don't need validation. It's about time, honestly. But I don't need validation. I know my skills and abilities. I've shown it throughout my career opportunities and during this draft process. People are entitled to their opinions, but it doesn't meant they're right at the end of the day.To be able to put my undivided attention into football and perfecting my craft for opportunities like this, it's been great. I'm excited to see what the future holds when I'm able to just be a professional football player.The 6'3", 216-pounder is by no means a sure thing. Like Prescott and Brady, Dobbs is going to be a Day 3 pick. And he's going to need more of that time he mentioned to hone his craft before taking the reins.

But Dobbs also has something that can be hard to come by on the third day of the draft, especially at football's most important position: upside.

POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE

DATE:04/16/2017