One player who might be regarded as something of a steal on draft day could be Steve Daniels, the linebacker coming out of Boston College, who seems to be generating some interest, specifically with the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints were never players in the free agency market and just this week were able to make restructures that put them under the salary cap, so they can actually sign their draft picks. The Eagles were one of the busiest teams when it came to giving money out to free agents, but that part of their offseason is done. They’re now looking at the players to fill up their depth at certain positions, including those that come in later in the draft.
Daniels played for the Boston College Eagles four years, being a starter at linebacker, playing both inside and outside, although he’s much better in the middle. He’s not very tall and has problems when dropping into coverage, but when it comes to reading rushing plays and arriving at spots to stop running backs, he’s fantastic. He had 16 tackles for a loss with six sacks during his senior year, his best season in the ACC, playing in a lot more blitz coverages than before.
Daniels right now seems like someone who’ll be taken in the third round, maybe even later. But impress the Eagles and the Saints (both worked him out) and then words starts spreading around the league. Obviously it means more money getting taken earlier, especially if he somehow pops into the first round. However, some players do better without expectations and the media spotlight on them. It could be better for Daniels to remain low key as the draft gets closer.