5 biggest sleepers to look out for in 2022 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is one of the biggest and most anticipated events of every offseason. It provides all teams with an opportunity to improve their roster for the present and, more importantly, build on the future of the franchise.

While it's always difficult to predict exactly what a team will get out of a prospect, it becomes even more challenging in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. The deeper it goes, the more unpredictable players can, sometimes, be in terms of how much they can contribute to a professional team.

Just because it's difficult to find gems in the later rounds doesn't mean it's impossible. Every year, deep-round sleepers emerge that far exceed a team's initial expectations and make a major impact on their new team. Here are five players who are potential sleeper picks in the later rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Who are the 5 potential sleepers in the 2022 NFL Draft?

#5 - WR Bo Melton, Rutgers

Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton

The 2022 NFL Draft features a loaded wide receiver class from top to bottom. Bo Melton is one of the prospects projected to be selected in the later rounds, who could potentially carve out a starting role himself with the right team. He completed an impressive 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds at the 2022 NFL combine, demonstrating he has the required speed to be an attractive prospect. He chipped in as a kick returner at Rutgers as well.

#4 - RB Tyler Allgeier, BYU

BYU running back Tyler Allgeier

Tyler Allgeier is a big and powerful running back from BYU. He checks in with strong measurements of 5'11 height and 220 pounds of muscle while demonstrating solid speed as well. He had a massive 2021 season, rushing for over 1,600 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he has the potential to be a late-round steal in the 2022 draft.

Who are the 5 potential late-round steals in the 2022 NFL Draft?

#3 - CB Mario Goodrich, Clemson

Clemson cornerback Mario Goodrich

Mario Goodrich had an excellent season for Clemson last year and was one of the best overall cornerbacks in the ACC. He allowed zero touchdowns the entire season while recording two interceptions and defending seven passes. Opposing quarterbacks often avoided throwing at the player he was covering, or else he probably would have intercepted more passes. He has the potential to emerge as a starting cornerback from a late-round NFL Draft pick.

#2 - QB Jack Coan, Notre Dame

Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan

Jack Coan spent three years at Wisconsin before transferring to Notre Dame for a year, where he had the best season of his career. He has recorded 3,150 passing yards and 27 total touchdowns while showing consistent improvements in his game.

Finding a star quarterback in the late rounds of the NFL Draft is a difficult task, but some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL were selected outside of the first few rounds, including Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott. Jack Coan could be worth a shot as a developmental project.

#1 - CB Marcus Jones, Houston

Houston cornerback Marcus Jones

Marcus Jones defended 13 passes from the cornerback position during the 2022 season, which ranked in the top ten in the entire country. He also chipped in with a solid five interceptions, doubling his career total and bringing it to ten interceptions. This demonstrates his excellent ability in coverage and eye for making plays on the ball.

In addition to his contributions on defense, Marcus Jones also spent some time at wide receiver, further enhancing his ball skills and playmaking abilities. He is also an outstanding kick returner, recording nine total return touchdowns in his college career. He has a large arsenal of weapons that could help an NFL team.