Four players will be eligible for the 2014 NFL Supplemental Draft: New Mexico wide receiver Chase Clayton, North Carolina linebacker Darius Lipford, Virginia-Lynchburg defensive tackle LaKendrick Ross, and SMU running back Traylon Shead.
The Supplemental Draft has produced talents such as a Josh Gordon of Baylor and (potential) duds like Terrelle Pryor of Ohio State. Last year, none of the six eligible players were selected.
What will this year bring? Let’s find out:
Chase Clayton
A 6-foot-3, 202-pound wideout, Clayton thrived as a kick returner for the Lobos back in 2012. He averaged 30.4 yards on 20 returns, twice finding pay dirt. Clayton has filled in as a receiver and a running back in college, and could fill an “offensive weapon” kind of role in the NFL.
Clayton originally signed with New Mexico as a defensive back, so an NFL team could see a special teams star.
Darius Lipford
The Tar Heels have a history of producing quality defensive players in recent years. For instance, Robert Quinn led the NFL in sacks last season with the St. Louis Rams, while Quinton Coples has surfaced as a legit defender for the New York Jets.
Lipford was slated to be a starter for North Carolina this season. Last year he racked up 75 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks.
LaKendrick Ross
Despite hailing from a smaller school, Ross has the size to impress and intrigue NFL scouts. He’s 6-foot-5 and 360 pounds, and was recruited by major college football programs coming out of high school. Academics were the reason he missed the 2013 season.
Ross remains a raw product and needs to be coached up. He recorded 19 tackles, five for loss, and six sacks in six games played in 2012. Fourteen teams attended his Pro Day workouts, according to reports, so his chances of getting picked may be high.
Traylon Shead
A former Texas commit, Shead was considered a top-15 national prospect at running back in high school. He set the state record for career touchdowns with 141 and is second all-time in Longhorn State history with rushing yards at 10,291. After racking up almost 1,200 yards with Navarro College in 2012, he transferred to SMU only to have injuries keep him on the sidelines.
The New York Giants have checked out Shead, according to NJ.com, and could be the team’s first pick in a supplemental draft in two decades.
