By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

In some ways the NFL Draft is the ultimate crapshoot, and oftentimes some teams simply need good luck more than anything else.

That was the case with the Seahawks landing Russell Wilson in the third round along with a bunch of other teams finding diamonds in the rough late rounds.

Only 50% of second round picks actually pan out, and the odds are obviously worse for later round picks.

With that in mind, my personal belief is teams should target boom-bust picks in the late rounds. The odds are against a so-called safe pick panning out, so teams should go for the player with one or two NFL traits who could turn out to be a massive steal.

Here is my list of boom or bust players that may get drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft.

1.Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Wilson will blow you away with the kinds of throws you’d expect from an All-Pro NFL quarterback (good tape brings Aaron Rodgers to mind) but there are a few outliers that trouble me.

Wilson’s pocket presence is a concern, because he tends to bail. He needs to better identify pre-snap pressure.

With a lack of competition this season Wilsons completion percentage jumped 11 points. Finally, he is being drafted by the Jets. Wilson does not have the body type, accuracy, and support cast. He has BUST written all over him.

2. Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State: Wilson played with quickness and explosiveness in 2019, but in 2020 he added weight and played slow and uninterested.

Wilson went from a late first, early second round pick to a day three flyer. I say the buyer beware of a BUST.

3. Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia:On the field, Campbell looks like an NFL boundary corner.  At 6’1” 193 pounds and runs a 4.45 40, he has all the traits NFL teams drool over. However, with these traits, Campbell should have more in-game ball production.

He had 10 pass breakups and just one interception in college. The former five star is susceptible to losing contested 50-50 balls (watch the Florida/Georgia tape).

NFL quarterbacks will test him and I believe a challenging and rocky career will BUST.

4. Monty Rice, LB, Georgia: Rice isn’t going to blow teams away with his speed or quickness, but he is a smart and savvy linebacker that just makes plays.

As a classic middle linebacker with a nonstop motor, he is fundamentally sound and more importantly, Rice’s instincts and leadership skills will be welcomed in any locker room.

As a late second day or early third day draftee, Rice will excel on defense and special teams. Rice looks like the type to deliver the BOOM.

5. Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF: Robinson is a quick footed, urgent athlete with excellent turn and run skills to stay in phase versus speedy receivers.

He has solid ball production with 20 passes defended in the last two seasons. One scout stated, “scrappy run defender and a dog in coverage.” After weighing some good with some bad, I see Robinson as a BOOM.

6. Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami:Rousseau put up video game numbers with 19.5 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 13 games.

Rousseau is the opposite of Jayson Oweh of Penn State, he is very productive where Oweh is very active.

At 6’5” 260 pounds, he seems pro ready but his limited experience makes him an unignorable risk. I’m still calling BOOM.

7. Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia:I know Bulldog fans are thinking I picked on their team, but LeCounte was the player I just kept watching.

I know he doesn’t have NFL size or speed, but he is a solid football player who was ultra productive at Georgia.

He had 61 tackles, 3 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles, while providing a strict no fly zone on deep passes. I think LaCounte is a disruptive force that will make an impact an NFL roster. Bulldog fans should look out for this BOOM

Throughout NFL history there have been HOF-ers drafted in the mid to late rounds of the draft, and this year may produce one or more of those.

Great players are often backups for a few seasons before earning a starting role and excelling.  When all is said and done, the truth is definitive: The NFL is a big crapshoot!