Many believe that NFL general managers earn their paychecks based on their level of success in the later rounds of the draft by uncovering those hidden gems that can push a team over the top. With the NFL’s scouting process now winding down, many names are being brought to the forefront that weren’t exactly on the tip of anyone’s tongues when the collegiate season started. This segment called Under the Radar will continue to explore just what scouts find attractive about certain prospects that may be available beyond the glamour rounds of the draft and why you’re team may be interested in landing one of these sleepers.

True sleeper quarterbacks are difficult to find as the stories are few and far between of small school signal callers making the jump successfully to the NFL level. That could change this year with Eastern Washington prospect under center Matt Nichols who has had a number of teams interested in him from the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants welcoming him in for workouts. Arguably the most sought after characteristic that Nichols offers is the intangible leadership ability to command the attention of a room and make an immediate impact in a locker room. At 6’2” 219lbs. it doesn’t hurt that he ran a 4.89 in the 40 yard dash and showed off some impressive athleticism for a quarterback with a 28.5-inch vertical jump and an 8 foot, 9 inch broad jump for good measure. His quick release and exceptional accuracy in intermediate routes is what really impresses scouts with skills that are difficult to teach out of a lower level of competition.

Speaking of that competitive gap, that may be the primary deterrent for teams interested in taking Nichols early in the selection process. He is going to have a steep learning curve when it comes to understanding NFL defenses and reading coverages at the next level, but most college quarterbacks do. Despite having an impressive week at the East-West Shrine Game, Nichols did not receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine which didn’t necessarily hurt his draft stock, but it is one less opportunity to show scouts his skills. Although he has adequate size for an NFL signal caller, many scouts feel that he could use some added bulk in his upper body to increase his arm strength along the way. Accuracy under duress is another question mark for Nichols as he tends to get a bit erratic with the ball when pressured, but proper coaching can alleviate those concerns. At the end of the day, Nichols has a wealth of upside and really not that many concerns for scouts to worry about. It’s likely that he will be off of the board somewhere in rounds four or five in this year’s draft.

A number of names will be called during next week’s NFL Draft that seem to be from out of left field, but don’t let Matt Nichols be one of them. Keep looking out for more Under the Radar players shooting up draft boards or quietly lurking in this incredibly deep 2010 class that could make a huge impact over the coming years on Sundays.

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