Derreck Tuszka, EDGE, North Dakota State
One way to measure how much of a sleeper a prospect is is whether there are images of him already saved in the USA Today photo library. For North Dakota State Edge Derrek Tuszka, the cupboard was bare.
He might not be a sleeper for much longer.
As you get into the third day of the NFL Draft teams can bet on a prospect in one of two ways. Perhaps the player has elite athleticism, such as Utah defensive back Javelin Guidry. The defender ran a blazing 4.29 40-yard dash at the Combine, and on the final day of the draft betting on pure speed is something of a safe bet.
Or, a team can bet on production. The team that drafts Tuszka is going to be making that bet. Last year was a career season for the Bison defender, as he tallied 15 sacks, 13 quarterback hits and 28 quarterback hurries. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Tuszka won nearly a quarter of his pass rushing snaps last year (24.7% to be exact) and had 56 total pressures on 255 such opportunities. He was dominant against FCS offensive tackles, turning in reps like this on film:
Just got off the phone with NDSU DE Derrek Tuszka… I'm gonna say it right now, he will be the steal of the draft. Great character and smarts to go along with great talent and athleticism. I love him as a prospect.
The #Colts met with him at the Shrine Game and the Combine: pic.twitter.com/uiSECfKfhm
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) April 15, 2020
That is an offensive tackle that is simply over-matched.
Two factors are going to push a player with Tuszka’s production down draft boards. First, the small school aspect. He was turning in these numbers against tackles who are going to be pursuing careers away from the football field, for the most part. Then there is the size element. Tuszka is undersizes by NFL standards, as he measured in just the sixth percentile in weight for his position, and the third percentile for hand size. Teams might shy away from him unless they are convinced that adding on weight is not going to slow him down around the arc.
But on the final day of the draft, betting on that level of production might be a smart investment.