Bleacher Report

Every year, the NFL draft brings first-round surprises. Sometimes, it involves a player sliding. Other times, a player goes much earlier than fans and those in the media anticipated. The reality is that teams place their own values on draft prospects, and they don't always match what prognosticators have expected. When the Las Vegas Raiders used a 2021 first-round pick on Alabama lineman Alex Leatherwood, for example, few saw it coming. Below, you'll find a look at three under-the-radar prospects who aren't widely considered to be first-rounders—whether because of injury, positional value or program status—but who could end up hearing their names called on opening night. First, though, let's take a look at an updated Round 1 mock.