5 Group of Five Players to invest in prior to the ’24 NFL Draft

Parker Gillam

                                                                                                                                     Photo Credit: @WKUFootball on Twitter

Josh Allen. Khalil Mack. Ben Roethlisberger. Aaron Jones. Younghoe Koo. Davante Adams. Diontae Johnson. Bobby Wagner.

Those are just a few of the former Group of Five players that have gone to star at the next level. Unheralded, underrated, underrecruited–all of them proved their respective doubters wrong.

So, who will join them in 2024? Here’s the five that I believe are destined for successful careers in the NFL and, in turn, are worth spending an ever-valuable draft pick on.

Quinyon Mitchell | Toledo

6-foot | 196 lb. | Williston, Fl. | Cornerback

Career Stats: 123 total tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 6 INTs, 45 pass breakups

Notable PFF Stat: Only allowed three catches of 20+ yards in 2023

Strengths: Recovery Speed, Soft Coverage, Ball Skills

Weaknesses: Press Coverage, High-Level Experience

Projection: Rotational starter at CB on contending franchise

There’s a lot to like with Quinyon Mitchell, a former Toledo Rocket who was a leader of that defense for two years running. After recording an absurd 5 INTs (4 of which came in one game!) and 19 PBUs in ’22, Mitchell followed that up with a more modest 1 INT, 18 PBU showing in ’23, likely because opposing MAC quarterbacks opted not to test him nearly as much.

With Mitchell, his coverage skills are where he flashes. He didn’t play a ton of press-man with Toledo, but he has plenty of film that suggests he has elite make-up speed and is a true playmaker with the ball in the air. He’s got a solid frame to go along with that top-tier quickness, and you’d be hard-pressed to find another DB in this class who has maintained his level of productivity. Mitchell isn’t afraid to come into the box and hit someone either, something that NFL scouts are looking for more and more in DBs nowadays.

The main worry for evaluators at the current moment is the level of competition Mitchell faced in college. Kris Abrams-Draine, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Cooper DeJean are examples of CBs that proved themselves against top-tier competition, and that may give them a leg-up come draft day. But, Mitchell proved that he could hang with some of the best WRs in college football at the Senior Bowl, and thus there’s a great chance that he’s selected within the first three rounds.

Malachi Corley | Western Kentucky

5-foot-11 | 200 lb. | Orange City, Fl. | Wide Receiver

Career Stats: 3,035 receiving yards, 259 catches, 29 TDs, 11.7 YPC

Notable PFF Stat: Averaged 8.6 YAC in 2023

Strengths: Physical Strength, Route-Running, Ball Skills, Availability

Weaknesses: Size, Blocking

Projection: WR2/3 on contending franchise

What a great story Mr. Corley is. The former 2-star recruit only received looks from the likes of WKU, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State out of high school.

Now, he’s only gone and turned himself into one of the top wide receiver prospects in this 2024 class, and he’s really been destined for the league since his sophomore campaign in 2021. Corley burst onto the scene with 691 yards and 7 TDs that season, but that all led to an even bigger ’22 campaign. With the FBS’ passing king Austin Reed slinging the rock, Corley was able to rack up 101 catches for 1,295 yards and 11 TDs as one of the nation’s more dynamic and productive receivers. It allowed him to be featured as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

With Reed and Corley returning, 2023 figured to feature much of the same. But, injuries and overall offensive inconsistency derailed a promising season for the Hilltoppers, although Corley still recorded 984 yards and another 11 scores.

He’s been an underdog throughout his life, and that doesn’t stop now. Amidst names such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Xavier Worthy, there is Corley. He’s not the biggest target, but he makes up for that with freak athleticism and some top-tier hands. Add his experience and great route-running onto that and you have a receiver who is NFL-ready and still has plenty of room to grow.

I expect Corley to be a sneaky pick in the fourth-sixth rounds, but I also expect him to move his way up a depth chart during the fall. He can certainly be a year one contributor as a third or fourth option for a contending team, but I also believe that Corley will develop into a reliable receiver that plays for 10+ years.

Javon Solomon | Troy

6-foot-2 | 246 lb. | Tallahassee, Fl. | DE/LB

Career Stats: 183 total tackles, 49.5 TFLs, 33 sacks

Notable PFF Stat: Only dropped in coverage once in 2023

Strengths: Speed, Arsenal Of Moves, First Step, Power

Weaknesses: Coverage Skills, Ability To Play In Space

Projection: Pass-rush specialist for defensive-minded franchise

Let’s give some love to some more defenders shall we, and why not start with someone from one of the nation’s saltier defenses over the past five years?

Javon Solomon has been one of the leaders of the Troy defense for three years running now, and his production over that time period has been absurd. After recording 17 TFLs and 11 sacks during a breakout redshirt freshman campaign in 2021, he recorded 7.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2022 as offenses keyed in on his presence.

But, Solomon would not go away quietly. He saved his best for last, racking up 18 TFLs and 16 sacks in 2023 as he became a dominant force on a Trojan D-line that headlined every opposing scouting report. Solomon figures to remain a pass-rush specialist in the NFL, although he can drop into a more typical linebacker role given the appropriate time and training.

Solomon is a football player through and through. He may not be one of the top 5 LBs off the board, he may not be one of the top 10, heck, he may go undrafted.

And that’d be a mistake.

Yes, the likes of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Edgerrin Cooper, Junior Colson, Payton Wilson and Cedric Gray have more than earned their hype entering this draft, but Solomon is capable of playing at just as high of a level. He’ll make an NFL defensive coordinator very happy with his pass-rush ability and consistency, especially if he is really allowed to play freely within an aggressive system.

Mohamed Kamara | Colorado State

6-foot-1 | 250 lbs. | Newark, N.J. | Defensive End

Career Stats: 179 total tackles, 45.5 TFLs, 29.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles

Notable PFF Stat: Missed 26 total tackles over five seasons

Strengths: Power, Technique, Violent Hands, Experience

Weaknesses: Level Of Competition, Edge Speed

Projection: Rotational DE, run-down specialist (At First)

I remember discussing Mohamed Kamara with our dear friend Liam Blutman prior to the 2023 campaign when previewing the Mountain West. I was uneducated on the man, while Liam had been watching him for years, proclaiming him one of the best defensive ends in the nation.

Per usual, Mr. Blutman was onto something. Kamara has an argument to be the most consistent and productive defensive end over the past five years in college football, and it’s because of his endless motor and great strength. He can overpower an opposing tackle or use his great technique to work his way past them, in large part thanks to some violent hands. He doesn’t possess great bend in coming off the edge right now, but Kamara makes up for that with some surprisingly nimble feet and elite reflexes.

He may be somewhat of a project prospect for the NFL, but that shouldn’t stop a team from taking a mid-to-late round pick on Kamara. His production and skill flashes on tape, and he’s also shown up in CSU’s most important games:

Marshawn Kneeland | Western Michigan

6-foot-3 | 265 lbs. | Grand Rapids, Mi. | Defensive End

Career Stats: 149 total tackles, 28 TFLs, 12.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles

Notable PFF Stat: Registered 28 QB hurries in 2023

Strengths: Endless Motor, Nose For The Ball, Physical Strength, Violent Hands

Weaknesses: Foot Speed, Hand Placement

Projection: Rotational DE on contending franchise

To wrap things up, we’ll go with a more under-the-radar name. 

Marshawn Kneeland out of Western Michigan enjoyed a gradual progression up the WMU depth chart, beginning with a 10 TFL, 1.5 sack performance during the 2022 season. He followed that up with 7.5 TFLs and tied a career-high with 4.5 sacks in 2023, and he also peaked at 57 tackles during that season. 

With Kneeland, what jumps off the tape is his strength and violence at the point of attack. He has a great initial get-off and can easily overwhelm an opposing tackle with his motor and power. And, Kneeland just has a natural nose for the ball that is hard to teach, no matter if he’s tracking down a running back or chasing after a QB in the pocket. He does have a ways to go in terms of his technique and overall speed, but there is plenty of upside here.

Kneeland made a strong impression at the Senior Bowl, which will likely launch him up some draft boards. He reminds me a bit of George Karlaftis given his frame and motor, and while people doubted Karlaftis out of college, he’s made a name for himself in the league. Overlook Kneeland at your own peril.

About the author

Parker Gillam
Website | Read more posts by this author

I grew up a Tennessee fan in Atlanta, and yes it was certainly rough to live amongst so many UGA fans. Oregon has also been a favorite team of mine for as long as I can remember. I currently attend the University of Missouri studying sports journalism. I also cover Mizzou's FB and MBB teams for Rock M Nation.

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