Three for the road
Vernon Davis was on everybody's radar heading into the 2006 NFL draft season.
So how did he still end up surprising everybody?
Try a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash - which is almost unheard of for a 6-3, 263-pound tight end.
"Everybody knew that he was a workout warrior, and that the combine was going to be a place where he could make some noise. So the fact that he surprised people as much as he did knowing that about him I think speaks volumes," said Scott Wright, the president of NFLDraftCountdown.com.
Another surprise has been Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst - who may have pushed his way into the second round of what is proving to be a loaded draft.
"Charlie Whitehurst is a guy that I was really impressed with at Mobile at the Senior Bowl," Wright told "ACC Nation" last week.
"He surely looks the part. He has the size, the arms, everything that you look for. He just didn't consistently show that throughout his career. He looked outstanding as a sophomore, had a terrible junior year, bounced back to a degree as a senior. He didn't lose games, he cut down on mistakes," Wright said.
"I think he could go as high as the second round - and he's a guy who could develop. From a physical standpoint, he has everything that you're looking for in a pro-style quarterback," Wright said.
A third surprise could be Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans - who will have to convert to another position in the NFL due to his 5-9 stature.
"Marques Hagans is definitely going to have to convert to wide receiver," Wright said. "He's one of the classic cases like Antwaan Randle-El. Everyone wants to be that, but that was kind of the rare case. I think a more realistic possibility for him and a guy that he should try to emulate is (former West Virginia quarterback) Rasheed Marshall, who went in the fifth round last year. I don't think Hagans will go quite that high - but he is a sixth- or seventh-round pick," Wright said.
- Chris Graham