It doesn't matter if you're rooting for UAB, Dayton or Georgia State, some potential Cinderella team is hoping the slipper fits and that they make a magical run in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament this year.
The same applies to this year's unheralded prospects, as they hope a good pro day and positive interviews leads to a Cinderella story in the 2015 NFL Draft. NFL Media analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis dug deep into this year's class Friday on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" and picked out two potential Cinderellas who could surprise at the next level.
"Dezmin Lewis, wide receiver out of Central Arkansas," Jeremiah said. "... When I watched him on tape, he was so much fun to watch. Look at how long he is. (He) can stride it out and beat you over the top. A little nifty after the catch, too, for such a long, tall receiver."
Lewis was one of the players scouts watched closely at the Senior Bowl this year, as the week in Mobile, Ala., represented a big step up in competition for him. Plenty of teams will surely be interested in picking him late on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) of the draft (or earlier) due to his 6-foot-4 frame alone, but he'll have to round out his game further in order to become a complete NFL receiver. Still, his upside is tantalizing and it's easy to see why he could have a big impact early in his career.
Staying on offense, Davis went with another small-school prospect -- South Dakota State RB Zach Zenner -- who could be a late-round pick and turn into a draft steal for some club.
"Three straight 2,000-yard seasons in college. Every time I turn on tape and watch him, I like him more," Davis said. "I know the easy comparison is going to be to Danny Woodhead after the big numbers he put up at Chadron State coming out of NAIA ball. This kid, I think he may be a little bit more like Antone Smith of the Atlanta Falcons."
March Madness might be sweeping the country this month, but when the calendar turns to April and the NFL draft draws even closer, prospects like Lewis and Zenner will soon be the ones generating excitement as potential Cinderellas for NFL teams.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
