Florida Spotlight: Three-stars that could develop into NFL Draft picks


Florida Spotlight: Three-stars that could develop into NFL Draft picks

Dozens of former three-star prospects heard their names called during last week’s NFL Draft. Who might be some of the next prospects to outplay their high school ranking? Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. looks at five candidates from the state of Florida.

On one end, the massive blocker already checks verifiable boxes like height and wingspan relative to what the NFL values. Campbell sports a 7-foot wingspan on a head-turning 6-foot-8, 310-pound frame. Outside of Will Campbell, each offensive tackle who got his name called in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft measures in with a 6-foot-10 wing or better while standing at least 6-foot-4 or taller. Throw in SEC legacy status with a big brother (Chamberlin Campbell) at Ole Miss and the offers came in early here.

Just as impressively, of late, Campbell has shown real progress in his technique up front. The jump from his sophomore to junior tape was considerable and the latest sample we got — at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Miami — he was among the better edge blockers in what became a loaded event. He has since been bumped to a 5.7 three-star, the highest offering before reaching four-star status.

Linemen on both sides of the ball remain a premium at the sport of football and it’s not ignored at the highest level. Nineteen of the 32 first-round picks last week came from players who play on the line of scrimmage, and the defensive interior types varied in size and skill. It means variety within the volume works, part of the reason McHaney has seen his recruitment pick up of late. A legitimate Big Ten and SEC prospect out of IMG Academy, the slower start to his process due to 6-foot-1 height seems like old news at this point.

Turn on the tape, and it has been reemphasized this offseason, and McHaney has unique length and movement skill for the position. He carries 300-plus pounds well and moves even better with it, clocking a 4.66 short shuttle run in March. A 4.77-second laser-times 40-yard dash mark may be just as impressive. Throw in a 6-foot-8 wingspan and obvious power to push the pocket and the Michigan native looks like a sure bet for America’s top two conferences and potentially beyond.

While it’s not yet a premium position, programs at every level covet big pass catchers with mismatch potential. Miles holds true athleticism to his name despite the immense 6-foot-6, 220 pounds frame thanks to considerable basketball experience. On the hardwood, Miles was among the most consistent scorers in the Sunshine State over the last year and his recruitment has reached the next level to boot. Still, Miles says he is more focused on football when it comes to college.

The frame to add considerable weight should make Miles that much more intriguing in college, where he will most likely have to choose one sport over the other. Should football become the sole focus, there could also be a steady progression on polish before the catch point, something we have also seen come in short order with tight ends in college. Miles is already an above the rim type with great feel and ball skills, so the work towards rounding out his game not only makes him potentially more of an every-down player, but one who may potentially become the focal point of an offense at the next level.

The jury is still out on a couple of fronts with the Pennsylvania native now in Orlando. Odem is a bigger-bodied athlete, standing better than 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, with some projections at cornerback and others at safety or even athlete depending on the college program. If he is to out-play and/or produce relative to his current rating, however, we would bet on a cornerback projection at the next level for a prospect having added offers from Georgia, Clemson and Oklahoma since March began.

Odem has great length to pair with the height, something that NFL organizations coveted in Round 2 and beyond in this year’s draft (the first round did not feature a cornerback projection taller than 6-foot). The one-time North Carolina commitment has good ball skills and natural feel at the contact point, in addition to a legitimate willingness to support against the run. Even if the projection moves towards a hybrid or safety spot in the secondary, Odem looks like a multi-year impact player on Saturdays.

Like a lot of prospects on this list, Williams has immense size that commands attention. He stands a legitimate 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and also sports a basketball background that recruiters have come to like as the rising-senior is among the hottest recruits in the state. The offers in the New Year have been plentiful, including Notre Dame, Georgia, Penn State, Florida and many others. Williams appears to be taking his time with the new options, though the in-state Gators will get an official visit at the end of next month.

Improved junior year production and a strong offseason during the camp and combine circuit led to Williams’ boom on many college programs’ board. He is also relatively impressive on the track despite the big frame, working towards hitting sub 11 seconds in the 100 meter dash at last check while improving on a high jump mark already north of his own height simultaneously. Clearly, Williams’ best football lies ahead from a polish standpoint, but the floor of a big body with great body control and ball skills is still present. Should he continue to put it all together, coupled with a dominant senior season, it would sit as quite the promising sign for what Williams should become on Saturdays.

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