San Diego State's Chris Johnson has three interceptions (including two pick-sixes) already this season. Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images

Projected top-50 prospects usually dominate NFL Draft discussions, but the league is full of players who were selected outside of the top two rounds (or who were not drafted at all).

Last year, Kansas State cornerback Jacob Parrish stood out as one of my mid-round sleepers -- a really good football player who would be overlooked at draft time because of his size. Tampa Bay ultimately drafted him at No. 84, and he has been one of the top rookie cornerbacks through the first half of the season.

The list of this draft class' potential "gems" could be a few dozen names long, but I cut myself off at eight prospects who are among my early favorite mid-rounders -- prospects who likely will get squeezed out of the first two rounds but will make a team look smart for drafting them.

One of my favorite underrated prospects this year, Johnson has been lights out for the Aztecs. He is allowing just a 40 percent completion rate when targeted and has three interceptions through six games. Johnson told me that a "good amount" of SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 schools reached out indirectly about a potential transfer last offseason, but he blocked out the noise and went to work.

"I thought staying would be my best opportunity to make it to the next level," Johnson told The Athletic.

At a verified 6 feet and 182 pounds, he has a narrow, linear frame, with excellent short-area quickness and the athletic composure to mirror and match routes from press coverage. He lines up primarily outside but can move inside in nickel and enjoys getting active as a run defender.

The biggest question for his next-level projection is his straight-line speed, a concern that occasionally pops up on film. Teams will be glued to his testing in the spring. Regardless, his tape shows an NFL-caliber corner who also will make plays on special teams.

Left tackle Jude Bowry is the main attraction for scouts on the Boston College offensive line, but I come away from each tape more and more impressed with Taylor. At 6-6 1/2, 309 with longer than 34-inch arms, Taylor has logged starts at both tackle and both guard positions -- I like him best inside at the next level. His lateral agility is only okay, but his play strength, sturdy anchor and the ability to marry his feet and hands are consistent themes on his film.

A native of Canada, Taylor also has a pretty cool backstory. He's a former defensive lineman who had just one year of experience on the offensive line before college (there will be plenty more background nuggets in "The Beast"). Aside from his physical traits, Taylor is highly competitive and intelligent, and NFL coaches will love his positional versatility.

The SEC's leading tackler, Carter is the type of linebacker who makes his presence felt on every tape. He is a magnet to the football in the run game and flashes instincts as both a blitzer and cover man. He is average from a size-speed perspective but makes up for it with his compete skills and decisive movements.

Right now, I have a third-round grade on Carter, a true junior who will have an NFL decision to make after the season.

Now in his third year as the Wildcats' starting left tackle, Tiernan is playing some of his best ball. His Oregon tape from Week 3 was as clean a performance from an offensive lineman that I've seen this season. A very controlled player, Tiernan is efficient in his pass sets and makes it tough for rushers to get around him. He has some inconsistent tendencies in the run game but uses efficient angles.

After entering the season with early Day 3 grades from scouts, Tiernan has put himself in the top-100 mix -- and continues to rise.

A former walk-on and an Oregon baseball player, Boettcher is not the type of athlete you bet against. At 6-1, 226 with 31-inch arms, the Eugene, Ore., native is undersized by NFL standards, and his lack of length shows up at times when he takes on contact. But Boettcher is a fearless competitor and brings the same energy, toughness and attacking speed on each snap.

Scouts are all over the place with their grades (and Boettcher also was a 13th-round pick of the Houston Astros in 2024), but I expect him to be selected somewhere in the top four rounds come April.

At 220 pounds with 4.3 speed, Nicholas Singleton is the freakier of Penn State's running back duo (and might be the higher draft pick). But Allen is the best back on the team -- and it appears interim head coach Terry Smith agrees.

After the two backs mostly split reps earlier this season, Allen had a career-high 28 carries this past Saturday against Iowa and averaged 5.2 yards per rush; Singleton finished with six carries and 2.5 yards per carry. Allen doesn't have elite speed, but his quick, controlled cuts and run toughness (at 5-11, 216) will make him a valuable part of an NFL backfield.

Still relatively new to football, Prongos is on an upward trajectory -- and I'm buying stock now.

He started playing football as a senior in high school (and was only on the field for three games, because of injury), then signed with UCLA and sat for two seasons before becoming a starter in 2024. Prongos transferred to Stanford this past offseason and has played well at left tackle.

Though I think he could benefit with a fifth college season, which would allow him to continue getting stronger, his athletic movement skills and ability to reposition his hands could make him this draft's Bernhard Raimann.

An underdeveloped, 190-pound wide receiver out of high school, Joly has transformed himself into a 250-pound, ass-kicking tight end with a chance to be a top-100 pick.

Though only 6-3, he has an impressive build with developed strength that shows both as a blocker and downfield on contested targets. As a pass catcher, Joly does a great job dropping his weight at the top of routes versus man and finding soft spots against zone. There are some Jonnu Smith flashes here.

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