Hunt Report: Ranking top 10 small-college prospects for 2023 NFL Draft, plus European Football League gems

| American Football | 08/26/2022

By Emory Hunt

Football is a global game, and professional scouts are constantly scouring the planet for the best players who can help their respective teams. Currently there are 774 colleges in the country that sponsor football, the highest it has ever been, with six more programs adding the sport in 2023. What that means is that there are a ton of players who have the physical ability to play pro ball — so much so that there are going to be a lot of players who slip through the cracks.

What The Hunt Report will do is to help seal up a few of those cracks, giving you the names of the underrated and lesser known prospects you’ll want to keep an eye on throughout the college football season and into the draft process.

We over here at CBSSports.com and The Hunt Report want to create the ideal place and platform for the underdog, the training camp surprise player, the preseason darling, the who-in-the-heck-is-that-guy and the where-did-this-dude-come from who will end up starring on your favorite NFL, USFL, XFL and/or CFL team.

I’ll do the work so you don’t have to! And you can trust that I won’t leave any stone unturned in uncovering some hidden gems from around the globe throughout the college football season.

So, without further ado, here is the initial Hunt Report for Week Zero.

European League of Football

Because it is the debut of The Hunt Report, I thought it would be cool to share with you some of the potential prospects currently playing in the European League of Football who I’ve been keeping tabs on all spring and summer.

Quick background on the ELF: the league is in its second season and has 12 franchises across Europe. The ELF will grow to 16 in 2022 and eventually to 24 teams in the future. You will recognize some of the team names from the old NFL Europa days, as the league has an agreement with the NFL to utilize the team names. What’s unique about the ELF is its focus on developing homegrown talent, so you won’t see more than four “non-European” players each roster, making it comprised of 90% national players who make it a true European league.

The rules and game are very similar to the NFL, with the kickoff situation being similar to that of the XFL in 2020. Having watched games all season long, the quality of play is impressive and on par with what you’d see in the NFL preseason. Current Dallas Cowboys return specialist and 2022 USFL MVP Kavontae Turpin played in the ELF back in 2021 for the Wroclaw Panthers, just to give you an idea of the type of talent in the league.

Here are a few players you want to get familiar with as we approach the back end of the season, which ends Sept. 25 in Klagenfurt, Austria with the ELF Championship Game.

WR/RET Jean Constant (Hamburg Sea Devils)

  • Age: 26
  • Height: 5-9
  • Weight: 180
  • College: Stony Brook

Constant would be my pick to be “this year’s Kavontae Turpin,” as the former Stony Brook standout has been instant offense this season for the Sea Devils. So far he has more than 800 yards receiving with seven touchdowns and averages a very healthy 21.1 yards per punt return while leading the league in punt return yardage. Constant also starred last season with the Barcelona Dragons in a similar capacity. Next game: Aug. 28 vs. Wroclaw

QB Jackson Erdmann (Vienna Vikings)

  • Age: 25
  • Height: 6-3
  • Weight: 215
  • College: Saint John’s (MN)

I remember scouting Erdmann at the 2020 College Gridiron Showcase, coming away impressed with how he didn’t look out of place against top-tier talent despite coming from the Division III level. Needless to say he has continued to elevate his game with the Vikings. It’s the deep ball accuracy and placement that has caught my attention, as well as how he shows competency in navigating the intermediate area of the field. Next game: Aug. 28 vs. Barcelona

RB Glen Toonga (Hamburg Sea Devils)

  • Age: 27
  • Height: 5-11
  • Weight: 226
  • College: University of Southampton

Toonga is a 27-year old back, but he has tremendous ability with the football in his hands. His age suggests he’s a plug-and-play guy and can help a football team right away. He’s the leading rusher in the league with 1,251 yards (300 yards more than the second-place rusher), averaging 5.9 yards per carry with 17 rushing scores. It’s his ability to be a chunk-play maker that makes him special. Think Alexander Mattison. Next game: Aug. 28 vs. Wroclaw

LB Flamur Simon (Cologne Centurions)

  • Age: 23
  • Height: 6-5
  • Weight: 253
  • College: N/A

Simon might be the best defensive prospect in the league and has the most upside as well. He participated in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program back in 2021 and was supposed to sign with UMass before the pandemic ended that opportunity. He’s an athletic SAM backer-type who has the ability to play with his hand in the dirt and rush the QB or as a drop player in coverage. He shows excellent hands and instincts as well, with two interceptions and a pick-six on his resume. Next game: Aug. 27 vs. Rhein