Underrated Virginia Prospects Who Could Sneak Into The NFL Draft

Don't sleep on these players who could be drafted next week

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers tight end Sage Ennis (0) runs after a catch against the Missouri Tigers during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The NFL draft is about a week away, and several Virginia players could see their names called next weekend. For the Cavaliers, J’Mari Taylor and Mitchell Melton will get a lot of the attention. However, there are three gems that could find themselves sneaking into the NFL draft. Let’s take a closer look. 

1. TE Sage Ennis 

Ennis could potentially be an asset at the next level for NFL teams. He has a good size at 6’4 and 245 pounds and is a well-rounded player. He does best in the pass-catching category and had a career year with the Cavaliers. Ennis finished with 23 catches, 214 yards, and five touchdowns. Ennis best game came against California, where he finished with four catches for 40 yards. He started the season with three consecutive games with a touchdown. His biggest area of success is the red zone. Here, he can be a dangerous player at the next level with his huge catch radius and physicality. You bring him in and allow him to go 1 on 1, and more often than not, he is coming down with it. That ability could have an NFL team take a chance on him. 

2. DL Jahmeer Carter 

Carter is an extremely underrated prospect who could sneak into the NFL Draft in the next week. He finished with 31 tackles, eight defensive stops, seven pressures, and six QB hurries. Carter was impressive for the Cavaliers a season ago and was the sixth-highest graded defensive player for the Hoos, finishing with a 78.3 grade. Carter grades best as a run-stopper, finishing with an 80.6 run defense grade. He recorded career-highs in defense and run defense grades. He stayed all five seasons at Virginia and improved each year he was at the program. 

3. DB Antonio Clary 

This one may catch you by surprise, but don’t be shocked if you see someone take a chance on the safety. Clary finished with 27 tackles, two interceptions, and a pass defensed. Now, the reason Clary can potentially sneak into the draft is because of his tackling skills and awesome job in coverage. In just 265 snaps last season, Clary finished with a 68.5 grade. However, he had the second-best tackling grade on the team with an 83.0, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). He also registered a 78.1 coverage grade. Clary had his best game of the season against Virginia Tech, finishing with an 83.0 defensive grade and an 83.1 coverage grade. That game alone should help him draw some interest from teams and potentially get drafted.