2027 NFL Draft Risers: G6 and Independent Players Who Could Break Through
Kevin looks at some underrated prospects in the G6 conferences.
Every draft class has the obvious names. The former five-stars. The early devy favorites. The players who have been circled since they stepped on campus. That is not what this article is about.
If you missed the first piece in this series, go check out our Power Four article where we looked at the players already on the biggest stages who can still change the shape of the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Now we are shifting to the G6 and Independent ranks. This is where the conversation gets even more interesting. These players are not always getting the same early draft buzz. They are not always playing in the games everyone is watching. Some are dominant producers at smaller programs. Some are transfers who need one more jump. Some have traits that pop off the screen. Some just need the right moment, the right matchup, or the right all-star week to force scouts back to the tape.
That is where these draft conversations get fun. The NFL Draft is never just about who is ranked highest two years out. It is about who takes the next step, who proves the production is real, who shows the traits translate, and who makes the level-of-competition conversation less important. For devy managers, C2C players, and early rookie-draft sickos, this is where you can find value before the market catches up.
They may not all become top-50 picks. That is not the point. The point is finding the players who can rise before everyone else starts talking about them. The names who can go from “productive college player” to “real draft prospect” in one season. Those are the players we are chasing here.
Pac-12
Fresno State RB Bryson Donelson (5’11”, 205 lbs)
Bryson Donelson is an interesting name for this part of the series because the buzz was actually louder at this time last year. He was coming off a strong freshman finish, earned Doak Walker watch list attention, and looked like he had a path to becoming Fresno State’s bell cow. The full breakout did not happen in 2025, but that does not mean the profile is dead. Donelson started all 13 games, finished as Fresno State’s second-leading rusher with 600 yards and five touchdowns on 140 carries, and added 17 receptions for 107 yards. He also gave Fresno State its only 100-yard rushing performance of the season, going for 167 yards on 23 carries against Georgia Southern.
The reason he still belongs here is because the traits are easy to understand. At 5’11”, 205 pounds, Donelson has a dense frame, good contact balance, and enough burst to create chunk plays when he gets a crease. He runs with a low center of gravity, can bounce off arm tackles, and has shown he can handle work in both the run game and passing game. Through his first two seasons, he has already caught 38 passes, which gives him more three-down appeal than some backs in this range. He is not just a grinder. There is some receiving value and enough home-run ability to keep him interesting.
The concern is that the role is not guaranteed. Fresno State still has Rayshon “Speedy” Luke and Brandon Ramirez back, and the Bulldogs added Bucknell transfer Tariq Thomas to the room. Julius Gillick could also work his way into the mix. Last year, Donelson looked like the clear bet to lead the backfield, then the season turned into more of a committee. He had more than 10 carries only six times and finished under 10 carries in most games. That is the uphill battle. He has the build and skill set to matter, but he has to carve out a bigger piece of the offense.
For Donelson to become a real 2027 NFL Draft riser, the efficiency has to match the opportunity. The contact balance, pass-catching ability, and physical running style are all there, but he has to be more consistent down to down and clean up the ball-security concerns after four fumbles across his first two seasons. If he wins a bigger role in Fresno State’s offense and looks more like the back people expected heading into last season, he becomes a name worth tracking. He is not a top-of-the-class back right now, but he is exactly the type of G6 player who can work his way back into the conversation with one strong year.
Texas State DT Phillip Bradford (6’6”, 308 lbs)
Phillip Bradford is the type of G6/Independent name that makes this article fun because the production is already sitting there. He is coming from McNeese State, so the level-of-competition question is going to be part of the conversation, but 15.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 12 games will get your attention. Bradford played in all 12 games last season, finished with 40 tackles, added two interceptions, three pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery. That is a lot of activity for a defensive lineman.
The frame is what makes the profile even more interesting. At 6’6”, 308 pounds, Bradford has real size and length to work with. He is not just some undersized FCS producer trying to survive up a level. He has the body type to play multiple spots across the defensive front, whether Texas State wants to use him as a bigger defensive end, kick him inside, or let him attack as a pass-rush piece on certain downs. The pass disruption also matters. Two interceptions and three pass breakups from a defensive lineman tells you he is not just winning one way. He can get into throwing lanes and make life difficult for quarterbacks even when he does not get home.
The fit at Texas State makes sense too. The Bobcats need pass rushers, and Bradford followed defensive line coach Tony Gistorb to the program. That matters when you are talking about a transfer making the jump. He is not walking into a completely foreign situation. There is familiarity with the coach, familiarity with the expectations, and a real path to compete for snaps right away. For a player trying to become a 2027 NFL Draft riser, that opportunity is everything.
The question is whether the production translates. Bradford was a monster at McNeese, but now he has to prove he can hold up against better offensive lines and still create disruption. If he wins a starting job and brings that backfield production with him to Texas State, the conversation can change quickly. Size, length, versatility, and production are a good place to start. He is not a household name right now, but he has the kind of profile that can go from transfer addition to real draft sleeper if the pass-rush juice shows up in 2026.
