By Tania Ganguli
When Ben Ijalana was a freshman at Villanova, ready to start in his first college football game, his offensive line coach pulled him aside and told him something Ijalana never forgot.

“He said then I believe you can play in the NFL; you show glimpses of really good things,” Ijalana said. “… If you can play, they’ll find you.”

A four-year college football career later, the offensive lineman is one of this year’s draft’s small-school standouts — players that don’t come from the flashy world of Football Bowl Subdivision. The class of small school players is highlighted by Ijalana, Lehigh guard Will Rackley, Abilene Christian receiver Edmond Gates, Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones and Hampton defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis.

See full article: http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2011-04-25/story/players-small-schools-get-nfl-notice