Every NFL draft prospect carries some level of risk. No matter how skilled a player appears to be, there's no guarantee he'll be successful at the NFL level until he's actually done so.
However, some players carry more risk than others, especially those with a limited resume and/or an unconventional skill set. Scouting prospects is an inexact science, but there are certain traits that suggest a player can make the transition from college to pro football—and the more you see those traits on film, the safer a prospect appears to be.
Of course, risky prospects often carry the most upside.