MAC Draft Preview

The Draft brings out the best in all of us

Amidst the NFL's chaos, the Draft now comes up tomorrow.  Let's take a look at what is ahead for the Mid-American Conference...the day has certainly changed since the heady days of the early 2000s.  It will likely be a very slow day for the MAC.  Last year, the MAC had 5 guys picked.  There have not been 4 picked since 1999, and I see that as the ceiling for this year.

The MAC does have a potential first rounder.  Temple's DE Muhammad Wilkinson is ranked among the top 20 players in the draft and is a likely first round pick.  He is the top-ranked non-AQ player in the draft (ESPN has him #17...you have to go to #36 to find the next one, who is TCU QB Andy Dalton.).

I think two other MAC players are locks to be drafted.  Jaiquawn Jarrett, also from Temple, should be drafted.  Jarrett is the second ranked S in the draft, and that should guarantee he gets a shot.

The other player I am fairly sure will be drafted is Josh Thomas of Buffalo.  This is, in a sense, kind of surprising to me, because he didn't get much notice in the MAC.  In fact, he wasn't All-MAC first, second, or third team, and yet he could be drafted?  His numbers are not eye-popping, but he also ran track, which has to get the NFL excited.   But, at the same time, you'd have to think a guy who was good enough to get this kind of notice would be All-MAC.

Anyway, the other guy who I think will be drafted late is Nick Bellore of CMU.  He is a two-time first-team All-MAC performer...

I do understand that FBS play doesn't necessarily translate to the NFL...Bellore is a good case in point.  In fact, when you look through the list of guys who are not likely to be drafted (Lainhart, Spann, Shannon, for example) and you just think, you can be a really good MAC player and not get a sniff at the NFL.

One final note...we usually look at this stuff in two phases, the draft, and then who gets a UDFA shot.  With the lockout chaos that is underway, it is not clear what will happen with that.  If the lockout is back in force, there will be no UDFA signings, though.