Draft Preview

So, the NFL Draft starts today...

People are very excited in Buffalo about the potential drafting of Khalil Mack.  There's some talk he might even go first, which would make it 2 MAC guys in a row to go #1 overall.  That would surprise me.  I'd be excited, too, if I was a Bulls fan.

Not as excited as if my team won the MAC Championship, though.  That would be more exciting.

I believe there are only 4 players from the MAC who are locks to be picked.

Mack (MAC East runner up Buffalo) (Top 5 pick)
Jimmie Ward (CB, MAC Runner up NIU) (1st or 2nd round)
Dri Archer (RB-Kent) (3rd - 4th round).
Jordan Lynch (QB, probably drafted to play another position) (6th or 7th round).

I'd say there are three marginal players...

Rob Blanchflower (UMASS TE)
Travis Carrie (CB, OU)
Keith Wenning (QB, Ball State)

And then I think there will be a dozen to 18 or so UDFAs..possibly notable among them, Ball State DE Jonathan Newsome and possibly Boo Boo Gates, though I suspect this week's news makes it more difficult.

Everyone talks about the draft, but every year most teams grab a couple of UDFAs and as Hustle Belt notes here, when those guys are from the MAC, they have had a tendency to end up with Super Bowl rings.  A good example is Dallas Safety Barry Church (who was a Rocket) and undrafted and is now a league fixture.  BG's longest-tenured NFL player (Doug Smith) was undrafted in a much bigger draft.  Khary Campbell played 8 years in the league, also undrafted.

One other note...Jimmy Garropolo, who was the Babers QB at Eastern Illinois, is someone we are watching. ESPN ranks him at the #5 QB in the draft and he could go in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Anyway, we'll be watching...