Mock NFL Drafts Project At Least Three Buffs Being Selected
April 12, 2020 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — With the NFL Draft now less than two weeks away, the general consensus among analysts is that at least three former Colorado Buffaloes will hear their names called over the three days of the draft (April 23-25).
Tops on the list is wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who is projected by most as either a late-first or early second round pick. Outside linebacker Davion Taylor is seen by many as a mid-round pick and quarterback Steven Montez is projected as a mid- to late-round selection.
This year's draft — one of the very, very few sporting events not canceled or postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic — will have even more intrigue than usual. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently sent a memo to every team dictating that the event will be fully "virtual," meaning all team facilities will remain closed and team personnel should remain in separate locations and communicate by phone and internet. That means "war rooms" will now be Zoom rooms.
The pandemic has also played havoc with the individual workouts and interviews with prospective draftees that normally occur in the weeks before the draft. In March, the league banned teams from meeting with prospects at team facilities, leaving virtual methods as the only way to interview players.
For Shenault, that has meant teams have not been able to view first-hand his progress after he underwent bilateral pelvic surgery in early March, immediately after the NFL Combine. Heading into the 2019 season, Shenault was projected as a possible top-10 pick, but after he was hampered by the injury last season, that projection has dropped.
Still, Shenault is seen as one of the most physically gifted receivers available in the draft. Despite missing one full game last season because of the injury and being limited at times in others, he still led Colorado in receiving yards (764) and yards per catch (13.6), and tied with Tony Brown for the receptions lead (56). He also tied for the team lead in touchdowns (four receiving, two rushing) and his ability to break tackles and post big gains after a catch is something that NFL personnel love.
Cynthia Frelund of the NFL Network has Shenault going to the Denver Broncos with the 15th pick in the first round in her analytics-based mock draft.
"(Quarterback) Drew Lock will benefit from this pick, as will (wide receiver) Courtland Sutton," Frelund wrote. "Shenault's ability after the catch — breaking tackles and turning shorter, scheme-based passes into big gains — will complement both a developing quarterback and a receiver who broke out last season. Shenault has a less-certain projection than the two receivers picked ahead of him, but his potential is maximized in a scheme that can leverage his physical style early on."
Frelund's projected slot for Shenault is on the higher end of the predictions for his draft position, with several analysts tabbing him for the Packers with the 30th pick in the first round.
Some of the other mock draft projections for Shenault:
— Vinny Iyer of The Sporting News has Shenault going to the Miami Dolphins with the 39th overall pick (seventh pick in the second round). "The Dolphins should get great wide receiver value looking for a needed complement to DeVante Parker and Preston Williams," Iyer wrote, "Shenault is a sure-handed field stretcher who has some nice big-play flair after the catch."
— John Breech of CBS Sports has Shenault going to the Packers in the first round with the 30th pick. "Aaron Rodgers needs someone to throw the ball to besides Davante Adams, which is why they go with Shenault here."
— Joel Klatt of Fox Sports sees New Orleans using the 24th pick in the first round to take Shenault.
— Chad Reuter of NFL.com projects Shenault going to Indianapolis with the second pick in the second round (34th overall).
— Charles Davis of NFL.com also likes Shenault to the Packers in the first round. "The Packers give Aaron Rodgers another weapon on the perimeter who can be used on jet sweeps, screens and in the running game, as well."
— Kevin Hanson of Sports Illustrated projects Shenault going to the Houston Texans in the second round (40th pick overall).
— Walterfootball.com predicts Shenault going to Jacksonville with the 10th pick in the second round.
— Draftsite.com has the Colts taking Shenault with the 44th pick overall (12th pick in the second round).
— Draftek.com likes Shenault going to the New York Jets with the 23rd pick in the first round.
As for Taylor, the prospect of being drafted continues to be something he could not have even comprehended just four years ago.
Taylor did not play high school football, and started his career at Coahoma Community College in Mississippi, then signed with Colorado prior to the 2018 season. A terrific athlete, Taylor played catchup when it came to the nuances of the game, but finally blossomed as a standout player down the stretch in 2019. He finished as CU's second-leading tackler last season with 69 tackles, and led the Buffs in tackles for loss with seven. He also had 14 third-down stops and seven pass breakups, and was named by CU's coaches as the defensive player of the game in three contests.
Taylor turned scouts' heads with his improvement over the 2019 season, then had an excellent combine that included a 4.49-second 40-yard dash. NFL.com gave him a 6.18 prospect grade, calling him "a good backup who could become a starter."
Most draft analysts do not do a complete seven-round projection. But most of those who do have Taylor on their list.Â
— The Sporting News has Taylor going with the 138th pick overall (32nd pick in the fourth round) to the Kansas City Chiefs.
— Reuter of NFL.com has him as the 103rd pick overall to the Eagles in the third round.
— Sports Illustrated projects Taylor going to the Rams in the fourth round with the 126th pick overall.
— Walterfootball.com has Taylor going in the seventh round to Houston (250th pick overall).
— Draftek.com projects Taylor going to the Patriots in the fourth round with the 125th pick overall.
NFL analysts see Montez as an intriguing prospect, but one who was inconsistent under three different offensive coordinators and three different quarterback coaches during his three full years as a starter at Colorado. He left CU with 37 outright school records, including total career offense (10,609 yards), career passing yards (9,649) and career touchdown passes (63). He also left with the CU record for touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio for quarterbacks with at least 20 touchdown passes, finishing with 63 touchdowns and just 32 interceptions for a 1.97-to-1 ratio, topping previous record holders Kordell Stewart and Mike Moschetti.
Montez is a big (6-foot-4, 231 pounds), physically gifted player who had an excellent combine that included a 4.68 40-yard dash as well as displaying very good arm strength in passing drills. He received a 5.58 prospect grade, giving him "a chance to make a roster."
Of the mock drafts who went through seven rounds, his projected slot:
— The Sporting News has him as a seventh-round pick of the Detroit Lions.
— Walterfootball.com has him going to the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round (144th pick overall).
— Draftek.com projects Montez going to the Chicago Bears in the sixth round with the 200th pick overall.
Other Buffs who could be selected or sign free agent contracts include wide receiver Tony Brown, tackle Arlington Hambright, tight ends Beau Bisharat and Jalen Harris, offensive linemen Tim Lynott Jr. and Jack Shutack, linebackers Alex Tchangam and Nu'umotu Falo Jr., defensive backs Delrick Abrams Jr. and Mikial Onu, long snapper J.T. Bale, punter Alex Kinney and kicker Davis Price.
The draft will be held Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25. The first round will be conducted Thursday, beginning at 6 p.m. MT. Rounds 2-3 will be held Friday beginning at 5 p.m. MT with rounds 4-7 on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
The draft will be televised by ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
