This Thursday the most talented college football players from across the country will head to Chicago in hopes of being selected by one of 32 NFL teams in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Round one starts at 7 p.m., with the first 32 picks selected during the first day of the three-day draft.
The Aggies will send nine potential draftees to the NFL Draft, including offensive linemen Germain Ifedi, Mike Matthews and Joseph Cheek, cornerbacks Brandon Williams, De’Vante Harris and Devonta Burns, punter Drew Kaser and kicker Taylor Bertolet, as well as running back Tra Carson.
ESPN and NFL.com’s mock drafts have Ifedi as the only Aggie that could go in the first round, with him landing either on the Seattle Seahawks with the 26th pick or with the Carolina Panthers on the 31st pick.
Ifedi, standing at 6-foot-6 and 324 pounds, has the typical build of an elite NFL offensive lineman. Rob Rang, CBS sports reporter, said Ifedi would be a good fit for a Seahawks team that has seen a lot of turnover in the offensive line since their Super Bowl XLVlll appearance. Ifedi’s quick feet and long arms have helped him rise in draft stock.
Kaser’s name will likely be called before the draft is over in either the 6th or 7th round, with teams like the Jets or the Panthers taking interest. Kaser’s powerful leg speaks for itself, as he set multiple school records during his time at A&M, including the single-season yards per punt record with 47.5.
Williams is another player to keep an eye out for. At 5-foot-11, 197 pounds, draft predictions have him going as early as the 3rd round and as late as the 6th. NFL.com attributes the late round pick to his lack of expierence at the position. As a running back transfer from Oklahoma converted into a defensive back, Williams only spent one season — 13 starts — in the secondary.
The rest of the Aggies in the draft are a toss up according to mock draft and draft analysis. Matthews’ name may disappear off the board before the rest of his former teammates, as there are several teams in need of an offensive lineman. His link to the Matthews lineage in the NFL should have some assistance with NFL coaches as brother Jake Matthews — a former Aggie left tackle — was selected No. 7 overall in the 2014 NFL draft. Carson, Harris and Burns are fringe players that will likely go undrafted and picked up in free agency.
A consensus among mock drafts and other analysis are the number one and two picks by the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Jared Goff of Cal is projected to be the first pick, followed by quarterback Carson Wentz of North Dakota State as the second pick. The Eagles made two trades to get to the number two pick, and the last player the Eagles drafted with the second overall pick was Donovan McNabb.
The Los Angeles Rams will be on the clock at 7 p.m. Thursday night. Follow @battsports Twitter account for live NFL Draft updates.
