NFL Draft Prospects
Sundays without the NFL are pretty damn boring. However, the draft is coming up soon, and that is always exciting—at least for the first couple of rounds. So, why not write about it? Here are some draft profiles of players I think are important in this year's draft.
University of Colorado - Shedeur Sanders (QB)
Shedeur Sanders is arguably the most famous player in this year’s draft. Not only was he coached by the greatest cornerback of all time, but he is also the son of the greatest cornerback of all time—Deion Sanders.
Shedeur was very good during his time at Colorado. The man threw for over 4,000 passing yards last season, along with 37 touchdowns. The 10 interceptions aren’t great, but his completion percentage was still very high.
One thing about Shedeur Sanders is that he is a lock for publicity if he comes to your team. He is the son of Primetime (Deion Sanders), and like his father, his words attract a lot of attention. This can be seen as both a positive and a negative.
One thing is certain: Shedeur is going to sell tickets. That is an absolute lock. Now, whether or not he will be a good NFL player is up for debate. If Shedeur gets drafted by a team like Las Vegas, I don’t think it will go well. The Raiders are a dumpster fire at the moment, and I believe Sanders would struggle in that franchise. However, if Shedeur were drafted by a team in New York—either the Giants or the Jets—I think he could thrive in the Big Apple market.
Where Sanders goes on draft night remains to be seen. He could end up in New York or Las Vegas, but I ultimately think he will slide toward the picks in the 20s, similar to Johnny Manziel. Teams might be hesitant to draft Shedeur, and that makes sense. He is flashy, he has a big mouth, and he has a big game—but if his play doesn’t live up to the hype, then all he is is a guy who talks.
University of Colorado - Travis Hunter (CB/WR)
Travis Hunter. Put simply, IS. THAT. DUDE.
Hunter was the most talented player in the country last year, and because of that, he walked away with the most prestigious award in college athletics—the Heisman Trophy.
Hunter is arguably the most talented football player in this year’s draft. His ability to play both offense and defense at an elite level in college was incredible. While his two-way play style may not continue in the pros, he will still be an outstanding cornerback.
I think Hunter will be gone within the first five or six picks—hell, maybe even the top three. His skinny frame does pose some concerns, but that just means he may not play receiver in the pros. Instead, he will be locking up wideouts on defense.
As a New York Giants fan, I hope Big Blue drafts this kid. Yeah, I know we are in desperate need of a QB, but Travis Hunter in New York would be an amazing combination. Besides, I think the Giants can scoop up a quarterback in the later rounds of the draft.
I realize I’m writing this portion about Travis Hunter from a Giants fan’s perspective instead of a journalistic one, but I think it’s important to mention. By the time the Giants select on draft night, quarterback Cam Ward will likely be off the table, and I’m not really interested in bringing Shedeur Sanders to New York. Yeah, I know I said earlier that Shedeur would look cool in New York, but I’d rather he go to the Jets. Let him suffer with that franchise instead of screwing up ours. (Again, this is a Giants fan’s perspective.)
Now, back to Travis Hunter from an actual journalistic standpoint.
Hunter is simply the most talented player in this draft. He had 96 receptions last year as a wide receiver, along with 15 touchdowns and 1,258 receiving yards, while still playing nearly every defensive snap at cornerback—and being even better at that position.
Jeez.
Forget analytics and stats. Hunter passes the eye test. He is amazing to watch on offense and a certified ball hawk on defense.
I think he will make an immediate impact on any team he goes to—which is exactly why I want the Giants to draft him.
University of Oregon - Tez Johnson (WR)
Tez Johnson is the lightest player in this year's NFL draft, weighing in at just 154 lbs. Despite this, he was still a baller for the Oregon Ducks.
Last year, Johnson had 83 receptions, 898 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. The year before, he posted 86 receptions, 1,182 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.
Johnson may be light and skinny, but he is shifty and fast.
He did just run a historically bad 40-yard dash at the combine the other day, but to me, that doesn’t mean much.
Watch his damn highlights—he passes the eye test.
Johnson will likely go in the 4th or 5th round of this year’s draft. I personally want to see him reunite with his former teammate, Bo Nix. That would be very dope to watch.
Tez is a talented wide receiver, but his weight raises some red flags. He could potentially get obliterated in the NFL at that size. However, people said the same thing about former Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, and he just played in a Super Bowl, caught a touchdown in that Super Bowl, and won that Super Bowl.
As with every NFL player, time will tell how he performs in the pros. However, I believe that Tez Johnson has high upside and could be a steal for the team that drafts him.
