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The NFL Draft is just over a week away. Four Wildcats have a chance to hear their names called in Kansas City next weekend, which would be the most Northwestern players drafted since 1985. Back then, the draft was 12 rounds long and one Wildcat was selected by the Houston Oilers, so it’s been a while (shoutout to Steve Tasker). With mock draft season in full force, let’s take a temperature check for where draft pundits project these Wildcats being selected.
Note: some of the mock drafts referenced in this article may have paywalls.
Peter Skoronski, Offensive Tackle/Guard
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Round 1, Pick 10 (Philadelphia Eagles)
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Round 1, Pick 15 (Green Bay Packers)
Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports: Round 1, Pick 9 (Chicago Bears)
Danny Kelly, The Ringer: Round 1, Pick 9 (Chicago Bears)
Charles Davis, NFL.com: Round 1, Pick 9 (Chicago Bears)
Jared Dubin, CBS Sports: Round 1, Pick 19 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: Round 1, Pick 13 (New York Jets)
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: Round 1, Pick 11 (Tennessee Titans)
Michael Fabiano, Sports Illustrated: Round 1, Pick 13 (New York Jets)
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Round 1, Pick 11 (Tennessee Titans)
Summary: A majority of analysts see Skoronski going somewhere between No. 9 and No. 15. The versatile offensive linemen could fit into a variety of systems and could theoretically play tackle or guard on either side of the line, making him one of the safer prospects in the draft. Several writers picked Skoronski to stay close to home, projecting him to slot in as Justin Fields’ newest protector on the Bears. The Titans and Jets also were common destinations for the All-American. In my (completely speculative) opinion, I think there is a good chance Skoronski ends up in some shade of green — whether in New York or in Green Bay. Regardless, expect Skoronski to hear his name called in the top half of the first round on Thursday night.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, Defensive Line
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Round 2, Pick 50 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Round 1, Pick 28 (Cincinnati Bengals)
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: Round 1, Pick 23 (Philadelphia Eagles - via MIN)
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Round 2, Pick 63 (Kansas City Chiefs)
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: Round 1, Pick 31 (Kansas City Chiefs)
Trevor Sikkema, PFF: Round 2, Pick 52 (Seattle Seahawks)
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: Round 1, Pick 30 (Philadelphia Eagles)
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Round 2, Pick 49 (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Cam Mellor, Pro Football Network: Round 2, Pick 33 (Houston Texans)
Summary: Experts are generally torn on where to place Adebawore. Some view his skillset best in a 4-3 scheme while others are adamant he belongs in an odd-man front. The opinions on where he will be drafted are similarly varied. A few mock drafters think Adebawore could sneak into the final few picks of Night One, but the majority think the combine-standout will settle in the second round. It’s anybody’s guess where he ends up, but I would keep an eye on the Eagles, Packers, Seahawks and Bears as potential destinations.
Cameron Mitchell, Cornerback
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Round 3, Pick 86 (Baltimore Ravens)
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Round 4, Pick 121 (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Round 3, Pick 101 (San Francisco 49ers)
Cam Mellor, Pro Football Network: Round 7, Pick 223 (Los Angeles Rams)
Jordan Reid, ESPN: Round 7, Pick 229 (Cleveland Browns)
Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic: Round 5, Pick 136 (Chicago Bears)
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: Round 7, Pick 235 (Green Bay Packers)
Charlie Campbell, Walter Football: Round 3, Pick 81 (Detroit Lions)
Summary: All over the map! The draft gurus have Cameron Mitchell going anywhere from in the third to the seventh round. There’s reason to believe that the NFL likes Mitchell despite Northwestern’s poor team play. A combine invitation and solid athletic testing were strong indicators that Mitchell should hear his name called. There’s definitely a chance the corner gets taken in the third round as some analysts project, but I’ll split the difference and say we’re most likely to see Mitchell go in the early-to-middle portion of Day Three — somewhere in rounds four or five.
Evan Hull, Running Back
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Round 5, Pick 170 (Green Bay Packers)
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Round 6, Pick 192 (New England Patriots)
Cam Mellor, Pro Football Network: Undrafted
Jordan Reid, ESPN: Round 7, Pick 242 (Green Bay Packers)
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: Round 7, Pick 234 (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Charlie Campbell, Walter Football: Round 5, Pick 155 (San Francisco 49ers)
Tyler Sullivan, CBS Sports: Round 7, Pick 245 (New England Patriots)
Summary: The versatile Hull would serve as a nice complement to any backfield in the NFL. Pundits have placed Hull in Day Three, typically somewhere between the fifth and seventh rounds. The Packers, unsurprisingly, were a common destination for Hull, as the runner was summoned to Green Bay for a pre-draft visit. Expect to see the Northwestern dynamo taken on Saturday of draft weekend by a team prepared to use him for his third-down acumen and pass-catching upside.
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