Inside NU - Northwestern in the 2017 NFL Draft: Scouting reports, coverage, analysisRoll Damn 'Catshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52532/insidenu_fav.png2017-05-15T09:01:00-05:00http://www.insidenu.com/rss/stream/152569672017-05-15T09:01:00-05:002017-05-15T09:01:00-05:00C.J. Robbins, Tennessee Titans agree to deal
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<figcaption>David Banks-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Peru, Illinois native is the latest former Wildcat to get an NFL shot. </p> <p id="29lM4y">Former Northwestern defensive end C.J. Robbins has agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans, his mother, Stacey, announced on Twitter Sunday. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/a8G5UFzqNS">pic.twitter.com/a8G5UFzqNS</a></p>— Stacey Robbins (@stacki1990) <a href="https://twitter.com/stacki1990/status/863876617738878976">May 14, 2017</a>
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<p id="yTZRfD">The program confirmed the signing later that night.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to C.J. Robbins on signing with the <a href="https://twitter.com/Titans">@Titans</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GCats?src=hash">#B1GCats</a> <a href="https://t.co/6rRdPi6Q0A">pic.twitter.com/6rRdPi6Q0A</a></p>— #B1GCats Football (@NUFBFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily/status/863921387244748802">May 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="yh1QPB">Robbins, who did not play in his first two seasons due to injury, transitioned from defensive tackle to defensive end and worked his way into a starting role in 2014. In 2016, he posted the best season of his career, posting 26 tackles and three sacks.</p>
<p id="oSYbox">At 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, Robbins projects more as a tackle than an end in the NFL. His value comes in his ability to draw blockers and clog gaps in the running game, making tackle a better positional fit. Where he’ll have trouble is the passing game, where his lack of speed and quickness could inhibit him from getting to the quarterback and staying on the field on third downs. <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/25/15417598/cj-robbins-nfl-draft-scouting-report-defensive-tackle-pat-fitzgerald-ifeadi-odenigbo">Here</a> is our full scouting report on Robbins. </p>
<p id="lUMCdu">The Titans currently have five defensive tackles and four defensive ends already on the roster, so Robbins, especially given how late he signed with the team, is a long shot to make the 53-man roster. </p>
<p id="rlQpUW">Robbins is the fifth former Northwestern player to find an NFL home during this year’s draft cycle; Anthony Walker Jr. (Colts) and Ifeadi Odenigbo (Vikings) were taken on Day Three of the Draft, and Austin Carr (Patriots) and Joe Jones (Cowboys) signed as undrafted free agents. </p>
<p id="vjFhjA"><em>Correction: An original version of this story incorrectly stated that Robbins worked his way into a starting role in 2016. Robbins started eight games in 2014 and 12 games in 2015. We apologize and regret the error. </em></p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/15/15639984/northwestern-undrafted-free-agent-cj-robbins-tennessee-titans-anthony-walker-jr-ifeadi-odenigboCaleb Friedman2017-05-11T04:30:58-05:002017-05-11T04:30:58-05:00Q&A: Will Austin Carr make the Patriots roster?
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<figcaption>Eric J. Adler, New England Patriots</figcaption>
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<p>The Big Ten’s leading receiver will be fighting for a spot on the defending champions’ roster. </p> <p id="qaPkIF">It’s now been over a week since former Northwestern receiver Austin Carr <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/29/15486806/austin-carr-signs-patriots-tom-brady-bill-belichick-wes-welker-julian-edelman">signed with the New England Patriots</a> as an undrafted free agent. The deal makes perfect sense for both sides, as the Patriots have had plenty of success in the past utilizing receivers who flew under the radar on draft day.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Long overdo but it's been a wild 24 hours. Grateful and excited to begin my journey with the New England Patriots! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoPats?src=hash">#GoPats</a> <br><br>Ps.116:12-14</p>— Austin Carr (@ayeseeme) <a href="https://twitter.com/ayeseeme/status/858901890440077313">May 1, 2017</a>
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<p id="NOkCga">Since then, many New England sports outlets have noted their excitement with the Carr acquisition, calling him the <a href="http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/2017/05/northwestern_wr_austin_carr_is.html">most intriguing</a> UDFA in the Patriots class, a player that could <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2017%2F05%2Faustin-carr-film-review-could-udfa-be-patriots-next-slot-receiver%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidenu.com%2F2017%2F5%2F11%2F15586622%2Fwhat-impact-can-austin-carr-make-with-new-england-patriots-amendola-edelman-rich-hill-pats-pulpit" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">fit right into</a> the Patriot’s offense and even the <a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/05/01/austin-carr-patriots-next-slot-receiver/">“heir apparent to Julian Edelman”</a>. </p>
<p id="imKojS">Before the draft, <a href="https://twitter.com/PP_Rich_Hill">Rich Hill</a> of <a href="http://www.patspulpit.com/">Pats Pulpit</a> was the first to <a href="http://www.patspulpit.com/2017/3/17/14932632/northwestern-pro-day-2017-can-wr-austin-carr-be-the-patriots-next-late-round-slot-machine-amendola">predict</a> — way back in March after Northwestern’s pro day — that Carr could be the next great slot receiver for the Patriots and has since <a href="http://www.patspulpit.com/2017/5/8/15577276/a-way-too-early-projection-of-the-patriots-2017-53-man-roster">labeled</a> Carr as his pick for the Patriots’ “preseason star that everyone hopes makes the roster.”</p>
<p id="c2yIRW">So in order to get a better understanding of where Carr stands with the Patriots, we asked Hill to give us a breakdown of New England’s receiving corps and discuss Carr’s short term outlook and where he could fit in with the team down the road.</p>
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<p id="nfKDT0"><strong>The Patriots made headlines earlier this offseason when they traded for Brandin Cooks to bolster their receiving corps. As of now, who do you see as the projected starters and who else do you expect to contribute next season?</strong></p>
<p id="F7maxx">The Patriots are likely to rotate Julian Edelman and Brandin Cooks with Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell. Both Edelman and Hogan were 80% snap players in 2016 and it would make sense for Cooks to see a similar amount of time on the field, with Mitchell possibly substituting in the red zone due to his run blocking ability. Danny Amendola is another option in the slot, but I feel like he'll be a "break glass if emergency" type of player where he stays on the bench unless there's an injury.</p>
<p id="rotWLq"><strong>What past history does New England have with UDFA’s working their way onto the active roster?</strong></p>
<p id="daN9sb">The Patriots always add an undrafted free agent or two every season. In 2016, undrafted players like CB Jonathan Jones, DT Woodrow Hamilton, and RB D.J. Foster all made the roster at various points during the season. In 2015, it was SS Brandon King, LB Kevin Snyder, and WR Chris Harper. In 2014, it was some fella named Malcolm Butler. If there is talent in the undrafted free agent that signs with the Patriots, they will make the roster in some capacity.</p>
<p id="6CUtf1"><strong>Danny Amendola (31 years old) and Julian Edelman (30) are both veteran slot receivers who will be unrestricted free agents next season. Do you think it’s possible Carr could be the younger (and less expensive) slot replacement for these two in the future? </strong></p>
<p id="EwjKTV">While both Edelman and Amendola are locks to make the team in 2017, everyone expects Amendola to depart after this upcoming season. The Patriots would love to keep Edelman around, but they want to see if he can remain healthy for the second-straight season. Carr is an excellent option to be the replacement for Amendola and could be that guy if he sticks around — likely on the practice squad — until 2018.</p>
<p id="7mWjrM"><strong>Based on what you’ve seen from Carr, how can you see him fitting into New England’s passing attack? Is there a specific Patriots receiver (current or past) that he resembles most? </strong></p>
<p id="Ge8AtI">Carr is a bigger slot receiver type that the Patriots have never really had before; players like Troy Brown, Wes Welker, Edelman, and Amendola are all shorter players. It's worth noting that the Patriots were intentionally scouting taller slot receivers this draft season, so they have a role in mind. It just might be a new role that we haven't seen before. I think it could be something similar to Jordan Matthews in Philadelphia or Marques Colston in New Orleans.</p>
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<p id="TZBqJH"><strong>The Patriots (or possibly just Tom Brady) have become known for taking underrated/underappreciated receivers and turning them into contributors. What is it about Brady and the Patriots' offense that allows these receivers to excel?</strong></p>
<p id="JxRUiU">The Patriots find receivers with quickness, even if they lack other physical attributes. So the reason these players are "underrated" is not that they can't play, but that they don't fit into the narrative of what a prototypical top receiver looks like. This makes the atypical player undervalued and the Patriots love to capitalize on that value by constructing a role for these players in the offense. As for the offensive success, the Patriots benefit from great play calling from Josh McDaniels and great delivery by Brady where the offense will quickly create an opening for a receiver; it's up to the receiver to get immediate separation, catch the ball, and fall forward. These players don't need long speed to hit a home run (Cooks is a new type of player in the offense) because the Patriots are content to lead 10+ play drives.</p>
<p id="0Fhybd"><strong>I know it’s early, but what would be your prediction as of now on Carr’s chances of making the Patriots’ active roster come the start of the season?</strong></p>
<p id="px2uO0">It’s definitely early, but I would say that Carr has the third-best chance of the undrafted players to make the roster, behind TE Jacob Hollister and LB Harvey Langi. Carr needs to prove that he's too valuable of a player to try and stash on the practice squad and that the Patriots will need to retain him on the active roster–even as a red shirt season–just like they did with D.J. Foster in 2016.</p>
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<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/201148800" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<p><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F201148800&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidenu.com%2F2017%2F5%2F11%2F15586622%2Fwhat-impact-can-austin-carr-make-with-new-england-patriots-amendola-edelman-rich-hill-pats-pulpit" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Austin Carr - Northwestern Highlight Video (2017 NFL Draft Prospect)</a> from <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2Fuser2197213&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidenu.com%2F2017%2F5%2F11%2F15586622%2Fwhat-impact-can-austin-carr-make-with-new-england-patriots-amendola-edelman-rich-hill-pats-pulpit" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cameron Good</a> on <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidenu.com%2F2017%2F5%2F11%2F15586622%2Fwhat-impact-can-austin-carr-make-with-new-england-patriots-amendola-edelman-rich-hill-pats-pulpit" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/11/15586622/what-impact-can-austin-carr-make-with-new-england-patriots-amendola-edelman-rich-hill-pats-pulpitZach Wingrove2017-05-08T08:02:01-05:002017-05-08T08:02:01-05:00Ranking the best Northwestern NFL Draft classes since the Rose Bowl
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<figcaption>Photo by Jonathan Daniel/ Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Wildcats have had 32 players drafted over the past 21 years.</p> <p id="PJQre6">Northwestern is far from an NFL prospect factory. While the Wildcats have had plenty of success on the field (at least relative to previous decades) since “arriving” in 1995, that success hasn’t translated to NFL talent. </p>
<p id="v86Yn0">Starting with the 1996 NFL Draft, Northwestern has had exactly 32 players taken, with only 5 of those 32 going in the first three rounds. For reference, here’s a simple look at how many players each current Big Ten team has had drafted since Northwestern made the 1996 Rose Bowl. </p>
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<p id="hU8aaY">So Northwestern isn’t the worst in the Big Ten (thanks Rutgers and Indiana), but it’s solidly in that bottom tier in producing NFL talent. Now, this doesn’t portray the quality of the talent that is being sent to the NFL; those teams at the top have had plenty of busts, too (shoutout to Troy Smith), but the more players you send to the NFL, the better the chances for a star. </p>
<p id="FQP5LY">A team can still be successful without having a slew of NFL draftees, but it certainly makes the program look good. Northwestern doesn’t have a ton of professionals, but it still tries to sell the fact that Wildcats are playing in the NFL.</p>
<p id="Iajfnh">Last Thursday, <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/4/15539790/northwestern-nfl-draft-lack-success-bad-anthony-walker-ifeadi-odenigbo-trevor-siemian">Tristan Jung looked</a> at the fact that under Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern hasn’t had a ton of success in the first two days of the draft. But enough with negativity, we’re going to holistically look at Northwestern’s last 21 years of draft classes. Seriously. This is happening.</p>
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<p id="bjbEhG">Keep in mind that these rankings are primarily based upon the overall NFL success of the class, not how they performed while in Evanston. There were plenty of guys who were stars for the Wildcats but never saw the field in the NFL. We also can’t evaluate the 2017 draft class. </p>
<h1 id="3KMAQ9">No Draftees: 1996, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014</h1>
<p id="pmYmZ5">If you’re wondering why these years aren’t represented in the rankings, it’s because Northwestern didn’t have anybody drafted. The big drought came in the early Fitz years—Fitz has gone 5-for-11 in years with NFL picks. The fact that Northwestern had no one drafted three months after the Rose Bowl is amusing, but a few of those players were taken the next year. </p>
<h2 id="KEK0bP">13. 1998</h2>
<h3 id="m0vYSF">LB Casey Dailey, 5th round, 134th overall to the New York Jets</h3>
<p id="VgP8dj"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 6 games played</strong></p>
<h3 id="uzR64p">C Nathan Strikwerda, 6th round, 171st overall to the Miami Dolphins</h3>
<p id="h8mngv"><strong>NFL Career Stats: None</strong></p>
<p id="JIvxZg">We start off with a class of two players who did not record a single stat in the NFL. Dailey left Northwestern as the school’s all time sack leader with 26 sacks, and even had head coach Bill Parcells excited about his potential during his first training camp. However, as we’ll see with many Northwestern alumni, injuries derailed his career. He had a career threatening foot injury in camp, and after missing a season was never the same. After being cut he played a season for the Chicago Enforcers of the XFL before retiring. </p>
<p id="4GyZ7t">Strikwerda scored the highest on the Wonderlic among prospects, but was cut during training camp and never landed anywhere else. He does have <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3876305/">this sweet IMDB page </a>though. </p>
<h1 id="EYY1MJ">12. 2000 </h1>
<h3 id="VfcgIL">TE Jay Tant, 5th round, 164th overall to the Arizona Cardinals</h3>
<p id="z2lkhu"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 5 games played, 2 targets, 1 catch, 4 yards</strong></p>
<p id="pLgajE">One of the strangest things about Northwestern draft classes is that they usually contain multiple players. 2000 and 2003 are the only years in which only one Wildcats player was selected. In 2000 that lucky individual was Jay Tant. Tant was a fairly productive Tight End under Randy Walker, but what the NFL really liked him for was his size. Standing at 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, Tant was told by the NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl that he had a chance to go in the second round, but then he tore his hamstring. </p>
<p id="soDe8n">Tant would still get drafted, but only spend one season in NFL, appearing in five games and catching a pass against the New Orleans Saints in a 21-10 defeat. He was then one of the last players cut from the team before the 2001 season. He would never play in the NFL again, but now works as a real estate consultant in Kentucky. </p>
<h2 id="KevYJC">11. 2012</h2>
<h3 id="ZDcxcl">TE Drake Dunsmore, 7th round, 233rd overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers</h3>
<p id="x7xhyy"><strong>NFL Career Stats: None</strong></p>
<h3 id="ZCWB0T">WR Jeremy Ebert, 7th round, 235th overall to the New England Patriots</h3>
<p id="k6so9b"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 5 games played, 8 targets, 3 catches, 18 yards</strong></p>
<p id="IyvYrh">This is a rough draft for Northwestern, particularly because of how memorable both of these guys were in Evanston. Dunsmore spent his first season on the Tampa Bay practice squad <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2013/5/7/4310008/drake-dunsmore-retires-tampa-bay-buccaneers-northwestern">before deciding to retire</a>, and Ebert bounced around on a couple practice squads before dropping out of the NFL in 2014. </p>
<h2 id="tOFZGB">10. 2001</h2>
<h3 id="cfBKk4">DB Harold Blackmon, 7th round, 210th overall to the Seattle Seahawks</h3>
<p id="n4663H"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 9 games played, 3 tackles, 1 pass defense, 1 fumble recovery</strong></p>
<h3 id="ZMyokD">DE Dwayne Missouri, 7th round, 231st overall to the Baltimore Ravens</h3>
<p id="CYL249"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 2 games played</strong></p>
<p id="9nbsW8">This class isn’t exactly much better than the last three, but at least both players briefly saw the field in the NFL. Blackmon played a couple seasons for the Seahawks before getting cut in 2003. Blackmon is currently the head coach of the Saint Laurence High School football team in Burbank, Illinois.</p>
<p id="XUHx9n">Dwayne Missouri had a special first season in the NFL, as he was featured on HBO’s <em>Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens </em>and was one of the players cut during show. His staring role in Hard Knocks was one preseason game where he threw up a bunch on the sidelines. He was later signed by the Dallas Cowboys and played in two games. Missouri would not play in the NFL again, but found plenty of success in the Arena Football League for the Philadephia Soul. He is now the assistant football coach and a teacher at McCollum High School in San Antonio, Texas.</p>
<h2 id="IVZtnE">9. 2003</h2>
<h3 id="8HMbR0">C Austin King, 4th round, 133rd overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers</h3>
<p id="M9VKbC"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 32 games played 1 game started </strong></p>
<p id="WfajJm">Austin King was a key offensive lineman while at Northwestern. King didn’t stick with the Bucs but did make his way onto the Falcons in 2004 and spent three years in Atlanta as a backup offensive lineman. He’s now the offensive line coach at Dayton University. </p>
<h2 id="BcawYA">8. 1997</h2>
<h3 id="d12rvz">RB Darnell Autry, 4th round, 105th overall to the Chicago Bears</h3>
<p id="V43TK4"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 24 games played, 10 games started, 224 rushes, 653 yards, 4 TD, 33 receptions, 334 yards, 1 TD</strong></p>
<h3 id="dFxRi3">LB Tim Scharf, 6th round, 164th overall to the New York Jets</h3>
<p id="mdPM62"><strong>NFL Career Stats: None</strong></p>
<h3 id="0K0qAx">DB Hudhaifa Ismaeli, 7th round, 203rd overall to the Miami Dolphins</h3>
<p id="t6R0fY"><strong>NFL Career Stats: None</strong></p>
<p id="Stj8J7">This is an interesting class, particularly because both Autry and Ismaeli left school early to declare for the draft. Both Scharf and Ismaeli were cut in training camp and never made it onto an NFL roster, although Ismaeli did come back and finish his Northwestern degree in 2005. Scharf bounced between a few practice squads but didn’t stick. He’s now a data scientist at a Chicago based software company. </p>
<p id="5aWvTu">Autry’s journey is a bit more muddled. He’s the sole reason that this class is up this high, but his NFL career is weird. He played for the Bears in 1997, but then was cut before the 1998 season and picked up by the Eagles. Then he quit football. He worked odd jobs for two years, lost his Evanston condo and fell into debt before getting a second chance with the Eagles in 2000. He saw the field a decent amount due to an injury to starting running back Duce Staley, but then was cut once again right before the 2001 season. He’s still beloved in Evanston, as he was brought back as Homecoming Grand Marshal in 2015. He currently lives in Arizona and is the CEO of his own production company. </p>
<h2 id="9Vc6aR">7. 2016</h2>
<h3 id="NGLLZ7">DE Dean Lowry, 4th round, 137th overall to the Green Bay Packers</h3>
<p id="N3Vbwj"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 15 games played, 8 tackles, 2.0 sacks</strong></p>
<h3 id="dPpNtz">FB Dan Vitale, 6th round, 197th overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers </h3>
<p id="pSg3ca"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 9 games played, 3 games started, 5 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards</strong></p>
<p id="JbSuUP">We’re jumping the gun here, but these two have already played more NFL games than a good majority of the others on the list, so they slot in here right around the middle. Lowry was a solid defensive end for the Packers last year and even recorded a sack of Russell Wilson. Vitale bounced around a bit before landing on the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately his <a href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000754740/Danny-Vitale-drops-potential-walk-in-TD-from-RGIII">biggest highlight was dropping an easy touchdown.</a> Anyway, both of these guys have seen the field in the NFL which is pretty good compared to a lot of these classes, hopefully they’ll be able to move up the ranks in the future. </p>
<h2 id="EYyDIC">6. 2015</h2>
<h3 id="vbUT9d">SS Ibraheim Campbell, 4th round, 115th overall to the Cleveland Browns</h3>
<p id="ijqXOE"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 29 games played, 8 games started, 64 tackles</strong></p>
<h3 id="5UjMyM">QB Trevor Siemian, 7th round, 250th overall to the Denver Broncos </h3>
<p id="y9aP5E"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 15 games played, 14 games started, 59.5% completion percentage, 3,401 yards, 18 TD, 10 INT, 57 rushing yards</strong></p>
<p id="UqSfmK">The 2015 class gets this spot more or less on the merits of Siemian being a starting quarterback for an entire season (<a href="http://milehighsports.com/broncos-quarterback-trevor-siemian-turns-down-pro-bowl-invitation/">a Pro Bowl starting quarterback too</a>). Campbell has been a solid platoon safety for the Browns as well. We’ll see what Touchdown Trevor is able to do in 2017, but this class has the opportunity to jump into the top five. </p>
<h2 id="Up0FAH">5. 1999</h2>
<h3 id="gAC1uZ">LB Barry Gardner, 2nd round, 35th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles</h3>
<p id="NUzxba"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 110 games played, 24 games started, 256 tackles, 7 passes defended, 1 INT, 6 forced fumbles</strong></p>
<h3 id="jzkdUR">WR D’Wayne Bates, 3rd round, 71st overall to the Chicago Bears</h3>
<p id="QpvfgX"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 47 games played, 21 games started, 80 receptions, 1,061 yards, 6 TD</strong></p>
<h3 id="lEMbQH">RB Sean Bennett, 4th round, 112th overall to the New York Giants</h3>
<p id="eNwxct"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 16 games played, 2 games started, 29 rushes, 126 yards, 1 TD, 9 receptions, 64 yards</strong></p>
<p id="KckgkH">Now this is where the decisions get hard. While the other eight classes aren’t exactly anything to write home about, the top five has some legit NFL players in it, starting with Barry Gardner and D’Wayne Bates in 1999. Gardner played seven full seasons in the NFL for the Jets, Browns and Eagles. While he wasn’t exactly an All-Pro linebacker, he was still a solid NFL player. His career ended after he was cut from the Patriots in 2006. He now does a bunch of different things to help players getting ready to be drafted or enter the league. Officially, he’s the Director of Player Development & NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor at the Institute of Athletes. </p>
<p id="KZwQML">Bates managed to hang around the Bears for a few season on special teams before making his way to Minnesota after the Bears waived him in 2003. Bates had his career best season in 2002 with the Vikings, but was traded to Tampa Bay following the 2003 season and promptly cut. He retired in 2005 and is currently the Athletic Director at Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Illinois.</p>
<p id="evVdWw">Sean Bennett was cursed. He was seen as a speedy running back with a ton of promise, but tore his knee and missed seven games of the 1999 season. After having surgery he missed the entire 2000 season and was never the same. He was cut by the Giants after the 2001 season and later spent a few years in the CFL and Indoor Football. He is currently a sales director in New York. </p>
<h2 id="Jy3Zi5">4. 2010</h2>
<h3 id="shHANS">DE Corey Wootton, 4th round, 109th overall to the Chicago Bears</h3>
<p id="LdDQi5"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 60 games played, 22 games started, 86 tackles, 12.0 sacks, 7 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles</strong></p>
<h3 id="nyWxeQ">QB Mike Kafka, 4th round, 122nd overall to the Philadelphia Eagles</h3>
<p id="1haXPZ"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 4 games played, 11-16, 107 yards, 2 INT</strong></p>
<h3 id="GgpVkW">CB Sherrick McManis, 5th round, 144th overall to the Houston Texans</h3>
<p id="8jyzUq"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 94 games played, 5 games started, 92 tackles, 1 INT, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble</strong></p>
<p id="S0e6g9">2010 doesn’t feature any real stars, but features a couple of solid NFL contributors in Corey Wootton and Sherrick McManis. Wootton was a genuine monster in the trenches when he was healthy, but unfortunately that wasn’t that often. He was plagued with knee injuries his entire NFL career, and last saw the field in 2014. His defining moment will be driving Brett Favre into the rock hard turf at TFC Bank Stadium in Minnesota and ending his career. Wootton just retired this past year and is now pursuing a career in broadcasting. </p>
<p id="wfw3gf">Mike Kafka was a star quarterback at Northwestern, but never really found a place in the NFL. He was a backup in Philadelphia for a couple years before spending the next few years on different practice squads. In 2016 he came back home as a graduate assistant with the Northwestern football team and is now the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive quality control coach.</p>
<p id="IccwVA">McManis is about to enter his 8th NFL season and his 6th with the Chicago Bears. He doesn’t play too much on defense, but has carved out a spot as a key special teams contributor.</p>
<h2 id="lJdI2z">3. 2002</h2>
<h3 id="nxIX3X">LB Napoleon Harris, 1st round, 23rd overall to the Oakland Raiders</h3>
<p id="WewGQf"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 100 games played, 73 games started, 481 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 4 INT, 15 passes defended, 5 forced fumbles</strong></p>
<h3 id="EKsWFB">LB Kevin Bentley, 4th round, 101st overall to the Cleveland Browns</h3>
<p id="ZEnu1u"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 136 games played, 37 games started, 415 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2 INT, 9 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles</strong></p>
<h3 id="cDLeac">WR Sam Simmons, 5th round, 170th overall to the Miami Dolphins</h3>
<p id="L0hPEP"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 11 games played, 8 punt returns, 3 kickoff returns</strong></p>
<p id="t72OOn">This class features two absolute beasts at linebacker. Napoleon Harris, one of Northwestern’s only ever first-round picks, and Kevin Bentley, a 10 year NFL veteran. Harris had a bit of an up and down career, playing for the Raiders, Chiefs and Vikings, but had a rookie year to remember, starting 13 regular games, both playoff games and then Super Bowl XXXVII. Harris was sent to the Vikings in the trade to the Vikings that got the Raiders Randy Moss. He had his best career year in 2007 for the Chiefs before getting cut that offseason and playing one more year for the Vikings and retiring. He’s now a Illinois state senator in the 15th district. </p>
<p id="XvPUOr">Bentley, surprisingly, had a longer career than Harris, playing for five teams over 10 years and making a Super Bowl appearance in 2005 with the Seahawks. After retiring from the NFL in 2012, Bentley got his MBA at Rice and now works in marketing in Atlanta. </p>
<p id="n8x1zO">Simmons was drafted as a return specialist on the Dolphins, but never really stuck around the NFL. He spent a couple years on the Dolphins and is now a teacher in Kansas City. </p>
<h2 id="cwj52U">2. 2005</h2>
<h3 id="xL50lS">DE Luis Castillo, 1st round, 28th overall to the San Diego Chargers</h3>
<p id="hWPphg"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 82 games played, 79 games started, 210 tackles, 19.0 sacks, 2 INT, 6 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles</strong></p>
<h3 id="w8btXE">T Trai Essex, 3rd round, 93rd overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers</h3>
<p id="IeMLnh"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 76 games played, 28 games started, </strong></p>
<h3 id="ZJmVec">RB Noah Herron, 7th round, 244th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers</h3>
<p id="Iomg7J"><strong>NFL Career Stats: </strong><strong> 23 games played, 85 rushing attempts, 273 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, 29 receptions, two receiving TDs</strong></p>
<p id="dARnSr">It was very hard to not put this as the top class in Northwestern history, especially since it has both Castillo and Essex in it. Castillo was a fantastic defensive end for the Chargers for six years, before breaking his leg one game into the 2011 season. It would prove to be a career ending injury for the former Wildcats standout and he retired in 2012. He now lives in San Diego and takes part in community outreach programs. </p>
<p id="ckVfoB">Essex was a solid offensive lineman for seven years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is a two-time Super Bowl Champion. Essex made a lot of money over the years filling in for a slew of injured Steelers linemen. In 2009, he started all 16 games at right guard. He was cut in 2012 and played two games for the Colts before retiring. He is now a color commenter for ESPN3. </p>
<p id="D0f8mn">Herron spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers after being signed off the Steelers practice squad, and even had a shot at the starting job in 2007 before injuring his knee and spending the season on injured reserve. He then bounced around on a couple practice squads before finally being cut by the Browns in 2009. He is now a ministry volunteer in Michigan. </p>
<h2 id="MApUN5">1. 2006</h2>
<h3 id="FMACaq">Barry Cofield, 4th round, 124th overall to the New York Giants</h3>
<p id="MUiObc"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 138 games played, 129 games started, 206 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 26 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, 1 kick blocked</strong></p>
<h3 id="izzMCq">Zach Strief, 7th round, 210th overall to the New Orleans Saints</h3>
<p id="9tV5KX"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 156 games played, 92 games started, Super Bowl XLIV champion</strong></p>
<h3 id="KqYw48">Tim McGarigle, 7th round, 221st overall to the St. Louis Rams</h3>
<p id="h5rJ4d"><strong>NFL Career Stats: 12 games played, 6 tackles</strong></p>
<p id="Knt392">Here it is, the best draft class in Northwestern history. Barry Cofield was a force for years at defensive tackle for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. Cofield was a part of the defensive line that sent the New England Patriots to 18-1 in Super Bowl XLII. Cofield was cut by the Redskins in 2015 and briefly brought in by the Giants, but was cut by them in early 2016. He hasn’t officially retired yet, but he owns a sports training facility in Orlando, Florida. </p>
<p id="0Dl2XW">Zach Strief has been one of the best right tackles in the NFL over the past five years and is still going strong on the Saints. He was named first team All-Pro by Pro Football Focus in 2013, and is heading into his 12th NFL season in 2017. </p>
<p id="kO1rJj">McGarigle is the odd man out here, as he spent the 2006 season on the Rams practice squad before playing 12 games in 2007. He was then cut during training camp in 2008 and would not return to the NFL. He played a couple season for the Florida Tuskers of the UFL under head coach Jay Gruden before coming back to Northwestern as a graduate assistant in 2011. He is now a linebackers’ coach with the Green Bay Packers.</p>
<p id="8Rhwzw">The combination of Cofield and Strief is what puts this class over the top. Two longtime NFL starters in the same class is incredibly rare for Northwestern, and they are both good. </p>
<p id="b3HBrL">Now that we’ve looked at all the players Northwestern has had drafted since 1996, one thing stands out: It’s really hard to stick around in the NFL. Most, if not all, of these guys were stars at Northwestern, but many of them didn’t even see the field once in the NFL. It’s a complete crapshoot, and it’s incredible that Northwestern even had this many successful draft classes. Here’s hoping the 2017 class is as successful as the 2006 class was. </p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/8/15550526/northwestern-nfl-draft-class-power-rankings-trai-essex-napoleon-harris-fitzgerald-zach-striefIan McCafferty2017-05-04T06:24:38-05:002017-05-04T06:24:38-05:00Pat Fitzgerald has had no success in the first two days of the NFL Draft
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Indiana at Northwestern" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7i2Mw76dIKVXLKWNCAOXv4He82c=/0x0:3138x2092/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54615113/usa_today_9624739.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It has been over a decade since a Wildcat was taken in the first three rounds of the draft. </p> <p id="CwHmaP">On May 6, 2016, Anthony Walker Jr. was <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2016/5/6/11606048/2017-nfl-mock-draft-anthony-walker-northwestern-football-highlights-draft-profile">projected to be a first-rounder</a> and the No. 18 overall pick by Rotoworld. Look-ahead mock drafts written one week after the past draft are worthless, but Walker was a third-team All-American. There was real hype. Then, as you’re no doubt aware, Walker declined somewhat in his junior year and his draft stock fell accordingly. Walker went in the <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/29/15476996/anthony-walker-junior-drafted-indianapolis-colts-linebacker-northwestern-wildcats-2017-fifth-round">fifth round to the Indianapolis Colts</a>, a full 119 picks after Rotoworld’s prediction a year earlier. </p>
<p id="HrAdIZ">Being selected in the NFL Draft at all is a massive accomplishment, don’t get me wrong. Walker has a real <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/2/15496722/anthony-walker-jr-indianapolis-colts-linebacker-preview-chris-ballard-chuck-pagano-robert-mathis">chance to succeed in Indianapolis</a>, and he could still have a great career. However, the ugly fact is that Northwestern has not had a first-round pick in the NFL Draft since Luis Castillo in 2005. That means Pat Fitzgerald has never had a player selected in the first three rounds since taking over almost 11 years ago. </p>
<p id="z4BINw">While this is an admittedly poor (but fun!) comparison, here are some non-FBS schools who have had a player selected in the first three rounds in the last <em>three</em> years alone: Northern Iowa, Villanova, Youngstown State, Charlotte, South Carolina State and Division III Hobart. </p>
<p id="rgM65v">This is slightly unfair, of course (and not because Hobart went 9-2 last year). The years after the death of Randy Walker were completely barren on the field and that translated to the draft, which is by no means anyone’s fault. Long-term, Northwestern hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse of NFL talent in the past 25 years. However, you could usually count on one or two Northwestern players making it to the first three rounds of the draft along with some mid-level prospects during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The problem is that guys like Trai Essex (3rd round in 2005), Napoleon Harris (2nd round in 2002) and Castillo are outliers now. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1IKPzIlDvVYrw_ZPE0fa4QkvYBc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/8461595/C_nQgVTXUAEOJjE__1_.jpg">
<cite>Ben Goren</cite>
</figure>
<p id="coHnjP">As you can see by this graph, Northwestern players are going later and later in the draft over the past 20 years. The correlation isn’t very strong (r=0.08), but it’s certainly far from any improvement. It’s mostly influenced by the fact that Fitzgerald hasn’t been able to produce any of those three sub-100 dots on the bottom left. The sample size is far from significant, but there aren’t 2,000 Monte Carlo simulations of NFL Drafts, so it’s the best we have. </p>
<p id="iujGY2">This is not a surprise. As the tradition goes, Northwestern, first and foremost, is an academically-focused institution based on a culture of long-term growth. Northwestern keeps it players for four years, and that hurts their draft stock. Northwestern can’t regularly recruit the kinds of players that make NFL scouts pay attention. It’s just how it goes. The standards are kept low. Northwestern has at least gotten fringe NFL players into the league over the past few years, which is an improvement over the blank stretch from 2007-2009. </p>
<p id="PvpMgE">But in 2017, I think this narrative is faltering for a few reasons. For one, Northwestern is now getting top athletes. Odenigbo and Walker were both top prospects at some point in their careers, and yet something happened on the way to draft day. Northwestern players such as Dan Vitale, Dean Lowry and Odenigbo always seem to impress in the combine. Anthony Walker Jr. was, again, a third-team All-American as a sophomore. Northwestern is not a school of four-year climbers like Austin Carr. Despite the academic restrictions, Fitzgerald and the recruiting staff are trying to and getting NFL-ready athletes. Yet somehow, they still don’t get taken in the first two days. </p>
<p id="2EQqlK">Some of this is the NFL’s fault. The NFL has become <a href="https://theringer.com/the-nfl-has-an-age-problem-7068825845e4">obsessed with youth</a> due to the salary cap rules. This has hurt the quality of the NFL, but it’s also making the Northwestern expectation of a fourth year extremely costly in terms of draft value. The NFL, frankly, is also still not very good at evaluating talent. Trevor Siemian, a good NFL quarterback, should probably have been a <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-browns-need-a-great-qb-which-is-why-they-didnt-draft-one/">first or second-round pick</a>. Zach Strief (7th round, 2006) should’ve gone in the first or second rounds. </p>
<p id="VDdp07">College football is also significantly better at finding and developing prospects since 1997. The competition pool to become a professional athlete is rapidly expanding. Northwestern, with its preordained drawbacks, may not be able to keep up. </p>
<p id="VCMxK1">On the other hand, the lack of player development at Northwestern has to be concerning. While Siemian was undervalued by the NFL, he was also clearly undercut by playing in Northwestern’s offense. If he played at a big school with a good offense like Bryce Petty at Baylor (a fourth-round pick in Siemian’s year), I doubt Siemian would have gone in the back end of the seventh, even though he’s much, much better than Bryce Petty (sorry, Jets fans). </p>
<p id="bv1tev">This year, it’s a similar story. Odenigbo’s recruiting pedigree withered over four years. Maybe that was inevitable, maybe it wasn’t. Walker declined in his junior year. Maybe that was bad injury luck. Maybe having him add weight over the offseason was bad management. The much-bemoaned decline of Northwestern’s offensive line has shut off possible top recruits from that position group. There are excuses and explanations everywhere. </p>
<p id="220Tad">There are no good solutions, but we can always look where the grass is greener. Big Ten West rivals Wisconsin and Iowa repeatedly churn out players with solid draft pedigrees. So do Stanford and Notre Dame, schools with similar academic restrictions. Heck, even Illinois has one or two such players every year. Over the past decade, that just hasn’t happened at Northwestern. Maybe Northwestern’s gotten unlucky and maybe NFL teams are dumb, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Everyone agrees that with Fitzgerald receiving big money indefinitely, Northwestern needs to start consistently challenging for Big Ten titles. Everyone agrees that landing top-tier talents in recruiting is a necessity to reach this goal. </p>
<p id="ViINOe">But to recruit top players in college football, the next level has to be part of the recruiting pitch. Northwestern needs more high-end recruits like Earnest Brown IV and Devin O’Rourke to continue its progress in the Big Ten. They, presumably, want to play in the NFL. Anyone with a four-star rating or above can conceive it as a legitimate possibility. But when Ifeadi Odenigbo, Northwestern’s highest-rated recruit ever, goes in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, the NFL angle becomes really hard to justify in the process. Northwestern players have barely sniffed guaranteed money in the NFL Draft over the last decade. </p>
<p id="lVOw3z">This could definitely change in the next few years. Clayton Thorson <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/1/15492432/clayton-thorson-2018-nfl-draft-quarterback-prospect-mitchell-trubisky-browns-pat-fitzgerald">could go in the first two days</a>, whenever he decides to leave. Godwin Igwebuike has the skills and tape to draw the attention of NFL scouts. Guys like Tyler Lancaster, Montre Hartage and Joe Gaziano could flip the script. We haven’t seen it yet, though.</p>
<p id="ACNIJN">It’s not Pat Fitzgerald’s main job to prepare players for the NFL. Far from it—his job is to build the best college football team to represent Northwestern that he can. This plan is going reasonably well. But I think it’s fair to say that the program will truly reach Wisconsin-esque consistency and success if two things happen. One: it starts consistently recruiting NFL talent. Two, and this is just as important if not more important: it begins developing that talent to the point where Northwestern regularly has at least a player or two taken on the first couple nights of the draft. </p>
<p id="fbLbnH">Even at a school with a high academic pedigree, there’s no excuse for this negative trend to continue during the next stage of Fitzgerald’s tenure. Jim Phillips is pouring money into the program’s facilities and coaches, and now Fitzgerald and his staff need to start turning recruiting momentum into draft-night momentum. </p>
<p id="5kMW5t"></p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/4/15539790/northwestern-nfl-draft-lack-success-bad-anthony-walker-ifeadi-odenigbo-trevor-siemianTristan Jung2017-05-03T08:01:01-05:002017-05-03T08:01:01-05:00Northwestern’s 2018 NFL Draft prospects
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Pinstripe Bowl-Northwestern vs Pittsburgh" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iqkntodFJWo-k8wG05yq2LnmNAU=/0x0:2378x1585/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54595521/usa_today_9772314.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Let’s take a look at some Wildcats who may be on NFL teams this time next year.</p> <p id="0unHPj">This past week saw Anthony Walker Jr. and Ifeadi Odenigbo get drafted into the NFL, making this the third straight year that Northwestern has produced two draft picks. The NFL has shown some recent interest in Evanston’s finest, which begs the question: who will be next?</p>
<p id="DPrtRQ">Going into the 2017 season, Northwestern has 17 seniors on the roster and 14 redshirt juniors. Given that most Northwestern players finish their degrees, these 31 players are the extent of the pool we will examine. Now, of course, most of these players won’t get drafted, and many might not even see much of the field in 2017. However, there are a few that have a legitimate chance to make it to the next level, whether that is right now, or after one more great season. </p>
<p id="zlq4Df">It’s probably too early to start talking about this, but there are only 358 days till the 2018 NFL Draft, which means we need to get started right away. </p>
<h1 id="jAkCm8">Safety - Godwin Igwebuike </h1>
<p id="uQKMOO">Igwebuike is a near lock to be drafted next year, as long as 2017 goes smoothly. The hard-hitting safety considered declaring for the 2017 draft. <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2016/12/28/14102432/northwestern-wildcats-anthony-walker-jr-godwin-igwebuike-nfl-draft-advisory-board-feedback">He and Walker both asked for feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board</a>. While Walker did wind up leaving and getting drafted, Igwebuike decided to come back for his senior season. Given the fact that Walker didn’t go until the fifth round, that was probably a solid decision. </p>
<p id="8nokd2">In 2017, Igwebuike will be the leader of the defense and have a chance to add to his already impressive tape. He’s a rangy safety that can cover and come down and play in the box. His versatility will ensure that someone will take at least take a flyer on him if it comes to that. If we compare his stats to Ibraheim Campbell, the last Northwestern safety to get drafted, he has a real shot to be pretty highly drafted.</p>
<div id="BREQf7"><div data-anthem-component="table:431452"></div></div>
<p id="PtEtnN">Campbell was drafted in the fourth round, at No. 115 overall to the Cleveland Browns in 2015. With the exception of interceptions, Igwebuike has pretty much done in three years what Campbell did in four. If he can replicate his 2016 stats in 2017, he may get drafted in third round or even higher depending on how the class pans out. </p>
<h1 id="902ghV">Running Back - Justin Jackson</h1>
<p id="izSUmZ">The other big name alongside Igwebuike, Justin Jackson has been one of the best running backs in all of college football the past few years. He’s received All-Big Ten honors all three years (honorable mention, second team, first team) while rushing for an obscene 3905 yards and 27 touchdowns. He absolutely took over the Pinstripe Bowl on national television and people took notice. </p>
<p id="Gt8hmC">Jackson comes back for his senior year gunning for the Northwestern all-time rushing record and has a real shot to cement his spot in the first two days of the draft. The only concerns will be his usage — he’ll almost certainly top 1000 collegiate carries — and his speed. But he’s shown time and time again that he’s one of the shiftiest running backs in the country and dominates because of it. His speed and workload in college could be a problem, but he should get a shot in the NFL. </p>
<p id="yxoRTo">There were some people who thought that Jackson should have declared after last year, but he wanted to come back and finish his degree. If he can put together another solid season, he too has a chance to be the earliest Wildcat to hear his name called since 2005. </p>
<h1 id="w3gakN">Defensive Tackle - Tyler Lancaster </h1>
<p id="R1DW5y">Lancaster is an athletic freak; he’s 6-foot-3, 310 pounds and can allegedly bench 225 pounds 40 times. But he hasn’t entirely been able to transfer that onto the field as of yet. Now a lot of that has to do with the fact that he was double-teamed a lot last year, but still only 59 tackles, 9.0 TFL and 1.5 sacks aren’t huge numbers for his two years as a starter. The sacks aren’t too much of a concern, since he plays defensive tackle, but he’ll need a big season to really jump firmly onto draft boards. </p>
<p id="59bfyL">The last defensive tackle to get drafted from Northwestern was Barry Cofield in the fourth round in 2006. During Cofield’s senior campaign, he recorded 62 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and 1 INT. A season like that would probably get Lancaster onto draft boards. He certainly has the physical skill and power to play in the NFL, now is the time to make his arrival known. </p>
<h1 id="A9bOlJ">Safety Kyle Queiro </h1>
<p id="UEyhyQ">Queiro has had injuries problems throughout his career at Northwestern, but finally got on the field in 2016. While he will be overshadowed by Igwebuike, Queiro was still quite impressive, recording 50 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 7 pass defenses and one <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2016/10/22/13367464/kyle-queiro-one-handed-interception">absurdly good interception</a>. He plays more as a free safety alongside Igwebuike and should put up solid numbers when healthy. He’ll get a look at the NFL, but unless he really impresses in 2017, it probably won’t be through the draft. </p>
<h1 id="eLPTOD">Wide Receiver - Solomon Vault</h1>
<p id="3pw2oL">Vault’s speed makes him an intriguing prospect, but he would need to have an absurd 2017 to get a look in next year’s draft. He only has two years as a collegiate wide receiver. While he was good in spurts last season, he doesn’t yet have the numbers to propel him onto any draft boards. He has just 32 receptions for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns so far. He’s also a bit small for an NFL wide receiver, coming in at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, and we all know how obsessed the NFL is with size. However, we’ve also seen plenty of speed guys go as return specialists, and that’s where Vault really has a chance. If he can take a couple more back for TDs in 2017, a team will almost certainly bring him in as an undrafted free agent. The flashier the returns, the better. </p>
<h1 id="cFRkL5">Superback - Garrett Dickerson </h1>
<p id="toV9kG">This would be more of a physical fit than anything else at this point. He would need around 90 catches and over 1000 yards in 2018 to match Dan Vitale’s college stats, so unless he becomes a monster pass catcher this year, it’ll be up to his physical skills to get him in. His ability to block doesn’t hurt either. Dickerson has the build to play fullback or tight end in the NFL. If he can show some more development in the passing game this year, he’ll get a look. </p>
<h1 id="b3uLqM">Potential Juniors </h1>
<p id="FssSmM">The current junior with the most NFL potential is probably cornerback Montre Hartage, but he’s a true junior this year, so unless he has a season for the record books, he’ll probably be staying another year. Other than Hartage, the only players that may even consider leaving with a year of eligibility left may be Nate Hall and Clayton Thorson. <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/1/15492432/clayton-thorson-2018-nfl-draft-quarterback-prospect-mitchell-trubisky-browns-pat-fitzgerald">We covered Thorson on Monday,</a> but Hall would need a monster season (i.e. Anthony Walker 2015) to decide to leave early. Thorson may have a real shot if he plays well enough, but at this point only graduating seniors will be the ones heading to the draft in 2018. </p>
<h1 id="S8eBQB">Outlook</h1>
<p id="NFEIeQ">As we sit here in early May 2017, the likeliest scenario would be that Godwin Igwebuike and Justin Jackson are drafted in 2018. Tyler Lancaster may get drafted but is more likely to end up as an undrafted free agent. Plenty can change over the next year, though. This time last year, we likely wouldn’t have expected Ifeadi Odenigbo to sneak into the draft and we would’ve called you crazy if you said Austin Carr would be a New England Patriot.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/3/15527178/northwestern-2018-nfl-draft-preview-prospects-justin-jackson-godwin-igwebuike-tyler-lancasterIan McCafferty2017-05-02T05:27:31-05:002017-05-02T05:27:31-05:00How Anthony Walker Jr. fits with the Indianapolis Colts
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Outback Bowl-Northwestern vs Tennessee" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ANylal30jefnUcLORRqiluUiKyc=/0x0:4134x2756/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54572259/usa_today_9029836.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Franchise enters a five-man competition for Indy’s two starting middle linebacker spots. </p> <p id="IQVfjU">Selected in the fifth round of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">2017 NFL Draft</a>, <span>Anthony Walker Jr.</span> — the first Northwestern player to declare early for the Draft under head coach Pat Fitzgerald — <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/29/15476996/anthony-walker-junior-drafted-indianapolis-colts-linebacker-northwestern-wildcats-2017-fifth-round">is an Indianapolis Colt.</a> But with the draft process now out of the way, Walker’s focus will now shift to the Colts’ minicamp May 12-14, where he’ll look to begin his quest to earn playing time next season. </p>
<p id="20bJdX"><strong>Overview of the Colts’ defense</strong></p>
<p id="OAA7BM">When new General Manager Chris Ballard took over this offseason, his first big task was to rebuild a Colts defense that ranked 30th in yards allowed per game last season. Considering Indianapolis’ complete failure to defend the run over the past four years or so, something had to be done. </p>
<p id="3QBeQy">After the retirement of pass-rusher Robert Mathis, the Colts signed <span>Jabaal Sheard</span>, Barkevious Mingo and <span>John Simon</span> to solidify the outside linebacker position. Along with that trio, Ballard brought in former Giants defensive tackle <span>Johnathan Hankins</span> to aid a defense that ranked 25th in the league in rushing yards allowed last season. </p>
<p id="gld1UY">At inside linebacker (our main focus), the Colts retain Edwin Jackson and <span>Antonio Morrison</span>, a duo that started together at the back end of the 2016 season. To add depth at the position, the team also added Jon Bostic and <span>Sean Spence</span> in the offseason. </p>
<p id="UV6ZeM">Indy’s offseason focus on revamping its defense continued in the draft; the Colts spent six of their eight picks on defensive players, including their first three selections. </p>
<p id="ah6fjW">System-wise, the Colts run a 3-4 system under head coach Chuck Pagano. So, three down lineman are meant to occupy space and blockers, which allows the middle linebackers to attack the line of scrimmage. The outside linebackers are expected to provide width in the box and rush the passer. </p>
<p id="o5mtz0">With <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> cornerback <span>Vontae Davis</span> and second-round corner <span>Quincy Wilson</span> on the outside, the Colts will likely play a lot of man-to-man coverage in the secondary. The middle linebackers, then, will have to cover tight ends and running backs in the passing game, in addition to their duties filling gaps against the run. </p>
<p id="CquuYf"><strong>Where Walker stands</strong></p>
<p id="FzZeKL">Including Walker, there are five players competing for the two starting middle linebacker spots. Having started four games together for the Colts last season, Jackson and Morrison should have the inside tracks to land those two spots. In the four games they started together last season, the Colts allowed 20.3 points per game, better than their season average of 24.5 points per game, for what that’s worth.</p>
<p id="oOvRA2">Bostic and Spence are also worthy candidates for the starting spots, but it’s tough to project either as a starter given their relative lack of experience in defensive coordinator Ted Monachino’s defense. </p>
<p id="pSelAh">Of those four players, Spence is the oldest at 26. For Walker, being thrown into such a young group of inside backers is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Walker won’t have a truly accomplished veteran to learn from and emulate. On the other hand, with no clear-cut starters, Walker will have an opportunity to make an impact early in his career. </p>
<p id="XcpGzH">It’s tough to project how a rookie will adapt to life in the NFL, but it’s also probably a stretch to say Walker will win one of the two starting spots right away. Regardless, he should at least see some snaps this season as a backup. For a defense that struggled so mightily last season, Monachino may be inclined to give his new additions a chance to play. </p>
<p id="eBO9rX"><strong>The bottom line</strong></p>
<p id="pJhvw3">Like most fifth-round picks, Walker’s path to immediately seeing the field is lengthy. It will take time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the professional game, but Walker is in a prime position to make an impression at some point. As the youngest inside linebacker in an already-young group, he will need to improve his fluidity in coverage and his ability to get off blocks in the box to stick at the next level. But with the work ethic and mental makeup Walker has, that’s entirely possible. </p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/2/15496722/anthony-walker-jr-indianapolis-colts-linebacker-preview-chris-ballard-chuck-pagano-robert-mathisCaleb Friedman2017-05-01T07:01:01-05:002017-05-01T07:01:01-05:00Examining Clayton Thorson’s potential for the 2018 Draft
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<figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Could Thorson leave early? It’s certainly possible. </p> <p id="q46TBr">The 2017 NFL draft just ended, which saw Northwestern’s Anthony Walker Jr. and Ifeadi Odenigbo selected in the 5th and 7th rounds, respectively. Walker was the first Wildcat in 20 years to declare early for the NFL Draft, and next year, quarterback Clayton Thorson could very well do the same.</p>
<p id="EFbL8y">If Thorson has a good year, is set to graduate in four years (like Walker Jr.), and wants to pursue a career in the NFL, he would likely forgo his redshirt senior year at Northwestern. There will always be a market for tall, athletic quarterbacks in the NFL. Teams are still <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-browns-need-a-great-qb-which-is-why-they-didnt-draft-one/">quite bad at evaluating quarterback talent</a>, but that leaves the door open for fresh faces like Thorson to make an impact.</p>
<p id="rmwy6S">The 2017 Draft should shed some light on Thorson’s NFL hopes next year. Let’s take a look at all ten of the quarterbacks selected this year compared to Thorson: </p>
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<p id="IaOgm5">The most important thing is that Thorson has the build of an NFL quarterback. All ten of the drafted quarterbacks fell between 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-5, weighing between 214 and 233 pounds. Thorson emphatically checks those boxes. </p>
<p id="orwIwa">(Quick side note, how did C.J. Beathard get drafted in the 3rd round? He was not very good last season but went 21-6 in his career in Iowa City. Actually, Clayton Thorson is 17-9 in two years. That bodes well.)</p>
<p id="Rw8qgB">Statistically, Thorson compares favorably to the ten quarterbacks drafted. He would be in the bottom tier for completion percentage and passing touchdowns, but his yardage totals, interceptions, and rushing numbers all fall in the middle tier. If you take Thorson’s rushing numbers from his freshman year where he ran for 397 yards and 5 touchdowns, it’s easy to see he has similar mobility to Trubisky. If Thorson had entered this year’s draft he likely would have been a ‘Day Three’ selection; the numbers and his skillset certainly reflect that. </p>
<p id="qSmcsf">When we look at the numbers, it’s important to remember the respective teams that a quarterback plays on. Thorson was sacked an atrocious 38 times and still managed a respectable 58.6 completion percentage. That was the 3rd most times sacked out of all FBS quarterbacks. To put that into perspective, Trubisky was sacked 20 times, Watson 17 times, and Kelly and Webb 16 times apiece. At the very least, Thorson has learned to deal with pressure. Just look at these two touchdown throws against <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDwY8NDAEzA">Indiana</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX2J1NbQJ1k">Wisconsin</a>. He did not make those throws in his freshman year.</p>
<p id="ddVYu2">Thorson will never put up the gaudy numbers of Mahomes at Texas Tech (or any other Big 12 quarterback for that matter) or Webb with Sonny Dykes’ Air Raid offense. But with better pass protection and better offensive weapons, there’s no reason why Thorson couldn’t put up comparable numbers to Trubisky. At North Carolina, Trubisky threw to two fourth-round wide receivers in Mack Hollins and Ryan Switzer, as well as fifth-round pass-catching running back T.J. Logan. At Clemson, Deshaun Watson threw to wide receiver and No. 7 overall pick Mike Williams and fifth-round tight end Jordan Leggett. </p>
<p id="THCz7W">In fairness, Thorson had Austin Carr, 2016’s Big Ten Receiver of the Year. Carr’s breakout earned him a <a href="http://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/29/15486806/austin-carr-signs-patriots-tom-brady-bill-belichick-wes-welker-julian-edelman">shot with the New England Patriots</a>, but Thorson’s development is often overlooked when discussing Carr’s success. Unfortunately, there’s an 800 yard drop-off in receiving yards behind Carr right now. If Thorson had better pass protection and a few NFL-bound targets to throw to, his numbers would likely reflect that of a quarterback chosen among the first couple of rounds in the NFL Draft rather than a 5th or 6th-rounder. </p>
<p id="vDtbpL">Of course, this is all hypothetical because Thorson will return to Northwestern next year, his third season as a starter. He won’t have twice as good pass protection or a few NFL-bound wide receivers. Instead, Thorson will have to do what is under his control, and that’s get his completion percentage up. As he completes more passes, the yards and touchdown totals will follow suit. </p>
<p id="o6e0gD">He’s grown tremendously since his freshman season, and if Thorson can continue to develop, it may well be be the second consecutive year a Wildcat opts for the NFL early. Thorson has the size, athleticism, and intangibles to be an early selection in 2018. With an improvement on last year’s promising season, the Wheaton native could be among the first 32 selections. Even if Thorson has a similar year to 2016, he could hear his name called on the first two days of the NFL Draft. </p>
<p id="YB7k5A">Back in November, ESPN’s Mel Kiper had Thorson on his <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2017/insider/story/_/id/18008341/nfl-draft-2017-top-10-prospects-every-position-mel-kiper">list of Top 10 quarterback prospects</a> for the 2017 draft, which went relatively unnoticed. Thorson will very likely be on Kiper’s list for 2018. It will be a good year for quarterbacks, possibly headlined by Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen from the Pac-12, Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, and Wyoming’s Josh Allen. With a strong junior year, Thorson may find himself on that list as well. </p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2017/5/1/15492432/clayton-thorson-2018-nfl-draft-quarterback-prospect-mitchell-trubisky-browns-pat-fitzgeraldMartin Oppegaard2017-04-30T12:15:27-05:002017-04-30T12:15:27-05:002017 NFL Draft reaction video: Ifeadi Odenigbo, Austin Carr
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<p>In this edition of Inside NU’s war room, we break down the Vikings’ selection of Ifeadi Odenigbo and analyze Austin Carr going undrafted.</p> <p id="osjrNe"><em>Here is part 2 of our video analysis from the Inside NU NFL Draft war room. Will Ragatz, co-Editor in Chief and a diehard Vikings fan, breaks down what Ifeadi Odenigbo could bring to Minnesota and the Vikings' depth at defensive end. Then, he is joined by Josh Burton to analyze Austin Carr going undrafted and make a pitch for NFL teams to sign the productive receiver (who would go on to sign with the New England Patriots, because of course).</em></p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2017/4/30/15491206/2017-nfl-draft-reaction-video-ifeadi-odenigbo-draft-minnesota-vikings-austin-carr-patriotsWill RagatzJosh Burton