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Which Buffs get drafted next year... and where?

Joe Theismann's Leg

Well-Known Member
So this year it's not looking like the Buffs will have a drafted player (though Spruce may have been a late round guy if he had declared.) What does next year bring?

None of the juniors seem real threats to jump ship but the seniors are:

DB Jared Bell
CB Ken Crawley
OL Stephane Nembot
RB Christian Powell
WR Nelson Spruce
DL Josh Tupou

Where do these guys get drafted, if at all?
 
Nembot, Spruce, Tupou, and Crawley. First two have a shot to be second day picks. Other two are third day picks.
 
The NFL loves it some raw, high-upside players - I could see Nembot going in the first round if he kills it this year.
 
I think the one thing that concerns me most going forward is we do not seem to have many draftable front seven players.
 
Nesbit is too slow to be a LT. Leonard Williams absolutely ran by him in multiple plays this year. 5 players.
 
I think Crawley and Tupou could creep into the 2nd day with good years.

From what I can tell KC wants it more than anyone. I think he'll have a monster year and improve his draft stock a lot.


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Nesbit is too slow to be a LT. Leonard Williams absolutely ran by him in multiple plays this year. 5 players.
Nembot has everything you want athletically to be a dominant tackle in the NFL. He's extremely athletic.
 
Crawley's only issue at this point is making a play on the ball that results in interceptions or forcing fumbles. If he can do that in 2015, he could be a day one or day two pick. He is the prototypical corner and just needs to break out in the turnover department. He took a huge step in 2014.

Nembot will probably be a day one or day two pick if he just performs like he did in 2014. NFL GM's love Tackles with his athleticism and size.

Spruce and Tupou will get picked in later rounds. Spruce does everything right and will make some NFL team very happy picking him. I would love for the Broncos to pick him up.

This 2015 seniors are probably the best NFL talent CU has had in a long time.
 
Nembot isn't going in the first 3 rounds, get's beat to often around the edge. His feet have gotten much better but still aren't quick enough to be a high pick.

Crawley has to get better at playing the ball, if he does his speed and athletic ability will overcome his limited size, he could move up into the second day but likely a 3rd day guy.

Tupou is another one of those guys who will never have great stats but could control the middle of the line of scrimmage for multiple years. If he has a good senior season a middle round choice.

Powell doesn't have a position. Not fast enough or nimble enough to be an NFL RB, to concussion prone to be a FB, and they don't get drafted a lot anyways. UDFA

Bell intrigues me because he is a guy who makes plays. A safety who will hit but also can cover. With all that he is a little undersized for what the NFL wants in safeties and his injury history will keep him from getting drafted as well. UDFA

Spruce needs a big year to move up. The pros love WRs who look great at the combine, Spruce looks better on film that in shorts and a tee-shirt. With that I could see some team falling in love with him. Could go as high as the 3rd round.
 
1. Nembot will absolutely get picked before the first 3 rounds are over. He will put up very good numbers at the combine/pro day and is an extremely athletic tackle. The light came on for him the second half of the season and he became a monster.

2. Crawley is like Nembot. Ideal size and athleticism. If he can intercept a few passes, with his size and how hot CB's are in the league right now he will move up a lot.
 
Why is Spurce's athleticism downplayed so often?

Hand-eye coordination and the ability to get into & out of breaks is the best I've ever seen at CU.

Maybe because his straight line speed is about average for a Pac-12 WR?
 
Hand-eye coordination and the ability to get into & out of breaks is the best I've ever seen at CU.

Maybe because his straight line speed is about average for a Pac-12 WR?

Spruce is a great college WR on a team that only has 2 that are worthy of starting in the Pac 12 (last year), but he doesn't have elite size or speed to be a 1st or 2nd day WR, IMO.
 
Spruce is a great college WR on a team that only has 2 that are worthy of starting in the Pac 12 (last year), but he doesn't have elite size or speed to be a 1st or 2nd day WR, IMO.

Teams are going to pass on him because he won't get them excited at the combine.

It may be my bias but he looks like one of those guys who is just fast enough to get consistently open and just big enough to make the plays. He will be a long term contributor in the NFL while a bunch of guys who got drafted before him are back home wondering why nobody wants to give them another shot.
 
Teams are going to pass on him because he won't get them excited at the combine.

It may be my bias but he looks like one of those guys who is just fast enough to get consistently open and just big enough to make the plays. He will be a long term contributor in the NFL while a bunch of guys who got drafted before him are back home wondering why nobody wants to give them another shot.

Fact is, he's no more than an outside #2 or slot WR in the NFL and teams don't spend a premium pick (1st-3rd) on that kind of receiver.

He is a good enough route runner and has great hands, so I believe he could thrive with the right QB, but he will never be an "above the X's and O's" player.
 
Why is Spurce's athleticism downplayed so often?

He's white. Everyone knows Caucasians are unathletic, can't dance and wear socks with sandals.

Fact is, he's no more than an outside #2 or slot WR in the NFL and teams don't spend a premium pick (1st-3rd) on that kind of receiver.

He is a good enough route runner and has great hands, so I believe he could thrive with the right QB, but he will never be an "above the X's and O's" player.

Teams use 1-3 picks all the time on guys who might not be slotted as true #1 guys. It's a passing driven league and guys with Spruce's ball skills and hands have proven to have a ton of worth over the last few years. If he has another record setting type season, a second day hardly seems out of the question.
 
Nembot:1-5
Crawley: 2-6
Spruce: 4-7
Sorry, Tupou: 3-6

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CBSSports Position Rankings:

Nelson Spruce - 3rd WR overall

Stephane Nembot - 13th OT overall

Ken Crawley - 13th CB Overall

Josh Tupou - 5th DT overall

Just for fun, here's 2017 rankings:

Addison Gillam - 7th ILB overall (Really hope he can get back to that)

Alex Kelley - 13th C overall

Jeromy Irwin - 16th OT overall

Sefo Liufau - 18th QB overall
 
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I think spruce goes in the third. Not a 4.4 guy, but he's proven that he can beat CBs with sold route running. Dude has some of the best hands I've seen on a buffs team since Simas. He creates enough space for an NFL QB to be able to thread it if he needs to. That's all that matters.
 
I think the one thing that concerns me most going forward is we do not seem to have many draftable front seven players.

Are you talking offense or defense? On defense the only one I see is Gilliam if he packs on weight. On the offensive line I actually see a couple prospects. Alex Kelly could easily be a mid rounder in two years. Irwin looks on track to move inside and be a late rounder in two years as well.
 
Are you talking offense or defense? On defense the only one I see is Gilliam if he packs on weight. On the offensive line I actually see a couple prospects. Alex Kelly could easily be a mid rounder in two years. Irwin looks on track to move inside and be a late rounder in two years as well.

I was talking about defense.
 
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