Six Tigers projected in The Athletic's seven-round NFL draft prediction |
The Athletic's draft guru Dane Brugler released his mega-breakdown
of every possible draft prospect and where they could go ($) in next week's NFL draft (April 27-29 in Kansas City) -- and there's a good group of Tigers who could hear their name called.
Myles Murphy is the first to come off the board at No. 12 to Houston in his call. "The Texans have three picks in the top 33 and ideally want to land a passer, edge rusher and interior defensive lineman with those selections," Brugler said. "You’ll come away from Murphy’s tape wanting more, but there is no denying his ability and traits to continue growing at a key position." Murphy is the No. 5 edge rusher according to Brugler with a first/second-round grade. His D-line teammate Bryan Bresee is pegged to join a number of Tigers in Jacksonville, at pick No. 24. "The Jaguars could go in a number of different directions here, including defensive tackle, where they have shown plenty of interest in Bresee," said Brugler. "The Clemson product dealt with injuries and personal tragedy over the past two seasons, so we have only seen flashes of what he can do. Jacksonville would be getting a steal here." Bresee is tabbed as the No. 2 defensive tackle in the class with a first-round grade. Trenton Simpson isn't picked to wait long on Day 2 of the draft at No. 38 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Simpson is ranked as the No. 2 linebacker with a first/second-round grade. "Simpson must continue developing his play recognition to translate his immense talent into playmaking production," Brugler said, "but he is an active ball hunter with the pursuit speed and appetite for contact to fill multiple roles. He projects best in a fast-flowing defense where he can be a run-and-hit backer and handle overhang responsibilities." Projected to go 104th overall in the fourth round to Houston, Davis Allen is given a third to fourth-round grade by Brugler as the No. 9 tight end in the class. "Allen isn’t overly dynamic as a receiver, but his body control and catch radius are among the best in this tight end draft class, and he shows real promise as a blocker. With his talent and character, he has intriguing development potential," Brugler said. KJ Henry is ranked as the No. 20 edge rusher with a fourth-round grade, although Brugler picks him to go with the second pick of the fifth round by Buffalo. "Henry isn’t the biggest or fastest and isn’t built to be an every-down impact player in the NFL, but he plays wit burst, hustle and know-how to break down the rhythm of blockers in different ways. He has the tools to compete for a sub-rusher role as a rookie," Brugler said. Jordan McFadden is rated as the No. 8 offensive guard prospect in the class with a fourth-round grade, but Brugler predicts him to join Tremayne Anchrum in Los Angeles later in the fifth round (pick 167 to the Rams). "McFadden’s balance breaks down late into his reps, especially when rushers get inside his body, but he has the play traits and functional skill to compete for early NFL playing time. He projects best inside as a guard who can kick outside to tackle in a pinch," Brugler said. Joseph Ngata checked in at No. 49 in Brugler's WR rankings and is a projected undrafted free agent signing. "Ngata naturally uses his body length to make full-extension grabs over defenders, but his struggles to create his own separation will be a challenging mountain to climb," said Brugler. BT Potter is rated as the fifth-best kicker and an undrafted free agent.
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