Does the streak grow to 80 years on Friday night?
To no surprise, no Michigan State players were selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. While a day one pick in this bunch was always unlikely, there’s a shot for a few MSU alums to get selected during day two. Which Spartans have a shot at being the one to extend MSU’s streak of having at least one player selected in the NFL Draft to 80 straight years? Well, there are a few candidates out of the 14 draft eligible prospects.
Josiah Scott, Cornerback
Scott has appeared the highest out of all of MSU’s prospects on the most number of big boards. However, his range has been quite wide. I’ve seen him taken in the third round of mock drafts and I’ve seen him taken in the seventh round of other mock drafts. Scott projects as a quality nickel corner at the NFL level and boasts good technique and athleticism for the position. Is the third round the appropriate time to take a sub-package defender? In today’s NFL it just might be given how many teams are using three-plus wide receiver formations. Scott is my best bet to come off the board first, some time in round three.
Kenny Willekes, Defensive end
Willekes was probably the answer to this query going into the 2019 season. His consensus stock has dipped a bit over the last calendar year and now Willekes is firmly entrenched as a middle rounds pick. A team picking in round three could do a lot worse than a competitive as hell edge setter who lacks a little bit in the athleticism and anchor department. There’s certainly a chance some team has fallen in love with Willekes, who started his MSU career as a walk-on and developed to the point of being a sure fire draft pick. Willekes is going to get the most out of whatever his talent and coaching allows of him and that might be enough to get him picked in the third round.
Joe Bachie, Inside linebacker
Joe Bachie is another player whose stock has been all over the place. Some evaluators have him as MSU’s best NFL prospect, while others think he’s a seventh round pick. Bachie certainly checks a number of boxes from a mental and leadership standpoint, despite his PED suspension at the back end of his senior year. Worries about athleticism could keep him waiting into day three, but there’s a shot a team thinks they can develop him into an every-down linebacker at the next level and grabs him in round three.
Raequan Williams, Defensive tackle
Raequan Williams would be the least likely to go on day two if I were setting the odds, just based on what the consensus opinion of him seems to be. He seems pretty penciled in as going somewhere around the fifth round, but the argument for taking him higher would be that his intangibles are off the charts and he still has a lot of development that can be done in terms of strength and athleticism. Williams did not test well at the NFL Combine and while that has certainly not helped his stock, a team could look at that and think about the player he could become with a couple years in an NFL strength program.
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