The early ‘draft’: Three players who could surprise us all

At this time of year, you’re never too far from a mock draft and that only increases the closer we get to the end of April. Many people love picking their top 32 but there are always surprises that come in from elsewhere. Here we look at three players who might be drafted a lot higher than expected.
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Seen here in 2017, Carl Granderson is a behemoth, but will his size alone see him move up the 2019 draft’s pecking order?

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Khaleke Hudson (Safety / Linebacker) – Michigan

Yes, you read that correctly; Hudson is already able to play in both defensive positions, which in itself is a very attractive prospect to any NFL team. Given his alma mater, the Detroit Lions could certainly do worse than court him, especially with their future bet365 NFL odds set to be relatively long after a losing 2018 season (6-10) that saw them finish last in the NFC North for the first time since 2012.

Overall, despite his stature, he is an outstanding athlete who is equally adept at making big tackles as he is breaking up passes. 6ft and 205 pounds is not the biggest frame for a lineman, but it gives him a relatively huge level of speed and agility. In the long-term, it will be interesting to see what an NFL team does with his defensive qualities, and whether they ask him to stick to one or the other.

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Trayvon Mullen (Cornerback) – Clemson

Another player who is exceptional at breaking up passes is Trayvon Mullen, and with many teams needing to strengthen in the cornerback position, there is a good chance of him being selected for the first round. The only thing that is going to block his path to the first round is the talented competition he has with the likes of Byron Murphy, Greedy Williams and Amani Oruwariye. If they all get taken early, it would clear the path for Mullen, and the team that takes the initiative may just find themselves in luck:

This was Mullen in his Sophomore year – no ‘slump’ for him!

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Carl Granderson (Defensive End) – Wyoming

Many people are predicting that Nick Bosa will be the number one pick as pass rusher, but there are also a good number of alternatives, which makes Granderson’s bid to be picked up in the top 32 very difficult. In many other years, he’d be a lock for the first round and he could well provide a team with a lot of temptation to take him early. Either way, whoever gets the 250 pound, 6 foot 5 player will be getting a seriously talented pass rusher.

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Who’ll be the surprise?

In any draft, there are always many surprises along the way, with mock drafts commonly ending up looking somewhat foolish. These are four very talented players who are surely not going to drop below the second round, but could well make it to the first.

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