I normally don’t write about the NFL Draft, but on my
other piece I did go into detail on the upcoming spring QB challenge going on
at Miami where the million dollar question is who will replace Brad Kaaya as
this year’s signal caller?
While that question still remains to be seen, here’s
some of this year’s top incoming NFL Draft prospects that can find a home in
the NFL and not only crack the roster, but could potentially be quality
starters for years to come.
QB
Brad Kaaya
Kaaya who set the All-Time Passing record at Miami in
the course of his career has a promising future. At 6’4 214 he has the size
that a lot of head coaches in the NFL look for when evaluating the position.
From a talent stand point, he can make every big league throw which is exceptional
since he’s not known for having a “cannon” arm. Where his stock falls is his
inability to handle the pressure of the blitz. Many times this past season when
he was placed under duress, Kaaya would make ill-advised throws that would
provide costly interceptions.
Projection- It’s tough to say where Kaaya will land,
I’m guessing anywhere from the early third to the late forth.
TE
David Njoku
According to Walter Football, Njoku is the second
prospect amongst Tight Ends in this year’s draft, and at 6’4 he provides speed
and size to create separation. Last season in Miami Njoku had 43 catches for
689 yards and 8 TDs. The biggest question I had with the kid is whether or not
he can have solid production in the NFL with just an average QB? It’s dually
noted that Kaaya and Njoku needed each other, but given the time and proper
coaching he’s got the upside to be a very dangerous weapon to a TE needy team.
Projection- tough to call, OJ Howard from Alabama will
come off the board first, but I can see Njoku shortly behind as a late first or
early second.
WR
Stacy Coley
This was a
tough one to crack. As a Canes fan I loved Coley, but honestly questioned his
desire to play. It was also frustrating to see him winding up with some sort of
injury on a weekly basis so his durability is also a huge concern to NFL teams.
With Coley it isn’t all that bad, at 6’1 he’s got some size, runs a smooth
route and can occasionally make some really nice catches. The interesting thing
about Coley is to me that while a fan favorite in Miami, Njoku and Braxton
Berrios had far superior seasons which dramatically hurt his draft stock.
Projection-
With needing a huge overhaul on his overall route running and the injury issues
I’d guess he’d go around the fifth round.
Honorable Mention: CB Corn Elder
This might
be the sleeper pick in the draft for the Hurricanes since Elder isn’t really a
high profile player. Coming out of high school, Elder transitioned to the CB
position when he came to Miami as a freshman. In high school he was a great RB,
but lacked the size to compete on the college level that schools wanted. He’s
obviously undersized, but doesn’t play like it which would make him an
excellent slot back and in today’s NFL, you need those more than ever with the
way the slot receiver position has boomed.
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