NC State football NFL Draft primer
The NFL Draft begins Thursday evening with the first round. There is an outside chance — albeit a long shot based on most mock drafts — that NC State will end its drought of not having a first-round pick since 2006 (when it had three) with the selection of safety Josh Jones. More realistically, though, Jones will be picked on day two of the draft, which occurs Friday night and consists of rounds two and three.
The final four rounds are Saturday, and several more Wolfpackers are in contention to hear their names called then. Here is The Wolfpacker’s NFL Draft preview:
Safety Josh Jones
Mel Kiper of ESPN’s rankings: No. 39 overall and No. 5 safety
CBS Sports’ rankings: No. 48 overall and No. 3 strong safety
Mike Mayock of NFL.com’s ranking: No. 91 overall
Pro Football Focus’ rankings: No. 169 overall and No. 14 safety
The anticipation since Jones’ debut at NC State was that he would put on a show at a combine, and he did not disappoint at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The 6-1, 220-pound Jones ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, lifted 225 pounds 20 times and registered a 37.5-inch vertical leap.
The interest from NFL teams has been impressive. It is known that Jones has visited at least the Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. He also worked out for the Arizona Cardinals.
One mock draft, by NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, has Jones projected in the first round at No. 30 to the Steelers (link). Among the six mock drafts on their site, however, he is alone in putting Jones on the first day.
WalterCamp.com has Jones as a second-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (link), and USA Today puts Jones in the fourth round to the Tennessee Titans (link).
Projected draft range: Rounds two to three.
Running back Matthew Dayes
Mel Kiper of ESPN’s rankings: No. 136 overall and No. 17 running back
CBS Sports’ rankings: No. 177 overall and No. 16 running back
Pro Football Focus’ rankings: No. 221 overall and No. 19 running back
NC State’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2001 is not expected to hear his name called until the third day of the draft. Unlike Jones, Dayes has not been frequently mentioned with visiting NFL teams, but WalterCamp.com has him going in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns and USA Today in the seventh round to the Cleveland Browns.
Reuter of NFL.com, however, has Dayes going undrafted and being a priority free agent. Dayes did not run the 40-yard dash at the combine, and his modest 28.0-inch vertical jump may have raised concerns. He did do a solid 18 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press after checking in at 5-9, 205 pounds.
Dayes also enjoyed a good performance in the Reese’s Senior Bowl to help his cause, running seven times for 66 yards and a score.
Projected draft range: Rounds five to seven.
Cornerback Jack Tocho
Mel Kiper of ESPN’s rankings: No. 54 cornerback
CBS Sports’ rankings: No. 349 overall and No. 40 cornerback
Pro Football Focus’ rankings: No. 171 overall and No. 24 cornerback
Like Dayes and Jones, Tocho did receive an invite to the NFL Draft combine, where he posted solid measurables: 6-0, 202 pounds and a 4.54-second time in the 40, 21 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press and a 35.0-inch vertical leap.
There have not been reports, however, of Tocho working out or visiting NFL teams, although he is known to have had at least one workout in Raleigh with an unspecified team.
Projected draft range: Round seven to undrafted free agent.
Likely undrafted free agents
• A sleeper to find himself drafted is center Joe Scelfo, although odds are much better that he will be an undrafted free agent. Nevertheless, Scelfo did have a workout in Raleigh with the Jacksonville Jaguars April 1. CBS Sports ranked Scelfo as the No. 27 center in the draft.
• The athletic Dravious Wright is rated by Mel Kiper as the No. 64 safety in the draft and could find himself getting a training camp invite.
• Receiver Bra’Lon Cherry helped his cause by catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown in the postseason Tropical Bowl, and then he reportedly did well at the closed NC State pro day. Since he can return punts, Cherry has a chance to get a training camp invite.
More of The Wolfpacker’s pre-NFL Draft coverage:
• NFL Draft expert projects NC State’s Josh Jones to be second-round pick
• Podcast: Live at Amedeo’s with draft prospect Josh Jones, Brandan Bishop
• Former NC State safety Josh Jones a top-50 NFL Draft prospect
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