Five Auburn Football Players Most Likely to be Drafted by the NFL

By Fansided and Chris Roush/FanSided via Fly War Eagle
Published

Nov 21, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) sits on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Idaho Vandals at Jordan Hare Stadium. Auburn won 56-34. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Here we take a look at Auburn football players most likely to be drafted into the NFL.

With Senior Bowl practices in full swing this week, college football players hoping to be drafted by NFL teams in late April are beginning the process of showing their skills and talents to coaches and scouts. Auburn football will look to add to their list of NFL draftees this spring.

As expected, the Cleveland Browns have the first pick in the seven-round draft, while the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars each have 12 picks.

Auburn has three players at the Senior Bowl — defensive tackle Montravius Adams, safety Jonathan “Rudy” Ford and offensive lineman Robert Leff. All three have a chance of being drafted, but it’s unlikely any of them will be the first Tiger off the board on April 27.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Tony Stevens and offensive lineman Alex Kozan worked out and played the East-West Shrine Game last weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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    Auburn had three players drafted in 2016 — Shon Coleman, Ricardo Louis and Blake Countess. The record for Auburn players drafted in one year was 1989, when 10 players were picked in what was a 12-round draft. See all Auburn football players drafted by the NFL dating back to 1937 here.

    Here’s a look at the top five Auburn players most likely to be selected in this year’s draft:

    1. Defensive end Carl Lawson

    After two injury-plagued years, Lawson turned it up in 2017, with 30 tackles and 9.5 sacks to lead the team. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound redshirt junior is expected to go late in the first round or early in the second round, but a strong performance at the NFL Combine in early March could bump Lawson up higher.

    NFLDraftScout.com currently has Lawson ranked No. 38 overall, and No. 6 at his position. That’s down about a dozen spots after all of the other redshirt juniors declared. Hurting Lawson is comments made by ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., who has said, “”When Carl Lawson is healthy and he’s out there playing at a high-level he looks like a top 15 pick; but the durability concerns are there.”

    Lawson’s advantage is that he could likely play at either the defensive end or linebacker positions for a team, depending on whether it uses a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment on defense.

    Projection: No. 29 to the Green Bay Packers, which needs to find a replacement for the aging Julius Peppers.

    2. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams

    Reports from the Senior Bowl this week describe Adams’ performance as “dominant” and “monster.” During the 2016 season, he had 43 tackles and four sacks and generally made life miserable for the offensive linemen who tried to block him. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Adams reminds many of a young Vince Wilfork, who won two Super Bowls for the New England Patriots.

    NFLDraftScout.com has Adams ranked as the No. 105 overall prospect in this year’s draft and the No. 12 defensive tackle. WalterFootball.com pegs Adams as the No. 6 nose tackle and notes, “At times, Adams looks like a first-round talent with speed and size at the point of attack, but he lacks consistency. His motor and conditioning are questionable as well. Adams would be a beast on some plays and a ghost for other stretches.”

    However, a strong performance at the Senior Bowl could move Adams up in the eyes of scouts and coaches.

    Projection: Third round to the Oakland Raiders, who need a defensive tackle.

    3. Safety Jonathan “Rudy” Ford

    After starting his Auburn career as a running back, Ford had a monster junior season with 118 tackles and two interceptions. His numbers were down in 2016, with just 64 tackles and no interceptions. But Ford showed his skills at going after the ball, and his size — he’s 6 feet tall and a solid 200 pounds — make him attractive to teams looking to bulk up in the defensive backfield.

    NFLDraftScout.com lists Ford as the No. 234 prospect, but the No. 9 free safety on the board. Our friends over at DawgPoundDaily.com, however, point out that the Cleveland Browns are looking at Ford at the Senior Bowl, noting, “Ford has the size needed to play safety and is a player who can consistently tackle with the right form, something that teams value the most. Drafting a safety would especially make sense for the Browns given their struggles defending the tight end position all season long as large red-zone targets gave this defense fits in 2016.”

    The Browns already have four Auburn alums on their roster, so Ford will feel right at home. Ford is unlikely to play in the Senior Bowl due to an ankle injury.

    Projection: Fifth round to the Browns.

    Oct 15, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Kerryon Johnson (21) runs the ball with Auburn Tigers offensive lineman Alex Kozan (63) during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

    4. Offensive guard Alex Kozan

    Kozan started all 40 games at left guard he played in at Auburn, and the 6-foot-4, 310-pound lineman was named a second-team All-American by the Sporting News.

    Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com was at the East-West Shrine Game and watching practices and reported that Kozan did little to distinguish himself. “He shined when it came to his leg strength,” wrote Pauline. “He had a strong low base in his pass sets and was hard to move when defenders attempted a bull rush. His run blocking, however, displayed poor technique. His steps were too long and he was unbalanced. Shortening his steps is an easy fix, but he also had trouble moving down the line when pulling and took a poor angle of pursuit towards defenders.”

    Kozan, who is working out in Denver and has signed with an agent, needs to kick it up a notch and shine at the NFL Combine if he wants to get drafted. NFLDraftScout.com has him ranked No. 318 overall and No. 20 among offensive guards.

    Projection: Sixth round to the Carolina Panthers, who are looking for OL help to protect Cam Newton next year.

    5. Offensive tackle Robert Leff

    Leff came on strong in 2016, becoming Auburn’s leading run blocker as the team gained more yards running behind him than any other lineman, according to ProFootballFocus.com. The 6-foot-6, 300-pound tackle from Fairhope, Alabama, started all 13 games in 2016 and was a second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press.

    NFLDraftScout.com currently has Leff ranked No. 425 overall and No. 30 among offensive tackles, but ESPN’s Kiper believes that Leff is a draft selection. “I’d say with his length — his arm length, I want to see what that is, we’ll get that at the Combine,” said Kiper. “I would say right now he ends up getting drafted somewhere around the fifth (or) sixth round.”

    At the Senior Bowl, Leff measured 9 3/4 inch hands, 33 inch arms and a 78 1/4 inch wingspan. (Here’s a look at arm length in terms of NFL OL performance.) Leff, as will the rest of Auburn’s prospects, will also get a chance to show off for scouts and coaches during the team’s pro day, which is tentatively scheduled for March.

    Projection: Seventh round to the Houston Texans, who need offensive tackle help due to injuries.

    Honorable Mention: Tony Stevens

    Oct 8, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver Tony Stevens (8) runs the ball as he is defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Brandon Bryant (1) during the second quarter of the game at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

    If you’re wondering, Stevens ranks No. 651 overall by NFLDraftScout.com and No. 81 at wide receiver. He’s unlikely to be drafted but could catch on as a free agent. He had two catches for 13 yards in the East-West Shrine Game.