Atlanta Falcons Select OL Jalen Mayfield Early In The NFL Draft's 3rd Round
Michigan Wolverines football offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield became the second U-M player taken in this year's NFL Draft, coming off the board in the third round at No. 68 overall to the Atlanta Falcons.
Defensive end Kwity Paye went No. 21 overall last night to the Indianapolis Colts, giving Michigan at least one selection in 83 consecutive drafts (since 1939).
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"I think he was one of the two left from the top 50 [list of the best players in the draft], so he was hanging there," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said upon the selection. "You can see the strength when he gets underneath defenders, particularly in the Minnesota game [Oct. 24] where you saw him forklift guys.
"He has some issues with balance at times, but there’s flashes of first-round ability from Jalen Mayfield. I believe he’s going to be a long-time starter, and more than likely will end up kicking inside to guard is my guess."
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, however, didn't seem to be as high on Mayfield as Jeremiah was.
“I had to go back to 2019 [to watch film] because he only played in two games this past year with the high ankle sprain," Kiper began. "He throws defenders off the ball, so that was not an issue with him.
"He can get to the second level, though he needs to make better contact once he gets to that second level. It concerns me how he’ll hold up against speed guys in the NFL. His technique needs some refinement, and I think he’s a work in progress.
"You would have liked to have seen him gain that measure of consistency throughout his career and finish it off strong, but he wasn’t able to do that. I don’t want to say he’s a boom or bust, but he may be a backup-type initially.
"He may push for a starting job two or three years down the road.”
“I think he needs to get in better shape if you’re going to move him inside," Kiper's co-worker at ESPN, Booger McFarland, added. "He can’t play outside right now because foot speed is an issue.
"You can use his overall girth if you move him inside, especially in the run game.”
Mayfield came to Michigan as a four-star prospect from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Mich., and redshirted while playing in three games as a freshman in 2018.
The 2019 campaign is when he burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman. He started all 13 games at right tackle, and helped anchor a Wolverine offensive line that was excellent at not allowing opponents into its backfield (gave up just 63 tackles for loss on the year, which was tied for 22nd nationally).
The '19 U-M front five — led by former position coach Ed Warinner — has now seen all five of its starters selected in the NFL Draft, with left tackle Jon Runyan, left guard Ben Bredeson, center Cesar Ruiz and right guard Mike Onwenu having been the previous four selectees.
Mayfield earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition from the league's coaches at the end of the 2019 campaign, and had sky-high expectations surrounding him heading into 2020.
The '20 season did not go as planned, however. Mayfield originally opted out when the Big Ten announced the cancellation of its fall football, before opting back in after the campaign was declared a go.
He started the Wolverines' first two games at right tackle against Minnesota and Michigan State, respectively, but was injured in the Oct. 31 loss to the Spartans and never appeared again.
He decided to turn pro at season's end, wrapping up his U-M tenure with 15 starts in just 18 appearances. The highlight of Mayfield's collegiate career occurred in the 2019 showdown against Ohio State when he limited then-Buckeye junior defensive end Chase Young to a combined zero tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, a year in which Young racked up 21 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 16.5 sacks.
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