Mock drafts continue to roll out around the nation as we inch closer and closer to the April 23-25 NFL draft in Las Vegas (assuming it occurs), and SportsIllustrated in particular had some glowing projections for several former Michigan Wolverines football players today.
The publication's Kevin Hanson released his big board of the draft's top 100 prospects yesterday and a three-round mock draft this afternoon, with three former U-M athletes making appearances on each.
Like most NFL prognosticators, Hanson is the highest on former U-M center Cesar Ruiz.
He has him being selected at No. 40 by the Houston Texans, while tabbing him as the No. 47 overall player in the draft on his big board.
"With the versatility to start anywhere along the interior offensive line, Ruiz started the past two seasons at center with five starts at right guard as a freshman in 2017," Hanson wrote.
"Technically sound with active hands and quick feet, Ruiz is my top-ranked interior offensive lineman."
The Camden, N.J., native is widely viewed as a second-round pick, with some forecasters even projecting him to come off the board late in the first round.
ESPN's Mel Kiper and The Athletic's Dane Brugler each had Ruiz being picked within the first 32 selections in their February mock drafts, at No. 32 to the Kansas City Chiefs and No. 31 to the San Francisco 49ers, respectively.
Linebacker Josh Uche is the next highest Michigan prospect according to Hanson, pegging him as the No. 70 overall player on his big board while projecting him to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the 80th pick (third round) in the draft.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) actually graded Uche as the best player on Michigan's entire team this past season, while also pegging him as the best athlete who took part in the January Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Uche and Ruiz are widely viewed as the first two Michigan prospects slated to come off the board in April's draft, while projections vary a bit more on who the third Wolverine will be.
Left guard Ben Bredeson is a possibility, though Hanson has wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones as his choice.
The SportsIllustrated writer has the Detroit native as the No. 76 overall prospect in the draft, while projecting him to come off the board at No. 98 (third round) to the New England Patriots, where he would join former defensive end teammate Chase Winovich.
Peoples-Jones helped his stock at the NFL combine in Indianapolis when he recorded the best vertical leap and broad jump numbers of any player in attendance, though he is still projected by most to go in either the third or fourth round in what is viewed as a deep and talented receiver class.
Having at least three of its players selected within the first three rounds of the draft would actually be quite impressive for the Wolverines, especially when considering Michigan has only seen it happen three times since 2008.
2019 — 4 players selected within the first three rounds
• Linebacker Devin Bush (1st round, No. 10 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers)
• Defensive end Rashan Gary (1st round, No. 12 overall to the Green Bay Packers)
• Defensive end Chase Winovich (3rd round, No. 77 overall to the New England Patriots)
• Cornerback David Long (3rd round, No. 79 overall to the Los Angeles Rams)
2017 — 6 players selected within the first three rounds
• Linebacker Jabrill Peppers (1st round, No. 25 overall to the Cleveland Browns)
• Defensive end Taco Charlton (1st round, No. 28 overall to the Dallas Cowboys)
• Defensive lineman Chris Wormley (3rd round, No. 74 overall to the Baltimore Ravens)
• Cornerback Jourdan Lewis (3rd round, No. 92 overall to the Dallas Cowboys)
• Safety Delano Hill (3rd round, No. 95 overall to the Seattle Seahawks)
• Wide receiver Amara Darboh (3rd round, No. 106 to the Seattle Seahawks)
2008 — 4 players selected within the first three rounds
• Offensive tackle Jake Long (1st round, No. 1 overall to the Miami Dolphins)
• Quarterback Chad Henne (2nd round, No. 57 overall to the Miami Dolphins)
• Linebacker Shawn Crable (3rd round, No. 78 overall to the New England Patriots)
• Wide receiver Mario Manningham (3rd round, No. 95 overall to the New York Giants)
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
