As the clock winds down on the 2016 college football season, let’s take a look at the players who make up the top 5 Sugar Bowl draft prospects.
With both the college and NFL seasons winding down, it’s time to start looking towards the draft. Each bowl game has several intriguing prospects for April’s draft. The Sugar Bowl draft prospects are some of the most intriguing.
In this writer’s humble opinion, there are few times on the sports calendar better than the first week in January. You get the New Year’s slate of bowl games. The conclusion of the NFL regular season, and the College Football Playoff. All of it crammed into just a few short days.
Not to get lost in the shuffle, there are still some high-profile bowl games to be played that aren’t part of the new Playoff system. One of those games is the 2017 Sugar Bowl. This year’s Sugar Bowl pits the SEC against the Big 12, as the Auburn Tigers square off against the Oklahoma Sooners. Both teams bring some heavy firepower into this match-up, with potential next-level stars littering both team’s rosters.
We’ve already had some great match-ups this bowl season, and Monday’s tilt should be more of the same. The Oklahoma Sooners come into New Orleans with the top-rated offense in terms of efficiency, thanks to not one, but two Heisman Trophy candidates.
Led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Dede Westbrook, and running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, the Sooners look to finish the season on a 10-game win streak and show the rest of the nation why it may be wise to consider expanding the 4-team playoff.
On the other side, the Sooner offense squares off against a formidable Tigers defense, led by two high-profile stars. On the edge, they have one of the best pass rushers in the nation not named Myles Garrett, along with a stud on the interior of the line in Montravius Adams.
Which players from the Sugar Bowl are most likely to hear their names called early on in the 2017 NFL Draft? Let’s look at the top 5 prospects.
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5. Carl Lawson, DE – Auburn
Texas A&M pass-rushing specialist Myles Garrett gets the lion’s share of the publicity when it comes to the EDGE position. And deservedly so; he’s likely a top-3 selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. But Auburn’s Carl Lawson isn’t far behind when it comes to on-field talent. The Auburn star still has one year of eligibility left, but he’s likely to declare for the draft following this game, regardless of the outcome.
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Lawson, a redshirt junior, had a breakout season in 2016. He posted a career-high 28 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. Lawson established himself as one of the premier pass rushers not only in the vaunted SEC but the entire nation.
As an edge rusher, Lawson exhibits all the traits you want to see from someone worthy of a day 1 selection. He’s got a great burst off the line of scrimmage and exceptional lateral quickness. He is accomplished at using his speed to beat linemen to the edge. He also has the flexibility and bend to get around them and wreak havoc on the opposing quarterback.
Lawson could stand to improve in against the run, but if you’re drafting him, you know what you’re getting. You’re getting a disruptive pass rusher, which is high on nearly everyone’s wish list.
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4. Dede Westbrook, WR – Oklahoma
Dede Westbrook is going to be a big problem for the Tigers secondary. Westbrook is a dynamic play-maker with elite speed. He presents a huge match-up problem for the Tigers and could be the deciding factor in this game. His big-play ability alone could make all the difference for the Sooners.
Westbrook is looking to make a statement in the Sugar Bowl to cap off what has been a remarkable season for the senior wide receiver. Westbrook hauled in 74 catches for nearly 1,500 yards and a staggering 16 TD’s. These numbers, along with the highlight-reel plays he makes on a consistent basis, have caused Westbrook’s stock to skyrocket this season.
Westbrook was the unquestioned best receiver in the Big 12 conference this season, and arguably the best receiver in the entire nation. Proving that point is the hardware he took home. Westbrook was the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s best receiver, and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, just behind fellow Sooner Baker Mayfield.
Westbrook isn’t a big guy, and will likely be asked to put on some weight at the next level. Where Westbrook excels is with his speed. He’s a burner with big-play potential every play he’s on the field. He’s not a very accomplished route-runner yet and will need to work on his run blocking skill to excel at the next level, but he has all the tools to be successful.
It will be particularly interesting to see just how much Westbrook plays in this game, and just how effective he will be. He was forced to leave the Sooners last game with concussion-like symptoms, but he is likely to play.
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3. Samaje Perine, RB – Oklahoma
Samaje Perine burst onto the scene immediately in 2014. He established himself as one of the premier running backs in the nation with over 1,700 yards and 21 TD’s as a freshman. His 2015 season was nearly as impressive, with over 1,300 yards and 16 TD’s.
In 2016; however, Perine has found himself to be almost the forgotten man in the Oklahoma offense this season. With all the buzz around Mayfield, the aforementioned Westbrook, and fellow running back Joe Mixon, Perine saw his attention die down significantly from what it was in 2015. Couple that with missing three games due to injury, and Perine has seen his stock fall considerably.
Still, there is a ton to like about the young Sooners running back. Perine has an aggressive running style and runs with power. He has really nice balance on his feet and has shown excellent ability to break tackles. At 235 pounds, Perine is a bigger back, and won’t be brought down with arm tackles.
Where Perine struggles is in the passing game. Despite being a bigger back, Perine is only an average, at best, pass blocker. He shows some ability and may be able to be coached up in that aspect, but it’s one of the few knocks on the talented back. Receiving is another area where Perine has had some struggles. He’s only tallied 40 receptions in his entire career, for just over 300 yards.
Overall, Perine’s biggest hurdle is going to be the depth that the 2017 NFL Draft has at the running back position. Should Perine declare for the draft, he’s unlikely to be a first-round selection.
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2. Montravius Adams, DT – Auburn
The perfect inside complement to the destructive Lawson, Montravius Adams could be one of the best value picks in the 2017 NFL Draft. Adams isn’t likely to hear his name called on the first day of the draft, but with his combination of skills, he could make some team very satisfied towards the middle of Day 2.
Adams is a big-bodied defensive tackle who has some pretty stellar quickness and agility for a man his size. The combination of power and speed that Adams possesses makes him a factor in every facet of the game. Adams can occupy blockers inside to make room for the second-level guys to make plays. Adams is powerful enough to move the opposing linemen around a wreak havoc. He’s agile enough and good enough with his hands to fight off blockers. He makes plays in both the run and pass games.
Consistency is one of the biggest knocks on Adams. There are some games where Adams looks like a sure-fire first round prospect. There are other times where Adams all but disappears from the game. Far too often Adams has become a non-factor. If Adams can land in a spot with a great coaching staff who can light a fire under him, we could be talking about him as one of the “steals of the draft” this time next season.
Unless Adams turns in an other-worldly performance in the Sugar Bowl, I think he’s likely to hear his name called somewhere in the middle-to-late portions of round 2, possibly slipping into round 3.
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1. Joe Mixon, RB – Oklahoma
The second half of the dynamic rushing duo for the Oklahoma Sooners is Joe Mixon. While splitting time with Samaje Perine, Mixon averaged seven yards per carry and notched almost 1,200 yards, adding eight touchdowns. Mixon is an electric running back, with a great burst and fantastic agility.
Mixon’s combination of size and speed is going to make him a very attractive prospect to some teams. At 6-1 and just a shade under 230 pounds, Mixon has the size necessary to run between the tackles. He’s built to be able to stand up to the beating he’ll take at the next level. But, with Mixon’s breakaway speed and elusiveness, he’s also going to be able to avoid a lot of the punishment that many backs his size can’t.
Mixon is also able to contribute in the passing game, which helps his draft stock even further. He has shown to have soft hands and adequate receiving ability during his redshirt sophomore season with the Sooners. For the year, Mixon has totaled 32 receptions and five touchdowns. Adding that to the 28 catches and 4 touchdowns Mixon had in his freshman season, and his dual-threat capability is apparent.
However, to say that Mixon’s draft status is up in the air would be an understatement. I have to believe that many teams have moved Mixon well down their draft boards. Some may have even completely removed him, stemming from an assault in 2014. Some team will take a chance on Mixon, I’m sure of that. How many rounds go by before someone does, I just don’t know. Of all the prospects in the 2017 Sugar Bowl, Mixon may simultaneously be the most talented and the biggest question mark.
