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The Ralphie Report staffers answer your burning questions about the NFL Draft!
The NFL Draft is almost here! For the first time in nearly half a decade, Buffs fans have reason to be excited after six CU players are projected to hear their names called in Green Bay this weekend. In fact, two Buffaloes are headlining the event, being Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who have been the talk of the town in the months running up to today.
Many questions have been swirling about our beloved draftable Buffaloes ahead of their time in Green Bay, so the Ralphie Report staff pooled our heads together and took out best shot at answering them here for our amazing readers:
Where does Shedeur get picked?
Sam: Shedeur slides to 26, where the Los Angeles Rams take on a talented project to succeed Matthew Stafford. Do I have any sources? Definitely not. Have I read any draft coverage? A little bit on Reddit. But I really do think he falls because he’s not great in the pocket and doesn’t throw with anticipation. That will all have to be coached into him.
Jake: I am higher than most on Shedeur, but I do agree with many of the flaws people point out in his game. He does hold on to the ball far too long, and hasn’t shown the ability to make throws with anticipation consistently. I believe that his Alamo Bowl performance and his confidence have both hurt his draft stock on social media, but I believe a team will take a chance on him somewhere around 10. Top spots to watch may be Saints or Steelers.
Ryland: I agree with Jake. I think Shedeur will land with the New Orleans Saints at pick No. 9. If you’ve watched any of Shedeur’s tape at CU, you’d know he has the talent and potentially the highest upside in the draft. His arm talent, accuracy and game IQ are elite. If the Saints somehow pass on Shedeur with the ninth pick, I think the Steelers will trade up ans grab him in the low teens.
When will Travis Hunter get picked?
Sam: Ward to Tennessee, Carter to Cleveland and finally Hunter to the Giants with the third pick. I know the odds are on the Browns, but it sounds fake that they want to draft him as a receiver first, cornerback second. He could be the best corner in the league — alongside Christian Gonzalez — while still serving as a team’s third or fourth option on offense.
Jake: I feel pretty confident that Travis will be a Cleveland Brown. The Browns have a lot of needs, but how about addressing two needs with one player? It seems certain Cam Ward will be a Tennessee Titan, so the best player in the draft should be the number two pick.
Ryland: Cleveland. That’s a no brainer. The Browns don’t need an edge rusher after resigning Myles Garrett, so I think Abdul Carter is off the table for them. Not picking the generational talent to begin to revamp your roster would be a pretty catastrophic error, in my opinion.
How many Buffs go off the board?
Sam: For sure Jimmy Horn, maybe 4th or 5th round. Maybe Will Sheppard in the 6th or 7th, same for La’Jontay Wester. BJ Green 7th or undrafted. Shilo Sanders just retire man. That’s four for me including Shedeur and Travis.
Jake: I would say six. Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester and BJ Green. I hope it’s not just me being hopeful, but I do believe teams SHOULD take a chance on both Wester and Green. Their production was undeniable and both seem to be locker room guys.
Ryland: I’m gonna say five. Shedeur and Travis are obviously first-round guys. Sheppard and Horn are late day two/early day three guys. BJ Green is a late day three guy and Wester is the odd man out, who doesn’t hear his name called in Green Bay, largely due to his size. I’d love to be wrong about Wester, though.
Which of Horn, Sheppard and Wester gets picked highest?
Sam: I’m a big fan of Sheppard and Wester, but Horn moves differently. His acceleration, top-end speed and short-area quickness make him a nightmare in open space. I like his upside as a pass-catcher too, as he has strong hands and tracks the ball well. If he stays healthy, he’s going to stick in the league.
Jake: I think teams will be highest on Jimmy Horn Jr. because of the clear upside, shiftiness out of the slot and special teams skill. The Shrine Bowl seemed to be a big moment for Jimmy as scouts began to take notice of his route running and explosiveness.
Ryland: I think it will probably be Jimmy Horn, but for the sake of being different, I’ll go out on a limb and say Will Sheppard. He’s just a freak athlete. He’s got a gigantic frame, is incredibly fast, has elite hops and is an overall athletic specimen. Somebody is going to pick Sheppard higher than most think, purely because of his intangibles.
Biggest draft night surprise from a Buffalo?
Sam: Shedeur slips for reasons explained earlier. But maybe I’m wrong and the Raiders or Saints take him in the top 10.
Jake: I do think Shedeur is going to slip to later than previously thought in the first round. Recent moves from teams have indicated they may not be looking for a quarterback at the top of the draft and so Shedeur will slip out of the top 5 and probably top 10 as well.
Ryland: I think the first round goes off without a hitch and Shedeur and Travis both land in the top 10. I’ll say that whatever team picks Shedeur takes a 3rd round flyer on Jimmy, which is much higher than he is initially mocked.
Give us your best/most outlandish prediction:
Sam: Raiders draft Ashton Jeanty, but their line is so bad that Broncos running back Omarion Hampton wins ROY. (#FreeJeanty)
Jake: I don’t necessarily think it will happen, but I think there’s an outside chance the Browns find a way to get both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. This would be best case scenario for Buffs fans.
Ryland: The Steelers REALLY want Shedeur but don’t have the guts to trade up and get him, so they settle for Jalen Milroe at 21. That’s a pretty insane reach, which I am willing to bet probably won’t pay off.
by RylandScholes
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