Former Bulldogs receive rave reviews from experts headed into Combine
Three former Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will be looking to improve their draft stock in the NFL Scouting Combine this week. Defensive tackle Vernon Butler, running back Kenneth Dixon, and quarterback Jeff Driskel participated in the Senior Bowl last month and all three are already appearing in expert mock drafts.
Vernon Butler, who ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. calls “a beast,” is showing up in the first round of most mock drafts. Kiper's draft nemesis Todd McShay has Butler going to the Houston Texans with the 22nd overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
Butler's highest current projection is courtesy of NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah who has him going 13th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles in his latest mock draft. “The buzz on Butler is building following an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl,” Jeremiah wrote.
NFL.com writers Lance Zierlein and Chad Reuter have Butler going 20th and 22nd respectively. Zierlein believes the New York Jets will tab Butler to replace two-time all-pro Muhammad “Mo” Wilkerson who is expected command a high salary this offseason as one of the NFL's top free agents. Reuter joins ESPN's Todd McShay in predicting that the Houston Texans will select Butler as a replacement for veteran Vince Wilfork who will turn 35 years old this season.
According to Rotoworld's Josh Norris, Butler won't be available for the Jets or Texans. He has the Bills snatching Butler with the 19th overall pick. “I see so much Mo Wilkerson in Butler's game, so why not place the LaTech product with Wilkerson's former coach in Rex Ryan,” Norris wrote.
That wouldn't be the first time Rex Ryan drafted a defensive lineman from Tech. Ryan picked IK Enemkpali for the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft. The move would reunite Butler with his former teammate. IK, who was claimed by the Bills last summer, is under contract with the team for two more seasons.
Josh Norris also thinks highly of Tech running back Kenneth Dixon. He ranks Dixon as the 30th overall player in the draft but doesn't project him to be selected in the first round.
Most experts have Dixon going in the second or third round of April's draft. With the majority of NFL teams taking the running back by committee approach, it's becoming increasingly difficult for running backs to get picked in the first round. Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon are the only two running backs that have been selected in the first round over the past three years. In that same time frame 20 running backs have been selected in the second and third rounds.
Chad Rueter of NFL.com has Dixon going to the Patriots late in the third round while Walter Cherepinsky of Walter Football has the Giants selecting Dixon early in round three. “It's hard to count on Rashad Jennings long term, so here's a running back of the future,” Cherepinsky wrote.
LaTech quarterback Jeff Driskel also made an appearance in the third round of the Walter Football mock draft with the Arizona Cardinals picking him up 93rd overall. “Jeff Driskel seems like he'd fit well into Bruce Arians' offense. Arians will have to look for a young quarterback to eventually supplant Carson Palmer who had an epic meltdown in the playoffs.” Cherepinsky wrote.
According to PhiladelphiaEagles.com, the Eagles are excited to see Driskel throw the ball at this week's combine. “A number of franchises have stamped him with a second round grade and believe a good combine performance could put Driskel at the top of the second tier of quarterbacks ahead of Connor Cook, Christian Hackenberg, and Jacoby Brissett.”
Each player will spend four days at the combine with the first three days consisting of medical evaluations, psychological evaluations, and team interviews. Kenneth Dixon arrives with the first group on Tuesday and will take part in on-field workouts on Friday. Jeff Driskel is in the second group and will workout on Saturday while Vernon Butler works out with the third group on Sunday.
On-field workouts will be televised on NFL Network.