A year ago, the NFL Draft came and went without a single Oklahoma State Cowboy hearing his name called.
That changes this year, with at least three - and as many as six - Cowboys expected to be drafted. Here's a quick primer on what to watch for as the draft kicks off this evening for OSU fans. The six Cowboys with NFL Draft prospects happen to break down into neat little groups of two:
The Locks
OT Teven Jenkins, late first/early second round - Mike Gundy referred to his tackle as the "40 million dollar man" at times last year, referencing his chance to be a first round pick in the draft. Most projections have Jenkins going in the late first or early second round, with a majority leaning toward the first.
WR Tylan Wallace, second to third round - It will be interesting to see how NFL teams wind up viewing Wallace, On one hand, his college production would point strongly to being a second-round type pick. Or even first, if we're being honest. There are some size and injury concerns with Wallace. All it takes to max out your draft status is for one team to fall in love with your skillset, and there's a lot to love about Wallace there.
Near Locks
RB Chuba Hubbard, fourth through sixth round - Hubbard's NFL Draft stock plummeted with a disappointing 2020 showing that came nowhere close to living up to his outstanding 2019 production. It has bounced back somewhat after it came to light that Hubbard played much of last season on an injured ankle and was also dealing with residual pain from offseason surgeries. That can be a double-edged sword, as it brings up durability questions for front offices. Still, Hubbard has the look of a middle-round pick.
CB Rodarius Williams, fourth through sixth - Jenkins improved his stock a lot, but no other Cowboy did as much to raise his as Williams. Rodarius flirted with the idea of joining brother Greedy Williams in the pros after the 2019 season, but ultimately returned to OSU. Good thing for him, too. Williams almost certainly would have gone undrafted a year ago. Instead, he turned into one of the most productive cover corners in college football in 2020.
The Maybe's
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga, sixth round to undrafted - The linebacker could have returned for another season and there's certainly an argument to be made there. Alas, he made his choice and will have a decent chance of hearing his name called.
WR Dillon Stoner, sixth round to undrafted - Stoner also could have returned, for what would have been his sixth season as a Cowboy. Unlike Ogbongbemiga, there isn't much argument that he could have raised his draft stock much. An extremely productive slot receiver with deceitful athleticism, Stoner will definitely get a chance in the NFL. The only question is whether that's via the draft or not.
