The 2015 NFL Draft is finally here, and tonight Wisconsin Badgers fans will hopefully find out where Melvin Gordon will begin his NFL career.
The first round of the draft kicks off at 7 p.m. central tonight, and can be watched on ESPN or the NFL Network.
Gordon is seeking to become the first running back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Trent Richardson went No. 3 overall in 2012, but he will face some tough competition from one big-time prospect.
Todd Gurley is a likely first round pick as well. He’s coming off a major injury, and word out of NFL camps is that he appears to be impressive teams’ medical staffs so far.
Several teams come to mind who need a running back: San Diego (No. 17), Detroit (No. 23), Arizona (No. 24), Baltimore (No. 26), Dallas (No. 28), Indianapolis (No. 29) and New England (No. 32).
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And those are just the teams in the bottom half of the draft. Should Gurley, as he is predicted in some recent NFL mocks, be taken in the top 10, that could vault Gordon even higher. If both Gordon and Gurley are left in the bottom half, we could see both go very quickly when the teams drafting in the 20s hit the board.
Either way, both Gurley and Gordon should be taken in the first round, and our staff here at Badger of Honor recently sat down to discuss where we thought Gordon, and the other Wisconsin products would land.
Here’s what we said about Gordon:
Jon Rzepecki: We all know he’s one of the top two backs in the draft. He can do pretty much everything despite not having the flat-out, sub-4.4 speed of other past top draft picks. I know I’d like to see MGIII head to Oakland at No. 4, I feel their first need is a true wideout. San Diego is without Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead is coming off a serious injury, Branden Oliver showed flash but faded fast and the Browns (Donald and Ronnie) are now old and just there.
Nov 16, 2013; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Melvin Gordon (25) during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 51-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
San Diego Chargers, R1 No. 17
Taylor Johnson: There’s not a lot that can be said about Melvin Gordon that hasn’t been said already. In my opinion, he’s the best running back in this year’s NFL Draft. In his four years at the University of Wisconsin, Gordon compiled 4,915 yards and found the end zone 45 times on the ground. Gordon also scored four receiving touchdowns, three of those coming in his final year for the Badgers.
Gordon is a great athlete and worked hard on many aspects of his game last year, mainly his receiving skills. The Detroit Lions are still waiting for that explosive playmaker on the ground and Gordon would fit that mold completely. If his receiving skills continue to improve, he can make the Lions a dangerous team and would be a very nice piece to go along with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson.
Detroit Lions, R1 No. 23
Jim Oxley: I’ve changed my mind on where I think Gordon could be drafted so many times I’ve lost track. I think he fits well in San Diego (No. 17), Detroit (No. 23), Arizona (No. 24), Baltimore (No. 26), Dallas (No. 28), Indianapolis (No. 29) and New England (No. 32). Should Minnesota plan to move on soon from Adrian Peterson, he makes sense at No. 11. If I had it my way, he’d be a Cowboy come Thursday night. However, I think Gordon ends up on the Baltimore Ravens with the 26th overall selection, and will soon become the featured back after spending some time in the rotation with the soon-to-be 30-year-old Justin Forsett.
Baltimore Ravens, R1 No. 26
We’ll find out tonight if Gordon is indeed a first rounder. Stay tuned to Badger of Honor throughout the draft to keep up to date on former Badgers and their new homes in the NFL.