Rounds 2-3 of the 2017 NFL Draft were completed on Friday without any Wisconsin Badgers hearing their name called
In Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday, Wisconsin Badgers were two of the final three picks. T.J. Watt was picked 30th by Pittsburgh and Ryan Ramcyzk was the 32nd and final pick of the first round. On Friday, no Badgers were picked. Realistically, the only Badger who had a shot of being picked on Friday was LB Vince Biegel.
Biegel had an okay performance at the NFL Combine. His 40 (4.67) just makes the sub 7-second cutoff for LBs most teams employ. His 3-cone time of 6.92 was impressive demonstrating good quickness.
NFL.com gave him a 5th-6th round projection.
Bleacher Report considered him #73 overall which would have been a 3rd round pick.
CBS Sports and ESPN rated Biegel as the #135 ranked prospect which would put him in the 4th round. ESPN has Biegel as the 37th best prospect remaining.
SI had Biegel as the 10th-ranked OLB
Next: Wisconsin's Watt and Ramcyzk Drafted in Round 1
A total of eight LB were picked in Rounds 2-3 of the draft. Not to tempt fate here or anything, but Green Bay holds the first pick of Round 4 and have needed an upgrade at ILB since Desmond Bishop tore his hamstring in 2012.
Ex-Badger RBs Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale have an outside shot at being draft late. But frankly, I kind of hope they don’t. Here’s why.
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A guy picked in the first four rounds usually has a fairly good shot at making the final 53-man roster. Coaches and GMs don’t want to admit a mistake that quickly. I mean, how long did Green Bay try to make Carl Bradford happen? Once you start getting late, especially 6th or 7th round, a guy is better off going undrafted. Then he can work with his agent and figure out his best opportunity. Late in the draft teams are calling guys they like encouraging them to sign as undrafted free agents if they don’t get picked. Part of the pre-draft visits are also designed to get a read on potential undrafted free agents. The Seattle Seahawks made headlines a few years ago for its glossy sales pitch to undrafted free agents.
"“History has shown that the Seahawks keep and develop the Undrafted Free Agents they sign, even at the expense of draft choices,” the document concludes. “The Seahawks are more likely than most teams to give your Undrafted Free Agent play time in the preseason, giving your client the best opportunity to make the Seahawks or other team’s roster.”"
So if you’re representing an undrafted free agent your looking for a team that has expressed interest in your client and has a glaring need at your client’s position. I would discourage an undrafted RB from signing in Carolina after the Panthers spent their first two picks on Slot WR/RB hybrids. Or signing with a team like Chicago or Atlanta who have a full backfield already. Find a team with no clear backup like Dallas or more of a fantasy football killing RB by committee approach (Giants, Packers).
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Explosive but undersized athletes like Sojourn Shelton and Leo Musso may have to punch their NFL ticket via special teams first. Both guys were not helped by their lack of height and the absurd secondary depth of the 2017 draft class. I would be shocked if either guy was picked on Saturday. Much like the backfield tandem, that could work just fine as they find a landing spot in the free agent scramble to try and stick somewhere on special teams coverage units.
The 2017 NFL Draft continues from Philadelphia on Saturday at 11 a.m. CST on NFL Network and ESPN.