At the recently completed 2019 NFL Draft, Purdue saw a 21-year run of having at least one player picked come to an end. It will look to start a new streak next year. And there appears to be four players with good chances to be selected when the 2020 NFL Draft takes place April 23-25 in Las Vegas.
The player with the best shot to be selected next year? It could be fifth-year senior tight end Brycen Hopkins. The 6-5, 245-pound Hopkins is the son of Brad Hopkins, a star offensive tackle at Illinois who was a first-round pick in 1993 and enjoyed a 13-year career with the Tennessee Titans. Brycen Hopkins is a smooth athlete who has had to share the tight end role throughout his Purdue career. Now--with Cole Herdman gone--he is the unquestioned No. 1 tight end and looks poised for a big season. With a big 2019 and good Combine numbers—yes, Hopkins would appear to be a lock to get an invite—Hopkins could be a first- or second-day NFL pick.
Keep an eye on quarterback Elijah Sindelar. Yes, he recently was granted a sixth year of eligibility—so he could return to West Lafayette in 2020. But some feel if Sindelar has a good 2019 that the fifth-year senior would enter the NFL draft. Why risk more injury in college? Sindelar already has had surgery on his left knee for a torn ACL. Subsequent tendinitis caused him to miss all but two games in 2018. And Sindelar tweaked the knee in the spring, causing him to miss the spring game.
The NFL places a high value on good quarterback play. And Sindelar checks a lot of the boxes when it comes to grading an NFL signal-caller. He has the requisite size (6-4, 225), he’s smart (engineering major), he has played in a sophisticated offense that emphasizes down-field passing and he has a strong arm. Sindelar needs to become a bit more accurate. And he lacks tremendous mobility, but he’s nifty enough with his feet to extend plays and run when needed. Bottom line: There is a lot to like about him.
Another player who should have appeal to NFL teams: LB Markus Bailey. He contemplated coming out after last season but opted to return to Purdue for a fifth season. The 6-1, 240-pound Bailey played last year with a hip injury that ultimately required surgery that kept him out all spring. He will be good to go for camp. Bailey is a smart player who has been ultra-productive—he led Purdue in tackles in 2018 and 2016 and was second in 2017—and at the least can be a special teams player and reserve linebacker in the NFL.
Lorenzo Neal also figures to get a long look from the NFL. The defensive tackle spot is one of the most difficult to fill at every level of football. It’s a challenge to get tackles who are big and quick. Neal is both. Plus, the 6-3, 315-pound Neal has proven to be a playmaker who can push the pocket as he enters his third year as a starter. But like Sindelar, Neal has an injury history that may be troublesome. He blew out an ACL in the regular-season finale last year at Indiana and underwent surgery. Neal missed spring drills but is expected to be ready for camp in August. The senior can do himself a big favor by showing his knee is strong in 2019 while being productive once again. Like Hopkins, Neal comes from NFL bloodlines. His father, Lorenzo Sr., played 16 seasons for eight teams in the NFL as a bruising fullback after being a fourth-round pick in 1993.
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Beyond Hopkins, Sindelar, Bailey and Neal, Purdue has a few other possibilities in defensive end Kai Higgins and safety Navon Mosley, but both appear to be long shots to get a sniff from the NFL. Higgins arrived at Purdue in 2017 as a JC transfer with three years of eligibility. The 6-4, 255-pound Higgins was a starter in 2018 who showed some flashes off the edge as a “Leo.” With a big final season, Higgins may get a look.
Mosley figures to be a four-year starter by the time he is done. The 6-0, 200-pounder has proven to be productive for the Boilermakers supporting the run and covering. If he tests well, Mosley could garner some attention from the NFL.
Another name to monitor: Matt McCann. The 6-6, 300-pound fifth-year senior has played tackle and guard for Purdue. But he probably is best suited to play inside. Entering this third year as a starter, McCann is more of a road-grader, as he lacks the nimble feet and “bend” NFL teams desire in their tackles.
Lastly, there is running back Tario Fuller. The fifth-year senior has had issues staying healthy, already undergoing multiple surgeries on his lower body. Combine durability issues with a lack of top-end skill, and the 6-0, 200-pound Fuller's NFL chance would appear to be remote.
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