[Husker] 3 First Rounders?!?!?!? (fwd)

[Jeff Volk]

Scott Lawson wrote: 

>Remember, these "predictions" are just that- predictions. I follow
>the draft very closely, and I don't think that Bullocks OR Ruud will go in
>the first round. Washington's performance at the combine has almost
>guaranteed him a first round selection. We'll see how much more or less I
>know than the "experts". 


I tend to agree with Scott. Scouts Inc., a company that does independent prospect evaluation and who is made up of former NFL scouts and player/personnel types break down the Husker prospects as follows:

Barrett Ruud	ILB		Grade 85	Overall Rank: #47		Position Rank: #3
Fabian Washington	CB		Grade 80	Overall Rank: #66		Position Rank: #10
Josh Bullocks	FS		Grade 79	Overall Rank: #67		Position Rank: #4

They see Ruud as a mid-second with Washington and Bullocks as mid-to-late seconds, possibly an early third for Bullocks. 

The only other Husker that they rank in their Top 330 Prospects is FORMER Husker Richie Incognito. He breaks down as follows:

Richie Incognito	C		Grade 41	Overall Rank: #257	Position Rank: #10

They also flag Incognito with a "C", for Character Risk. 

I am not sure if these grades were given before or after the combine, but they did come after the Senior Bowl. Keep in mind that non of these grades equals a player that can be projected as a Pro Bowl type player in the NFL. 

Of the 4 players listed above, only Fabian Washington makes Mel Kiper's Top 25 Big Board, and that is at #25. 

I am going to predict that Washington goes in the late first round, based ONLY on his blazing 40-times at the combine and how desperate most NFL teams are for CBs. You saw him really raise his stock right after the combine, but it seems to be coming down a bit now as people look a little deeper past the 40 times. Still, he is probably a lock for the first round. 

I predict Ruud will be an early second round pick (possibly a LATE first - a lot of mock drafts have him going to the Patriots with the last pick of the first). 

I predict Bullocks will be a late second or early third. 

I predict Incognito, who suffered only a sprain in his knee and not a tear at the NFL Combine, will be a 5th or 6th round pick. If a team feels comfortable with his character issues he could go even higher. 

I predict no other Huskers will get drafted.

But of course these are just my semi-educated opinions...I could be wrong. 

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Volk