The best undrafted player in Pac-12 history is unquestionably Warren Moon, the former Washington quarterback who spent almost two decades in the pros and became a Hall of Famer.
Unless the best undrafted player in Pac-12 history is Willie Wood, the ex-USC cornerback who became a five-time All-Pro for the Lombardi-era Packers — and a Hall of Famer.
More recently, the list of upside surprises from the low rounds of the draft includes Washington State quarterback Mark Rypien (sixth round), who won a Super Bowl for the Washington Football Team, and Arizona kick returner Michael Bates (sixth), a multi-time All-Pro.
This century, the conference has produced Oregon State receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (seventh) and Stanford cornerback Richard Sherman (fifth), who’s assuredly bound for Canton.
The Hotline isn’t prepared to project any low-profile members of the conference’s 2021 draft class as future HOFers or Super Bowl winners.
But on the eve of the draft, we do have some sleepers for you — five players whose NFL careers are likely to exceed their draft position.
(Projections taken from NFL.com analysis.)
1. USC DT Jay Tufele. The 300-pounder opted out of the 2020 season, which seemingly has contributed to his current fourth-round grade and questions about maturity. But when he was last on the field, in the fall of 2019, Tufele was one of the top interior linemen in the country. We believe he has All-Pro potential. “He has lost a little shine, but when you dig to why he opted out, you understand why,” said Rob Rang, a draft analyst for Fox Sports. (Tufele’s family was hit hard by COVID.) “He was viewed as raw in the first place.” By his third year, Tufele will have made a lot of teams look foolish for passing on him.
2. Stanford WR Simi Fehoko. The 6-foot-4-inch wideout posted an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.37 at Stanford’s Pro Day but is somehow only slotted for the fifth round. “He’s raw, but the way DK Metcalf and Chase Claypool have performed should ease questions about the way big receivers can bend,” Rang said. “He’s coming at the right time, when teams are willing to gamble on those traits.” Don’t be surprised if Fehoko gets scooped up on Day Two and eventually earns a Pro Bowl spot. Stanford has a deep draft class; Fehoko could be the best of the bunch.
3. Washington DB Elijah Molden: The combination of a substandard workout, sub-elite size and a stellar cornerback class has turned Molden into a Day 2 pick — likely in the third round. Nonsense. He’s a top-30 talent with top-10 instincts who will play on Sunday for many years, just like his father, Alex. “He might be a nickel; he might be a safety; but he’s just a player,” Rang said. In contrast to Molden, UW cornerback Keith Taylor has a rising trajectory following a strong showing in the Senior Bowl.
4. Oregon State RB Jermar Jefferson. The all-conference selection who averaged 6.5 yards-per-carry last fall is projected for the fifth round, partly because running backs are generally undervalued and partly because of his sub-blazing speed. “When he was healthy, he carried the load,” Rang said. “I don’t love the running back class. There are three studs in the first 50 picks, and then it’s some complementary guys.” The studs are Najee Harris, Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams. Jefferson could end up as the best of complementary guys.
5. UCLA WR Demetric Felton. Pac-12 fans might remember Felton’s 100-yard rushing games against Oregon and Cal, or his 200-yard rushing game against Arizona. But he switched back to receiver (his original position) prior to the Senior Bowl in order to maximize his NFL value. “He impressed people by how natural he was,” Rang said. “He didn’t work out well, like Molden, but if you use him right, he could be a good utility guy.” Felton has a sixth/seventh-round grade. We see a lot of jet sweeps in his future.
