Plainsmen Predictions: The Best of the Rest are the Best

Auburn will once again be well represented in the NFL.

There are two myths that come with every NFL Draft cycle that need to be busted before we begin.

1. Scouts prefer players from higher caliber schools because championship runs equate to NFL-ready prospects.

2. The NFL Draft is the only path to NFL.

For myth one, there are some truly legendary draft hauls that one school can produce on the way to the title game (LSU in the 2020 Draft, Georgia in 2022) but the simple rule in drafting is simple: Don't Draft The HELMET! meaning, ignore the school and focus on traits. Tim Tebow went to the Broncos in the first round after a legendary Sugar Bowl season, yet still had a shorter tenure as an NFL starting QB than Russell Wilson, who was drafted in the 3rd round out of Wisconsin. 

Who would've guessed that Terrell Owens played for Chattanooga in college, yet he's always in the top of wide receiver greats such as Randy Moss and Jerry Rice (take a guess where they played too)? To think Auburn doesn't have a chance to be well represented in the pros is ridiculous, even more so this year because on average Auburn has more players ranking in the "draftable" 80s grade than they've had the last five years per NFL Draft Buzz. Championships don't mean automatically going round one. Development does, and Auburn players have a reputation for possessing a strong work ethic to get to where they want to go. 

Regarding myth #2, the first round means a lot more money, and the fifth-year option is available if you're taken on day one. Talented college quarterbacks Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russel went with picks two and one overall, yet neither made it to the contract year, while the likes of Andrew Norwell and Doug Baldwin went undrafted and then proceeded to carve their names into the Pro Bowl in their careers. 

Ask Antonio Brown and Tom Brady what round they went in (hint: not the first five). When you factor in the rise of the XFL and USFL (which are both excellent watches if you have a football itch) there are more paths to the pros outside of the draft than ever before. 

Heck, the 2011 class is regarded as the greatest draft class of the 20th century because 16 of the top 32 selections made a pro bowl (Like our own Cam Newton, or Julio Jones) yet no one can name the other half of round one. 

So don't fret if your favorite player doesn't even hear their name called. Only time will tell who is truly worthy of their selection. 

So where might our favorite Plainsmen go? Throughout the series we've looked at Auburn's top draft players, but I do suspect we'll be seeing more players who used to wear orange and blue on Sundays. So let's jump in.

Auburn's 2022 NFL draft prospects

Anders Carlson, K

Zach Bland/ AU Athletics

Top Fit: Round 6, Carolina Panthers - Typically, most legendary kickers go undrafted (Dan Baily, Harrison Butker) but there are too many teams in need of talent at the kicker position to just sit around and let another guy beat them to the phones. The Eddy Piniero contract in Carolina doesn't convince me they're satisfied with the position, so someone who once kicked for over 70% of his attempts will be worth a flyer in the late rounds. The Carlson name has become a big deal in the NFL, so the Panthers will want to secure a nice developmental backup whos brother made the pro bowl. 

Wild Card: UDFA, San Francisco 49ers, NY Giants. 

Shedrick Jackson, WR

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Top Fit: Round 6, Kansas City Chiefs - Andy Reid loves speed and agility, and I'm convinced he can make a three-legged cow a top contributor in the KC offense if he wanted to. The loss of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman has opened up a need at skill positions, so when Skyy Moore inevitably gets an elevated role, Reid could look to a guy who ran a blazing 4.25 at Auburn's pro day. His speed and route-running IQ could help Jackson carve out a role with the Chiefs for the long term. 

Wild Card: Round 7/UDFA, LA Rams, San Francisco 49ers

Alec Jackson, G

Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Top Fit: UDFA, Cincinnati Bengals - The Montgomery AL native may not have seen a lot of starting time, but his footwork and technique combined with his size will warrant a training camp invite. Bengals coach Zac Taylor has seen enough of his franchise quarterback getting sacked, and even with the signing of Orlando Brown Jr, the Bengals will continue to add depth to a place that has held them back since Joe Burrow arrived.

Wild Card: UDFA, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers  

Eugene Asante, LB

Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Top Fit: UDFA, New England Patriots - The former Westfield High School star struggled to see the feild for the Tigers, recording just 5 snaps in his senior season. Still, going off of his NC Tar Heel film and his speed, someone will take a chance on him. New England gets the nod here because of Belichicks pedigree of finding diamonds in the rough. 

Wild Card: UDFA, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears

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