Utah Has Four Former Players Selected In Latest NFL Mock Draft

With the college football season over, many fans are now focused on where their favorite players will be drafted in the upcoming NFL Draft. This led to the heating up of mock drafts with projections far and wide.

The Utah Utes lost a handful of players to the next level, and in the latest 7-round mock from Pro Football Network, Ian Cummings has four former Utes going in the draft. 

Jonah Ellis to the Detroit Lions at Pick 62

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The 6'2" 246-pound edge rusher out of Moscow, Indiana is projected to fall to the Lions with the 62nd pick in the draft, and as the weeks have gone on, Ellis has seen his draft position rise significantly from a few weeks ago when he was projected in the 80s range. Ellis had a breakout season in 2023 racking up 37 total tackles, 12 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Paired on the opposite side of Aidan Hutchinson, Ellis could complete a dynamic duo on the edge for the Lions that would terrorize opposing tackles for years to come. 

Cole Bishop to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pick 89

The 6'2" 207-pound safety out of Peachtree City, Georgia is projected to land in Tampa Bay with the 89th pick in the draft, pairing him up with star free safety Antoine Winfield Jr to complete a ball-hawking back-line that would give any QB a hard time. Bishop has also seen his draft stock rise as only a few weeks ago, he was projected in the late 90s range. Bishop tallied 60 total tackles, 3 passes defended, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 interceptions in his junior year at the U.

Sataoa Laumea to the New York Jets at Pick 109

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Next up is the 6'4" 311-pound junior out of Rialto, California. This beast of a man is projected to fall to the Jets with the 109th pick which would help the team beef up their line to protect Aaron Rodgers, who's coming off an Achilles injury. Paired next to big man Mekhi Becton, Laumea could be just what coach Robert Saleh is looking for to not only protect a crucial piece of their organization but to also provide Breece Hall with more running lanes.

Sione Vaki to the Buffalo Bills at Pick 153

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The 6'0" 208-pound dual-threat sophomore out of Antioch, California rounds out the list of Utes in this mock draft, falling to the Buffalo Bills with the 153rd pick. Last season, Vaki put up 50 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 interception while rushing for 317 yards and 2 touchdowns and garnering 203 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns. Depending on the position Sean McDermott plans to focus on, Vaki could turn into a key piece of the offense or defense for an aging Bills team. Offensively, he would be a solid compliment back to James Cook but his impact could be most felt on the defensive side of the ball as he could learn from veteran Jordan Poyer and potentially slot in beside him if Micah Hyde doesn't return for the 2024 season. He would also join fellow Ute Dalton Kincaid who he played with in the 2022 season.