Top Five Coastal Carolina Prospects in 2022 NFL Draft
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers shocked college football last season, going 11-1 after joining the FBS in 2017. They ended up with one draft pick, Tarron Jackson, who went to the Eagles in the sixth round. A lot of the top talent on the team returns for the 2021 season, in which expectations are incredibly high. Here are the top five draft-eligible NFL prospects on the roster:
Isaiah Likely, Tight End
Isaiah Likely is one of the best tight ends available in the 2022 NFL Draft.
After very good freshman and sophomore seasons, it was easy to see that Likely was going to develop into an excellent player. He has had five touchdowns all three years at Coastal and is a home-run threat. Likely averaged 20 yards per reception last season and had a 75-yard touchdown. As a receiver, Likely is one of the best at the position. His quickness and movement skills are fantastic. Not only that, Likely is very fast, making him a threat after the catch. Likely can line up in the slot and is a matchup nightmare, as he is too fast for linebackers and too big for safeties. Likely should be a Senior Bowl tight end and is a Day 2 talent.
Jeffrey Gunter, Defensive End
Jeffrey Gunter can be an early-round pick if he becomes more consistent.
The flashes are there with Gunter. He has excellent size at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds and good athleticism for the position. Last season, Gunter had 6.5 sacks and there is no reason he can’t get double-digit sacks in the fall. The main thing that Gunter needs to improve on is consistency. If he does that, he’ll be joining Likely in the Senior Bowl and could be a top-100 pick.
D'Jordan Strong, Cornerback
A JUCO transfer, D'Jordan Strong is one of the Sun Belt's best prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft.
On tape, Strong was one of the most underrated players in the country last season. He transferred from Northeast Mississippi Community College and was named first-team All Sun Belt. He is undersized at 175 pounds, but his instinct and coverage skills are there for him to get drafted in 2022. Similar to most cornerbacks, how fast he runs will determine how high he can get selected. As an undersized cornerback, he’ll need to show scouts he can break a 4.5 40-yard dash. Nonetheless, Strong enters the season as a draftable prospect and one of the best players in the Sun Belt.
Grayson McCall, Quarterback
Grayson McCall led Coastal Carolina to a ranked season in his redshirt freshman season.
Even though he will only be a redshirt sophomore, McCall is getting some NFL buzz. In his first year as a starter, McCall not only won 11 games but even beat Zach Wilson, who went second overall in this past draft. That matters, as teams value “winners,” and McCall showed this past season he is precisely that. On tape, McCall is an efficient player who plays within the confines of the offense. As a runner, he is very fast and has the movement skills to keep defenses on their toes. His accuracy was good for such a young player and he has to continue to improve in that area moving forward. It is early for McCall, but he has the makeup to be a draft pick whenever he declares.
Jaivon Heiligh, Wide Receiver
Jaivon Heiligh was one of the Sun Belt's best receivers last season.
After solid freshman and sophomore campaigns, Heiligh broke out in his junior season. He had 10 touchdowns and was two yards shy of a 1,000-yard season. It looks effortless for Heiligh on the field. He is a smooth mover and has great body control. Heiligh won’t wow scouts at the Combine but his tape is excellent. With another very good season, Heiligh could hear his name called next April.
