The NFL season ended with the greatest comeback — or, greatest collapse — in sports history, as the New England Patriots won their fifth Super Bowl title. Now the focus will turn to the offseason, namely the NFL Draft.
MOCK DRAFT 2.0 | Perfect 1st-Round Pick for All 12 Playoff Teams
Several D2 players have made their mark in the NFL — here are the top D2 players in the NFL right now, and here are this year's best.
Just think of it as Round 8 or 9, or simply a ranking of the top draft-eligible players from the D2 level in this year's class.
Editor's Note: Yes, this is excessive and absurd, but what better way to discuss D2 Football players this time of year than in Mock Draft Style.
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1. Cleveland Browns
Jordan Morgan, OL
Kutztown
Morgan not only is the best offensive line prospect among D2 players but every NFL team needs depth up front.
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2. San Francisco 49ers
Antonio Pipkin, QB
Tiffin
Pipkin has received interest from a few teams in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.
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3. Chicago Bears
Aaron Terry, DB
California (PA)
Terry adds to the six Cal U products already in the NFL.
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4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Dylan Donahue, DL
West Georgia
Donahue could join Raiders LB Tyrell Adams as a West Georgia alumni in the NFL. [divider]
5. Tennessee Titans (via Rams)
Titus Howard, DB
Slippery Rock
Howard could join Brandon Fusco, most recently an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings, as a Rock alumni in the NFL.
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6. New York Jets
AJ Leggett, DB
West Georgia
Leggett could join Donahue playing on Sundays.
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7. Los Angeles Chargers
Billy Brown, WR
Shepherd
Brown could join LB Howard Jones and TE Dominique Jones as Shepherd alumni in the NFL. Jones and Jones spent time with Miami and Tampa, respectively, in 2016. Dominique caught seven passes for 61 yards and a score this past season.
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8. Carolina Panthers
Austin Ekeler, RB
Western State
Ekeler could become the first Western State product since WR Tyrone Johnson in 1994.
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9. Cincinnati Bengals
Connor Harris, LB
Lindenwood
Harris has a chance to join CB Pierre Desir in the NFL this spring. Desir was drafted in the fourth round in 2014 by the Cleveland Browns and has played in 24 games, seven of them starts.
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10. Buffalo Bills
Trevon Biglow, DL
Harding
Biglow would like to be the first Harding player drafted since 2013 when the Seattle Seahawks selected OLB Ty Powell in Round 7.
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11. New Orleans Saints
Lucky Baar, DL
McKendree
Baar would be the first McKendree player to reach the NFL.
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12. Cleveland Browns (via Eagles)
Justin Dvorak, QB
Colorado Mines
Dvorak, the Harlon Hill Trophy winner this past season — the D2 equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — is undersized at 6-feet and 200 pounds but his production could land him in camp with an NFL team. He'd be the first Colorado Mines NFL'er since 1974 (Ed Smith, Denver Broncos, 13th-round pick, 1973).
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13. Arizona Cardinals
Garry Brown, WR
California (PA)
Brown joins a list of Cal U prospects with a chance at the NFL this spring.
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14. Philadelphia Eagles (via Vikings)
Robert Healy, RB
East Stroudsburg
Healy can join five other ESU alumni with NFL backgrounds. The last was DT Ryan Yakavonis, a sixth-round pick of the Vikings in 1980.
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15. Indianapolis Colts
Ethan Cooper, OL
IUP
Cooper would be the first from IUP in the NFL since Akwasi Owusu-Ansah was taken by the Cowboys in 2010.
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16. Batlimore Ravens
Mitchell Foote, WR
Emporia State
Emporia State has had five players drafted — none since 1994, however — and 14 NFL players overall.
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17. Washington
Jordan Herdman, LB
Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser's last NFL player was OT Doug Brown in 1999.
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18. Tennessee Titans
Adam Shaheen, TE
Ashland
Shaheen has an outside shot to be drafted and become the first Ashland draftee since DT Jerris Pendleton in 2012 (Jacksonville Jaguars, Round 7).
MORE: Adam Shaheen Profile | Shaheen's Draft Stock
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19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenny Johnston, TE
Florida Tech
Tech has yet to place a player on an active NFL roster. Johnston could eventually become the first.
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20. Denver Broncos
Jac'que Polite, OL
Winston-Salem State
Polite could join 14 others from Winston-Salem State history to hit the NFL. None of those were drafted, the last in 2008: DE William Hayes, Tennessee Titans — Round 4.
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21. Detroit Lions
Daquan Holmes, DB
American International
Holmes would be the first NFL player from American International since DT Chris Williams in 1991.
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22. Miami Dolphins
Collin Bevins, DL
NW Missouri State
Bevins could join CB Brian Dixon as the only active NW Missouri State alum in the NFL.
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23. New York Giants
Sydney Omameh, EDGE
Grand Valley State
GVSU has 19 NFL alumni, four of whom remained active in 2016. Cornerback Brandon Carr (KC Chiefs) was the highest draft pick, 140th overall in 2008. He's currently a free agent, but has started 16 games in each of his nine years in the NFL.
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24. Oakland Raiders
Deonate Gary, LB
Central State
Gary looks to be the 22nd player from Central State to hit the NFL and first since DL Michael Stone in 2006 (Arizona).
MORE: Gary's Draft Profile
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25. Houston Texans
Tyke Kozeal, LB
Nebraska-Kearney
Nebraska-Kearney has had five NFL players, the most recent being OG Stephen Goodin in 2013 (NY Giants).
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26. Seattle Seahawks
Nate Theaker, OL
Wayne State (MI)
Theaker could become the first draftee of the Warriors since Tom beer was selected by the local Detroit Lions in 1994.
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27. Kansas City Chiefs
Grover Stewart, DL
Albany State
Albany State has not produced an NFL player since Keyon Nash, who was a sixth-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2002.
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28. Dallas Cowboys
Myles Humphrey, DL
Shepherd
Humphrey could be the second Shepherd player in the class of 2017 to get a shot at the NFL.
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29. Green Bay Packers
Korey Rogan, DB
Indianapolis
Rogan would be the second ever Indianapolis product in the NFL. The first? Two-way player Dick Nyers in 1957.
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30. Pittsburgh Steelers
Nyme Manns, WR
Bowie State
Bowie State has had a nice run the past eight years, producing three NFL players, one of whom was a Steeler from 2009-2013 (RB Isaac Redman).
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31. Atlanta Falcons
Tovar Sanchez, DL
Central Washington
CWU's list of NFL alumni is very short, but pretty darned good. It started in 1944 with tackle Jim North. Then 44 years later came CB James Hasty, who played 14 years in the league, started over 200 games and earning trips to two Pro Bowls. Jon Kitna followed up in 1997, playing 14 years with four different teams, starting 124 games.
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32. New England Patriots
William Stanback, RB
Virginia Union
Virginia Union has had 15 NFL players dating back to 1962. The most recent players were DB Pete Hunter and RB Marlion Jackson.
