The college football bowl season brings increased attention to the 2018 NFL Draft, and there's no better place to start looking at prospects early in the bowl season than the Las Vegas Bowl.
[divider]COMPARE: Royce Freeman vs. Saquon Barkley | Cedrick Wilson vs. Calvin Ridley [divider]
Boise State and Oregon will play for just the third time ever when they meet in the Las Vegas Bowl, the premier matchup of the first day of bowl games, Saturday, Dec. 16.
While the departure of Ducks' head coach Willie Taggart will dominate in-game storylines, there are a ton of intriguing 2018 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on, including one of the top running backs on the board in Royce Freeman and a mid-round receiver in Cedrick Wilson.
Here are the Top 10 NFL Draft Prospects in the Las Vegas Bowl:
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royce Freeman | RB | Oregon |
| 2 | Jalen Jelks | DE | Oregon |
| 3 | Tyrell Crosby | OT | Oregon |
| 4 | Cedrick Wilson | WR | Boise State |
| 5 | Arrion Springs | CB | Oregon |
| 6 | Scott Pagano | DT | Oregon |
| 7 | Tyree Robinson | S | Oregon |
| 8 | David Moa | DT | Boise State |
| 9 | Jake Roh | TE | Boise State |
| 10 | Henry Mondeaux | DT | Oregon |
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Royce Freeman returned for his senior season after an injury-hampered junior campaign, and the Oregon running back is in position to be one of the top five running backs selected in April. The 5-foot-11, 231-pounder has a rare combination of size, power, vision and receiving skills. He averaged better than six yards per carry in two of his four seasons and caught 79 passes in his career.
Tyrell Crosby is likely the only other Oregon offensive player to be drafted. (Receiver Darren Carrington was a potential mid-round pick before being kicked off the team prior to the season.) Crosby, a 6-foot-5, 320-pounder, rebounded in 2017 after missing all but two games a year ago. He did not allow a quarterback sack or hit the entire regular season and should be in line for second-round consideration.
Boise State's streak of eight years with a draft pick will be extended, thanks to receiver Cedrick Wilson, the only Bronco guaranteed selection barring an unexpected development.
The long, lanky Wilson (6-foot-3, 188 pounds), had 129 catches for 17 touchdowns and more than 2,400 yards in two seasons after arriving from Coffeyville Community College. He can win one-on-one battles, especially on deep balls, has soft hands and can line up anywhere on the field. Don't rule out a late-second-day grade if he impresses during pre-draft workouts.
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