Allen, Harris highlight unique second day for NFL Draft

The good news for BC is that two more players were drafted on the second day of the NFL Draft. The unfortunate news is that both were in the 3rd Round instead of the 2nd. But both highlight how expectations and fortunes change based on a player's history and NFL team needs.

A year ago most thought Zach Allen would be a first round draft pick. He followed with a strong enough Senior Season to keep him in the discussion. However, his draft process did not help his cause. Whether it was his measurables or concerns about being too slow for DE but too small for DT, Allen fell out of the first round. Then out of the second. Finally the Cardinals took him and may end up with a steal. Allen did grade out very high for his actual game play. But aside from the contract, none of it really matters. What matters is that Allen gets his shot and is in the NFL. He will have plenty of chances to make those that passed on him regret it.

The Lions selected Will Harris in the 3rd round too. The most interesting thing about his selection to me is that Lions DC Paul Pasqualoni finally got a BC guy on his team. I have been shocked and disappointed that Coach P didn't take any BC guys last year (especially when Landry was there) and then this year passed on Allen. He was their position coach and more than anything should know what they are capable of doing in the NFL. Taking Harris is an endorsement of BC and hopefully a sign that he was going to bat for his former players and was just being overruled.

Yet another Eagle in Atlanta

11 years ago, the Falcons changed their franchise by selecting Matt Ryan in the First Round. He will retire with every Falcon record imaginable. If he is going to be a Hall of Famer, he will probably need four or five more years of elite play. A key component to the final stretch of his career will be a fellow BC guy Chris Lindstrom, who the Falcons selected with the 14th pick.

Lindstrom's story is a good one for BC. He was a solid, local recruit, who BC identified and closed early. He got good coaching and got better every year. Lindstrom also deserves a lot of credit for his work the past 12 months. He shot up draft boards with his senior year, great week at the Senior Bowl, strong combine and good workouts.

On a personal note, I am giddy. Matt changed what it was like being a BC fan here in Georgia. Adding another critical piece from BC will make all their success in the next few years that much better. And I think Lindstrom will be a difference maker here. The Falcons line has been bad since Shannahan left. Lindstrom will give Matt more time.

Congrats to Lindstrom. Congrats to the BC staff for getting him here. Go BC. Go Falcons.

Which BC players will get drafted next year?

With the NFL Draft just completed, it is time to start thinking about next year. There are already Mock Drafts, so why not talk about just BC talent?

Zach Allen
Both the Sporting News and The Big Lead predict that Allen will be a first round pick next year. Last year at this time most had Landry as a first rounder, so this speculation does not guarantee anything. But if Allen has a good year, his size and flexibility should make him an ideal NFL player.


Lukas Denis
The results are clear. NFL teams like and trust what is going on with BC's DBs. The two just drafted are part of a trend that won't end next year. Denis -- who had a strong year -- will only be more popular next year (assuming he doesn't get hurt). His pass coverage skills will also be better than most safeties.

The OLine
I don't know which line prospects the NFL will prefer, but I do believe that at least one guy among Monteiro, Lindstrom, and Baker will be selected. If they all stay healthy and improve, maybe all will be drafted.

The other guys
BC hasn't had a WR drafted more than 30 years, so the odds are not good for Jeff Smith. But his speed and ability to do other things, will get him some looks. He needs a big senior year. Because of all the attention on Allen, plenty of people will also see Wyatt Ray on film. If he is good, someone will give him shot. As a Tight End, Sweeney won't be a priority for many teams, but a strong final season could get him more than just a chance as an undrafted free agent.

Saints draft Moore

Kamrin Moore joined a growing list of BC Defensive Backs in the NFL by getting drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round. This is great news for him as the Saints have been one of the better teams when it comes to incorporating and playing their draft picks. Moore will get a shot right away.

Congrats to Kamrin and good luck as a pro.

Broncos grab Yiadom in 3rd round

I guess John Elway knows a good thing when he sees one. For the second time in three years, he used a late third round pick to take a BC defensive back. This time it was Isaac Yiadom with the 99th pick overall. He joins former teammate Justin Simmons in Denver.

Yiadom was projected as a mid round pick, so it was nice to see him go on the early side. He should be an immediate impact player for the Broncos. Elway taking him so closely after Simmons is an endorsement of what BC is doing defensively. 

Congrats to Isaac and good luck in Denver. 

Titans take Landry in 2nd round

After the disappointment of Day1, the second round didn't get off to a great start, as teams kept passing Harold Landry. Finally, the Tennessee Titans realized the opportunity, moved up and took Landry with the 41st pick. New Titans Head Coach and current BC dad, Mike Vrabel was key to the selection. He had worked out Landry personally and had discussed him extensively with Addazio.

Congrats to Harold and now it is his time to shine. No one cares where you were taken once the whistle blows. As I said yesterday, hopefully Landry will use this slide as motivation to a great career. Good luck to him.

Harold Landry not selected in First Round

Harold Landry will be drafted high by an NFL team. Unfortunately it won't be in Round 1. That's disappointing for him (and his family and friends) but there is still plenty of opportunity ahead. Landry loses a bit of money going later, but I imagine teams will start jockeying and trading to get him in the second round.

How did this happen to a guy who at one point was listed as the best DE in the Draft? Obviously not playing most of 2017 raised a lot of red flags. As good as he was in 2016, teams don't know exactly what they are getting. With the first round, teams want sure things.

There was also some bad luck, where the teams that were supposedly interested went in another direction. The Lions went OLine, the Patriots went OL and RB, the Falcons grabbed a WR, the Dolphins went DB, and the 49ers went OL. None of the teams that "liked him" picked another DT or DE over him.

Mel Kiper has Landry as one of his best available still on the board. I don't think the wait will be long in the Second Round. I hope Landry has some patience and uses the snub as motivation.

What the pundits are saying about Isaac Yiadom

If Landry is a Day 1 lock and Moore might not get drafted, Isaac Yiadom seems somewhere in between. Everyone has him drafted. It is just a matter of where.

The NFL site has him as a 3rd rounder.

NFL Draft Scout loved what he did at the Senior Bowl and see him as a 3rd or 4th rounder.

NFL Next sees him as a 5th rounder.

What the pundits are saying about Kamrin Moore

Kam Moore had a great season. He has great game tape. He earned a Senior Bowl invite. However, his shoulder injury remains his big question mark heading into the Draft. It impacted his workouts and his drills at the Combine.

247 reminds everyone how well he graded out but thinks he could go undrafted.

NFL Next sees him as a 4th rounder, but does have concern about his physicality in man coverage.

The NFL's site sees him as a 6th or 7th rounder.

What the pundits are saying about Harold Landry

Harold Landry is as close to a BC-related sure thing as there is in this year's NFL Draft. But where will he go and what do the pundits think of him?

In Mel Kiper's series of mock drafts, Landry keeps going late in the first round (his latest says Tennessee at No. 25) Kiper thinks Landry could have been a top 5 pick had he matched his production of 2016. His injury issues raise a few question marks.

NFL Draft Scout also still sees him as a first rounder: "2018 NFL Combine Winners: Harold Landry, DE, Boston College...After leading the FBS in sacks in 2016, Landry had a forgettable senior season due to injury. However, he helped remind scouts why he is deserving of first-round consideration. At 6-2 and 252 pounds with 33-inch arms, Landry ran a 4.64 40-yard dash with a 1.58 10-yard split, 6.88 three-cone and 36-inch vertical. Cut from the same cloth as Vic Beasley, Landry should hear his name called on night one of the draft. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com"

The NFL's own site is pretty critical of Landry's strength and technique but still sees him as a first rounder. 

Landry talks combine

In case you missed it, Harold Landry did very well at the Combine. Here he is talking about the experience. 

What's the early consensus on Landry?

Zach Allen's decision to return to BC was a reminder that another elite BC Defensive End returned for a senior season just a year ago. Harold Landry came back for many of the same reasons as Allen, including the goal of becoming a first round draft pick. Injuries derailed most of Landry's season, but not his chance at the NFL. But did he do enough to be a first-round pick? Here are what the early mock drafts say:

-- Bleacher Report: To Tampa at No. 7
-- USA Today: To Tennessee at No. 21
-- The Sporting News: To Arizona at No. 16

Now these guesses don't guarantee anything, but it does reinforce the idea that Landry's stock is still high. The Senior Bowl, the Combine and individual workouts will give him the chance to move up...or down. He needs to prove he is healthy and that his 2016 season is just a glimpse of what he can do.

Bills draft Milano

The Saturday of the NFL Draft is a quick event. Picks start flying and suddenly a round is over. Guys can get overlooked like that. Fortunately it wasn't a problem for Matt Milano. BC's star will be playing for Buffalo this season. He was selected in the 5th round, the 163rd pick overall in the draft.

The good news for Milano is going in the 5th round. The difference in pay from a later round isn't high, but the odds of making the final roster are better. Teams expect production out of the 5th round. Milano is a versatile player. Hopefully he can get some quality playing time this year.

Rams draft Johnson

For the second year in a row, a BC Defensive Back overcame expectations and got drafted in the third round. The Rams took John Johnson Friday night with the 91st pick overall. This should be a good fit as the Rams are implementing a new D and he will learn under one of the best in Wade Phillips. Big congrats go out to Johnson. Overlooked by other ACC schools, Johnson got better every year while at the Heights and was a key member to some great defenses. I wish him the best of luck in Los Angeles.

There are still plenty of rounds of the Draft to come. Hopefully Milano will get his shot too.

More Draft stuff

This has been around many of the BC message boards, but it is worth the attention. According to ESPN, BC is one of the college programs where our draftees out-perform their draft status. I wonder if our players will get a little more respect as Addazio's recruits become eligible for the Draft.

Here is the video of Mike Mayoc's visit with Johnson.

MUST SEE VIDEO: @MikeMayock is back on campus with @nflnetwork to interview @iamjohnthethird leading up to Thursday's #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/PVB03RoGGb

— BC Football (@BCFootball) April 25, 2017

The NFL still likes BC's talent

Because the graduating seniors were part of a smallish recruiting class recruited by Spaz, the knock on them is that they weren't that talented. Considering 22 NFL teams turned out for BC's Pro Day, this group either outperformed its ranking or BC's Football reputation outshines the recruiting experts.

Another turnout factor that impressed me about BC's Pro Day was that this was the rescheduled date. BC's first Pro Day was changed due to fear of last week's blizzard.

Because he already measured well at the Combine, Matt Milano only did position drills. John Johnson did everything and was usually BC's top scorer in most drills. Myles Willis did well enough that he will hopefully generate some free agent interest.

If I had to guess who was the reason so many teams showed up, I would have to say Patrick Towles. Regardless of Towles' history or our frustration with his play, the guy still has all the NFL tools. He's big and athletic and can throw it a mile. Some NFL team might want him in their camp. If a team does turn Towles into a viable NFL backup, they will have really leveraged BC's anonymous Pro Day.

Redskins draft Daniels

The third day of the NFL Draft was good for BC. The Washington Redskins took Steven Daniels in the 7th round. While seventh rounders are expendable and often cut, this is still very good for Daniels and BC. He gets a little more money and BC gets to boast about another draft pick. I don't know if Daniels has the coverage skills to be an star at this level, but he should be very effective.

BC's other two high profile seniors didn't get drafted but both signed free agent deals quickly. Mehdi Abdesmad is headed to Tennessee and Connor Wujciak signed with Philadelphia.

Broncos draft Simmons

Congratulations to Justin Simmons. The versatile DB is headed to the Super Bowl Champion Broncos. While not a Day 1 pick, Simmons is still high enough that BC can leverage his good news with our future recruiting. Simmons deserves so much credit for climbing up Draft boards. He had a very good season, but meeting him and seeing his tapes probably sold Denver.

Let's hope he has a great career and more BC guys join him in the NFL this weekend.

Simmons makes most of Combine time

Justin Simmons keeps moving up Draft boards as he dominated at the NFL Combine Monday. For the pure speed and strength events like the 40 or bench press, Simmons showed off times that were near the top. Plus he also tested well in quirky events like the shuttle run.

I don't know what this showing will do for Simmons' stock, but it is hard to believe he will slip to the 6th round (like this profile suggested). Teams already knew that Simmons could play multiple positions. Now his raw numbers support that he will be among any team's leaders in speed. I hope that whoever draft Simmons knows what an asset they truly have. 

Who has most to gain at the Combine?

The NFL invited four BC seniors to the NFL Combine. Considering our recent drafts and our 3-9 season, that is an impressive number of invites. No surprise, all four (Abdesmad, Daniels, Simmons and Wujciak) are on the defensive side of the ball. All will go through the usual steps and tests, but who has the most to gain from the few days in Indianapolis?

In my opinion is will be Abdesmad. Of the four he had the most checkered injury history. What the NFL doctors and trainers say after inspecting him might be as important as his 40 time. If he can minimize fear about his legs, maybe someone will take a chance. But recent BC guys with injury/recovery issues like Toal and Herzlich never built consensus on their health or recovery. Herzlich beat the odds and built an NFL career. Toal didn't.

If you are going on pure potential, I think Wujciak is the most likely to play consistently at the next level. He's got the required size and strength for his position. Simmons and Daniels are competing with a much deeper field for their respective spots. Regardless of who goes where and who gets drafted, this could be the best BC draft in years. Let's hope all the guys get picked.