What 2021 NFL Draft prospects from the Pac-12 are most affected by the canceled season?
The Pac-12 has decided to follow the Big Ten’s lead and has reportedly canceled the fall football season with hopes of potentially playing in the spring of 2021. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Brett McMurphy. This decision not only affects the college landscape but the 2021 NFL Draft as well.
The scouting process will be a new and difficult experience for NFL talent evaluators as well as us analysts here at NFL Mocks. But, that will certainly make things interesting to see who evaluates talent the best at the NFL level. Do the All-Star games (if they are indeed still played), the combine, and pro days matter that much more now for scouts and general managers? One would certainly believe so.
It’s hard to imagine college players playing in the spring season and then moving to the NFL to play in just a few months, and it will be tough for college programs in general if there’s a spring season followed by a fall one in 2021. So, it seems more likely the conferences cancel altogether.
This is a huge deal for 2021 NFL Draft prospects, who were hoping to either take advantage of an opportunity to start in 2020 or rebound from tough seasons in 2019. It’s likely that if there is a spring season, many 2021 NFL Draft hopefuls will just opt out and begin draft preparation.
While there are players like Penei Sewell, who is likely unaffected by the fate of the season (he’s a consensus top-three prospect, and the top overall for many). However, there are those who this affects a ton. Let’s look at five players whose draft stock is affected by the cancellation.
1. Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
This cancelation most affects players who returned for another year to work on their game and improve their stock for the 2021 NFL Draft. One of those players is Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo. Adebo is entering his senior season with the Cardinal, which does make him eligible for the Senior Bowl if it happens, but other than that, his college career looks about done.
In his first season as a starter in 2018, Adebo recorded four interceptions and 17 passes defensed. As a junior, he played in just nine games but had another four interceptions and 10 passes defensed. You can’t argue with the production he’s put up over the past couple of seasons.
As far as traits go, there are plenty of positives. It’s clear his ball skills are top-notch, and he’s very physical at the catch point. Adebo can also play press at the line of scrimmage and reroute wide receivers.
His biggest weaknesses right now occur in coverage deeper down the field. Receivers can beat him vertically because of his lack of long speed, and he often loses his man in coverage due to average athleticism. His change of direction skills could use some improvement. The 2020 season was going to be Adebo’s chance to prove he could be a top 50 selection, but it’s up in the air now.
2. Jay Tufele, DT, USC
Some 2021 NFL Draft prospects have flashed a ton of potential when working through summer scouting, but need that extra season to refine their craft before they can become a top pick. USC defensive tackle Jay Tufele falls into that category.
The defensive tackle class has a lot of potential as we begin to look towards the 2021 NFL Draft. It’s headlined by players like Marvin Wilson and Jaylen Twyman, but Tufele had a chance to find his way up near the top.
Through two seasons of Pac-12 play, Tufele has registered 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 total sacks. Those numbers are encouraging, but teams would have wanted to see a jump in production in 2020. Unfortunately, the Pac-12 canceling their season puts Tufele in a bind.
His traits are very evident. Tufele has good get-off speed and is a very good athlete. Tufele wins with his strong hands and good balance to push the pocket, but he’s flashed an array of moves to win as a pass rusher. More consistent reps and wins on the interior are what he needed to get into round one discussion, and he won’t get that opportunity in 2020.
3. Walker Little, OT, Stanford
The Pac-12 cancellation may just hurt the most for Stanford tackle Walker Little. Little got a good amount of draft hype last summer and suffered a knee injury before taking a snap. Now, the hype was building once again for Little in summer scouting for the 2021 NFL Draft, but he won’t get the chance to show he’s fully recovered.
It’s going to be difficult to project where Little ends up going in the 2021 NFL Draft. Scouts and analysts would have loved to see another year of tape out of him, especially to see how he would play after a year off. The Pac-12 conference is full of good edge rushers, and facing top competition every week would’ve been great for Little.
As a prospect, Little displays solid athleticism and movement skills to frame rushers, and shows good hand technique to hold the edge at the point of attack. Little displays good length for the tackle position as well.
The biggest question marks for Little surround how he will bounce back from injury. Rushers who dip and bend around the edge make things difficult for him as he plays upright at times, and speed rushers can beat him if he doesn’t get out of his stance quick enough. The hope now is for Little to show off his movement skills at the combine and his pro day to get his 2021 NFL Draft stock to rise.
4. Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State
Some 2021 NFL Draft prospects were finally ready for a featured or starting role in 2020 to boost their stock, and now won’t get the chance to show what they can do as the number one option or with more starting reps. One of those guys is Arizona State wide receiver Frank Darby.
Darby played behind two first-round picks in his time with the Sun Devils, N’Keal Harry and Brandon Aiyuk. While he hasn’t put up gaudy numbers, Darby has slowly become more of a focal point in the offense in his time in Tempe. His 31 catches for 616 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 were his biggest numbers to date.
The 2020 season was going to be Darby’s chance to shine and gain some ground against some of the top wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Now, he will have to hang his hat on what he’s shown on tape up to this point.
Darby is a true threat in the passing game, as he wins initially off the line of scrimmage with good quickness. He’s flashed the ability to win deep with good double moves, and he shows great prowess at the top of his route to create separation.
His biggest question marks right now are sustaining separation on deeper routes and instances of body catches. It would have been fun to see him develop in his senior season, and it could’ve paid dividends for his stock.
5. Joe Tryon, DE, Washington
Rounding out the list is Washington outside linebacker Joe Tryon, who probably isn’t a true defensive end at 6-foot-4, 251 pounds. But, he has certainly made an impact so far on the Washington Huskies defense. In 2019, Tryon put up a 12.5 tackle for loss and eight sack season, showing that he can produce against top competition.
The edge class is currently up for grabs in terms of 2021 NFL Draft stock and rankings. Miami’s Gregory Rousseau currently leads the way as a toolsy player with technique questions, but after that, it is anyone’s guess. Tryon was certainly one to watch to make some noise in 2020.
Like others in the class, Tryon has a good number of tools in his arsenal. He shows good athleticism and quickness off the snap and is comfortable rushing upright or with his hand in the dirt. Tryon is also great in pursuit.
The potential is there for Tryon to be a good edge setter against the run, but he needs to work on using his length to keep linemen from getting into his frame and latching on. He isn’t quite a finished product as a pass rusher either, which is why another season would’ve been huge for him.