Maryland and Boston College meet up in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl and have some solid pro prospects. Both teams have put a lot of players in the NFL. One such candidate from this year, Maryland corner back William Likely, is injured and won’t be playing in this game. Besides Likely, here are the prospects to watch in this year’s Quick Lane Bowl:
Maryland Terrapins
Jesse Aniebonam, DL
Projected Draft Range: Fifth round-seventh round
Aniebonam is just a junior and may not leave for the NFL, but a has had a great season with nine sacks. At six foot three and 260 pounds he has good size for an NFL defensive lineman. Consistency is Aniebonam’s main issue. He had a five game stint with just a half sack. The Terrapins went 1-4 during that sack drought by Aniebonam. The wise decision is to go back to school, unless he has a great day in this bowl game, that improve his draft stock.
Boston College Eagles
John Johnson, S
Projected Draft Range: Fifth round-seventh round
Johnson has been the reason why the Eagles’ pass defense has been so good. As a safety, he has tremendous ball skills with seven passes defended and three interceptions on the season. His instincts lead him right to where the ball is on most plays. He isn’t afraid to do the dirty work and make tackles as he has 65 total tackles on the season. Johnson may have the versatility to play some corner in the NFL as well. At six feet one inch tall and 201 pounds, he will need to add some muscle, but has a solid frame to build on.
Harold Landry, DE
Projected Draft Range: Second round-fourth round
Landry is also a junior that may elect to stay in college, but his value is as high as it will likely get. He has 15 sacks this season, which is tied for the lead in the FBS. His consistency has been great, as there are only two games where he didn’t have a sack. He shows up in big games, with a sack against Clemson and two against Florida State. Landry is also great at forcing turnovers, something that all NFL teams value, with six forced fumbles on the season. Maryland won’t drop back to pass much in this game, so he has to make the most of the opportunities he has to impress scouts.
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