WAuburn and Oklahoma both have a lot of players in the NFL and they meet up in the Sugar Bowl. With different styles going at it, a lot will be shown from these prospects. Here are the top prospects to watch in this game:
Auburn Tigers
Carl Lawson, DE
Projected Draft Range: First round-second round
Lawson is a bit undersized as a defensive end standing six feet two inches tall and 253 pounds. He uses his speed and good moves to get around offensive linemen and to the quarterback. His production has been good with 9.5 sacks this season. Lawson is also decent at stopping the run, which will help him get drafted in the first rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Daniel Carlson, K
Projected Draft Range: Third round-fifth round
Carlson is a good athlete who played multiple sports in high school. He hasn’t missed an extra point in his career. His missed kicks usually come on field goals of over 50 yards. Of his four missed kicks, three were of that nature. Carlson is still a junior so may elect to come back to school, but can’t really do too much to help his value by doing so.
Braden Smith, OG
Projected Draft Range: Fourth round-sixth round
Smith has good size at six feet six inches tall and 300 pounds. He has had a lot of time to prove his ability at run blocking. In order to move up draft boards, he has to prove that he can pass block better. He will likely have a good game against a weak Oklahoma defense.
Johnathan Ford, S
Projected Draft Range: Fourth round-sixth round
Ford is a unique case, as he really helped his draft stock based on his performance in 2015. He had 118 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries that season. He has been banged up this season, but is expected to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Oklahoma Sooners
Dede Westbrook, WR
Projected Draft Range: Second round-third round
No one has better production than Westbrook. He has 1,465 receiving yards and 16 touchdown catches. He comes up with a lot of big plays for Baker Mayfield. Westbrook is six feet tall and 175 pounds and can play on the outside. His main test will be durability, as he needs to add strength and weight to be durable at the next level.
Samaje Perine, RB
Projected Draft Range: Second round-fourth round
Perine has been injured at times this season. He also shares carries with Joe Mixon, making this his least productive year of his career. Perine is one of the most productive power runners in college football. At five feet ten inches tall and 235 pounds, his body is ready to take on an NFL schedule.
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