The bowl season gives fans and scouts alike a chance to analyze NFL Draft prospects against solid competition. Bowl scheduling allows all eyes to be on each game. Here are the NFL Draft prospects in the 2021 Fenway Bowl.
Virginia Cavaliers Draft Prospects
Armstrong has been one of the more improved players in the country this season and it helped Virginia qualify for a bowl game. He has 6,819 passing yards, 51 touchdowns and 23 interceptions on 63.1 percent completion. This season, he has passed for 4,444 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 65.3 percent completion.
He has solid size for an NFL quarterback at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds. Armstrong not only demonstrated his ability to throw all over the field, but he also can scramble and make plays with his legs. He is openly still deciding whether he will go pro or go back to college for another season. If he does declare, he is a projected late-round pick.
Projected Draft Range: Fourth Round Pick-Sixth Round Pick
Keytaon Thompson, WR
After starting his career as a quarterback at Mississippi State, Thompson transferred to Virginia and moved to wide receiver. He has 1,153 rushing yards, 1,079 receiving yards and 22 total touchdowns in his career. This season he rushed for 247 yards and four touchdowns, while also hauling in 77 passes for 973 yards and two touchdowns.
Thompson’s size is a major selling point for teams to draft him, as he stands 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. He has the capability to continue to develop as a wide receiver and in the meantime, he can be a wildcat quarterback, which is something he showed at Virginia. Thompson is a projected late-round pick or undrafted free agent
Projected Draft Range: Sixth Round Pick-Undrafted Free Agent
*Tight end Jelani Woods has opted out of the bowl game. He is a projected late-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Other Draft Prospects:Â S Joey Blount (UFA), OT Ryan Nelson (UFA), LB Nick Jackson (UFA), WR Dontayvion Wicks (UFA)
SMU Mustangs Draft Prospects
Grant Calcaterra, TE
Calcaterra started his career at Oklahoma and then retired from football before returning to the game at SMU. He has 79 receptions for 1,102 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career. This season after coming out of retirement, Calcaterra posted 38 catches for 465 yards and four touchdowns.
At 6-foot-4 and 242 pounds, Calcaterra will need to add a little more weight to match up in the NFL as a blocker. His receiving ability is very worthy of NFL consideration. Calcaterra has not announced that he is sitting out the bowl game, but other players on SMU are not playing. He is projected to be a mid to late-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Projected Draft Range: Fourth Round Pick-Sixth Round Pick
Tanner Mordecai, QB
Mordecai is another player who transferred from Oklahoma to SMU. He was a backup at Oklahoma and SMU offered him the chance to play. At Oklahoma, he passed for 639 yards, four touchdowns and one interception on 71.4 percent completion. In his one season at SMU, Mordecai has passed for 3,628 yards, 39 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 67.8 percent completion.
He has average size for an NFL quarterback at 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds. Mordecai only has one year of tape to look over, which might make teams wary of drafting him. He has some eligibility left, so he could return to school. Currently, he is a projected undrafted free agent.
Projected Draft Range: Undrafted Free Agent
*Wide receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. has opted out of the bowl game. He is a projected mid-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
*Wide receiver Danny Gray has opted out of the bowl game. He is a projected late-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
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