Numerous NFL Scouts to Attend Arizona State's Season Opener

All eyes will be in Tempe as Arizona State begins its 2021 season, including professional scouts that will be watching.

It's typically not too big of a reason for NFL scouts to attend college football games. The grind of scouting and finding talented players to enter the league never truly ends, as draft cycles come and go before you know it. 

For the Arizona State Sun Devils, it's nothing new to have the privilege of professional eyes at their events. 

Playing in a Power-5 conference and constantly matching up with Pac-12 schools who continually put talent into the NFL is almost a weekly occurrence for ASU, yet one would believe a non-conference opener against Southern Utah (no offense, Thunderbirds) wouldn't draw notable attention from the next level. 

ASU's Doug Tammaro tweeted on Wednesday that nearly half of the league's teams will have at least one scout in Tempe for the 2021 season opener.

Scouts from the Bears, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Cardinals, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Giants, Packers, Raiders, Ravens and Steelers will all be in attendance next Thursday. 

Fifteen former Arizona State players currently find themselves at the professional level, as eight of those players have heard their named called during the NFL Draft since Herm Edwards took over full-time in 2018. In the past 60 years, 2013 remains the only year where at least one Sun Devil has not heard their name called during the draft. 

When it comes to talent, Arizona State has that in bulk. Ten players on the defensive side of the ball alone were nominated to the Senior Bowl's 2022 watch list, while the offensive side of the ball features prominent names such as quarterback Jayden Daniels, two pro-caliber offensive linemen (Kellen Diesch and Dohnovan West) and two running backs that helped ASU lead the conference in rushing last season (DeaMonte Trayanum and Rachaad White). 

The 2021 schedule is no cakewalk for Arizona State. Squaring off against programs such as BYU, USC, Washington and Utah throughout the year will provide plenty of pro scouts the ability to see ASU's finest against top competition. 

However, it appears teams in the league are eager to get a head start on some of Arizona State's finest next Thursday night. 

Donnie Druin is a Deputy Editor with AllSunDevils. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSunDevils @AllSunDevils. Like and follow AllSunDevils on Facebook, and for more ASU news visit https://www.si.com/college/arizonastate/