Will Any Cal Player Be Taken in 2022 NFL Draft?
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Safety Elijah Hicks, outside linebackers Cameron Goode and Kuony Deng and quarterback Chase Garbers look like the most likely Cal players to be selected in the upcoming NFL draft, which will be held April 28-30, but they are all long shots. At the moment it appears unlikely that any Cal player will be drafted.
That would be a rare occurrence, but one that is becoming increasingly common.
It would be the second time in four years and the third time in eight years that no Golden Bears players had their name called in the seven-round NFL draft. But before 2015, Cal went 28 consecutive years with at least one of its players getting drafted. Cal had six players drafted in 2008 and had six taken again in 2012.
Make of that what you will, but Alabama had 10 players drafted last year, and is projected to have nine players drafted this year, according to ESPN.com’s latest mock draft, with five Bama players going in the first two rounds. National runnerup Georgia is projected to have 14 players drafted this year. Cal, Arizona, Oregon State and Colorado are the only Pac-12 schools projected to have no players drafted, based on the ESPN mock draft.
Not being drafted does not end a player’s hope of playing in the NFL. Cal linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk, running back Patrick Laird and offensive tackle Jake Curhan all made NFL rosters in recent years after not being drafted.
Head coach Justin Wilcox believes Cal's pro prospects will benefit from the interview process:
Predicting the draft is a risky endeavor, but none of the recent seven-round mock drafts posted by ESPN, CBS Sports, The Sporting News and the Pro Football Network includes a Cal player. Of course, there will be surprises, especially on the third day of the draft when rounds four through seven are picked. So let’s take a look at the six Cal players with the best chance of being drafted, which we listed in the order of their likelihood of being drafted. We used the position ranking provided by draftscout.com and nfldraftbuzz.com.
1. Elijah Hicks, safety, 5-11, 198 pounds
Position rank, draft scout: 15 (safeties only)
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: 72 (all defensive backs)
40 time: 4.43 to 4.60
Hand length: 9 ¾”
Arm length: 30 ½”
Note: Hicks did not perform for scouts on Cal pro day as he continues to recover from a broken foot that required surgery.
Strengths:
--Transitions well from coverage to close on the ball. Strong hands, quick reactions for the interceptions.
--Good instincts and anticipation reads and reacts with discipline. Dangerous with the ball in his hands.
--Gives up his body in run support with a very good closing burst.
--Aware in the red zone, stays on the back line to take away fade throws. Capable of making quarterbacks pay for late throws.
--Closes to the ball quite well and possesses the hands to snatch throws away from his frame.
--Tough and scrappy with forceful nature to be physical at all levels of the field. Has good bulk on his frame to be aggressive in run support.
--Can deliver the big hit and isn’t afraid to jump inside to slow the ball.
Weaknesses
--Has tense ankles and hips with choppy footwork when attempting to redirect and doesn’t always look natural changing directions.
--Needs to tighten his angles in pursuit. Needs to show better tackling technique to consistently finish.
--Will slip off tackles and needs to finish more consistently.
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2. Cameron Goode, outside linebacker, 6-3, 232 pounds
Position rank, draft scout: 29 (outside linebackers only)
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: 58 (all linebackers)
40 time: 4.56 to 4.70
225-pound bench reps: 17
Vertical jump: 39”
Broad jump: 10’5”
Hand length: 8 5/8”
Arm length: 33 7/8”
Strengths
--Plays fast, flows with the action, showing smooth lateral agility and short-area burst. Has good instincts and awareness to quickly find the ball.
-- Reads the quarterback to anticipate and is a candidate to play outside.
--Flashed strength to punch or stiff-arm to get off blocks. Stays with plays downfield, often making tackles even after being hit by multiple linemen.
--Has a filled-out frame with good thickness. Plays at full speed at all times with an active motor and determined quickness in pursuit.
--Downhill defender and physical tackler. Uses his eyes to decipher and breakdown the play, showing good awareness and discipline to sniff out fakes.
Weaknesses
--Has lean limbs and needs to get stronger and add bulk to his frame.
--Plays upright. Ducks his head and fails to wrap up at times. Inconsistent in giving full effort to be the second man in on the play. Must learn to use hands to beat blocks.
--Lacks elite quickness and change-of-direction ability to handle NFL slot receivers after initial contact.
--Doesn’t have enough speed, power or bulk to fit any LB position perfectly in the NFL
--Hits up high and misses more tackles than he should.
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3. Kuony Deng, outside linebacker, 6-5, 244 pounds
Position rank, draft scout: 25 (outside linebackers only)
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: 87 (all linebackers)
40 time: 4.75 to 4.85
225-pound bench reps: 17
Vertical jump: 33”
Hand length: 10 5/8”
Arm length: 33 ¾”
Note: Deng played only one game in 2021 because he suffered an ankle injury that required surgery early in the second game.
Strengths
--Spend a lot of time outside the box in coverage, but he has the strength to hold the edge against large tight ends and linemen.
--Gives effort between the tackle to find the ball and is willing to take on linemen.
--Flashes strength to punch or stiff-arm to get off blocks. Stays with plays downfield, often making tackles even after being hit by multiple linemen.
--Thickly built with classic linebacker size, adequate strength and the smarts to cover up his athletic shortcomings in the right scheme.
--Tough between-the-tackles defender who shimmies past blockers to fill lanes. Downhill, aggressive run-stuffer with enough strength to stop ballcarriers in the hole.
Weaknesses
--Lacks fluidity to hold up in space or drop in coverage. Washed out and caught in traffic in the middle of the field.
--Chase speed is below average, and he gets to too upright as a pass rusher – needs to play with better leverage.
--Plays upright. Ducks his head and fails to wrap up at times. Inconsistent in giving full effort to be the second man in on the play. Must learn to use hands to beat blocks.
--Limited vision and is easily fooled by misdirection. Laks range and lateral agility in coverage.
--High-cut and long-legged, and does not have elite acceleration.
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4. Chase Garbers, quarterback, 6-2, 215 pounds.
Position rank, draft scout: 17
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: 27
40 time: 4.76 to 4.88
Vertical jump: 32”
Broad jump: 9’2”
Hand length: 9 ¼”
Arm length: 30 5/8”
Strengths
--Average overall accuracy. Too often forces his receivers to adjust their routes, limiting yards after the catch. May have too much confidence in his right arm as he will force the ball into pressure rather than check down and take what the defense gives him.
--Athletic quarterback who is a threat to leave the pocket and gain positive yardage at any time. Possesses very good vision balance, elusiveness and deceptive speed and power as a runner.
--Good (not elite) arm strength and can easily make all the NFL throws with effortless deep passes.
--Good zip and ball placement on the quick slant. Good touch down the seam and on post-corner, flag routes to attack the defense vertically and horizontally.
--Picks up yards with his legs when needed.
Weaknesses
--Sails throws to either sideline: receivers make him look good with acrobatics catches. Back-foot throws are not accurate. Sometimes trusts his arm too much, trying to stick passes late in the play or when off-balance.
--Marginal height, which will prove more of a detriment in an offense that asks him to drop back from center more often.
--Lacks poise in the pocket and abandons his reads to quickly. Takes too many chances.
--Too often fails to give receivers and a chance to make a play after the catch. High completion percentage padded by many quick screens.
--Needs to improve his touch at all levels and know when to gun it and when to take something off his throws. Accuracy is solid, but far from great and streaky ball placement downfield as he tries to thread the needle too much.
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5. Kekoa Crawford, wide receiver, 6-1, 192 pounds
Position rank, draft scout: 101
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: 76
40 time: 4.45 to 4.58
225-pound bench reps: 12
Vertical jump: 35 ½”
Broad jump: 10’5”
Hand length: 8 ¾”
Arm length: 30 ¼”
Strengths
--Has a knack for getting open and is a quarterback’s best friend – passers just need to toss the ball in his area and he’ll come down with it.
--Does not have exceptional straight-line speed but takes advantage of open seams when his quarterback is on target.
--Has the strong hands any NFL wide receiver coach and quarterback would covet. Tracks the deep ball over either shoulder and brings in passes fluidly without breaking stride downfield.
--Balanced, savvy route runner with top field awareness, setting up and selling routes beautifully.
--Does not possess top breakaway speed, though he’s rarely caught from behind.
Weaknesses
--Needs to refine his routes and become a better all-around receiver. Has some ball security concerns. Durability concerns because of his size.
--NFL defenders may be able to knock him off his route because of his slight frame.
--Inconsistent high-pointing passes. Allows too many throws into his body when facing the quarterback.
--Doesn’t have the size to consistently win on the outside, but can be productive working the middle of the field and as a return man.
--Will have limitation against physical cornerbacks because of his thin frame. If locked up at the line, he lacks the upper-body strength to fight off the press with his hands.
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6. Trevon Clark, wide receiver, 6-3, 193 pounds
Position rank, draft scout: 72
Position rank, NFL draft buzz: Not ranked
40 time: 4.64 to 4.74
225-pound bench reps: 9
Vertical jump: 31 ½”
Broad jump: 9’4”
Hand length: 8 ¾”
Arm length: 30 5/8”
No comments from NFL draft buzz
Other Cal athletes hoping to be drafted or sign a free-agent contract include outside linebacker Marqez Bimage, tight end Jake Tonges, defensive lineman Luc Bequette, offensive lineman Valentino Daltoso, defensive back Josh Drayden and running back Marcel Dancy
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Cover photo of Cameron Goode by Darren Yamashita, USA TODAY Sports
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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53
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