Former NFL Coach Jim Mora Breaks Down Remaining Indiana Football NFL Draft Stock
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana's Pro Day is taking place this Friday, and after breaking down the NFL Draft stock of Jamar Johnson, Whop Philyor and Stevie Scott, there's still four more Hoosiers looking to play at the next level.
Former NFL coach Jim Mora sat down for a conversation about each of those individuals and analyzed their traits that could make them successful in the NFL.
First up is Indiana defensive end Jerome Johnson, who is ranked as the 12th-best defensive tackle, according to Sports Illustrated's NFL Draft Bible.
"I like Jerome Johnson. He's got length, and his sack production is something that's impressive. His problem is just his average athleticism. It's tough to get off blocks, his burst, his twitch, he doesn't have that," Mora said. "His hands are a little bit slow. He's a little slow to get his hands up and engage, therefore he gets sucked up by blockers. But I think people are going to look at his length, they are going to look at his sack numbers, they're going to look at his size and they're going to say, 'This is a guy we want to at least get to camp.'"
Johnson is projected to go in the sixth round of the NFL draft.
To stay on the defensive side of the ball, Jovan Swann is also looking to make it to the NFL. Swann is ranked as the 18th-best 3-4 defensive end, according to Sports Illustrated's NFL Draft Bible.
"I don't know a ton about him. His productivity has been average. I would've thought I would've known him better just because he was at Stanford when I was at UCLA, but he never stood out to me," Mora said. "But you're talking about a 6-foot-2, 290-pound kid from Stanford, so we know he's intelligent. We know he went and was a grad transfer, so we know he loves football. I think he'll got a shot somewhere but I don't think he'll get drafted."
On the offensive side of the ball, offensive lineman Harry Crider is hoping to hear his name called come April. Crider played center for Indiana this past season, but he's played at guard in the past.
Crider is ranked as the 15th-best offensive center, according to Sports Illustrated's NFL Draft Bible.
"Maybe late draft pick, probably priority free agent. The thing that makes him valuable is he can play guard and he can probably play center," Mora said. "When you're putting your seven guys on the active list on Sundays, you want someone on the interior that can fill both roles, guard and center, and you want three tackles. But he's a tough, smart, fundamentally sound guy. Not a great one, but he's a smart one and a tough one, and he has that versatility and that's something that people look for."
Last but not least is Indiana punter Haydon Whitehead, who came to Bloomington from Australia. Whitehead has shown the ability to punt with both feet, and he played a major role in helping the Hoosiers change field position during his career.
Whitehead was a name Mora was quick to jump at when asked about him.
"It's never sexy but I like the punter," Mora said. "Punters change field position. He's got the leg strength."
*This is part of a four-part series analyzing every Indiana player heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
Related Stories on Indiana Football:
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