The Pac-12’s Top 15 NFL Draft Prospects

As of now, the Pac-12 has postponed their football season for the spring. It is unclear, at this point, how this will impact NFL draft prospects. With the date of the 2021 Draft and all events leading up to it unclear, it is still a mystery what top prospects will do heading into next year. With or without an upcoming season, the conference still has a handful of draft prospects who will keep people talking for the next few months. Here are the best of the best.

15. CJ Verdell, Running Back, Oregon: CJ Verdell has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first two seasons with the Ducks. This is impressive considering Oregon doesn’t really feature backs in their offense. Verdell is an offensive spark with great acceleration and quickness. His lack of mileage might actually make teams more intrigued.

14. Osa Odighizuwa, Defensive Lineman, UCLA: Though UCLA has not been a standout program in a few years, Osa Odighizuwa is certainly a standout defender. Odighizuwa, brother of former NFL Draft pick and Bruin Owa, is a quick twitch defender who is disruptive on every down. He is a bit small at 6’2”, 280 pounds, but he will definitely garner intrigue with his burst and high motor.

13. Max Borghi, Running Back, Washington State: Washington State is hardly known for running the ball under Mike Leach, but Max Borghi made a name for himself as a do-it-all back for the Cougars. Borghi is a quick, athletic runner who is deadly out of the backfield as a pass catcher. With Leach now across the country, Borghi might have a chance to shine as a more conventional player.

12. Aashari Crosswell, Safety, ASU: Aashari Crosswell is a versatile, playmaking defensive back. While he doesn’t pop on the tape as a great athlete, he is an incredibly instinctive football player who has a knack for the ball. With 13 PDs, four interceptions and three forced fumbles, teams are going to be on the look out for a defender of Crosswell’s ability to create turnovers.

11. Hamilcar Rashed Junior, Edge, Oregon State: With 14 sacks and 22.5 total TFLs, few defenders were as productive behind the line of scrimmage than Hamilcar Rashed Junior. The speedy edge rusher plays with great burst, bend and a high motor. At under 240 pounds, there will be questions about his translating to the NFL, yet you cannot write off the redshirt senior in the slightest.

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10. Brant Kuithe, Tight End, Utah: Brant Kuithe is a unique tight end. At only 6’2” and maybe 240 pounds, Kuithe looks more like a power back than a tight end. In fact, Utah used him as a runner last year and he scored three times on six carries. Despite his prowess as a short yardage back, Kuithe is most impressive as an open field threat catching the ball. He is strong, athletic and great after the catch. Kuithe is hardly a typical tight end prospect, but NFL teams should be interested in his versatility.

9. Deommodore Lenoir, Cornerback, Oregon: Deommodore Lenoir is one piece in the talented Oregon secondary. Lenoir has started 27 consecutive games at cornerback and has not disappointed for the Ducks. Lenoir is quick, with great feet and long speed. He is a disciplined, physical defender that makes up for lack of playmaking with consistency.

8. Elijah Molden, Cornerback, Washington: Washington is a defensive back factory and Elijah Molden is their next big name player. The feisty cornerback is a star slot defender with great ball skills, excellent physicality and no fear attacking the run. While smaller, Molden never lets size diminish his play.

7. Levi Onwuzurike, Defensive Lineman, Washington: Levi Onwuzurike is a high upside prospect who draws attention with his potential. The 6’3”, 288 pounder has the versatility to play inside or out on a defensive line and the athleticism to cause problems wherever he lines up. Onwuzurike probably needed this season to show off his development, so it will be interesting to see hows his stock ties to whatever happens this spring.

6. Jay Tufele, Defensive Lineman, USC: Jay Tufele has a chance to be USC’s best defensive prospect since Leonard Williams. The 6’3”, 315 pound defensive lineman is a physical, high motor defender who can get into the backfield on any down. Tufele is not a fantastic athlete, but he makes up for it with overwhelming strength.

5. Paulson Adebo, Cornerback, Stanford: After the first few weeks of last season, Paulson Adebo looked like one of the best defensive backs in the country. However, his play plateaued a bit before a foot injury knocked him out after nine games. Adebo might have still been a first round pick if he decided to enter the 2019 draft. However, 6’1” ball hawk has an outside shot at being the top cornerback in this class.

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4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Wide Receiver, USC: One of the more interesting people in this upcoming class. Amon-Ra St. Brown is fluent in three languages (English, French and German) and is the son of a prolific bodybuilder. Even without the intriguing background, the junior receiver is one hell of a player. St. Brown, whose brother got drafted by the Packers in 2018, is an advanced route runner with great hands and YAC ability. St. Brown opted out of the 2020 season, so teams will be going off his flashy 2019 tape.

3. Walker Little, Offensive Lineman, Stanford: A year ago, Little was being projected as a top ten draft pick in the 2019 draft. However a serious leg injury knocked him out for the season after only two weeks of play. Based on 2018, Little has a lot to like as a blocker. He is big, athletic and technically sound. It will be a hard sell for teams to draft a guy who has not played in two years, but Little’s potential might be hard to ignore.

2. Jevon Holland, Safety, Oregon: Jevon Holland has picked off nine passes in his first two years in Oregon. The 6’1” defender plays all over the field for the Ducks and can hold it down at basically any defensive back position. Holland is not only a ball hawk, but a sure, willing tackler. Teams will love Holland’s versatility and playmaking skills at the next level.

1, Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle, Oregon: Sewell is victim to the same “problem” Chase Young was last year. Despite being the best player in the class, the presence of a few great quarterbacks will probably keep him from going with the first pick. Sewell has been outstanding so far for the Ducks and was dominant last year at tackle. It is hard to see the hype dying out with the talented blocker.