The National Football League. It’s every high school player’s dream. For most, however, it’s an impossibility. According to thepostgame.com, there are over 310,000 high school seniors playing football on any given year. Just over 70,000 of those seniors will play college football. The NFL will scout less than half of the 15,588 college seniors, and only 350 will be invited to the NFL Combine. Teams will select 256 players in the draft and several others will be signed after the draft as free agents. Overall, only 1.6 percent of college football players will make it to the NFL.
In spite of the seemingly insurmountable odds, several South Georgia football players have a shot at hearing their names called during the NFL Draft. Though the odds are still against them, at least they have a chance. And that’s closer than most players get.
Probably the most likely South Georgian to play in the NFL is Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell. At one time, he appeared to be a lock for the league, a sure-fire first round pick. According to ESPN, Mitchell has caught 174 passes for 2,350 yards and 16 touchdowns. He missed the 2013 season due to injury, something that will likely hurt his draft status. Still, Mitchell has the size and speed to play at the next level. He’s two years removed from his knee surgery, and it didn’t seem to bother him any during his senior season. Mitchell won’t be a first-rounder, but an NFL team will likely call his name in the middle rounds.
Mitchell’s high school and UGA teammate Jay Rome is another area alum with a chance to play at the next level. Rome, a tight end, has also been plagued by injuries. He has 38 receptions for 398 yards and three touchdowns; however, it’s his potential that has piqued the interest of NFL scouts. At 6’6” and 250 pounds, he has an NFL-ready frame and has shown he can make plays. He could be a late-round pick or sign after the draft as a free agent – if teams don’t have lingering questions about his ability to stay healthy.
Youngstown State’s Kenneth Durden, a former Lowndes High Viking, spent three years with the University of South Florida as a cornerback before transferring to Youngstown State after getting into a little trouble in January 2014. In his final season with the Bulls, he started 11 games, posting 32 tackles and an interception. Last year with Youngstown State, Durden played in 11 games and recorded 22 tackles and intercepted one pass. Despite the setbacks he’s experienced, Durden has enjoyed a solid college football career. NFLdraftscout.com has Durden listed as the #80 cornerback out of 278 and doesn’t project him to be drafted.
Florida State strong safety Tyler Hunter, another former Viking, is one more area athlete who has seen his career interrupted by injuries. Hunter is a ball-hawking, hard-hitting playmaker who can play multiple positions in the defensive backfield. He also made a name for himself as an explosive kick returner who looked destined for an NFL roster spot early in his career. Hunter suffered a season-ending neck injury in 2013 but made a full recovery after surgery. He finished the 2015 season with 26 tackles and an interception. Throughout his career, he has shown that he has the talent to play in the NFL. However, like Durden, NFLdraftscout.com doesn’t project Hunter to be a draft pick. It seems likely, though, that a team will take a chance on Hunter in the late rounds or sign him to a free-agent contract after the draft.
There is one more player of interest in this year’s draft. Georgia’s Jordan Jenkins, who we covered for In the Game’s Columbus Valley edition when Jenkins was a senior at Harris County. An outside linebacker, Jenkins, who at 6’3” and 257 pounds, is one of the nation’s top linebackers. He totaled 59 tackles this season, according to ESPN, and NFLdraftscout.com has Jenkins projected to be a third round pick.
It’s always tricky to try to predict what will happen on draft day. It seems safe to say that Malcolm Mitchell and Jordan Jenkins will be selected. Rome, Durden, and Hunter are less likely to be drafted, but do have a chance. And that’s all anyone could ever ask for – just one more chance.
Special Feature/South Georgia/April 2016
South Georgians seek a future in the NFL
Robert Preston Jr.
