There’s almost no mystery now around the first overall player to be taken in the NFL Draft this year. Cam Ward is going to be a Tennessee Titan with the first overall pick. That’s pretty safe to say now.
However, what about his former Hurricane teammates that are set to be selected once the NFL Draft gets underway on April 24 from Green Bay, Wisconsin? Who will be the next to come off the board?
While there are a number of former Canes who could hear their name called by the time Round 7 has come and gone, there really are only four players I think have some kind of shot to hear their name called second. Here they are, in increasing level of likelihood.
4) DE Tyler Baron
I think Baron is the least likely of the quartet, as draft projections have him going as more of a mid-draft pick. However, surprises happen, and Baron has the physical tools – particularly with his frame and power – to be intriguing to an NFL team, especially one looking for a quality depth piece and an early-down, edge-setting defensive end/edge prospect. I don’t think he’ll go before round 4, but the draft is nothing, if not unpredictable.
3) RB Damien Martinez
Martinez presents one of the more interesting RB prospects in the draft. He’s a load, runs with power, and flashed good speed at the Combine, particularly for his size (4.51). He also impressed mightily at the Senior Bowl before a crowd of scouts.
The problem is this RB class is absolutely loaded. As congested a group as I can ever remember seeing. That could hamper his ability to get picked in the first two days of the draft, which he potentially could in most other years.
2) WR Xavier Restrepo
This is basically 1B and 1A for me. I was about to flip flop them at one point. Restrepo’s take and route running are advanced for a college player, so he won’t last too long. I think he will surely be a day two pick (rounds 2-3). I wonder if a better 40-yard dash time might have cemented him into the second round though – a 4.80 is bad; there’s no way to spin that. However, teams shouldn’t shy away because the football speed on film is obviously there. But Kam Kinchens fell into the third round last year, in part because of a bad 40 time, so sometimes teams way overthink it.
1) TE Elijah Arroyo
Arroyo should headline among the top tight ends available after a breakout 2024 season and a Senior Bowl performance that was one of the best among any player at any position. He could end up being the third tight end selected – both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are first round projections – and could find himself going off the board as early as the second round. Teams want playmakers in the passing game at the tight end position, and Arroyo fits that bill.