The NFL conducts its annual draft on Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27. Over 300 players will be chosen and I always look out for how many people from New Jersey get drafted.
These are the players who have a chance to be drafted or at least sign as a free agent and attend training camp. I may have missed some, but these are most of them.
1st Round:
Josh Allen/EDGE/Kentucky/Montclair – Although he only played his senior year at Montclair, he did grow up there before moving to Alabama for his first three high school years. He is a probable Top-5 pick in the draft.
Rashan Gary/DL/Michigan/Paramus Catholic & Scotch Plains – He will go somewhere in the first round – it’s a matter of where. Athletically, he’s Top-5, but his production is inconsistent. He may still go Top-5, but he may also go in the mid-to-late part of the round. If, for some reason, he falls into the second round, it is because of his inconsistent performance, but he is likely to go in the first.
2nd-3rd Round:
Kelvin Harmon/WR/North Carolina State/Palmyra – Speed and route running prevent him from going in the first round. Started immediately for the Wolfpack with top production.
Anywhere from the 4th round to the 7th:
Ryquell Armstead/RB/Temple/Millville – Had big year in 2018. Has pluses and minuses.
Tommy Sweeney/Boston College/Don Bosco – Has good hands, but does not appear to be more than a reserve. Should be on a roster next year.
Ka’Dar Hollman/CB/Toledo/Burlington Township – Has areas he needs to improve, but has speed.
Probable Late Round:
Saquan Hampton/S/Rutgers/Nottingham – Three-year starter at Rutgers.
Yosh Nijman/T/Virginia/Columbia – Good athlete who needs to improve and stay healthy.
Late Round or Free Agent:
Wes Hills/RB/Slippery Rock & Delaware/Wildwood
Juwann Winfree/WR/Colorado/Englewood
Olamide Zaccheus/WR/Virginia/St. Joe’s Prep (Pa.) via Plainfield
Isaiah Searight/TE/Fordham/Monmouth RegionalÂ
Jerome Washington/TE/Rutgers/ Stony Brook School (NY) via Elizabeth
Juwann Bushell-Beatty/OL/Michigan/Paramus Catholic
Dino Boyd, OL/Cincinnati-Rhode Island/West Side (Newark)
Vitas Hrynkiewicz/C/Youngstown State/Immaculata
Michael Dogbe/DL/Temple/Parsippany Hills
Joe Giles-Harris/LB/Duke/St. Joe’s (Montvale)