Where Michigan prospects stand on NFL Draft best available rankings, mock drafts ahead of Day 2
For the fifth straight year, Michigan Wolverines football saw one of its prospects picked in the first round of the NFL Draft, with defensive tackle Mazi Smith being selected No. 26 overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Rounds two and three will be held Friday night in Kansas City, and at least one Wolverine is expected to be chosen.
Speedy cornerback DJ Turner — 5-foot-11, 178 pounds — is the 26th-best remaining prospect, according to ESPN.com. He’s fifth at his position, and cornerbacks are projected to come off the board at the beginning of round two, after four were taken in the first round.
“Turner is a well-coached and technically sound corner who is scheme-versatile,” the site’s Steve Muench wrote. “He ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.26 seconds) of any player at the NFL combine and can carry any receiver downfield. He has a good feel for route combinations and excellent closing burst — he ran the second-fastest 10-yard split of any player at the combine. His lack of length and size show up in 50-50 situations and run support, but he’s scrappy.”
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah regards Turner as the 31st-best prospect still on the board.
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Turner is projected by ESPN’s Muench to be taken No. 56 overall in the second round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein pegged Turner No. 54 to the Los Angeles Chargers (second round) in a mock coming into the day. Sports Illustrated‘s Luke Easterling has him No. 62 to the Philadelphia Eagles, going at the tail end of the second round. In his Day 2 mock draft, CBSSports.com’s Chris Trapasso projected Turner to be chosen in the third round, No. 70 overall, by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker isn’t far behind Turner, per ESPN.com. He ranks 40th overall and seventh among tight ends still undrafted. NFL Network also has him 40th overall.
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“Schoonmaker uses his strength and savvy to generate late separation running routes,” Muench wrote. “He has the body control to adjust to throws outside his frame, and he excels at catching the ball in traffic. He has the strength to break some tackles and generate some yards after the catch. Schoonmaker is an effective in-line blocker who fires out with aggressiveness, takes sound angles and gives great effort.”
We did not find a Day 2 mock draft with Schoonmaker listed, though he came into the event as a potential third-round selection. It may be more likely that he’s off the board in the fourth round Saturday, however.
Here’s where ESPN has other Michigan prospects on its best available prospects list heading into Day 2:
• Center Olusegun Oluwatimi: No. 142 overall, No. 6 center
• Wide receiver Ronnie Bell: No. 156 overall, No. 20 wide receiver
• EDGE Mike Morris: No. 159 overall, No. 14 defensive end
• Kicker Jake Moody: No. 170 overall, No. 1 place kicker
• Punter Brad Robbins: No. 314 overall, No. 4 punter
NFL Draft order: Round 2
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Detroit Lions
- Indianapolis Colts
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Carolina Panthers
- New Orleans Saints
- Tennessee Titans
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Jets
- Atlanta Falcons
- Green Bay Packers
- New England Patriots
- Washington Commanders
- Detroit Lions
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Miami Dolphins
- Seattle Seahawks
- Chicago Bears
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Detroit Lions
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New York Giants
- Dallas Cowboys
- Buffalo Bills
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Chicago Bears
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Kansas City Chiefs
