Miami football alums have impacted NFL team draft rankings
The six Miami football alums who were drafted had an impact on their new teams draft classes being highly ranked by NFL.Com. All of the teams the Miami players went to were ranked in the top 16 draft classes.
NFL.Com ranked the best NFL Draft classes of 2018 from one through 32. The Browns came in at sixth. McIntosh and Thomas were two of six Miami football alums to be selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Four of Miami Head Coach Mark Richt’s former players at Georgia were also selected by teams to make the top eight draft classes. Running back Nick Chubb will join Thomas in Cleveland and went in the second round.
Defensive end Lorenzo Carter was the second pick of the third round to the Giants. McIntosh could be fighting with Carter for a roster spot and/or playing time.
Thomas is expected to see a lot of playing time in his rookie season. The Browns project him to share time at left defensive end with Emmanuel Ogbah. Brown is listed as the backup on the right side to last season’s number one overall pick Myles Garrett from Texas A&M.
Garrett in encouraged by Thomas. He spoke to Cleveland.Com about what to expect from Thomas.
"“He’s been playing on both sides and he’s big enough to play in the middle,” said Garrett. “So he’ll definitely be in on second and third down and I’m excited to see what he’ll do during OTAs and training camp.”"
Two players were selected by the Chicago Bears who were ranked eighth on the list. Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith went eighth in the first round to Chicago. Wide receiver Javon Wims was a seventh-round draft pick.
Six Georgia players were selected in the 2018 draft. That’s as many as the Bulldogs had in the previous two drafts. Only one player was selected in 2017.
The next batch of teams was ranked ninth through 24th. The other four Hurricanes new teams all landed between 13th and 16th.
Running back Mark Walton was a fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. Walton is in a group of six players listed as the Bengals third-string running back according to CBSSports.Com.
He should have a chance to challenge incumbents Giovanni Bernard and second-year running back Joe Mixon for snaps. Neither was overwhelmingly good last season.
"NFL.Com views Walton as a future backup. ” As well as solid backups in Walton…”"
Related Story: Mark Walton could start for CIncinnati Bengals in 2018
McIntosh’s linemate at defensive tackle with the Miami football team, Kendrick Norton was a seventh-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are rated as the 14th best draft class.
Norton is listed as sharing the spot as the third-string defensive tackle. He will have an uphill battle making the Panthers. If he is fortunate enough to make the team, Norton could have a hard time seeing snaps.
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Carolina signed two-time Pro Bowler and one team All-Pro Dontari Poe in the off-season. Poe is listed as the first-string left defensive tackle for the Panthers.
The New England Patriots came in with the 15th best draft class per NFL.Com. Both experts and casual fans had Braxton Berrios going to the New England Patriots. New England might have gotten a steal in the sixth round. Berrios led Miami in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2017.
NFL.Com felt he’s the perfect replacement for Danny Amendola who signed with the Dolphins in free agency.
"“(New England) grabbed another sudden, sure-handed slot option in Berrios to likely take over the spot left vacant by the departure of Danny Amendola.”"
Chris Herndon became the latest Miami tight end to be drafted. He was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round. He will team with another Miami football alum at tight end with the Jets Calvin Walford. Walford joined the Jets as a free agent after three seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
Next: Miami Hurricanes pass defense has to improve in 2018
Herndon and Walford missed playing together at Miami by one season. Walford’s final season at Miami was 2014 and Herndon’s first a year later.