Mario Cristobal poised for third straight year top 10 NFL Draft pick
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal is almost guaranteed to develop an NFL first-round draft pick for the third straight year. Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert was the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Offensive tackle Penei Sewell was selected seventh overall by Detroit in 2021.
Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is projected to be selected with the seventh pick by the New York Giants according to the NFL Mock Draft Database. In 2021, DEs Jaelan Phillips and Greg Rousseau were the first first-round picks from Miami since 2016. Phillips was taken 18th overall and Rousseau 30th in 2021.
Phillips set the franchise rookie sack record with 8.5 after being selected by the Dolphins. Rousseau had four sacks in his rookie season after being drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Cornerback Artie Burns was selected in the first round, 25th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Safety Deon Bush went 124th overall in the fourth round to the Chicago Bears in 2016. Burns and Bush eventually became teammates in Chicago. Burns signed with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason where he will become teammates with former Miami running backs DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer. Bush is now with Kansas City.
Cristobal developed 13 NFL Draft picks in his first three seasons as the head coach at Oregon. Miami has also produced 13 NFL Draft picks in the last three seasons. Oregon has produced one second-round pick, two fourth-round selections, three fifth-round choices, three sixth-round draftees and in the seventh since 2019.
Since 2019, Miami in addition to Phillips and Rousseau, Miami has produced three fourth-round picks, four fifth-round choices, three sixth-round draftees and one selection in the seventh round. Mario Cristobal and Miami need to better develop their players and set goals of prospects being selected higher in the NFL Draft.
Next. Only 2 Miami football players projected for 2022 NFL Draft. dark
Safety Bubba Bolden and wide receiver Charleston Rambo are the only Miami football players projected to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft per the Mock Draft Database. Rambo is the 218th projected consensus overall selection in the sixth round. Bolden is projected 223rd overall in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns.