The 2017 NFL Draft concluded yesterday and a number of UCLA football heard their names called. Five Bruins were selected across the three day process. Go Joe Bruin fills you in on where you can see your rookies next year.
As of late, the UCLA Football program has been a steady pipeline of talented players to the NFL.
The newest five join a list of 20 Bruins taken by the NFL Draft since 2013. A list that would make you believe the Bruins have been very good in the fall but that is for another article. But there were also six additional players that signed as undrafted free agents. “8 Clap” to that!
Starting out our list was the top draft selection this year for UCLA.
Related Story: The 30 Greatest UCLA Football Players of All-Time
DE Takkarist McKinley
Selected 26th Overall by the Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons made a big splash by selecting the pass rusher out of UCLA and made it clear they believe their team was likely another dynamic pass rusher away from a SuperBowl crown.
McKinley made the bigger slash however with his on stage “speech”. No worries about it I’m sure they’ll fine him later.
I think this is a great pick for both parties. The Falcons really could have used another pass rusher since the Patriots were able to slide more protection towards Vic Beasley. The Falcons have really spend draft picks and money on their secondary but if they don’t have a strong pass rush it won’t matter.
McKinley goes to a team that runs mostly a 4-3 front so he gets to keep his hand in the dirt which is natural to him.
CB Fabian Moreau
Selected 3rd Round 81st Overall by the Washington Redskins
Moreau is a physical, willing tackler just like his new mentor Josh Norman. This pick really works for me with the reasoning that if Moreau starts right away it will be because he beat out Bashaud Breeland and earned it. If he hasn’t fully healed from his pectoral injury by training camp the Redskins won’t feel forced to play him.
Even though he had been projected as a first round player before his injury, I felt like early to mid second was more like it and felt like he only rose due to someone else’s injury. So when he went in the third I wasn’t too shocked but knew the Redskins were getting a steal.
The NFL is a pass happy league these days and you can never have too many good corners but I think Moreau is more consistent than Breeland and will be starting opposite Norman by at least next season if not late this season.
DT Eddie Vanderdoes
Selected 3rd Round 88th Overall by the Oakland Raiders
Eddie had the bounce back year he needed after tearing his ACL in 2015. He displayed a powerful anchor against the run while helping to collapse the pocket from the interior which was something the Raiders couldn’t do very well in 2016.
Vanderdoes will have to beat out Justin Ellis to earn his minutes but Ellis doesn’t provide much of an interior rush and that’s where EV gets the leg up on his competition. Vanderdoes can jack interior linemen out of his way but his preferred method is the spin move which he goes to the well often on.
The Raiders have one of the best young pass rushers in the league with Khalil Mack and so EV should see plenty of one on one chances. My bet is he takes advantage of those opportunities.
LB Jayon Brown
Selected 5th round 155 overall by the Tennessee Titans
Current Titans starter ILB Wesley Woodyard is entering his 10th year in the league and while he was a solid two down backer last year it was Sean Spence who came in on third downs as the nickel backer. Spence is now an Indianapolis Colt so why not draft a linebacker who can play all three downs from the inside? This is likely why the Titans traded up to grab Brown.
Brown is an athletic and intelligent linebacker who knows how to not let his smaller size get in the way of him making a play. Built very similarly to both Spence and Woodyard, Brown can learn skills that are more specific to his athletic build before taking over more and more minutes.
Special teams is where Brown will have to make his initial mark on this team but conditions are looking ideal for a quick rise.
OT Connor McDermott
Selected 6th Round 211 Overall by the New England Patriots
Another case of a team trading up to grab the guy they want. McDermott displayed the raw tools to become a starting OT but lacked the refined technique to consistently execute at a high level. New England has a way of taking guys and finding just the right combination to get production out of them and I have no doubt that will continue here.
McDermott is long and is a best fit at left tackle and with the Patriots releasing veteran Sebastian Vollmer they are in need of a developmental backup.
Bringing back long time offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia means McDermott is going to a team that can develop him into a productive member of the line. 2017 is going to be a redshirt year though as he needs to get much stronger and add weight to his frame.
Undrafted Free Agents
After the end of the 2017 NFL Draft, there were several Bruins who still managed to sign contracts with NFL teams. Thought he draft was over, the dream of playing professional ball did not die.
DT Eli Ankou – Houston Texans
LB Deon Hollins – Denver Broncos
CB Marcus Rios – Denver Broncos
WR Kenny Walker – Jacksonville Jaguars
WR/DB Ishmael Adams – Los Angeles Rams
S Randall Goforth – Philadelphia Eagles
That makes 11 total former UCLA Football players that have made the jump to the NFL. Just wow.
Next: The Way-Too-Early Top 5 UCLA Football Prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft
Congratulations to all the Bruins that we’re drafted or able to sign contracts with an NFL team.