The 2019 NFL Draft is just around the corner, so today BadgerBlitz.com is taking a quick run-through of the former Badgers who are hoping to get picked by a team at some point during the next three days in Nashville, Tenn.
There's no guarantee that all of these players will get picked, but the Badgers should at least have a few more former players take the jump in to the NFL starting this weekend.
Michael Deiter - OG
Michael Deiter is expected to be the first UW player to come off of the board, and most draft analysts are looking at him as a second or third round pick. Deiter's versatility is a valuable skill to have in an NFL offensive lineman, and I think that's what makes him the first Badger to come off the board during this year's draft.
Projection: Mid-to-late Day 2 Pick
Round 3, No. 72 Overall to the Cincinnati Bengals
T.J. Edwards - ILB
I'm willing to go out on a limb and say I think that Edwards will be the best pro out of this draft class - even though he isn't likely to be the first Wisconsin player taken in the draft this year. I think his football instincts will make him a valuable piece of any defense, especially because he excelled in pass defense while manning the middle of Wisconsin's 3-4 defense. A Round 4 prediction might be a little early for him to go, but I wouldn't be surprised if some team saw him as a little under-rated and pounced when they get the chance.
Projection: Early Day 3 Pick
Round 4, No. 122 Overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers
David Edwards - OT
I feel like Edwards is a bit of a volatile draft prospect at this point. The former high school quarterback-turned-offensive tackle has the physical attributes you're looking for in an NFL tackle, but I wonder if last year's nagging shoulder injury is dragging his stock down a little bit. If a team gets Edwards at a significant discount (say, the fifth round or later) don't be surprised if he turns in to a nice value pick a few years down the road.
Projection: Early Day 3 Pick
Round 5, No. 142 Overall to the New York Giants
Beau Benzschawel - OG
It's a little hard to project where some of these offensive linemen are going to wind up in part because by my count there are 26 (or so) of the 30 NFL teams who could legitimately say that they need help along the offensive line when the draft rolls around. Benzschawel found his true position at guard as a redshirt freshman after playing tackle early in his career, and he seems like another UW lineman who will go under-drafted before playing a few solid years as an NFL regular if he gets a shot.
Projection: Early Day 3 Pick
Round 4, No. 131 Overall to the Buffalo Bills
Ryan Connelly - ILB
Connelly was an excellent college inside linebacker for the Badgers over the last few years, and he got a little overlooked while playing next to T.J. Edwards. He's faster and more athletic than you would think at first glance, and at the very least if he can start a rookie year healthy he could be a contributor on special teams for whoever takes a chance on him.
Projection: Late Day 3 Pick
Round 6, No. 182 to the Denver Broncos
Alec Ingold - FB
Ingold is another player who is hard to project, in part because he plays a position that has largely gone out of fashion at the NFL level. He's a great blocker and has plenty of experience toting the rock in goal-line scenarios, but I think some team will scoop him up pretty quickly as an undrafted free agent if he doesn't get picked over the next few days.
Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Other Draft Candidates
D'Cota Dixon - S
Dixon is another player who might not get drafted in part because of his injury history - specifically his shortened senior season in 2018. He's a playmaker when he's on the field, though, so he will get a shot somewhere whether or not he gets drafted.
Andrew Van Ginkel - OLB
Van Ginkel is an intriguing prospect because he's very athletic for his position, but he's a little bit of a "tweener" as an EDGE player. Still, someone will certainly want to take a look at him in their training camp and he could be a diamond in the rough if he winds up on the right team.
Olive Sagapolu - NT
Sagapolu's injury history might also keep teams from drafting him this weekend, but he plays a valuable position and got plenty of experience manning the middle of Wisconsin's 3-4 defense over the last few years - plus when he's healthy Sagapolu has plenty of athleticism to spare.
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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.