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What Should Former Bearcats Expect in the NFL Draft?

While there are more than a few Bearcat players that are eligible to make the leap to the NFL, it seems unlikely that many will get the chance.

UT Martin v Cincinnati Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

There are an ocean of NFL mock drafts on the internet. If you decided to take a swim and read a few, you might be better prepared for tonight’s NFL Draft. Or you might not. Who knows? What you can learn, at the very least, is the range where certain players are expected to be selected.

If you dip your toe in the water with the hope of finding out about potential Cincinnati Bearcats who will be drafted, you won’t have much luck. After sifting through multiple drafts from a host of outlets, only a few former Bearcats are projected to get picked during the seven rounds of the draft.

Chad Reuter, a draft analyst at NFL.com, released a seven-round mock draft last Friday and it is one of the few mocks that has anyone from the Bearcats going. He projected running back Mike Boone to be taken in the seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals and corner back Linden Stephens to be taken in the seventh round by the New Orleans Saints. Offensive lineman Korey Cunningham is another Bearcat who is in the running to be drafted, although he also would likely have to wait for the late rounds.

Boone rushed for 2,250 yards and 24 touchdowns during a fairly successful collegiate career. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and also added 596 yards through the air. He was at his best in 2015 when he tallied a career-high 749 yards on 104 carries, good for a 7.2 yards per carry average. He worked out with the Cincinnati Bengals and has at least gotten a few other teams thinking about him.

Stephens also has a four-year career to look back on. He had 140 tackles and six picks in that time. He has reportedly received interest from the Saints and the Oakland Raiders.

Cunningham is a 6’6”, 305-pound offensive lineman who played in 45 games in his career. He has worked out with the Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons.

The fact that all three players are on NFL rosters shows that there is a chance that they could be drafted during this weekend, but the odds are not in their favor. Either way, you can at least expect them to get a chance at being unsigned free agents.