2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best of the Rest From the Mountain West

These players may be long shots to hear their name called in the draft, but here’s what you need to know about what they could bring to the NFL.

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You never know who will get called.

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Lots of players across the Mountain West Conference decided to stick around for one last ride in college football, but many others beyond those who got the full draft profile treatment are in the mix to make the jump to the National Football League.

These “quick hits” will tell you a little bit about the best of the rest from the Mountain West.

Air Force

Guard Isaac Cochran was a multi-year starter for the Falcons and thrived as part of a unit that was first named as a Joe Moore Award finalist in 2021. In 2022, he became a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to college football’s top former walk-on athlete, and landed on the all-Mountain West first-team offense. At 6-foot-5 and 324 pounds, he definitely has the size to play on the inside in the NFL, though it seems most likely he’ll have to follow the same route as previous standouts like Parker Ferguson and Nolan Laufenberg through undrafted free agency.

Quarterback Haaziq Daniels shepherded the Falcons offense through one of the most successful stretches in program history and flashed a strong arm when needed in Air Force’s run-heavy attack, though the usual questions about how well a military academy signal-caller will acclimate to the pros could define his chances of getting drafted.

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2023 NFL Draft: Where Are Mountain West Players Projected On The Composite Big Board?

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Boise State

Caleb Biggers started at cornerback for two years after transferring to the Broncos from Bowling Green. He possesses a solid amount of athleticism (33 1/2″ vertical and 23 bench press reps at pro day), though he didn’t get his hands on the ball in coverage very often throughout his college career. (one interception, 13 pass breakups in five seasons).

Tyriq LeBeauf has an interesting physical profile as a cornerback prospect, standing at 6-foot-2 and 182 pounds, but he only made six starts in four years for the Broncos as younger athletes found their way into bigger roles across the secondary ahead of him.

Linebacker Ezekiel Noa anchored the middle of the Boise State defense for multiple seasons and saved his best performance for last, posting an overall PFF grade 83.6 in 2022. Though his instincts and agility are rock solid, he may not have the speed (4.74 40-yard time) to make the most of them at the next level.

Divine Obichere spent three seasons at Boise State after transferring in from Long Beach City College and proved himself a rock solid rotation piece with four starts in 29 games for the Broncos, but after measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 277 pounds at pro day, is he a defensive tackle at the NFL level or an edge defender? It’ll be interesting to see what a team envisions for him should he get a shot.

Kurt Rafdal played for two seasons at Boise State after spending four years at Nebraska, serving primarily as a blocking tight end. Chances are he’ll need to find a way to bulk up his 6-foot-6 frame (234 pounds at pro day) if he wants to play his way into that same role again.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Colorado State

Dante Bivens only spent one year at Colorado State after transferring in from Tulsa and he was one of two offensive lineman to start every game for the Rams last year, doing so at left guard, but whether that was a good or bad thing depends on your perspective: CSU had one of the worst offensive lines in the country in 2022 and, per PFF, Bivens himself gave up seven sacks and 15 quarterback hurries.

Michael Boyle assumed placekicking duties after Cayden Camper’s unexpected exit and stabilized the position, connecting on 10-of-13 field goals (3-of-5 from 40+ yards). With such a limited sample, the biggest question is whether he’ll be able to demonstrate even more range in a pro landscape that’s gotten more aggressive on fourth down tries over recent years.

Cam’ron Carter spent five seasons as a linebacker at Colorado State, earning an all-conference honorable mention in 2021 after tallying a career-high 101 tackles. He’s a rock solid run defender who had 24 tackles for loss for the Rams, but it remains to be seen whether he can contribute in the pros as a pass rusher and if he’s a better fit in the middle of a defense or attacking off the edge.

Gray Davis was among a number of former Nevada players who followed Jay Norvell to Fort Collins before 2022 and, like Bivens, he started every game for the Rams. He, too, struggled mightily in his lone year at CSU, however, allowing four sacks and 23 quarterback hurries while being penalized ten times. At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Davis has the size for the NFL but probably not the film.

Linebacker Brandon Hickerson-Rooks made two starts in three years at Colorado State, playing a grand total of 292 snaps for the most part as a backup.

Dontae Keys is another offensive line prospect who spent just one year with Colorado State after stints at North Carolina A&T and Florida International. He is also another Rams offensive lineman who, despite starting ten games last year, had his fair share of struggles (five sacks, 14 QB hurries allowed). The real killer, though, may be a lack of overall athleticism.

Greg Laday, you guessed it, spent one season at Colorado State after transferring from Northern Colorado. He started the first three games of the year before getting supplanted in the lineup and didn’t make it back until the season finale, which probably doesn’t bode well for his NFL hopes.

C.J. Onyechi had a slightly better go of things than others who spent just one year at Colorado State, improving over the course of the season under the guidance of defensive coordinator Freddie Banks. He finished 2022 with the second-high PFF grade among Mountain West defensive ends, 87.7, and career highs in tackles, sacks, and hurries and could make for an intriguing lottery ticket in undrafted free agency.

Jacob Raab spent 2022 as the Rams’ long snapper after previous stops at Saddleback College and San Diego State. He made three tackles and no obvious errors on a special teams unit that was a trainwreck the year before his arrival, so there’s an outside chance he snags a roster tryout as a UDFA and carves out a nice career for himself.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Fresno State

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 322 pounds, offensive tackle Dontae Bull certainly looks the part of a NFL lineman. However, a serious injury curtailed his final year with the Bulldogs and draft analysts like The Draft Network’s Brentley Weissman aren’t certain he has the requisite fluidity and footwork at present to make an impact at the highest level.

L.J. Early contributed on special teams and at safety in his three years at Fresno State, starting 12 games in 2022. Interestingly, Pro Football Focus notes that he saw the fourth-most targets of any Mountain West safety last year but posted the lowest percentage of targets caught, 39.5%, while breaking up a team-high ten passes. At 5-foot-8, his size might work against him but his speed and tenacity should earn him an invite to rookie camp somewhere.

Safety Elijah Gates started 14 games across two seasons for the Bulldogs after transferring from UCLA and proved to be a lifesaver when star Evan Williams missed time with injury in the middle of the 2022 season. However, a 4.75 40-yard dash and 27 1/2″ vertical jump at his pro day likely mean he’s more a fringe prospect than anything.

Raymond Pauwels Jr. started 13 games over the past three seasons for Fresno State, but tight end hasn’t really been a featured position for the Bulldogs in recent years. It probably doesn’t help that he was one of four Mountain West tight ends to allow two sacks last year, especially since he doesn’t really have the size or speed to be an inline player at the NFL level.

David Perales has a case as the most disruptive defender anywhere in the Mountain West over the past few years, racking up 22.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss between 2020 and 2022. He’s a high-energy athlete whose biggest problem is that, by NFL standards, he’s a marginal one, meaning he’ll have to keep grinding to carve out a rotational role for himself in the style of a Malik Reed.

Wide receiver Zane Pope had a promising start to his Fresno State career with five starts as a sophomore in 2019, but injuries wiped nearly all of his 2020 campaign and he ended up as more of a role player to Jalen Moreno-Cropper’s WR1. He spent a good amount of time playing both inside and outside, however, and is a solid athlete who rarely dropped passes (3% drop rate) and made the tough catch more often than not when given the opportunity.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Hawaii

Wide receiver Zion Bowens demonstrated a fair bit of explosive play potential across three seasons with the Warriors, but he was hampered by injuries and drops (12.2% rate) in 2022 and, at just 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, there may not be enough to truly separate him from a number of other pass-catching prospects.

Offensive tackle Austin Hopp spent all of 2022 as the starter at right tackle, but he definitely had a lot of growing pains in the role. No offensive lineman in the Mountain West allowed more quarterback hits (11) and hurries (33) and, much like Ilm Manning, it’s likely of moving inside to improve the odds of hanging on. The last part may be true of Micah Vanterpool, as well, though he was one of three lineman in the conference to play more than 900 snaps and allow zero sacks. That he also spent time at four different positions during his five years in Hawaii is an added bonus.

Jordan Murray‘s lone season with Hawaii was a muted one, grabbing just ten passes despite playing considerably more as an outside receiver when injuries hampered that unit. He did catch 99 balls in four years at Missouri State, however, and some team may be interested in such a big-bodied target.

Cornerback Hugh Nelson II gave a young Hawaii defense some much needed veteran leadership during its rebuild in 2022, but don’t overlook the fact he compiled 14 passes defended over the last two seasons. At 6 feet tall and 207 pounds, he brings physicality to the position that could warrant him a tryout or two.

Dedrick Parson often did a bit of heavy lifting for the Warriors offense, leading the team in rushing for two straight years after transferring from Howard. He also caught 58 passes during his time with Hawaii, though it may be tough to stick without NFL-caliber speed (4.65 40-yard time, 86.8 Speed Score).

Linebacker Penei Pavihi had one of the more adventurous careers in recent Hawaii football memory. After shining as a sophomore in 2018, an injury sustained in a car crash wiped out his 2019 but he came back, switched to defensive end and finished with over 40 career starts. Pavihi has adequate speed for his size, but he also finished with the third-worst PFF grade (43.0) of any Mountain West linebacker who played at least 200 snaps in 2022

Defensive tackle Blessman Ta’ala did a lot of yeoman’s work in the trenches for the Warriors, starting over 50 games during his college career. A stout run defender, his biggest challenge will be bulking up from 290 pounds to do more damage with his 6-foot-1 frame in the NFL.

Kolby Wyatt spent two years with Hawaii after transferring in from Georgia but made most of his impact on special teams.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Nevada

Wide receiver B.J. Casteel spent just one season with the Wolf Pack after four with Arizona. He’s not a burner (4.49 40-yard time) despite measuring in at 5-foot-9 during Nevada’s pro day and it may count as a strike against him that he also had a drop rate over 10% in each of his last two seasons.

Quarterback Nate Cox started 2022 in a timeshare with Shane Illingworth for the starting job, and well, never really separated. At 6-foot-9, he’s by far the tallest prospect at the position in this year’s draft class and while he does have a bit of running ability, he has only an adequate arm. Carson Strong, he is not.

Defensive end PJ Huff played just 48 snaps last year on a Wolf Pack defense that didn’t really have any proven entities beyond Dom Peterson, which should tell you everything you need to know.

The Nevada secondary was a surprising source of strength in 2022, which means that Tyriq Mack, Bentlee Sanders, and Tyson Williams might deserve more than a once-over glance. Mack played all over the field for Nevada, logging over 200 snaps in the box and at free safety. Sanders was a revelation after transferring to the Wolf Pack from South Florida, forcing three fumbles while tying for the Mountain West lead with four interceptions in 2022, and with a 4.39 40-yard time, teams might be willing to give the 5-foot-8 Tampa native a shot. Williams twice earned all-Mountain West honorable mentions though he’s definitely one of the smaller safety prospects in this year’s class at just 5-foot-8.

Bryce Petersen transferred to Nevada after four seasons at Akron, but there’s an argument to be made the center had his worst overall year with the Wolf Pack by allowing two sacks and 25 quarterback hurries. He’s also probably undersized by NFL standards (6-foot-1, 292 pounds), so there’s plenty of work to do if he wants to earn a rookie camp invite.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

New Mexico

Adam Gay spent three years with UNM after three years at New Mexico Highlands, but he only played 54 snaps at right tackle for the Lobos in 2022. That probably isn’t a good sign for his NFL hopes when you consider that New Mexico had one of the worst overall offensive lines anywhere in college football last year.

Linebacker Reco Hannah provided a steadying presence in a Lobos defense rife with youth and which battled injuries across the unit, playing a career-high 609 snaps last fall. According to Pro Football Focus, he also happened to post the Mountain West’s third-highest tackling grade at 86.1 and missed just 5% of his tackles, the lowest figure among anyone who played more than 500 snaps. Combined with a 4.50 40-yard time at his pro day, Hannah might be an interesting dark horse prospect to watch.

Justin Harris had big shoes to fill replacing Joey Noble in UNM’s 3-3-5 defense, but he’s flashed a good amount of pass rushing ability over the past two seasons with eight sacks in that time. At 6-foot-4 and 266 pounds, it may be worth a roll of the dice to see if can hold down a role as an edge defender.

Isaiah Perez served as the team’s long snapper over the last two seasons, helping punter Aaron Rodriguez emerge as one of the top young specialists in the Mountain West during that time.

There may not have a been a shakier placekicker in the Mountain West over the last few years than George Steinkamp. He was 9-of-19 on field goal attempts in his career while the touchback percentage on his kickoffs fell from 63.2% in 2021 to 48.8% in 2022. He’s no Jason Sanders.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

San Diego State

Quarterback Braxton Burmeister did not have a good time of things after transferring to the Aztecs from Virginia Tech. He started the team’s first five games, completed exactly 50% of his throws for 3.7 yards per attempt and a 2:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio before a concussion mercifully ended his time under center and prompted a late-season switch to wide receiver. If he can stay healthy, he brings a good amount of athleticism to the table… but he’s never healthy for long.

Running back and return ace Jordan Byrd made his name as one of the most electric players in the Mountain West, earning four separate all-conference honors as a punt and kick returner in the past three seasons. The biggest challenge he’ll face heading into the NFL is maintaining that electricity: At the Aztecs’ pro day, he ran a 4.50 40-yard spring while measuring in at 5-foot-7 and 166 pounds, which equates to a Speed Score of just 80.9.

Seyddrick Lakalaka often served as crucial depth in San Diego State’s linebacker unit, starting just five games in 2021 and one in 2022 but playing over 500 snaps in both campaigns. Missed tackles are a big concern, as PFF notes he has a career rate of 22% on that front.

Caden McDonald was always listed as the starter at middle linebacker, but the reality is that he attacked from everywhere in the Aztecs’ defense, collecting 12.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in four years as a starter while being named an all-Mountain West first-team defender three times. Both NFL Draft Buzz and The Draft Network’s Damian Parson, however, voiced concerns about his ability to shed blocks and adding a little more violence to his tackling technique in order to improve his chances of sticking in the NFL.

Tyrell Shavers is an interesting prospect in that, while he never lit up the stat sheet for the Aztecs, he demonstrated a knack for making tough catches and proved he could be a difference maker on special teams. That versatility could go a long way when the decision comes down to a player willing to do whatever it takes to win and one without that track record.

Justus Tavai, the brother of fellow NFL prospect Jonah and former Detroit Lion Jahlani, spent one year with the Aztecs after playing for four years at Hawaii. He was about as productive as he’d been with the Warriors, notching exactly 23 tackles for the second straight season in 2022, but after weighing in at 285 pounds during pro day, he may need to add bulk to his 6-foot-1 frame in order to improve his odds of competing for a NFL roster spot.

Center Alama Uluave was a first-team all-Mountain West offensive lineman in 2021 and, more broadly, was one of the busiest centers anywhere in the conference over the last three seasons. Compared to a number of other prospects at the position in this year’s class, however, he’s definitely a little undersized at just 6-foot-1, but with his ability to direct traffic at the line of scrimmage and initial quickness, he probably deserves a shot to win a job somewhere.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

San Jose State

Linebacker Kyle Harmon played like a tackling machine throughout his Spartans tenure, finishing with 442 career takedowns (third in program history). He was also a first-team all-Mountain West defender three times on the strength of being a strong run stopper, but some draft analysts like Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline have concerns that, despite his sharp instincts, he may already be maxed out athletically.

Cornerback Nehemiah Shelton started for four years and twice earned all-conference honorable mentions because he’s always had a knack for contesting the ball when thrown his way (eight career interceptions, 35 career passes defended). His 77 and 7/8-inch wingspan and solid Shrine Bowl performance are almost certain to generate discussion in the later rounds of the NFL Draft about bringing him on board.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

UNLV

Offensive linemen Cobe Bryant and DJ Stuckey only spent one year in Las Vegas after transferring from SMU and Cal Poly, respectively, but neither made much of an impression. They combined for one start (Stuckey in the 2022 season finale) and 129 snaps played, so both are among the Mountain West’s fringiest prospects.

Daviyon McDaniel, meanwhile, had two seasons at UNLV after transferring from Charleston Southern before 2021 and spent time at every position on the offensive line except center. However, he gave up six sacks and 51 quarterback hurries during his brief Rebels tenure, which may explain why Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline beliefs that greater emphasis on improved fundamentals will be the difference for him in the long run.

Beyond possessing perhaps the greatest Twitter handle in Mountain West history, Eliel Ehimare was quietly a sneaky-productive player for the Rebels over the past few years. Though he never played more than 500 snaps, his overall PFF grades ranked fourth and third, respectively, among Mountain West defensive tackles in 2021 and 2022.

Rex Goossen isn’t the only Mountain West long snapper looking for a chance to contribute, but he is the only one to have been previously named to the Patrick Mannelly Award watch list. That in itself may give him a leg up (arm up?) against competitors for scarce job openings.

Tavis Malakius was never more than a rotational player during his five years with the Rebels, topping out at 368 snaps in 2022. Despite a monster 82 1/2-inch wingspan for his size (6-foot-1, 282 pounds), his NFL hopes are probably a non-starter.

Adam Plant Jr. didn’t waste a lot of time finding ways to be productive after transferring from TCU back in 2020. He led the Rebels in tackles for loss during his first year in Las Vegas and had a career-best eight sacks and 13.5 TFLs in 2022. He runs fairly well for his size, posting a 4.79 40-yard time while measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, so it seems likely someone will take a flyer to see if they can mold him into something more.

Wide receiver Nick Williams spent five seasons at Division II Colorado State-Pueblo before transferring to UNLV ahead of the 2022 season. Most of his time as a Rebel came out of the slot (77.7% of snaps) and he demonstrated a knack for making timely catches, so he might be worth consideration for NFL teams looking for a big target.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Utah State

Wide receiver Brian Cobbs spent just one year at Utah State after four years at Maryland, but it was a very busy one. He led the Mountain West with 116 targets in 2022 and posted a 65.2% contested catch rate, so while his catch radius (10 1/4″ hands, 75 3/4″ wingspan) may interest some teams, the bigger immediate concern is a 4.70 40-yard time which may diminish that enthusiasm.

It took a few years before Connor Coles got to step up at Utah State’s placekicker on a full-time basis, but he finished his Aggies career having made 71.4% of his field goal tries. That may not be the level of accuracy the NFL is looking for, so he may have to find a way to prove he can handle kickoff duties in order to have staying power.

Center Chandler Dolphin developed into a workhorse for the Aggies and played 953 snaps in 2022, the most of any offensive lineman in the Mountain West. He was also one of just six FBS centers to play at least 900 snaps while allowing two or fewer quarterback hits and zero snaps, probably in large part to what Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline describes as initial quickness mixed with a mean streak.

Offensive tackle Alfred Edwards earned the left tackle job as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and never let go of it, finishing his college career with a school-record 53 starts. An excellent pass protector, he was credited with a PFF pass-blocking grade of 73.4 or better in four of his five seasons in Logan, though PFN’s Pauline notes that improved footwork will help him build on the physical profile in which NFL teams are almost certainly interested.

Gurvan Hall transferred to Utah State after four seasons at Miami (FL), making five starts for the Aggies in 2022. However, the fact that head coach Blake Anderson gave him an indefinite suspension late last season may be a red flag to some NFL front offices.

You can’t teach size and length, two things that wide receiver Justin McGriff has in spades, measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 216 pounds with an 80 and 5/8″ wingspan at Utah State’s pro day. He struggled with drops (14% career rate) more than you’d like across three seasons with the Aggies, though, meaning that NFL coaches may need to put in a fair amount of time to maximize what he could offer.

Safety Hunter Reynolds spent two seasons with the Aggies after transferring in from Michigan and he became a defensive leader who helped spearhead the team’s championship run in 2021. His on-field instincts and sure tackling made him one of the more underrated players anywhere in the Mountain West, as he posted four interceptions and nine passes defended in the last two years.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

Wyoming

Offensive lineman Eric Abojei has exactly the kind of physique you’d expect from someone at his position, measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 355 pounds at the Cowboys’ pro day. He played the most snaps of any Wyoming lineman in 2022 and appeared in over 40 games across five seasons, but consistency as a pass blocker eluded him at times (ten sacks allowed between 2020 and 2022) and Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline noted that his size can sometimes work against him.

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2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

Story originally appeared on Mountain West Wire