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Auburn Morning Rush: Roger McCreary, Malik Willis among best available

Patrick Conn
·4 min read

The weekend is upon us but before we dive into our weekend plans, there is the matter of the NFL draft going on. So plan your weekend accordingly. The next portion begins on Friday at 6 p.m. CT.

After the first 32 selections in the 2022 NFL draft, the action returns on Friday evening with rounds two and three. Still plenty of good contributors available to help NFL teams. Among those are two former Auburn Tigers.

As we march towards the continuation of the NFL draft, we will be closely monitoring the status of Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary. He is the top-rated NFL draft prospect for the Tigers and should come off the board relatively early on Friday.

There is also former Auburn QB Malik Willis, who transferred to Liberty to play for Hugh Freeze. He should be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in round two, but we said that about him in round one.

There is the possibility that safety Smoke Monday could also come off the board in round three.

Check out these NFL draft updates ahead of rounds two and three on Friday:

Roger McCreary, Malik Wills are among the best available

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

As is always the case, we immediately look at the best available selections for day 2. Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary is among those players as he was looked at as a fringe-day 1 selection. Also, former Tigers quarterback Malik Willis, who many believed was a first-round selection leading into the draft, is still available as well.

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire listed both among his best available players.

Is Roger McCreary motor city bound?

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

As we look at the newest mock draft for the second and third rounds, we find that McCreary is being projected to the Detroit Lions who added former Michigan Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson and Alabama Crimson Tide’s Jamison Williams.

The Detroit Lions added local hero Aidan Hutchinson at the top of the first round, and then swung a trade back into the top fifteen of the draft to add at receiver, bringing in Jameson Williams from Alabama. Now they turn to their secondary, and in an effort to shore up the cornerback position they add Roger McCreary from Auburn. Sure, his arms are small for the position, but he makes up for that with his technique and aggression at the catch point. Just turn on his battle against Ja’Marr Chase from 2019, and you will see an NFL cornerback.

Another mock sends Roger McCreary to the Windy City

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

We have dueling mocks within the Wire network. Touchdown Wire projects McCreary to Detroit, Draft Wire has him going to their NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears. Whether it is in Detroit or Chicago, one team that hails from the north is going to get an outstanding cornerback.

Malik Willis as also projected to a new team

(Montgomery Advertiser-USA TODAY Network)

Speaking of that mock draft from Touchdown Wire, they also projected former Tigers QB who transferred to Liberty, Malik Willis to the Emerald City.

The Seattle Seahawks saw the first eight picks of the draft play out almost perfectly for them, as they were able to sit tight and add Charles Cross, one of the top three offensive tackles in the draft class and our top tackle here at Touchdown Wire. Now they can address another need, which is the quarterback position. They add Malik Willis, taking advantage of his slide out of the first round. In a way, this could be a perfect scenario for the quarterback, as the organization can take their time with him and not feel the pressure to play him early that would exist had they drafted him inside the top ten.

WATCH: Auburn alum Les Snead's reaction to the Patriots pick

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday night, we had the surprise pick of the draft with the New England Patriots selecting Cole Strange at pick No. 29. Auburn alum and Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead reacted alongside his head coach Sean McVay.

Per Rams Wire:

The entire press conference was fantastic from start to finish, and clearly the Rams’ coach and GM enjoyed the first night of the draft. They won’t be as calm on Friday night, and their radars will go up starting at around the 75th overall pick, they said.

Watch the full presser below. It’s worth your time

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