After seven Hurricanes were drafted in last year’s NFL draft, Miami has another group of players hoping to hear their names called in next week’s draft. Here’s a quick look at Miami’s potential draftees:
Artie Burns
Burns led Miami with six interceptions in 2015, and he has the highest draft stock among Canes eligible for the 2016 NFL Draft. According to NFL.com, he is a consensus mid-to-late first round pick. Burns, an All-American Track Hurdler, has good speed, registering a 4.46 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine. In addition to his speed, Burns’s ball skills have experts projecting him as one of the top corners in the NFL draft. “[Burns] wakes up every morning with natural ball skills to flip the field,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said.
Deon Bush
Bush recorded 50 tackles in his senior season, and most experts project him going in the seventh round or undrafted. CBS Sports’s Dane Brugler has Bush going in the seventh round to the Miami Dolphins in his most recent mock draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay disagrees with most other experts, as he said he gave Bush a third-round grade in a conference call with the media. At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, Bush is a traditional inside-the-box strong safety.
Herb Waters
Draft Insider’s Tony Pauline lists Waters as the 99th-best wide receiver in the draft, and he expects Waters to be signed after the draft. Waters had his best season at Miami in 2015, hauling in 41 catches for 624 yards and one touchdown.
Tyriq McCord
CBS Sports lists McCord as the 63rd-best linebacker available in the draft and projects him to go undrafted. McCord battled through lower-extremity injuries in 2015, finishing the season with 34 tackles and 3.5 sacks. McCord proved invaluable to Miami’s defense with his flexibility, playing multiple positions from down-to-down in several games.
Raphael Kirby
After tearing his ACL midway through his senior year, Kirby’s draft stock fell significantly. He is still recovering, and as a result, he did not run at the NFL combine. But he did show off his strength at the combine, hitting 27 reps of the 225-pound bench press, which was second among linebackers. He is expected to sign as an undrafted free agent after the draft.
Tracy Howard
Pauline lists Howard as the 68th-best cornerback available in the draft and expects him to go undrafted. When he was coming out of high school, Howard was the top cornerback recruit in the nation, according to ESPN. His time at UM was highlighted by a four-pick sophomore campaign.
Dallas Crawford
Crawford, who played safety in both his junior and senior seasons at UM, is attempting to play running back in the NFL. Most experts expect him to go undrafted and attempt to join an NFL roster during minicamps.
Calvin Heurtelou
Heurtelou recorded 27 tackles in 2015, including three for a loss. According to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt, Heurtelou could sign as a free agent after the draft.
Ufomba Kamalu
Kamalu, who had 22 solo tackles in 2015 and won the team’s internal Defensive Player of the Year Award, is a large defensive lineman with a 6-foot-5, 295-pound frame. According to Zierlein from NFL.com, Kamalu lacks athleticism and explosion and expects him to go on the third day of the draft.