EAST LANSING -- From "zero-star" walk-on in 2012 to NFL first-round pick in 2016 -- that will sum up the brief and dramatic journey for Michigan State's Jack Conklin if the April 28 draft goes as planned.Conklin will be in it, MSU announced in a news release today. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound fourth-year junior left tackle from Plainwell will forgo his senior season and -- if the projections of analysts are correct -- give MSU a first-round offensive lineman for the first time since Tony Mandarich went No. 2 overall in 1989.
And it will give MSU offensive line coach Mark Staten a hefty rebuilding job, with Conklin joining senior center Jack Allen and senior guard Donavon Clark in departing. Allen was a four-year starter and, like Conklin, an All-America this season. Clark was a three-year starter.
The three-year starter is projected as a first-round pick by most analysts. ESPN's Todd McShay has him going No. 13 overall in his most recent mock draft, and ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Conklin as the No. 3 offensive tackle on the board.
I really like that guy as a 1st rounder to send Seanyrus Henderdjio to the pines for depth, but I think there's going to be too much juicy defensive talent for them to take him. If they settle up with Glenn and put Conklin at right, we're done at tackle worry for a while.
Originally Posted by Swiper
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote