Terps in the NFL: 2022 Draft Primer
4/28/2022 10:30:00 AM | Football
Dreams about to come true.
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) April 28, 2022
Who's Next? #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/u33wD0dQW6
OFFICIAL TIME:
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) March 6, 2022
Maryland FS Nick Cross with a 4.34 40 yard dash!!!!#NFL #NFLDraft #NFLCombinepic.twitter.com/lldwcSnfb5
Top official 40 times among second group of defensive backs at #NFLCombine:
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) March 6, 2022
1) Nick Cross, @TerpsFootball, 4.34
T-2) Tycen Anderson, @ToledoFB, 4.36
T-2) Percy Butler, @RaginCajunsFB, 4.36
T-2) JT Woods, @BUFootball, 4.36
5) Lewis Cine, @GeorgiaFootball, 4.37
Nick Cross is a FS prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.87 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 12 out of 846 FS from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/WrB6AwiICy #RAS pic.twitter.com/xarJyIlK54
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2022
How can you not want to draft @TerpsFootball S Nick Cross ( @Nick_Cross26 ) after hearing this.... pic.twitter.com/T2ACWDSeht
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 9, 2022
- Mel Kiper Jr. has Cross at No. 61 (second round) on his big board.
- Chad Reuter of NFL.com has Cross going No. 61 to the 49ers.
- Matt Miller has Cross going No. 62 to the Chiefs:
- Nick Cross, S, Maryland
- Speed on defense is a huge need in Kansas City after that unit broke down late in the season. Buffalo wideout Gabriel Davis running all over the Chiefs is a lasting impression that should haunt the front office. Cross has great range with 4.3-second speed and a hitter's mentality in coverage.
- Todd McShay has him at No. 75 (third round) on his big board.
- The Ringer has Cross at No. 81 on their big board and has this to say about him:
- Cross is tall with a well-built, muscular frame. A four-star prospect out of Hyattsville, Maryland, he ranked as the no. 4 safety and no. 55 player overall in his class. He was a three-year starter and three-time honorable mention All-Big Ten for the Terrapins, racking up six picks, 12 passes defensed, four sacks, and 6.5 TFLs to go with 135 tackles in his college career. He tallied 67 tackles, three picks, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles in 2021.
- Cross played all over the secondary for Maryland, seeing snaps in the box, in the deep middle, and over the slot. He's a good hitter who arrives at the ballcarrier with a thwack. His closing speed seems to surprise opponents and he's the type of player who forces opposing receivers to keep their heads on a swivel. He's a good tackler with a wide tackle range and packs plenty of punch, finishing the play with fundamental technique. He consistently breaks down in space, chopping his steps to avoid overrunning the play. He does a good job of corralling the ballcarrier when he's the last line of defense. He's rangy in the back end and has experience playing deep middle. He tracks the ball like a center fielder and posted good ball production in his college career, with six picks and 12 passes defensed in three seasons. He should be a core special teamer and contribute from day one.
- CBSSports' Ryan Wilson has him going No. 81 to the Buffalo Bills.
- Jordan Reid of ESPN has Cross going No. 93 overall to the 49ers:
- Nick Cross, S, Maryland
- The 49ers are in need of help on the back end, and Cross is an underrated prospect in a loaded safety class. As a traditional single-high, high-post safety, he provides a unique presence on the third level.
The dream is close to coming true.
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) April 27, 2022
DRAFT @Nick_Cross26. pic.twitter.com/zyXGrph1Ds
Like his buddy Nick Cross, Chig also impressed at the combine:
.@TerpsFootball TE Chigoziem Okonkwo bettered his time with an insane 4.52u.
— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2022
He let us know it was nothing for him. 😴
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/toMeej3m7f
Athleticism scores for the 2022 tight end class are now official.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 4, 2022
Maryland's Chigoziem Okonkwo earned the lone 90+ athleticism score among the group (91), followed by Daniel Belligner (82) & Jelani Woods (80).#NextGenScores pic.twitter.com/kBFPtizANl
- NFL.com's Chad Reuter has Chig going No. 82 overall (third round) to the Philadelphia Eagles.
- ESPN's Jordan Reid has Chig going in the fourth round to the Tennessee Titans.
- CBSSports' Ryan Wilson has him in the fifth round to join Darnell Savage in Green Bay.
Positives: Developing tight end who followed up a solid senior season with outstanding practices at the Shrine Bowl. Remains disciplined with blocking assignments, keeps his head on a swivel, and stays square. Explosive, fires off the snap into blocks, and keeps his feet moving.
Fluid releasing off the line of scrimmage as a pass catcher, runs solid routes for a big man, and nicely adjusts to make receptions in stride. Reaches back to grab errant passes from the air, snatches the ball out of the air, and shows soft as well as quick hands. Makes a lot of athletic plays on the field.
Good luck Chig!
The most athletic TE in the Draft.
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) April 26, 2022
Draft @ChigTweets! pic.twitter.com/AW8ctCTTRc
He was the star of Maryland's Pro Day held in late March.
Where Sam O's numbers would've ranked at the combine among defensive tackles:
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 31, 2022
40: 1st
Bench: 1st
Vertical: 1st
Broad Jump: t-1st
We'd say that's good. pic.twitter.com/P4Oj5e8tMv
Sam O Strength
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 30, 2022
Put up 31 reps on the bench, which would've ranked t-2nd among all players at the combine.
Don't sleep on @okuayinonu. pic.twitter.com/02DFUDdLw6
- CBSSports.com has him going in the seventh round to the Las Vegas Raiders.
A monster in the trenches.
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) April 25, 2022
DRAFT @okuayinonu! pic.twitter.com/zViFRhaUjU
Good luck to those four!
Draft Terps. You won't regret it.
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 30, 2022
Pro Day ✅
Showed out for the scouts.#TBIA pic.twitter.com/rnI9iNttWa
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 31, 2022
