Maryland football 2017 NFL Draft preview: Will Likely, Michael Dunn and others look to take the next step

It’s NFL Draft time. The first round begins at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, the second and third rounds start at 7 p.m. Friday and the rest of the draft begins Saturday at noon.

Unlike last year, when three Maryland players were taken and Sean Davis went in the second round, the Terps don’t have much of a presence this year. In fact, if you only tune in to see Maryland players come off the board, then you can skip the first two days altogether. Here’s what to expect from some different Terps this weekend.

There’s a chance

Will Likely, cornerback/returner. Had it not been for a torn ACL in October, Likely would be a surefire draftee at this point. Instead, his efforts to impress pro scouts have coincided with his rehab. Likely impressed at the Terps’ pro day on March 29, but he’s still staring at a Saturday selection at best. CBS ranks him as its No. 259 overall prospect; there are 253 picks. It’s basically a toss-up.

It’s a longshot

Michael Dunn, offensive tackle. The four-year starter on Maryland’s line is also coming back from injury, but still has the size and technique to make it. No outlets are projecting him to be drafted, but it only takes one team to be sold on him.

Check back on Sunday

Trey Edmunds, running back. Although he missed the majority of his only season at Maryland with a foot injury, Edmunds has recovered in time to make an impression at both Virginia Tech’s and Maryland’s pro days. He’s listed at 6’1, 223 pounds, so NFL teams should be drawn to his size. Unfortunately, they just haven’t seen enough of him.

Alvin Hill, cornerback. Hill made the most of his starting opportunity as a senior, and was one of Maryland’s more reliable defenders all year. He could draw interest as either a corner or a free safety, but that interest probably won’t come in the form of a draft pick.

Levern Jacobs, wide receiver. After recording 41 receptions in 2016, including a team-high 38 in the final eight games, Jacobs should definitely be on the radar of several teams. He’s showed flashes of a potential NFL receiver from time to time, and like several of his teammates, he has experience on special teams as well.

Teldrick Morgan, wide receiver. Morgan hauled in a team-high 43 passes last season, and he stepped in as the Terps’ primary punt returner when Likely went down. He made plenty of people miss in college, and it’ll be interesting to see how well that ability carries over into the pros.

Several others—like Roman Braglio, Wes Brown, Kenneth Goins Jr. and Azubuike Ukandu—might get NFL looks, but their uphill battles will be steeper than most. NFL teams can have a three-day, post-draft rookie minicamp from May 5-8, and a second period lasts from May 12-15. After that, we should have a pretty good idea of how all of these guys stand.