Five Maryland football players invited to NFL Draft Combine
It was a disappointing season for Maryland football, but the Terps are expected to have several players drafted. Five of them were invited to the NFL Draft Combine on Thursday.
It was a disappointing season for Maryland football, but the Terps are expected to have several players drafted. Five of them were invited to the NFL Draft Combine on Thursday.
Defensive linemen Tommy Akingbesote and Jordan Phillips, receivers Kaden Prather and Tai Felton and safety Dante Trader all received invites to the combine, held in Indianapolis from Feb. 24 to March 3.
Felton was a first-team all-Big Ten selection and one of the nation's most prolific receivers, totaling a school-record 96 catches for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. He became the first player in Maryland history to start a season with four consecutive games. The Ashburn, Va., native is projected somewhere in the third-round range and helped his cause with a 25-yard touchdown catch in the Senior Bowl.
Jeff Risdon of Yahoo Sports wrote:
"Felton was a personal favorite of mine entering the week, and the speedy Terrapins wideout did not disappoint. He won consistently in both 1-on-1s and team drills with raw speed but also savvy change of gears that really disrupts the flow of the defender. He bested every corner he went up against at least once, including his defensive counterpart who also wears No. 10 here, Kansas State's Jacob Parrish (who had a very nice day of his own). Clean hands and good over-the-shoulder ball tracking--even if the throw wasn't always when or where it needed to be."
Phillips, a 6-4, 316-pound defensive tackle from Orlando, shined during the week of practice before the Shine Bowl, boosting his draft stock.
"Who will be the highest-drafted non-QB from this year's East-West Shrine Bowl? Maryland DT Jordan Phillips might get my vote. Power-packed and twitched up to create serious knock back at the POA. Fluid 320-pounder. Still just 20-years-old," The Athletic's Dane Brugler posted on X.
Akingbesote started all 12 games on the defensive line, leading the team's linemen with 32 tackles (16 solo), including five tackles for loss and a sack. A former four-star recruit who started his career slowly, he rounded into form as a senior and was one of Maryland's best defensive players by the second half of this season. He hadn't received as much hype as the others, so Akingbesote landing a combine invite is a major development.
Prather recorded 42 receptions for 666 yards and five touchdowns in his first year at Maryland after transferring from West Virginia, leading the team with an average of 15.9 yards per reception. His yardage dipped a bit this past season (56 catches for 624 yards and four touchdowns), but the 6-3 Montgomery Village native's combination of size and athleticism could get him drafted in the middle rounds.
Trader, also a lacrosse standout for part of his time at Maryland, totaled 59 tackles (37 solo), defended five passes, and grabbed one interception this season. Despite missing two games due to injury, he ranked second on the team in total tackles.
