Now that the NFL season is officially over, it’s mock draft season. Everyone from national analysts such as Mel Kiper Jr. and Matt Miller to sites like Pro Football Focus are firing out their projections for the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft. And one of the more recent ones has a former Vol being taken much higher than expected.
Former Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs has helped his draft stock with a strong showing this offseason. Dobbs shined in practices leading up to the Senior Bowl and played well in the game itself, and one site was impressed enough with his work there and at Tennessee to predict him to be taken on the second day of the NFL Draft.
WalterFootball.com has Josh Dobbs going to the Cleveland Browns with the 52nd overall pick in the upcoming 2017 draft. Here’s what the staff at Walter Football had to say about their projection:
This is way too early for Joshua Dobbs, but the Browns aren’t scared to reach for a quarterback prospect if they like him, as they spent a third-round pick on Cody Kessler last year when everyone thought Kessler would be taken in the sixth or seventh frame. The scuttlebutt is that the Browns like Dobbs, as they coached him in the Senior Bowl.
The Vols haven’t had a quarterback drafted into the NFL since Jonathan Crompton was taken in the fifth round by San Diego in the 2010 draft. More analysts are expecting Dobbs to be taken in the draft, but Walter Football’s projection is by far the highest spot Dobbs has been pegged thus far.
Dobbs finished his Tennessee career with a 61.5 completion percentage on 999 career passing attempts, throwing for 7,138 yards, 53 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. He holds school records for most rushing yards and touchdowns by a quarterback, running for 2,160 yards and 32 scores on 438 career attempts.
Other notable Vols that Walter Football has going in the first four rounds include Derek Barnett going No. 11 overall to New Orleans, Alvin Kamara going No. 40 overall in the second round to Carolina, and Cam Sutton going No. 69 overall in the third round to the Titans.
