2021 NFL Draft: 5 Pac-12 prospects hurt by canceling fall season
2. Walker Little, OT, Stanford
There were some people who had Walker Little pegged as a first-round pick in the 2020 draft class entering last season. Unfortunately, the Cardinal’s standout offensive lineman suffered a leg injury early in the year that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. That, of course, is the biggest reason why he could’ve stood to get on the field in the fall.
Little isn’t a perfect prospect as he needs to become more adept at using his god-given tools, namely his length, on a more consistent basis. Having said that, the biggest thing he needed to do this season was to show that he’s healthy and that, as an already somewhat limited athlete, that he could still combat speed on the edge. Canceling or postponing the season takes away that opportunity from him.
1. Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington
After flashing as a freshman in the 2018 season, Joe Tryon really made a name for himself last year. The Washington edge rusher played in 13 games for the Huskies and ended up with 8.0 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and 41 total tackles on the season.
Eyeing that production from the 2019 campaign and his film, it’s clear that Tryon will intrigue teams in the 2021 NFL Draft. But the question with the Pac-12 not playing football in the fall is just how much teams will be interested in him.
Next. 6 NFL rookies who will have the biggest impact. dark
Right now, Tryon is very much a ball of clay. He clearly has the size, strength and explosiveness to be an edge threat at the next level but he needs to become a more polished pass-rusher and more disciplined player for him to realize his potential. Not playing this fall takes a shot to show growth away from him.