NFL Mock Draft 2021: Where UCLA football’s departing players might end up

Last year’s NFL Draft marked a busy weekend for the Bruins.

Three former UCLA football players heard their names called in the virtual ceremony – tight end Devin Asiasi, cornerback Darnay Holmes and running back Joshua Kelley. It was the third time three Bruins went in the first 120 picks since 2003, but that won’t happen again in 2021.

Only two UCLA players are in the draft pool this time around, with running back Demetric Felton and defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa representing the blue and gold. Based on pro day results, free agency, roster projections and more, Daily Bruin senior staffer Sam Connon made his picks for where each of them could land over the weekend.

Osa Odighizuwa, defensive lineman

Pro Football Focus Senior Analysts, PFF.com: No. 84, Philadelphia Eagles
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: No. 88, Los Angeles Rams
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: No. 89, Cleveland Browns
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: No. 99, Dallas Cowboys
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: No. 117, San Francisco 49ers
Logan Lamorandier, Sports Illustrated: No. 131, Baltimore Ravens
Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball.com: No. 156, Miami Dolphins

The biggest criticism against Odighizuwa throughout the entire draft process has been his size.

Measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 279 pounds, he doesn’t fit the mold of a classic nose tackle or run-stuffer, but his experience moving all over the line as a three-technique interior rusher, base end and more shows how valuable he could be to an NFL franchise.

He likely won’t be able to push around opposing linemen like he did in the Pac-12, which is a reasonable cause for concern, but his smarts and ability to make good pre-snap reaps helped him notch 120 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in his 37-game collegiate career.

Like Felton, Odighizuwa also showed out at the Senior Bowl by posting the highest defensive Pro Football Focus grade of anyone at the event and earning the National Team Defensive Lineman of the Week award.

Seven different draft experts had Odighizuwa going to seven different teams, mostly because he can find a way to fit into most defensive formations and coaching styles. Still, losing Michael Brockers and Morgan Fox makes the Los Angeles Rams an intriguing destination alongside the San Francisco 49ers, who lost former top pick Solomon Thomas.

Odighizuwa met with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin prior to his pro day, and the young lineman would fit into his defensive scheme very well.

The Steelers allowed the third-fewest points per game, yards per game and yards per play across 2020, solidifying them as one of the best units in the league. Even though their defensive line stayed mostly intact over the offseason, losing edge rusher Bud Dupree and his 39.5 career sacks could create a new hole for the team that led the league in that category last season.

Odighizuwa doesn’t have the speed and build to line up as an outside linebacker like Dupree, but his ability to move all over the line and create disruption behind the line of scrimmage could make up for some lost production. Veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward will still anchor the middle of Pittsburgh’s defense, regardless, and Odighizuwa could help bring high IQ and unmatched dynamism to an interior defensive line group that is lacking great depth.

Connon’s pick: No. 87, Pittsburgh Steelers

Demetric Felton, running back/wide receiver

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: No. 120, New England Patriots
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: No. 122, New England Patriots
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: No. 150, Philadelphia Eagles
Pro Football Focus Senior Analysts, PFF.com: No. 161, Buffalo Bills
Logan Lamorandier, Sports Illustrated: No. 177, New England Patriots
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: No. 180, San Francisco 49ers
Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball.com: No. 209, Los Angeles Rams

If there had been a real NFL Draft Combine in 2021, Felton might have been one of the event’s biggest losers.

Felton ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash at the UCLA pro day on March 23 – a result that would have tied him for 16th among the 28 running backs who ran it at the 2020 combine, even behind his former college teammate and supposed gap-runner Joshua Kelley’s 4.49. A middle-of-the-pack finish in that category wouldn’t have been a death sentence, but it would have been surprising to see him finish toward the bottom of the pack in his agility drills as well.

Even though he’s known as a shifty, dynamic, change-of-direction back, Felton’s 4.44-second shuttle time and 7.32-second three-cone drill would each have ranked second-to-last among participating running backs in 2020. The only player who did worse in both categories was Ole Miss running back Scottie Phillips, who went undrafted.

Still, NFL teams seem to be fascinated by Felton’s potential as a positionless player moving forward. After his pro day, Felton said teams were looking at him as both a running back and wide receiver, a role he also played at times under coach Chip Kelly at UCLA.

In 18 games over the past two seasons, Felton has racked up 999 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 753 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. While those are by no means groundbreaking numbers, he spent most of 2019 behind Kelley and suffered a few minor injuries in the shortened 2020 campaign.

Felton flashed potential in that role at the Senior Bowl as well – earning the National Team Wide Receiver of the Week honors and notching one of the fastest in-game speeds of the event – and teams took notice.

One of those teams is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who Felton had two meetings with prior to his pro day. The defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers have plenty of ball carriers already, but their current stable of running backs is missing something Felton can bring to the table on day one.

Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones II and Ke’Shawn Vaughn are all runners first and do not have a lot of success as receivers throughout their careers. Quarterback Tom Brady loved having a pass-catching back with the New England Patriots – whether it was Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen or James White – which means drafting Felton could be beneficial for both the future Hall of Famer and the former Bruin.

Connon’s pick: No. 137, Tampa Bay Buccaneers