The University of Washington, ranked 4th in the nation, say farewell to four Huskies who were integral in the team’s 12-2 record in 2016. But there is a silver lining, as the NFL will be welcoming them in the 2017 NFL Draft
The 2016 season was fairly successful for the University of Washington football program. The Washington Huskies finished the season with a 12-2 record, and ended with a ranking of fourth in the nation. That is their highest ranking since 2000, when the Huskies defeated the Purdue Boilermakers in the Rose Bowl.
Who Dat Dish
Getting to fourth in the nation required lots of practice, dedication and training. But for four Huskies, that chapter is now over.
Fore! Er… Four!
You see, those four players have declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. Originally the story broke via ESPN. But the story was later confirmed by a University of Washington press release. They are safety Budda Baker, cornerback Sidney Jones, defensive lineman Elijah Qualls, and wide receiver John Ross. They will forgo their senior season at Washington and enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
"These four players have been a big part of the progress this program has made during their time here,” UW head coach Chris Petersen said in the press release. “We wish them all the success in the world as they pursue their professional goals.”"
The four juniors will now pursue their dreams to become professional NFL athletes. But to do that, they must create enough interest to persuade an NFL team to call their name in the draft.
The NFL Draft is a three day seven round marathon, and can be the difference to an NFL team’s success for years to come. As such, it’s incredibly important to both athlete and team.
More from The Husky Haul
- Pro Husky Shaq Thompson out for season with leg injury
- Washington Huskies begin conference play against Cal in Week 4
- Jack Westover is a breakout star for the Washington Huskies
- Washington football: Negatives and Positives in win over Michigan State
- Huskies offense slices through the Spartans in 41-7 win
Pre Combine
Obviously, the prospects are focusing on the NFL Combine as their next step. Even without confirmation from the combine, all four have received praise by NFL scouts. And if the early projections are correct, NFL teams will call their names by the end of day two.
While we will examine each prospect individually in the days ahead, there is no harm in checking out some highlights now, is there? How about the win over the Colorado Buffalos to seal the Pac 12 title?
But the four are not the only Huskies hoping for a new career in the NFL. They join seniors defensive back Kevin King, outside linebacker Psalm Wooching, linebacker Joe Mathis, offensive tackle Jake Eldrenkamp and tight end Darrell Daniels, who all hope to find a new home in the NFL come April 27th.
Combine
There is plenty of excitement happening with the University of Washington football. The next major date is the January 17, 2017 list of official NFL Combine invitees. The week-long NFL Combine will be held from Tuesday, February 28, 2017 through Monday, March 6, 2017. During that time, athletes will be interviewed, evaluated, measured, tested, and finally asked to perform a series of on-field workouts.
Next: Washington Husky Kelsey Plum 3000th Point Helps Defeat Arizona Suns
Finally, after the NFL combine, the University of Washington will hold their Pro Day. Typcially the event is held near the end of March or beginning of April.