In the latest 2018 NFL Draft Mockup, FanSided projects Washington Huskies linebacker Azeem Victor in round one to the Green Bay Packers
Washington Huskies linebacker Azeem Victor carries a burden this season. The burden is to lead the Washington Huskies defense this season. In fact, he is taking the responsibility not only to keep it as good, but improve it over last years performance.
That is knowing full well that the 2017 NFL Draft pulled many of his teammates from his side.
So as he cheered on the outcomes of defensive tackle Elijah Qualls, safety Budda Baker, linebackers Joe Mathis and Psalm Wooching, and cornerbacks Sidney Jones IV and Kevin King, he also had already begun to envision what this season would look like.
Autzen Zoo
Not Alone
He won’t be alone. Defensive tackle Vita Vae resisted the draft, and will return to the ranks. For now, at least.
But every defense is led by the linebacker. It’s their unique vantage point: Close to the line of scrimmage to see how the offense has aligned its backfield, but far enough back to not lose sight of the forest for the trees.
Victor led the Huskies with 68 tackles before suffering a leg fracture mid November 2016. He turned heads when he posted 16 tackles against Utah last year. And now he’s back to return to form.
Way Too Early NFL Mock Draft
In the FanSided Saturday Blitz mock NFL Draft by Jerran Anderson, he projects Victor as a first round pick to a team familiar with Washington Huskies, the Green Bay Packers. There, he will join former Huskies teammate Kevin King to shore up the Packers defense.
Anderson writes:
"“The Green Bay Packers drafted linebacker Vince Biegel (Wisconsin Badgers) in the 2017 NFL Draft. In the 2018 NFL Draft, adding Washington Huskies linebacker Azeem Victor is key to getting even better defensively.Victor’s season was cut short after 10 games when he broke his leg on November 12 in a 26-13 loss to the USC Trojans. If he can return healthy and back to his usual form, he’ll be a first-rounder in the 2018 NFL Draft in no time.”"
While there is a little matter of the 2017 NCAA college football season yet to be played, the path of Azeem Victor could very well lead to a first round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. But before that, Azeem Victor must lead the Washington Huskies back and to the top of the NCAA college football playoffs.
After all, one thing at a time.