It’s always fun to analyze the NFL Draft prospects of a football player from a school where the athletic department is synonymous with sustained success in men’s basketball. In discussing pro prospects coming out of Arizona, North Carolina and Kentucky, one would rightfully assume it’s the NBA Draft.
However, a lot of traditionally “basketball schools” have been getting it done on the gridiron lately. And with that has come a massive rise in the number of blue chip prospects from “hoops hotbeds.”
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball ranks eighteenth all-time in total wins (1,886) heading into next season, but more impressive is their all-time winning percentage (.653) which is the eighth best ever. Meanwhile U of A football has only 10 bowl wins and just six conference titles to their credit.
But McMillan is a blue chip prospect that bloomed out in the desert. At 6’4″, 219, he’s a big receiver that is perfect for today’s NFL. His height and length has proven to be a great asset when it comes to jump and or 50/50 balls.
McMillan has shown a lot of effectiveness in both the short and intermediate areas of the field, but it’s perhaps in the red zone where he is most dangerous.
He does have one major red flag however. The viral video of McMillan saying he “doesn’t watch football” will not score points with anybody. In the same video he also says “I don’t like watching film either.” Remains to be seen how much this might devalue his draft stock.
Omari Hampton, RB, North Carolina
There is probably not a bigger blue blood in college hoops than UNC. According to RG.org, the Tar Heels are the only school with an active streak of reaching the NCAA Tournament title game in nine straight decades. They have also won a record 134 NCAA tournament games.
As for Tar Heel football, well, there isn’t all much to talk about there beyond Lawrence Taylor. We’ll see if Bill Belichick can change that; he certainly has a big job ahead of him.
We all know that Ashton Jeanty will be the first running back off the boards come Thursday night, but Hampton should join him in the first round.
He did 18 reps on the bench press, and that strength translates into the power he consistently conveys to make bowl over opposing would be tacklers. So while can just run through you, and over you, he’ll also zip past you with his 4.46 40-yard dash time. He broke off a 75-yarder this past season, en route to averaging almost six yards-per-rush.
Hampton looks like a sure-fire top 20 overall pick.
Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
If Carolina isn’t the all-time bluest of all the basketball blue bloods, then it has got to be Kentucky. They are the only school where five different coaches have won a national title and they’re tied with UNC and UCLA for most title game appearances, all-time.
As for Wildcats football, it has certainly taken a major step forward under current coach Mark Stoops, especially so in very recent years. However, they are not now and never really have been a program that’s nationally relevant.
Hairston is certainly relevant however, as he led the SEC (sixth in all of FBS) in interceptions in 2023. An All-SEC second team pick, Hairston runs the 40 in a blistering 4.28, and his 39.8″ vertical is another testament to his elite athleticism.
He could hear his name called on the draft’s first night, but this specific class is deep in terms of cornerback prospects. Hairston has got the goods, but he might slip into the second round.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Traditional “basketball schools” are getting it done on the gridiron
It’s always fun to analyze the NFL Draft prospects of a football player from a school where the athletic department is synonymous with sustained success in men’s basketball. In discussing pro prospects coming out of Arizona, North Carolina and Kentucky, one would rightfully assume it’s the NBA Draft.
However, a lot of traditionally “basketball schools” have been getting it done on the gridiron lately. And with that has come a massive rise in the number of blue chip prospects from “hoops hotbeds.”
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball ranks eighteenth all-time in total wins (1,886) heading into next season, but more impressive is their all-time winning percentage (.653) which is the eighth best ever. Meanwhile U of A football has only 10 bowl wins and just six conference titles to their credit.
But McMillan is a blue chip prospect that bloomed out in the desert. At 6’4″, 219, he’s a big receiver that is perfect for today’s NFL. His height and length has proven to be a great asset when it comes to jump and or 50/50 balls.
McMillan has shown a lot of effectiveness in both the short and intermediate areas of the field, but it’s perhaps in the red zone where he is most dangerous.
He does have one major red flag however. The viral video of McMillan saying he “doesn’t watch football” will not score points with anybody. In the same video he also says “I don’t like watching film either.” Remains to be seen how much this might devalue his draft stock.
Omari Hampton, RB, North Carolina
There is probably not a bigger blue blood in college hoops than UNC. According to RG.org, the Tar Heels are the only school with an active streak of reaching the NCAA Tournament title game in nine straight decades. They have also won a record 134 NCAA tournament games.
As for Tar Heel football, well, there isn’t all much to talk about there beyond Lawrence Taylor. We’ll see if Bill Belichick can change that; he certainly has a big job ahead of him.
We all know that Ashton Jeanty will be the first running back off the boards come Thursday night, but Hampton should join him in the first round.
He did 18 reps on the bench press, and that strength translates into the power he consistently conveys to make bowl over opposing would be tacklers. So while can just run through you, and over you, he’ll also zip past you with his 4.46 40-yard dash time. He broke off a 75-yarder this past season, en route to averaging almost six yards-per-rush.
Hampton looks like a sure-fire top 20 overall pick.
Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
If Carolina isn’t the all-time bluest of all the basketball blue bloods, then it has got to be Kentucky. They are the only school where five different coaches have won a national title and they’re tied with UNC and UCLA for most title game appearances, all-time.
As for Wildcats football, it has certainly taken a major step forward under current coach Mark Stoops, especially so in very recent years. However, they are not now and never really have been a program that’s nationally relevant.
Hairston is certainly relevant however, as he led the SEC (sixth in all of FBS) in interceptions in 2023. An All-SEC second team pick, Hairston runs the 40 in a blistering 4.28, and his 39.8″ vertical is another testament to his elite athleticism.
He could hear his name called on the draft’s first night, but this specific class is deep in terms of cornerback prospects. Hairston has got the goods, but he might slip into the second round.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Traditional “basketball schools” are getting it done on the gridiron
