ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. places Syracuse football DT Jay Bromley in the 3rd or 4th round
Updated: Mar. 22, 2019, 10:10 a.m. | Published: Apr. 23, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
Syracuse's Jay Bromley
Gallery: Syracuse's Jay Bromley
By Nate Mink | nmink@syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. — There is not as much buzz surrounding the Syracuse football draft class as there was this time a year ago when the school had a pair of possible first-round picks in quarterback Ryan Nassib and offensive lineman Justin Pugh.
But ESPN's renowned draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. slightly changed that narrative Wednesday when he projected out Syracuse's top draft prospects.
Previously, most prognostications placed Syracuse's best draft-eligible prospects near the end of the draft. Kiper, speaking with reporters on a 90-minute teleconference Wednesday, believes defensive tackle Jay Bromley could hear his name called in the third or fourth round.
"Bromley, I think to me, is a guy that starts to really come together as a football player," Kiper said. "I have Bromley right now at No. 9 (among defensive tackles) which puts him in a third- or fourth-round category because I don't think a lot of these defensive tackles are going to go."
Bromley is among a trio of Syracuse players generally considered as a potential draft pick. Linebacker Marquis Spruill and running back Jerome Smith are the other two, but center Macky MacPherson, cornerbacks Keon Lyn, Ri'Shard Anderson and tight end Beckett Wales may have a chance to latch on with a team via free agency.
Kiper believes Spruill could be a late-round pick, but Smith "will be a free agent" because "there's too many running backs ahead of him."
"I think Spruill, to me, the all-star game helped him," Kiper said, referring to Spruill's showing in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. "He was a heck of a player. Gives you range and productivity as a back-up special teamer initially, as a sixth-, seventh-round pick. I think he'll help you."
The NFL Draft runs May 8-10.
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