4/24/2020 football Edit

McTelvin Agim selected in 2020 NFL Draft

McTelvin Agim started 40 games during his four-year career with the Razorbacks. (Nick Wenger)

Andrew Hutchinson • HawgBeat

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McTelvin Agim is the first Arkansas player off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, going to the Denver Broncos in the third round and with the 95th overall pick Friday night.

The defensive tackle’s selection ensures the Razorbacks will have at least one player drafted for the 25th straight year - a streak that dates back to the 1995 NFL Draft. That is the fourth longest active streak in the SEC, trailing only Georgia (79 years), Florida (69) and LSU (26).

By getting picked on Day 2, Agim is the first defensive player from Arkansas to be drafted in the top three rounds since the New England Patriots made defensive end Jake Bequette a third-round pick in 2012, taking him 90th overall.

In the seven drafts since Bequette, nine defensive players were selected, but the highest was Trey Flowers, who went to the Patriots with the 101st overall pick - which was the second pick of the fourth round in 2015.

Agim came to Arkansas as one of the most heralded recruits the Razorbacks have ever signed. He was a 6.0 four-star on Rivals - and a five-star prospect by some other services - and was selected as an Under Armour All-American as a defensive end at Hope.

Pursued by virtually all of college football’s blue bloods, such as Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas, Agim chose to stay home and play for the Razorbacks. At No. 50 overall in the Class of 2016, he was Arkansas’ highest ranked signee of the 2010s.

Unfortunately, Agim played for three different defensive coordinators and was part of some of the worst defenses in school history during his four years in Fayetteville.

Despite bouncing back and forth between defensive end and defensive tackle, with exactly 20 starts at each position, he still managed to rack up 148 tackles - including 31.5 for loss and 14.5 sacks - as well as 19 quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Although he may not have lived up to the lofty expectations that followed him to Arkansas, his career tackles for loss and sack totals are tied for 13th and 14th in school history. Agim also consistently graded as one of the Razorbacks’ top defenders, earning Pro Football Focus grades of 74.9, 67.6 and 71.6 his first three years before posting a career-high 78.6 grade as a senior.

With the Broncos, Agim could potentially team up with former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen. He is currently an unrestricted free agent, but they are trying to re-sign him, according to reports.

Denver has now drafted seven Razorbacks in franchise history. Most recently, it took running back David Williams in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The most notable of the picks, though, was safety Steve Atwater. A first-round pick in 1989, he had a Hall of Fame career with the Broncos.