The NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday evening in downtown Detroit, Michigan, and a few Hogs are hoping to hear their name called at some point during the seven-round draft.
Thursday night will feature the first round beginning at 7 p.m. CT but fans shouldn't expect to see any former Razorbacks' names called based off the latest draft projections.
Arkansas' top five prospects — center Beaux Limmer, kicker Cam Little, guard Brady Latham, cornerback Dwight McGlothern and defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat — all have a chance of being picked between rounds two through seven.
Based off the latest aggregate from NFL Mock Draft Database which tracks and combines multiple projections together, Limmer has the best chance of being selected first amongst the group. The former 41-game starter for the Razorbacks is expected to land somewhere in the fourth round, though a third-round pick isn't out of the equation.
NFL Next Gen Stats gave Limmer a total score of 76 following his NFL Combine performance, and that score ranked fifth of all combine centers. His 89 athleticism score ranked fifth of all combine centers and his prospect grade of 5.99 translates to "average backup or special-teamer," according to NFL.com.
"Limmer brings center/guard flexibility and a wealth of starting experience in the challenging SEC," NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein said. "He has decent upper-body strength and good lower-body flexibility to provide leverage, but he could use additional mass on his frame. His clear eyes and accurate block entries give him early leads in the initial phase as a run blocker, and he maintains active feet to stay connected to his blocks over the first and second level.
"His tendency to lean and sit heavily on his feet has created problems mirroring rushers at both guard and center, and that is likely to continue for him as a pro. Limmer's run blocking should create an NFL opportunity at center, but the pass protection must improve."
The lone player that has a chance at usurping Limmer's projection is none other than Little, who is generally viewed as the top kicker in the 2024 NFL Draft. The precedent has already been set for kickers to be selected as early as the third round — the latest being Michigan's Jake Moody in 2023 — and Little has a shot at being next in line.
Still, most expect Little to be picked somewhere within the six through seven round range. Keep an eye on the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots for his services.
A member of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, Little finished his Arkansas career 53-for-64 on field goals (82.8%) and a perfect 129-129 on extra points. His 89 points last season cracked the single season Top 10 for a Razorback, and he finished 4-for-5 on field goals 50+ yards out.
"Little generates good velocity into the ball and hits it with consistency," Zierlein said. "He will leave some kicks out to the right on misses, but you won't see dead pulls. He has the leg strength for the league and just needs to become more automatic on kicks from 40-49 yards out."
Last but not least in the group with the best chance of hearing their name called is McGlothern, who racked up 20 total tackles, nine passes defended, three interceptions and the country's second-best defensive Pro Football Focus Grade (91.3) during his final season.
McGlothern is slotted within the four through seven round range, but the fifth seems like the most likely destination for the former Arkansas ball-hawk.
"Ball-hawking cornerback with the eyes, instincts and ball skills to flip the field against careless quarterbacks," Zierlein said. "McGlothern can press a little bit and handle some man coverage. However, he might be at his best in zone coverages, where he can scan the field and play chess with the route combinations and quarterbacks.
“He overlaps coverage areas to make plays on the football and has Cover 3 cornerback written all over him. McGlothern is passive as a run defender, which will slide him down the board for some teams. He possesses average speed and athleticism, but the skills are there to label him a Day 3 prospect with upside."
Below is a look at where Limmer, Little, McGlothern, Latham and Jeffcoat have been mocked in seven-round mock drafts from Drafttek, WalterFootball, Pro Football Focus and Sporting News.
Interview/video from Arkansas' Pro Day
