One of the more underrated players on Texas A&M football last season was versatile offensive lineman Keaton Sutherland, who impressed at the Pro Day.
There’s a consensus among draft pundits that as many as eight players could be drafted from Texas A&M football into the 2019 NFL Draft. Erik McCoy, Trayveon Williams, Jace Sternberger, Donovan Wilson, Tyrel Dodson, Otaro Alaka, Kingsley Keke, and Daylon Mack all seemingly did enough in 2018 to warrant a draft pick.
There are a couple other players who could be a surprise pick late in the draft as well. Landis Durham led the SEC in sacks a couple of years ago but may be too much of a tweener (not heavy or strong enough to stop the run, not fast enough to be a situational pass rusher or linebacker). Still, teams could take a flyer on him.
Another very underrated player from the past couple of years is offensive lineman Keaton Sutherland. He didn’t get nearly as much attention as McCoy, whose play warranted that attention, but Sutherland was an extremely useful and versatile weapon for Jim Turner. His ability to play multiple positions, inside and out, was huge, especially when the Aggies dealt with injuries on the line.
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Sutherland wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine, which doesn’t bode well for the prospect of getting drafted, but did participate in the East-West Shrine Game and was impressive at the Texas A&M Pro Day, so much so he may now hear his name called.
The Aggie offensive lineman jumped a 36-inch vertical, had a 9-foot-6 broad jump, and put up 27 reps on the bench press. Those numbers would have been first, fifth and 13th, respectively, had he participated in the Combine.
Nobody would confuse Sutherland for an elite talent with a ton of upside. However, teams looking for versatility could take a chance on him in the hopes he develops into a starter.
Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.