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SALT LAKE CITY — Come Thursday at the NFL Draft, history could be made in the state of Utah. For the first time since the draft began in 1936, two players who attended Utah universities can be taken in the top 5, top 10 or — most likely worst-case — the top 15.
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Of course Utah’s Alex Smith went No. 1 overall in the 2005 draft to San Francisco, but no BYU player was selected among the top 15. In fact, BYU hasn’t had a player go that high since John Tate went 14th in the 1999 draft. BYU’s top 15 picks have been Shawn Knight (11th-1987), Steve Young (first in 1984 supplemental draft), Jim McMahon (fifth-1982) and Marc Wilson (15th-1980). Besides Smith the Utes have had only two others go in the top 15: Jordan Gross (eighth-2003) and Lee Grosscup (10th-1960).
That will all change when BYU’s Ziggy Ansah and Utah’s Star Lotulelei have their names called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on the first night, in the first round, very early on in the draft. The question is, whose name will be announced first?
In a draft that experts claim is short on sure-thing superstar talent but strong in overall depth, it’s hard to project where Ansah and Lotulelei will land, let alone the many other players on the board. But both players provide an interesting conundrum for NFL general managers and their personnel staffs when they’re on the clock.
The pluses and minuses of drafting Ziggy Ansah:
Upside and potential. Ansah is the equivalent of investing in those high-risk stocks for your 401K portfolio. It could pay off and set you up for a long and prosperous retirement, or keep you working several extra years before you can sit back and enjoy playing golf every day. A 6-foot-5, 271 pound man who possesses the speed, power and athleticism he displays has NFL types drooling. They look at the fact he has only played football for two years but in that short time showed he can be a disruptive force. They see a player they can coach up and mold into possibly being the next Jason Pierre-Paul of the New York Giants.
But potential can also be scary. A player like Ansah with very limited experience being thrown onto the field with the greatest football players in the world could also turn into a disaster. Add in the pressure of being selected that high by a bad team that will want him to produce right away, with just getting accustomed to a new city and the riches that come with being a professional football player, could be too much for the man from Ghana to handle.
The plusses and minuses of drafting Star Lotulelei:
If Ansah is the equivalent to an aggressive stock, Lotulelei is your more conservative approach to the old 401K. After doctors cleared him from a supposed heart condition discovered at the NFL combine, Lotulelei’s stock has shot up once again. Unlike Ansah, he has played football a good portion of his life. After not academically qualifying to attend his original school of choice, BYU, and after quitting football after his first season at Snow College, Lotulelei emerged to become one of the best defensive tackles in the Pac-12, let alone the country. His ability to dominate inside with his power and quickness has NFL scouts comparing him to the Baltimore Ravens Haloti Ngata. One could argue that without Lotulelei, the Utes wouldn’t have even won five games this past season.
There really isn’t a complete downside with Lotulelei, other that some draft experts question whether he gives maximum effort on every single play. And when compared to Ansah, his upside may not be as great.
So if you were a NFL general manager, who would you take? If it was me, I would go with the safer pick being Lotulelei. At least you know what you’re getting and he is expected to produce right away. And while the upside in Ansah could be tremendous, how many times have we seen athletic marvels like him fail when arriving in the league? And if you’re a GM looking to keep his job for a while, there is definitely more stability in hanging your hat on Lotulelei.
And remember, the NFL also stands for “Not For Long.”
