Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Another week down and slowly college football comes closer. Last week the crew at KSL.com looked at who was going to replace the stars that went into the NFL. This week we look at who might leave their own hole next season.
This week the discussion is called "Who is this year's Ziggy?" It isn't about who is going to have the same story or come out of nowhere to play. This is about who is going to become the player that shoots up draft boards and makes a big splash.
Tuesday, June 18: BYUBYU's 'Next Ziggy': Kyle Van Noy Wednesday, June 19: UtahUtah football's 'Next Star': Brian BlechenThursday, June 20: Utah StateUtah State's next big thing: Kyler FackrellFriday, June 21: Conclusion Which local player will see his stock rise?
Last year Ziggy Ansah slowly caught the nation's attention. His story of not knowing how to put on football pads to being drafted fifth overall by the Lions is now well talked about. While his story is unique it isn't an impossible plot to repeat.
BYU, Utah and Utah State aren't small schools, but they aren't the great powerhouses and players have a harder time making the climb out of these schools into the pros.
This article could be the next Star Lotulelei even. Two years ago he was almost the Ziggy of his time. He was known around the state a bit, but he shot up the boards and chose to come back to the Utah for one more year. They both were drafted in the first half of the first round.
The question isn't necessarily about who is going to just be drafted highest, but also who will be capture the nation. It could be someone who comes out of nowhere that the diehard fans know about or it could be the player who is just too good to ignore.
In the past the local schools have put in top talent here and there. Players that have shot up from nowhere and players who just kept working and ended up high in the NFL's draft board.
BYU had two players at the turn of the century to get selected in the first round. John Tait and Rob Morris went a year apart, 1999 and 2000 respectively.
For Utah Alex Smith should come to mind to anyone thinking of highly drafted players. He went first overall after all. In 2003 he had good numbers, they weren't amazing, but very solid. He accounted for 20 touchdowns and only threw three interceptions. However it wasn't exactly mind-blowing. His senior year he turned it on and caught the nation's attention. He accounted for 42 touchdowns and only threw four interceptions as the Utes won the Fiesta Bowl.
Behind him Eric Weddle might be the next big name of that vein. He was spectacular in his years at Utah, but was only taken in the second round, which is nothing to be mad about it just doesn't prove the point of a very highly drafted player.
Utah State doesn't have quite the first-round lineage either of the other two schools have, but they are only a year removed from Bobby Wagner going in the second to the Seahawks after a phenomenal year. Their last first-round pick was Phil Olsen in 1970 for the Patriots. He was picked fourth overall. The only other first-round pick for Utah State was MacArthur Lane in 1968 for the Cardinals.
With the exposure that the Pac-12 has brought Utah, winning and moving conferences has brought Utah State and Ziggy has brought BYU there is a good chance that a local player will have their name called near the top of the NFL draft.
This week come back everyday to find out who they believe is as the experts break it down.
