MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A potentially historic NFL Draft weekend awaits for West Virginia football.
Since the draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1994, no more than six Mountaineers have ever been selected in the same year. That benchmark was reached in 1999, and could be matched or surpassed by this year’s class.
The consensus among draft experts is that quarterback Will Grier will be the first Mountaineer off the board, though the question is whether it will happen in Thursday night’s first round.
Baylor coach Matt Rhule, who was on the New York Giants coaching staff in 2012, is one former opponent who is high on Grier’s potential.
“Will Grier is as pro-ready as anybody I’ve ever seen,” Rhule said. “No one made more calls on the line than him. He reminded me of Baker [Mayfield] the year before.”
Rhule’s former employer is one of the teams said to be heavily interested in Grier. The Giants have the sixth, 17th and 37th overall picks in the first two rounds, with the conventional wisdom being that they would take him at No. 37 if they pass on a quarterback with their first two picks.
Grier has also been linked to the New England Patriots as a potential heir apparent to Tom Brady. Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio was at Grier’s pro day in Morgantown, and New England has flown him up to Massachusetts for a more detailed workout. The defending Super Bowl champs have the final pick in the first round.
Former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski cited New England as an ideal landing spot for Grier.
“Grier will benefit most in a west-coast type offense, a system based on timing and rhythm,” Gradkowski said on SI.com. “He can be accurate on quick-game type throws like slants and quick outs. Grier would also fit in a system like New England where they focus on matchups in the middle of the field with the slot receivers.”
Grier also conducted visits with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and his hometown Carolina Panthers. Tampa Bay picks 39th, Carolina 47th, Los Angeles 60th and New Orleans 62nd. New England could also wait to see if Grier slips — the Patriots also have the 56th and 64th picks.
For what it’s worth, Grier certainly wouldn’t wait that long to take himself.
“I feel I’m the best quarterback in this draft,” he proclaimed at the NFL Combine in face of a near-consensus that Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray will go No. 1 overall.
Grier explained his stance at West Virginia’s pro day.
“I think you have to be confident that you’re the best to ever do it to play the position,” he said. “If you lack confidence in any way, you’re not going to perform the way that you should.
“I truly believe that I’m the best. That’s the way I wake up every day and think. It’s a motivator. I’m motivated to prove that I’m the best and to back up what I say.”
Grier’s father, Chad, says it doesn’t matter where Will goes provided he gets a shot.
“People put out misinformation and smokescreens for obvious reasons, so you just don’t know,” Chad told MetroNews. “If he’s the last pick in the last round, that’s probably going to be a whole lot better job than he’d be trying to find otherwise.”
Karl Joseph is the most recent Mountaineer to be picked in the first round. The Raiders took him with the No. 14 overall pick in 2016.
The second and third days of the draft figure to be far more active for West Virginia players.
Offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste, wide receivers David Sills and Gary Jennings, linebacker David Long and tight end Trevon Wesco are all projected to be selected by the end of the draft. Defensive lineman Kenny Bigelow and safety Dravon Askew-Henry are possible late-round selections who would likely sign as free agents if they go undrafted.
-Allan Taylor contributed to this report.