Bates, Williams could extend Boise State’s NFL Draft streak. Where will they end up?
Boise State’s NFL Draft success has been well-documented, with at least one player selected every year since 2010, and 38 Broncos being taken since 2000.
The current streak began with cornerback Kyle Wilson, who went No. 29 overall to the New York Jets in 2010. Last year, three former Broncos heard their names announced: offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland (Round 2, Vikings), pass rusher Curtis Weaver (Round 5, Dolphins) and wide receiver John Hightower (Round 5, Eagles).
It looks as if two more players will be added to the list this year to keep the streak intact, but they may have to wait until Saturday.
The 2021 draft begins at 6 p.m. Thursday with coverage of the first round. Rounds 2-3 are Friday, starting at 5 p.m., and the final four rounds begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. It will air on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.
Tight end John Bates and special teams ace Avery Williams are the most likely Broncos to be selected. Both declared for the draft in December and worked out for NFL scouts on March 31, and both are expected to be taken anywhere from the fifth round to the seventh.
They aren’t the only NFL prospects with ties to Idaho this year, though. Keep an eye on these players as the draft unfolds and then teams begin scooping up undrafted free agents:
Boise State
TE John Bates, 6-foot-6, 250 pounds
Bates wasn’t all that productive as a receiver in college (47 catches, 579 yards, 2 TDs), but he simply was not asked to do much in that role in the offense. He has the size to contribute early as a blocker, though, and his past suggests that he has the athleticism to develop into an asset in the passing game. Bates was a three-sport standout in high school and won an Oregon state track title in the 110-meter hurdles.
Pro Day results: 40-yard dash — 4.8 seconds. Pro agility drill — 4.36 seconds. Vertical leap — 31.5 inches. Broad jump — 10 feet. Bench press (225 pounds) — 19 reps.
Projections: ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper ranks Bates as the No. 7 tight end. Fellow ESPN analyst Todd McShay ranks him No. 9. Pro Football Focus has him at No. 8 among tight ends and No. 189 overall, and in its latest mock draft, PFF has Bates going in the fifth round to the Dallas Cowboys. If that happened, he would join former Boise State players DeMarcus Lawrence (DL), Leighton Vander Esch (LB), Darian Thompson (S) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (WR) on the roster. Former Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore is also the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator.
KR/PR Avery Williams, 5-8, 187
Williams is a two-time Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, and during his college career, he returned nine kicks and punts for touchdowns and blocked his fair share of both. He’s a former walk-on who proved to have the athleticism to change the dynamic of a game.
But Williams doesn’t seem to have a true position at the next level. He started 21 consecutive games as a cornerback the past two seasons at Boise State, but his size makes it unlikely that an NFL team would rely on him to lock down receivers. Teams have shown interest in him becoming a passing-downs running back or slot receiver, but a team is really going to have to be enamored with what he can do on special teams to spend a draft pick on him.
Pro Day results: 40-yard dash — 4.41 seconds. Pro agility drill — 4.02 seconds. Vertical leap — 33.5 inches. Broad jump — 10 feet, 1 inch. Bench press (225 pounds) — 19 reps.
Projections: Williams’ name has popped up in plenty of mock drafts. Projections have him going to the Packers, Saints, Titans and Steelers, who sent their special teams coordinator to Williams’ pro day in March. The one thing all those mock drafts have in common is Williams’ selection in the seventh round, but he also could find himself fighting to make a roster as an undrafted free agent.
University of Idaho
LB Christian Elliss, 6-3, 233
Elliss has yet to hire an agent, but he plans to test the waters in the NFL Draft, Idaho football coach Paul Petrino said. The native of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is a two-time All-Big Sky Conference pick who has posted 266 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions in four seasons with the Vandals. His older brother — former Idaho linebacker Kaden Elliss — was picked by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2019 draft.
Projection: Late rounds or undrafted free agent
P/K Cade Coffey, 6-1, 199
A former football and soccer player at Lakeland High, Coffey has handled punts and field goals for the Vandals since taking the field as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He earned All-America honors as a punter from USA Today, STATS, Phil Steele and HERO Sports and finished his college career with an average of 44.4 yards per punt. He was also 38-of-54 on field-goal attempts with a career long of 51 yards.
Projection: Undrafted free agent
Around the state
DT Tommy Togiai, 6-1, 296, Ohio State
A former standout at Highland High in Pocatello, Togiai appeared in 33 games during the past three seasons at Ohio State, posting 49 tackles and three sacks. He posted 40 reps on the bench press during his pro day, which tied Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Tyman for the most in this year’s draft class, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds.
Projection: Kiper ranks Togiai as the No. 9 defensive tackle in this year’s class, while McShay has him at No. 12. Most experts see him coming off the board in the third or fourth round.
OL Tristen Hoge, 6-5, 310, BYU
Another native of Pocatello, Hoge began his college career at Notre Dame but transferred to BYU, where he lined up at guard and appeared in 26 games since 2018. Bouts with COVID-19 and pneumonia cut his senior season short, but he still managed to start seven games. His 2019 campaign was also cut short by a leg injury, but his size and experience have caught the attention of more than one NFL scout.
Projection: Late rounds or undrafted free agent
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
