NFL Draft expert on Boise State’s Shakir: ‘I love the kid.’ When will he be taken?
At least one player from Boise State has been selected in the NFL Draft every year since 2010.
Wide receiver Khalil Shakir should hear his name called this year, extending the Broncos’ streak to 13 years.
There’s little debate among draft analysts about whether Shakir will get drafted, but there has been some debate about when he’ll come off the board.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. called wide receiver the strongest position group in the draft during a conference call with reporters on Thursday, and he predicted that Shakir will be selected late in the second round or early in the third. He mentioned the Steelers, Bears and Eagles as teams that will be in position to take a wide receiver at that point in the draft, which will be held April 28-30 in Las Vegas. It will air on ESPN.
Kiper called Shakir a “third-round steal” in February, and fellow ESPN analyst Todd McShay said he also sees Shakir coming off the board in the second or third rounds.
“He’s a guy you can get some versatility out of, be it in the slot or out wide,” Kiper said on Thursday. “I love the kid, especially when you look at his career and the consistency he maintained, the highlight reel catches, the versatility and the way he tested.”
Shakir was Boise State’s leading receiver in two of the past three seasons. Last year he topped the Broncos with 77 catches for 1,117 yards and seven receiving touchdowns — all of which were career highs. He ranks No. 5 at Boise State with 208 career receptions, No. 4 with 2,878 receiving yards and is tied for No. 9 with 20 receiving TDs.
The 6-foot, 196-pound native of Murrieta, California, was impressive during Senior Bowl practices in February, though he didn’t play in the game for unspecified reasons. Shakir turned more heads in early March when he was clocked at 4.35 seconds during his first attempt at the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. His official time was 4.43 seconds.
Shakir was also one of eight former Boise State players who worked out for NFL scouts at pro day, where he posted a 38.5-inch vertical leap — a 4-inch improvement from his best jump at the NFL Combine.
Kiper has Shakir ranked just outside the top 10 wide receivers in this year’s draft. Here’s a look at his grades for the class.
Kiper’s top wide receivers
1. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State — 92
2. Drake London, USC — 92
3. Chris Olave, Ohio State — 90
4. Jameson Williams, Alabama — 90
5. Jahan Dotson, Penn State — 89
6. Treylon Burks, Arkansas — 89
7. Skyy Moore, Western Michigan — 85
8. Christian Watson, North Dakota State — 85
9. Alec Pierce, Cincinnati — 78
10a. George Pickens, Georgia — 83
10b. John Metchie III, Alabama — 81
10c. Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky — 79
10d. Calvin Austin III, Memphis — 77
10e. Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee — 75
10f. Khalil Shakir, Boise State — 74
