Syracuse Football Mock Draft 2020: Predicting perfect NFL landing spots

Not every Syracuse football alum will be fortunate enough to hear his name called on draft day. As a matter of fact, it’s more likely that a player isn’t selected.

So before we talk about the players that will be drafted in late April, let’s give a shout out to the players that’ll find a home shortly after the draft as a priority free agent signing.

The Detroit Lions cut Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison this offseason leaving a massive void in the middle of their defensive line. One of the most underrated Syracuse football players coming out this year is KJ Ruff. Most of his career he was a reserve but finally, as a senior he emerged as a starter.

This is a player that you would bet on not for his college production, but for his incredible upside. He’s one of the true “athletic freaks” and was clocked at a 4.78 40-yard dash, benches 415 pounds and has done 28 reps of 225 pounds, and don’t forget his ability to squat nearly 600 pounds.

Early in his career, there was a lot of optimism that Andrew Armstrong could be a future pro. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker played in 48 out of 49 possible games from 2016 through 2019. Most of his career he was a reserve and spot starter that always made the most of his opportunities.

Armstrong will get a chance as an undrafted free agent. A great fit would be with his hometown Cleveland Browns. They just lost Joe Schobert this offseason to the Jacksonville Jaguars and could use another body in the linebacker room.

Before the 2020 season kicked off, there were several NFL scouts “buzzing” about the potential of Evan Foster. Unfortunately, the team didn’t live up to the hype and everything collapsed like a used lawn chair.

Foster is a versatile defensive back who was as steady as they come. While he didn’t make as many splash plays as his teammate Andre Cisco, Evan got it done. He started all 37 games from 2017 through 2019 and was heralded for his intangibles off the field.

That screams New England Patriots and with an aging secondary, it’d be wise for them to make a young investment at the position.

Antwan Cordy’s tenure with the Syracuse football team will always be filled with what-ifs. One scout told me midway through Cordy’s career that if he was a few inches taller “he’d be a legitimate second or third-round pick”.  Antwan stands in at 5-foot-8, 189 pounds.

The other major what if is the wide array of injuries Cordy has battled through in his five years at Syracuse. In 2016 he broke his forearm early in the year and then the following season in 2017 tore up his lower leg and that also cost him an entire season.

Cordy provides positional versatility (can play both corner and safety) and can also return kicks/punts. His game reminds me of former Indianapolis Colts star safety Bob Sanders. They have similar size and also both experienced durability issues throughout their careers. Perhaps the Colts can risk it to get the biscuit by signing Antwan Cordy as an undrafted free agent.