#ProTops: “Don’t Sleep” On Joel Iyiegbuniwe

Over the weekend, Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks at NFL.com wrote up some 2018 Draft quick hits, with the big day being right around the…

Over the weekend, Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks at NFL.com wrote up some 2018 Draft quick hits, with the big day being right around the corner. And, in his quick hits was some high praise for a familiar name — Joel Iyiegbuniwe.

In his final section of the piece, Jeremiah and Brooks listed three linebackers not to sleep on in the draft, with Iggy getting the first mention.

Western Kentucky’s Joel Iyiegbuniwe: Iyiegbuniwe is an undersized player with exceptional quickness and range. He makes plays sideline to sideline and explodes through the hips on contact. He has the agility to match up in man coverage with tight ends and running backs. He’s worthy of a late second- or early third-round selection.

- Daniel Jeremiah & Bucky Brooks on Iggy.

WKU’s recent (which is approaching damn near a decade) success, both on the field and in the NFL draft, has come with it a heavy emphasis in two areas: Incredible offense (2017 notwithstanding) and some standout defensive players. Since 2013, of the eight players drafted from WKU to the NFL, three have been defensive backs (Andrew Jackson, Jonathan Dowling and Prince Charles Iworah), and with Iggy being a lock to be selected, that’ll be four of the last nine (or 10, if Mike White goes first).

Still, straddling 50% of your program’s recent draft picks being from the DB position ain’t bad.

Iggy also looks to be on pace to be one of — if not the — highest defensive player drafted in the draft: In 1975, Virgil Livers was taken in the fourth round (83rd overall) and in 2002, both Joseph Jefferson (3rd round, 74th overall) and Mel Mitchell (5th round, 150 overall) were taken early as well.

But, draft position alone, Iggy has an opportunity (and some experts think he’s certainly capable) of doing something we really haven’t seen recently — a sustained career in the NFL, and one that’ll leave his name known in more places it isn’t.