When a highly respected draft analyst such as Matt Miller releases a top ten, you listen. When it includes two Iowa football players, that’s a big deal.
Several sources and sites have come out with their early big boards or their way-too-early mock drafts for 2020, but to this point, none have been as respected in the NFL Draft game as Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller. Today, he released his Top-10 NFL Draft Prospects, and there just so happened to be two Iowa football players on the list.
If you listen to Miller’s Stick to Football show, this shouldn’t come as much surprise, but the guy absolutely loves Iowa football player AJ Epenesa, and he is beginning to come around quickly on right tackle Tristan Wirfs.
Before the 2019 NFL Draft was even over, Miller was singing praises for Epenesa who he caught glimpses of while trying to watch tape on the Iowa football team’s eligible 2019 prospects. He wasn’t, however, speaking at all about Wirfs.
In fact, when Miller’s brother Mello released his early top-20 big board, Wirfs was nowhere to be found.
The Top 20 for 2020 is finally here. I’m sorry you had to wait so long #BRDraft pic.twitter.com/SMc3BECLCW
— Mello (@mello) April 27, 2019
It sounds like, however, after some poking and prodding from NFL scouts, Miller decided to go back to the tape.
By ranking Wirfs eighth overall on his top-10 prospects, it certainly appears that Miller liked he what he saw, and why shouldn’t he.
Despite being overlooked by some sites right now, Wirfs stock is skyrocketing without playing a single down of college football in between the draft stock growth, but that’s what happens when the draft community begins to realize there is a behemoth of a man playing right tackle for arguably the most respected offensive line talent developing duo in Kirk and Brian Ferentz, and he is just a true junior. To add to that, a true junior who was the first to ever start for Ferentz as a true freshman, and who set the hang clean record for the Iowa football program this offseason.
Here is a quick snippet of what Miller had to say about Wirfs:
"Wirfs, at 6’5″ and 320 pounds, has enough height and length to handle outside speed but also has the power to anchor and sit down on bull-rushers and strong defensive ends."
Later on in the article, he provided some pretty high praise that he heard from an NFL scout on Epenesa.
"Said one NFC area scout: “He’s perfect for the league. Big, strong, smart. Great kid, too.”"
We still have three months until the college football season begins so plenty could change in theory.
Injuries happen and lofty expectations can hurt young players, but both of these kids seem destined for greatness. After a historic first round of the NFL Draft for the Iowa football team, we could possibly see another historic moment if two Iowa football players are selected in the top-10 of the 2020 NFL Draft.