Deonte Banks became the first Terp since Darnell Savage (2019) to become a first-round selection, but according to one outlet, wide receiver Tai Felton could be the next to do so.
The 33rd Team projected Felton to come off the board with the 20th overall selection to the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming the fifth-highest projected wide receiver behind Travis Hunter (Colorado), Luther Burden (Missouri), Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) and Isaiah Bond (Texas). Felton would not only become the first wide receiver drafted since Mike Locksley took over as Maryland's head coach, but also the first Terp to become a first-round pick since DJ Moore did so when the Carolina Panthers selected him with the 24rd overall pick in 2018.
The 33rd Team: “His growth from a gadget player who won on screens to a reliable big-play threat has changed his NFL outlook. Pittsburgh desperately needs an infusion of playmaking, so pairing him with George Pickens and Justin Fields makes sense.
While the projected team landing spot is too early to say with the NFL season only one month in, they’re not the only outlet to note Felton’s NFL stock rise as Matt Zenitz pointed to the senior wideout as one of his stock risers.
Zenitz: "Can fly and separates well," an NFL scouting source said. "Has improved his route running and most importantly his play strength. Finishing more catches. I think the other receiver at Maryland is ultimately better, Prather, but Felton has overtaken him as the No. 1 option thus far. Impressive."
Felton, who drew a comparison to former Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne by Bleacher Report, still sits top-ten in receiving yards per game (128.4) and receptions per game (9.2) while he's ranked 20th in all-purpose yards per game (133) among all skill players. It's the latest honor for Felton after opening the season with four consecutive games with 100-plus receiving yards as he spread his name all over Maryland's record book. A former three-star out of Stone Bridge (VA), Felton is just three catches and 82 yards away from setting a single-season career high in both categories.
“Tai Felton is one of my favorite players, man. And he's my one of my favorite players because of seeing the way he has developed in our program,” head coach Mike Locksley said last week. “It's a reflection that what we talk about being a growth mindset, a developmental program – Tai embodies. Two years ago, I was doing some research for this. A couple years ago, it was written about how the ball hit off his facemask against Michigan I think in one of our papers. Talked about, a year ago, I think we wrote about he dropped a big play against Northwestern that maybe could have helped us win the game. And now everybody's like Tai Felton is the best thing since sliced bread. And you know what? He is. and I don't say his past to take away from what he's doing. But what I'm saying is Tai Felton has developed in our program. And if some people give us the ability to develop these players, you won't be as surprised about what Tai Felton does. Because nobody in our building is surprised. Because if you got to know him, if you see what I get to see every single day. This kid and Leon Haughton caught tennis balls off the tennis ball machine from 11 to 1 [AM] every night during the summer and all last season. And you know what? Tai is a byproduct of his work ethic, his effort that he puts in, and what this program kind of tries to do develop with people. So that's my soapbox.”
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