Will Boise State’s NFL Draft streak be in danger next year? A look at the prospects

The Boise State football team has had at least one player picked in the NFL Draft every year since 2010.

The latest Broncos to realize their NFL dreams were safety JL Skinner, who was picked by Denver in the sixth round on Saturday, and defensive tackle Scott Matlock, who was drafted by the Chargers a few picks later in the same round.

Boise State’s draft streak is a point of pride for a program that not only sees itself as one of the best in the Group of Five conferences, but as a strong contender for any Power Five league looking to add to its ranks.

And it’s not just that the Broncos get guys drafted — it’s that they play key roles. DeMarcus Lawrence and Leighton Vander Esch have become mainstays on the Cowboys’ defense, and Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison recently signed a new contract. Players such as running back Jay Ajayi and linebacker Shea McClellin were drafted and went on to win Super Bowls.

NFL free agents: Two longtime Boise State starters are heading to Music City

There are a lot of Power Five programs that haven’t had players drafted 14 years in a row, and it’s certainly a feather in Boise State’s cap. But the streak might be in jeopardy next year.

The Broncos don’t have a player who’d be considered a guaranteed draft pick on the roster right now. Last year it seemed to be Skinner, a 6-foot-4 safety who had scouts excited because of his size and stength, but he slid to the sixth round after being projected as a second- or third-round pick at one time. Part of that was the result of a torn pectoral muscle that forced him to miss the NFL Scouting Combine and Boise State’s Pro Day.

In 2021, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who caught just about everything that was thrown his way during four years at Boise State, went to Buffalo as a fifth-round pick.

There are players at Boise State who can work their way onto draft boards before next April, because the cupboard is not totally bare. Here’s a look at some players who could hear their names called at the 2024 NFL Draft.

RB George Holani — Most everyone who has seen a healthy Holani play agrees he has the intangibles to make it in the NFL: uncanny vision, good speed and elusiveness, and plenty of power. The problem is people haven’t seen Holani healthy all that often. He missed most of the 2020 season with a knee injury, and he was in and out of the lineup with a multitude of nagging injuries in 2021.

He has been productive when he’s not hurting. Holani has two 1,000-yard seasons to his credit. He posted 1,014 yards on the ground and 10 total touchdowns as a freshman in 2019, and put up 1,157 rushing yards in 13 games last season. He catches the ball well, which goes a long way with NFL scouts, and running back is always a position of need because of injuries.

If Holani can stay healthy, prove durable and put together another productive season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him gain the attention of NFL teams.

CB Markel Reed — Reed is a tall cornerback with long arms, which is exactly what NFL scouts are looking for at the position, but like Holani, concerns about his durability are going to haunt him. Reed has suffered season-ending knee injuries the past two years, and he’s had three surgeries in three years. He’s consistently mentioned by teammates and coaches as one of the top cornerbacks on the roster, but he’s going to have to stay healthy and have a great year.

OT Cade Beresford — Beresford joined the Broncos last year after four seasons at Washington State. He has played guard and tackle in college, and at 6-foot-7 and 305 pounds, he obviously has the size to be an NFL lineman. Beresford is one of the favorites to replace John Ojukwu at left tackle this year. The Broncos have a history of sending left tackles to the NFL: Ezra Cleveland, Nate Potter, Ryan Clady, Daryn Colledge, Charles Leno and Rees Odhiambo.

OL Garrett Curran — Boise State has plenty of experienced offensive linemen this year. Curran is a three-year starter who has played guard and tackle. The 6-5, 305-pound native of El Cajon, California, has started 19 games at left guard the past two seasons. His first career start came at right tackle in 2019. Every NFL team needs maulers on the interior offensive line, and Curran has the size and experience to catch scouts’ attention.

K Jonah Dalmas — It’s not all that often that kickers get drafted, although the San Francisco 49ers picked Michigan’s Jake Moody in the third round this year. Dalmas will need to put together a monster year to join those ranks — Moody won the Lou Groza award in 2021 as college football’s best kicker, and over the past two seasons he went 48 of 56 on field goals and never missed an extra point. Dalmas set Boise State’s single-season record with 26 field goals in 2021, and the Meridian native ranks No. 2 in program history with 56 career field goals.

More upperclassmen to keep an eye on: OL Ben Dooley, Edge Demitri Washington, LB DJ Schramm, TE Riley Smith, WR Stefan Cobbs.

Boise State draft picks since 2010

2010 — DB Kyle Wilson

2011 — WR Titus Young; WR Austin Pettis; DB Brandyn Thompson

2012 — DE Shea McClellin; RB Doug Martin; DE Tyrone Crawford; DB George Iloka; DT Billy Winn; OT Nate Potter

2013 — DB Jamar Taylor

2014 — DE DeMarcus Lawrence; C Matt Paradis; OT Charles Leno

2015 — RB Jay Ajayi

2016 — LB Kamalei Correa; DB Darian Thompson; OT Rees Odhiambo

2017 — RB Jeremy McNichols; LB Tanner Vallejo

2018 — LB Leighton Vander Esch; WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.

2019 — RB Alexander Mattison

2020 — OT Ezra Cleveland; DE Curtis Weaver; WR John Hightower

2021 — TE John Bates; DB Avery Williams

2022 — WR Khalil Shakir

2023 — S JL Skinner; DT Scott Matlock