NFL Draft 2024: Muck players take center stage

DETROIT – As many know by now, it is always a historic milestone moment when the Muck has a presence in any NFL Draft.

For this year in particular, we have several Muck natives and former college football players who have a real chance at getting their names called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over the next three days (April 25-27).

The 2024 NFL Draft will taking place at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit.

With that said, let us celebrate the following Muck individuals right now:

•QB Joe Milton III (Pahokee native/Olympia 2018 alum/Tennessee)

•DB Akeem Dent (Pahokee native/Palm Beach Central 2019 alum/Florida State)

•QB Davius Richard (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2019 alum/NC Central)

•DB Brian George (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2016 alum/Houston)

•DB E.J. Jackson (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2019 alum/Appalachian State)

•WR Odieu Hilaire (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2019 alum/Bowling Green)

•OL Willie Canty (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2018 alum/Lincoln, Calif.)

•DB De’Vuntray Hampton (Pahokee native/Pahokee 2018 alum/Bethune Cookman/Western Carolina)

•WR De’Juan Miller (Belle Glade native/Glades Central 2018 alum/Tarleton State)

MILTON MAGIC

The highest-profile NFL Draft potential pick from the Muck is Milton III, who was selected as the 2022 Orange Bowl MVP after completing 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Clemson.

Milton III spent three seasons each at Michigan (2018-2020) and Tennessee (2021-2023). In what turned out to be a steadily ascending six-year college football career, Milton III finished his final season at Tennessee in 12 games last year with 2,813 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound quarterback has been projected to be a late-round NFL Draft pick by ESPN, The Athletic, and NFL.com.

Here are the official projections for Milton III:

ESPN: No. 248 pick; seventh round

The Athletic: No. 197 pick; sixth round

NFL.com: No. 179 pick; sixth round

MAKING A DENT

The next highest-profile NFL Draft potential pick from the Muck is Dent, who was a bona-fide starting defensive back for Florida State over the course of several seasons. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound standout finished his five-year college football career at Florida State as the all-time active leader in pass breakups with 15.

Dent ended his college career with career totals of 183 total tackles, 15 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception, and 1 sack.

The Florida State graduate has been projected by NFL.com as a late-round draft pick. Here is his projection:

NFL.com: No. 220 pick; sixth round

HBCU HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Richard had a decorated college football career at NC Central, as he finished with the following marks:

PASSING

8,991 total passing yards, 73 touchdowns

RUSHING

2,026 rushing yards, 44 touchdowns

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback played four full seasons for NCCU (2019-2023; 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic). He earned numerous HBCU honors throughout his illustrious college career, which includes the HBCU Legacy Bowl MVP in early 2024.

The NC Central history maker is projected by Pro Football Network (profootballnetwork.com) to be a priority free agent (PFA).

BY GEORGE

A long collegiate football career has paid off in dividends for George, who has overcome a series of challenges to be in the discussion as a potential NFL Draft pick. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back started his college career at the JUCO level before emerging on the Power 5 scene at Texas A&M for three seasons (2020-2022) and Houston for one season (2023).

In George’s final collegiate campaign this past season at Houston, he recorded 37 total tackles and 1 pass breakup in 5 games played.

Over the course of four seasons on the Power 5 level, George registered 60 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and 1 interception.

George is projected by NFL Draft Buzz (nfldraftbuzz.com) as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).

GO E.J.

Jackson had a memorable collegiate football career at both Marshall and Appalachian State. The 6-foot, 195-pound safety recorded 48 total tackles, 7 pass breakups, and 3 tackles for loss this past season as a senior at Appalachian State.

Over a five-year career at Marshall (2019-2022) and App State (2023), Jackson recorded 148 total tackles, 9 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.

Per Draft Scout (draftscout.com), Jackson is projected as a possible UDFA.

HAIL ODIEU

Hilaire had a decorated college football career at both Alabama A&M (2019-2021) and Bowling Green (2022-2023). He recorded the following statistics over the past 5 seasons:

•189 receptions

•2,429 receiving yards

•20 touchdowns

The 6-foot, 185-pound wide receiver is projected by Draft Scout (draftscout.com) as a possible UDFA.

CANTY MOVES

At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Canty proved his muscle in the trenches over multiple seasons at Garden City (JUCO), Northeast Oklahoma A&M, and Lincoln University (Calif.). He was originally signed to Nebraska before traveling a different collegiate from 2018 to 2023, a total of six seasons.

Canty could emerge as a possible UDFA and land with the right NFL team for a chance to make a 53-man roster.

HAMP HAWK

In 11 games this past season for Western Carolina, Hampton recorded the following statistics:

•24 total tackles

•2 tackles for loss

•1 fumble recovery

Over the past three seasons (Bethune-Cookman; 2021-2022/Western Carolina; 2023), the Pahokee native registered the following marks:

•106 tackles

•13.5 tackles for loss

•4 sacks

•1 fumble recovery

Hampton could emerge as a possible UDFA and land with the right NFL team for a chance to make a 53-man roster.

LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST

Miller played college football for a total of six seasons, including four total at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2018-2021) and two total at Tarleton State (2022-2023).

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound wide receiver recorded the following in six years of action:

•145 receptions

•2,087 yards

•17 touchdowns

Miller could emerge as a possible UDFA and land with the right NFL team for a chance to make a 53-man roster.

FINAL WORDS

We could be on the precipice of a truly historic moment on the Muck. For the first time in at least recent memory, up to a total of nine homegrown football athletes could eventually see themselves on a NFL roster.

Here’s hoping that they all ultimately make it on a 53-man NFL team roster by the time training camp season ends sometime in August.

We are extremely excited about everything they have accomplished to this point. We wish them all the very best for NFL Draft Weekend and beyond.

GRAPHIC PHOTO CREDIT: Tamarick Best