2023 NFL Draft Profiles: Best Of The Rest From The Mountain West

These players may be long shots to hear their name called in the draft, but here’s what you need to know about what they bring to the pros.

2023 NFL Draft: The Best of the Rest of the Mountain West Prospects By School

Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

San Diego State

Quarterback Braxton Burmeister did not have a good time of things after transferring to the Aztecs from Virginia Tech. He started the team’s first five games, completed exactly 50% of his throws for 3.7 yards per attempt and a 2:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio before a concussion mercifully ended his time under center and prompted a late-season switch to wide receiver. If he can stay healthy, he brings a good amount of athleticism to the table… but he’s never healthy for long.

Running back and return ace Jordan Byrd made his name as one of the most electric players in the Mountain West, earning four separate all-conference honors as a punt and kick returner in the past three seasons. The biggest challenge he’ll face heading into the NFL is maintaining that electricity: At the Aztecs’ pro day, he ran a 4.50 40-yard spring while measuring in at 5-foot-7 and 166 pounds, which equates to a Speed Score of just 80.9.

Seyddrick Lakalaka often served as crucial depth in San Diego State’s linebacker unit, starting just five games in 2021 and one in 2022 but playing over 500 snaps in both campaigns. Missed tackles are a big concern, as PFF notes he has a career rate of 22% on that front.

Caden McDonald was always listed as the starter at middle linebacker, but the reality is that he attacked from everywhere in the Aztecs’ defense, collecting 12.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in four years as a starter while being named an all-Mountain West first-team defender three times. Both NFL Draft Buzz and The Draft Network’s Damian Parson, however, voiced concerns about his ability to shed blocks and adding a little more violence to his tackling technique in order to improve his chances of sticking in the NFL.

Tyrell Shavers is an interesting prospect in that, while he never lit up the stat sheet for the Aztecs, he demonstrated a knack for making tough catches and proved he could be a difference maker on special teams. That versatility could go a long way when the decision comes down to a player willing to do whatever it takes to win and one without that track record.

Justus Tavai, the brother of fellow NFL prospect Jonah and former Detroit Lion Jahlani, spent one year with the Aztecs after playing for four years at Hawaii. He was about as productive as he’d been with the Warriors, notching exactly 23 tackles for the second straight season in 2022, but after weighing in at 285 pounds during pro day, he may need to add bulk to his 6-foot-1 frame in order to improve his odds of competing for a NFL roster spot.

Center Alama Uluave was a first-team all-Mountain West offensive lineman in 2021 and, more broadly, was one of the busiest centers anywhere in the conference over the last three seasons. Compared to a number of other prospects at the position in this year’s class, however, he’s definitely a little undersized at just 6-foot-1, but with his ability to direct traffic at the line of scrimmage and initial quickness, he probably deserves a shot to win a job somewhere.

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