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The 2012 NFL Draft is this week. Perhaps you've heard that. It would have been nice for every sports program, sports radio show and sports website to talk about the NFL Draft ad nauseum for the past three months, but, I guess there were more important things going on. I really haven't heard anything about it. Oh well...
The main story for Syracuse fans is the possibility that Chandler Jones could hear his name called in the first round. Quite a few draftniks have put Jones in New England for some time now and the rest of the mock world seems to be catching up (which is kinda funny when you think about it. Is it based on credible fact or just a big game of follow the leader?).
Chan-Chan went in the first round of the latest SB Nation mock to the Pats. When SBN had the NFL blogs do the picking, he lasted until the second round when the Buffalo Bills picked him. Todd McShay seems absolutely enamored with Jones thinks the New York Jets might take him at No. 16. Clearly, Chandler is destined to end up in the AFC East.
If you're wondering how Jones has risen so high despite good but not great numbers on the field? It's his athletic ability and the potential he showed at workouts like the Combine. He's a potential over performance pick.
That' not to say Chandler is a lock for the high round. While Mike Mayock thinks Jones in the No. 1 DE and ninth-best prospect in the entire draft, the folks at Mocking The Draft think he's only the sixth-best DE. You just never know when it comes to the draft, but hopefully these first-round mocks for Jones come true.
As for the other Syracuse players up for drafting, it's going to be some serious wait-and-see action. Nick Provo is rated the 14th-best TE by Mocking The Draft. Philip Thomas has had contact with a bunch of teams like the Washington Redskins and is considered a mid-round possibility.