Aussies hopeful ahead of NFL draft

Australia's top NFL Draft prospects are a monster-sized defensive lineman, a deadly-accurate kicker and three long-bombing punters.

Australian NFL punter Tom Hackett

Tom Hackett (pic) and Adam Gotsis are expected to be the first two Aussies picked in the NFL draft. (AAP)

They are Australia's NFL Draft odd couple.

Adam Gotsis is 195cm tall, weighs 127kg, has 87cm long arms and massive 27.3cm hands that create a terrifying defensive lineman.

Tom Hackett has a chilled out surfer dude personality, is 180cm, 88kg, describes himself as "deep down fat" with a penguin running style, but is one of the best punters in US college football history.

Later this week the duo, who grew up playing Aussies rules in Melbourne, are expected to be the first two Australians picked in the NFL Draft held in Chicago.

Another former Aussie rules player, Adelaide-born kicker Brad Craddock, is also a chance to be selected.

"I feel like I've put in enough work, blood and sweat that now it is time for it to all pay off," Gotsis, who ESPN's top analyst Mel Kiper ranked as the 56th best player in the draft, told AAP.

Gotsis, a four-year defensive lineman and co-captain of Georgia Tech, was exciting NFL scouts last year by crushing opposing offensive linemen and hounding quarterbacks.

But in October Gotsis tore the ACL ligament in his left knee, hurting his draft stock.

He was pencilled in as a second round pick, but draft after the injury analysts have him between the third and sixth rounds.

Kiper is a fan.

"Tough dude," was Kiper's assessment.

"Physical and aggressive. Doesn't back down or wear down when working against bigger blockers."

Gotsis was invited by the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals to visit their headquarters and has been in contact with more than 20 other teams.

There's speculation he will join another Australian, Jarryd Hayne at the San Francisco 49ers, a team desperate for a defensive lineman with Gotsis' aggression.

Gotsis' friend, former Georgia Tech wide-receiver team-mate DeAndre Smelter, had an ACL injury before last year's draft and was a surprise 49ers' selection.

"He said San Francisco didn't talk to him at all and ended up drafting him in the fourth round," Gotsis said.

Hackett, who rocked up at the University of Utah without a scholarship, won consecutive Ray Guy Awards, the annual prize handed out to the best college punter.

Hackett was also named punter of the Pac-12's team of the past 100 years, which included John Elway at quarterback and OJ Simpson and Marcus Allen as running backs.

Hackett's laidback personality and dry self-deprecating quotes made him a beloved character in Utah, but it is his pinpoint punting trapping opponents just outside the end zone that analysts say will force an NFL team - possibly the Minnesota Vikings - to use one of their draft picks on him.

Some analysts have Hackett pegged as a fourth to seventh round pick.

Craddock broke his arm three consecutive years playing Aussie rules as a teenager, dabbled in American football, scored a scholarship at the University of Maryland as a punter, but was called on to kick goals and proved to be deadly accurate.

A Lou Groza Award winner for college football's top kicker and with his utility value as a back-up punter, Craddock has some tipping him to go as high as the fourth round.

Other Australian draft hopefuls are punters Lachlan Edwards (Sam Houston State University) and Jamie Keehn (Louisiana State University).

The three-day NFL Draft, held over seven rounds, begins on Thursday (Friday 10am AEST).


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Source: AAP



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