LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- This won't be one of those Lamar Jackson, Teddy Bridgewater, Josh Allen, Will Levis, Tevin Coleman or Forrest Lamp years on the local scene for the NFL Draft.
Nobody from Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana or Western Kentucky projects as a first-round selection when the draft opens with its initial 32 picks at 8 p.m. Thursday from Detroit.
IU fans are likely to dispute that sentence. Former IU quarterback Michael Penix Jr. figures to be called in the first 13 picks, according to two respected mock drafts I've read.
Penix played his first three seasons for the Hoosiers and his final two for Washington, finishing second in voting for the Heisman Trophy while leading his team to the national championship game.
Instead of becoming the first IU player selected in round one since wide receiver Thomas Lewis 30 years ago, Penix will go into the record books as a Huskie.
Locally, the action will not percolate until Friday with rounds two and three and again Saturday with the final four rounds.
According to the wizards at Pro Football Focus, there 13 U of L (5), UK (5), WKU (2) and IU (1) players ranked among the top 316 prospects in this draft.
Here are the three most intriguing local NFL Draft questions:
1. Which local player will be taken first?
This one will be resolved Friday. WKU receiver Malachi Corley or UK cornerback Andru Phillips project as late-second or early-third round selections.
ProFootballFocus ranks Corley a slightly better prospect, slotting him as the No. 62 player available with Phillips No. 64.
In his exhaustive draft preview at The Athletic, Dane Brugler ranked Corley as the 11th-best wide receiver as well as a projected as a second- or third-round pick.
Corley must overcome his 4.56 40-yard dash, which was slower than nine of the 10 receivers ranked ahead of him. PFF said that Corley's background as a running back elevates his prospect status because of his ability to handle contact and generate yards after a catch.
The Athletic ranked Phillips as the ninth-best cornerback prospect. His 40-time (4.48) was better than three players ranked ahead of him but Phillips must answer questions about his size — 6 feet, 187 pounds.
2. Which local quarterback will be taken first?
Louisville quarterback Jake Plummer, Devin Leary of Kentucky and Austin Reed of Western Kentucky could all hear their names called Saturday.
Or they could be scrambling to line up a free agent deal if they are not selected.
ProFootballFocus ranked them like this: Reed (No. 237 prospect); Leary (250) and Plummer (278).
The Athletic disagrees. Leary is ranked the No. 9 quarterback, four spots ahead of Reed. Brugler expects Leary to be selected in the fifth or sixth round with Reed in the sixth or seventh. He gave Plummer a free-agent grade.
Brugler noted that Leary struggled against Southeastern Conference competition, completing better than 65% of his throws only once in 13 games. But he said that Leary had an NFL-quality arm as well as the tools to earn a reserve role in the league, if he can improve his accuracy.
Brugler described Plummer as a "natural thrower," but was alarmed by his 12 interceptions and eight fumbles. He wrote that Reed can become a No. 3 quarterback whose ceiling is limited by a lack of "top-tier physical traits."
3. Which local running back will be selected first?
This one is an easier call. Both ProFootballFocus and The Athletic ranks Kentucky's Ray Davis ahead of the Louisville tandem of Isaac Guerendo and Jawhar Jordan.
PFF ranked Davis the 82nd best overall prospect with Guerendo No. 190 and Jordan 315.
Among running backs, Brugler hasc Davis ninth, Guerendo 13th and Jordan No. 20.
Davis has an advantage in proven productivity, rushing for more than 1,000 yards the last two seasons at Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Brugler likes his "vision, cutting skills and competitive toughness."
One season at Louisville helped transform Guerendo into a prospect. After gaining 582 yards in parts of five seasons at Wisconsin Guernedo ran for 810 yards and scored 11 touchdowns for Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
Guernedo's sizzling 40-yard dash time of 4.33 is the fastest of the top 33 running back prospects at The Athletic.
Brugler said this: "Overall, Guerendo doesn't have an impressive body of work, but his build, explosiveness and ability on passing downs (blocking and receiving) suggest his NFL resume will far outshine what he did in college — if he can stay healthy. Along with competing on special teams, he projects best in a one-cut outside zone scheme that will give him runways to show off his speed."
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