The first round came and went without a single NFL team taking a chance on the former boyfriend of Lennay Kekua. Although two linebackers were taken in the first-round, Manti Te’o remains on the market despite his heisman trophy prowess in his senior season. Te’o was projected by many to be a first round selection, however every team has passed on him and his future club remains questionable.
By now, even the most casual fans have seen the awful performance that Te’o had in the National title game versus the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, I am in the minority saying that even the most high-profile SEC stars got embarrassed by the powerhouse that was the Tide. Apparently, teams are letting that stick in their craw considering possible suitors like the Chicago Bears deciding to go in another direction.
The earliest that I see Te’o coming off of the board is pick number 37 where the Cincinnati Bengals are in need of a linebacker and have a plethora of picks on the second day. If Cincinnati doesn’t draft Te’o the next likely destination is the New York Giants who were rumored to select the middle linebacker at pick number 19. A lot of times when a player slips like Te’o has, other teams like to trade up in order to snag said prospect.
Prior to the National championship game Te’o was projected to be a top 10 pick, but the tides have turned tremendously and the question is now whether or not he will slip to the third round.
