With the third day of the NFL Draft set to kick off at noon with the beginning of the fourth round, former Blue Devils Sean Renfree and Conner Vernon both hope to hear their names called and become Duke's first NFL Draft selection since 2004.
Vernon was Duke's higher-rated prospect at the conclusion of the 2012 season, but appears to have lost some steam since. He is still expected to be selected sometime in rounds five through seven, but many pundits have projected him to fall toward the later end of that range. CBS Sports Senior NFL blogger Will Brinson said this morning that Vernon could be one of the Draft's sleeper picks at the wide receiver position.
Pair of underrated Day 3 WRs who I think will ultimately contribute: Aaron Mellette of Elon and Conner Vernon of Duke.— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) April 27, 2013
Renfree has not only drawn praise from head coach David Cutcliffe and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, but also from NFL Draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Mike Mayock. Jared Cohen, who covers Arizona sports for Pros2Preps, said that the Arizona Cardinals may have taken a particular interest in Renfree as well.
Mike Mayock: One QB to keep in mind today, Duke's Sean Renfree. Charles Davis: A good comparison for Renfree is Chad Pennington
— NFL Media PR (@InsideNFLMedia) April 27, 2013
I was told the #AZCards like QB Sean Renfree. He's been here training @ Athletes Performance like Cards 1st rd pick Cooper did for 3 months.
— Jared Cohen (@JaredPros2Preps) April 26, 2013
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