BOISE, Idaho — Months of anticipation, film study, mocks and speculation come to an end Thursday night as the 2024 NFL Draft gets underway in Detroit.
For the Boise State football program, questions will likely continue into the final four rounds on Saturday, with a 14-year streak on the line. At least one Bronco has been drafted each year since 2010, and 30 total players have heard their name called during that span.
Running back George Holani extended Boise State's streak with an NFL Combine invitee to 20 consecutive years earlier this spring as one of six players from the Mountain West to work out in Indianapolis. Holani is the projected favorite to be selected this weekend.
The California native finished his career in the blue and orange with 34 total touchdowns and 4,479 all-purpose yards, which ranks 10th in program history. He posted 3,596 yards and 26 scores on the ground, and turned 88 receptions into 777 yards.
Representatives from 17 different NFL teams and a Canadian Football League franchise attended Boise State Pro Day, where Holani told the media he'd "talked to almost every (NFL) team." The 5-foot-11, 210-pound back participated in on-field drills, but leaned on his testing numbers from Indianapolis.
Holani ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash, a 1.57 in the 10-yard split and posted a 39-inch vertical jump. He also recorded a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump, and hit 24 reps on the bench press.
257 players are slated to be selected this year. Here's where Holani lands among draft-eligible players:
- CBS Sports: No. 249 overall prospect
- ESPN: No. 253 overall prospect
- The Athletic: No. 289 overall prospect (Dane Brugler)
NFL.com gave Holani a 5.93 prospect grade, tabbing him as an "average backup or special-teamer." NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein projects Holani as a seventh-round pick.
Two-time All-Mountain West honoree Cade Beresford had an impressive outing in front of scouts at Pro Day, clearing 23 reps on the 225-pound bench press, 28 inches on the vertical jump and 8 feet, 11 inches on the broad jump.
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound offensive tackle started in all 27 games at Boise State after transferring from Washington State. He also started at right guard in eight of the Cougars' final nine games during the 2021 season.
Beresford ran a 5.21 in the 40-yard dash and 4.76 in the shuttle. Former Bronco offensive linemen Ezra Cleveland, Rees Odhiambo, Matt Paradis, Charles Leno Jr., and Nate Potter have been drafted since 2012, following first-round selection Ryan Clady (2008).
Others to keep an eye on in the NFL Draft and for a tryout on a free-agent deal are wide receivers Billy Bowens and Stefan Cobbs, and offensive lineman Ethan Carde. The trio worked out at Boise State Pro Day, as did long snapper Koby Tryggestad.
Bowens (6' 06" | 202 pounds):
- Totaled 383 yards and a touchdown on 28 receptions during sixth-year season (2023)
- Finished Boise State career with 1,024 yards and five touchdowns on 77 receptions
Carde (6' 8" | 310 pounds):
- Appeared in 13 games in lone Bronco season, lining up at left tackle, left guard and tight end
- Transferred to Boise State after three seasons at Texas Tech and one at Coffeyville Community College
Cobbs (5' 11.6" | 181 pounds):
- Totaled 241 yards and a touchdown on 23 receptions during sixth-year season (2023)
- Finished Boise State career with 1,187 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 receptions
College of Idaho's Chip Mitchell (DB), Garret Rehberg (OL) and Jon Schofield (WR), and Idaho State's Cyrus Wallace (WR) and Soujah Gasu (RB) also worked out in Boise during the March 25 event. Click here for Pro Day results, interviews and photos.
ABC and ESPN will air all three days of the NFL Draft. The first round begins at 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, rounds 2-3 also start at 6 p.m. MT on Friday, and rounds 4-7 will get underway around 10 a.m. MT on Saturday.
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