2015 NFL Draft: How High Will Ben Heeney Go
Kansas Jayhawks Inside Linebacker Ben Heeney is projected as one of the top ten players at his position in the 2015 NFL Draft.
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The Jayhawks may have struggled in 2014, and the defense may have been a big part of that, but Ben Heeney was one of the bright spots for the team as a whole.
2011
Heeney didn’t make much of an impact in his 2011 Freshman season, tallying only five tackles and three assists all year.
2012
In 2012 Heeney came into his own and had a stellar Sophomore season with 69 tackles, 43 assists, one sack, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. He had a monster game against Kansas State that produced 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
He finished the 2012 season with the 3rd most total tackles in the Big 12 with 112, and fifth in the league for tackles for loss with 12.
2013
Heeney continued to build on that performance entering his 2013 Junior season. His tackle number decreased, but that may be due to his improvements in coverage and the fact that he missed two games with an injury. He finished 2013 with 55 tackles, 32 Assists, two sacks, three interceptions, and two pass deflections.
Despite missing two games with an injury, he still finished with a team best 87 total tackles. He also recorded double digit tackles in six of his ten games played.
2014
In 2014 Heeney had a career year and put himself in the best possible position entering the 2014 NFL Draft. Heeney finished with a career high in solo tackles with 88, he also had 39 assists, two sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles.
He finished with 127 total tackles which was good for second in the Big 12, and his 7.3 solo tackles per game was the best in the Big 12 and the entire NCAA. He recorded the most tackles in a single game for any Big 12 team in 2014 with 21 tackles against Texas Tech. 17 of his 21 tackles were solo tackles which is the second most in the history of the Big 12.
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Heeney was awarded with 2014 All-Big 12 First Team and Honorable Mention Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Heeney is projected as the 166th best prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the seventh best prospect at Inside Linebacker. He is currently projected as a fifth round draft pick, but he certainly has high upside.
"He has average straight-line speed and appears tight in space, but plays with a try-hard motor and leaves everything he has on the field. Heeney is a physical wrap tackler and aggressive in pursuit, taking decisive angles and breaking down well on the move – locks onto his target and won’t make many mistakes.-Courtesy of Dane Brugler of CBS Sports"
Heeney’s strengths set him up well to be able to make an immediate impact for an NFL team while still honing his craft. He is a solid tackler and will be a great addition to any special teams unit in the league. He has the build of a starting caliber NFL linebacker, and his all out mentality will impress coaches no matter where he lands.
Heeney can still improve his stock if he shows improved speed at the NFL Combine which is scheduled for February 17th-23rd. Keep an eye out for his name at the 2015 NFL Draft on April 30th-May 2nd. Maybe even the KC Chiefs who are in need of an inside linebacker will select him.
Kansas fans should look forward to watching Heeney on Sundays, and may one day see him make a real impact on a NFL team.