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Five local underclassmen entering 2018 NFL Draft

By Ben Almquist

Kansas Jayhawks DE Dorance Armstrong. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kansas Jayhawks DE Dorance Armstrong. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Nebraska Cornhuskers OL Nick Gates
Nebraska Cornhuskers OL Nick Gates. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

2018 NFL Draft: 5 Local Juniors

#4 Nick Gates – OL – Nebraska

Another Nebraska Cornhuskers junior is declaring early for the 2018 NFL Draft, and that is offensive lineman Nick Gates. Nebraska has a bit of a proud history when it comes to linemen in the NFL, and Gates is looking to be the next chapter in that. He’ll have a bit of an uphill battle though.

Current Projection: 7th Round – Undrafted

Nick Gates is projected as a guard by NFLDraftScout.com, which might be troubling for him. Gates only weighs in at 295 lbs, and is switching from the tackle spot. It will be tough for him to build on his current grade as a seventh rounder before the draft takes place.

That definitely plays into how we grade Nick Gates’s decision to leave school early. It’s understood that the coaching change probably has something to do with this, but it’s still a questionable decision. The saving grace for Gates here though is that offensive linemen are always in demand in the NFL. So he will likely get his shot.

Decision Grade: C

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