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A.J. Green will look to be the first Oklahoma State cornerback to be selected in the NFL draft since Justin Gilbert in 2014 this week during the 2020 NFL draft.
Gilbert was a top-10 pick at No. 8 by the Browns, but Green will wait much longer than that to be selected as he’s projected to be a late-round pick in the fifth or sixth round. Twenty OSU players have been selected since 2010, including at least one player each year.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led the NFL to conduct a virtual draft, which brings its unique challenges for team staff and athletes. During a recent interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Charlie Weis and Bob Papa, Green said he’s talked with about 15 times through FaceTime.
“I’ve had to draw plays on FaceTime,” Green said. “I’ve had to pick up on schemes over FaceTime. So it’s kind of been mainly FaceTime and then there have been some phone calls.”
The NFL draft will start at 7 p.m. Thursday with the first round then the second and third rounds at 6 p.m. Friday. Rounds four through seven will start at 11 a.m. Saturday. All seven rounds will be broadcasted on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
Position: Defensive back
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 202 pounds
Arms: 30 7/8”
Hands: 9”
Hometown: DeSoto, Texas
NFL draft projections: Rounds 5-6
- Sporting News — 5th round (173) to Dolphins
- The Athletic — 5th round (175) to Packers
- CBS Sports — 6th round (183) to Giants
- NFL.com — 6th round (208) to Packers
2019 stats: 49 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 5 pass breakups
40-yard dash: 4.62
Bench press: 13
Lance Zierlein, a draft analyst for NFL.com: “Outside cornerback with size and length, but a lack of speed that could limit his scheme fits. He imposes his size on less shifty targets from press and when playing the ball underneath. He plays with adequate athleticism and route anticipation, but has issues sticking with quick route breaks and longer routes where he will fall behind against NFL speed. Green might be best-suited as a backup in a zone-heavy coverage scheme where he keeps the game in front of him and in smaller spaces.”