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Bud Dupree: 2015 NFL Draft Profile

By Austin Sutcliffe

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Having someone drafted in the first round for Kentucky Basketball has become a normal occurrence. However, when someone is projected in the first round from the pigskin side of athletics, it is a big deal.

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Bud Dupree, an outside linebacker from Macon, Georgia went from a three star prospect to a projected first round draft pick and his draft combine has a hefty reason behind that.

DRAFT COMBINE RESULTS

Broad Jump: 138.0 Inch

Vertical Jump: 42.0 Inch

40 Yard Dash: 4.56 Seconds

The 6 foot 4, 269 pound OLB is a freak of nature who established his worth by puting up great numbers at the draft combine. A huge play maker for the Kentucky Wildcats, if placed in the right spot could be on his way to stardom in the NFL as well. His potential and character really help him stand out among others.

"Willing thumper when he has a shot on running back. Can drop into space and play zone. Raw, but learning with huge growth potential as a player. Has strength at the point to be a physical edge-setter. Scouts give him plus grade for character."

Although everyone in the Big Blue Nation would like to believe Bud Dupree is perfect, the fact is that there is still a lot that he has to work on to become elite. A lot of this could be contributed to him trying to cover the whole field on defense, but here are some areas that Dupree should look to improve on moving forward. 

"Dupree is a solid defender who will need to work at his craft in order to gain a better understanding of offensive play designs.  He seems to get fooled too easily by play action or misdirection plays.  I don’t think he lacks awareness, but it’s not a strength right now.  Dupree is a hustle guy who goes all-out in an effort to make a play.  However, he needs to become more of a finisher.  He is a high-energy player who puts himself in position to make a play, and while he does tend to slow or trip up the runner, he doesn’t consistently secure the tackle.  His production would be far greater if he consistently finished."

Where Bud Dupree will end up is all speculation until the draft occurs on Thursday night. However, Dupree is projected to fall no further than the 13th pick in the first round. A good pick up for a struggling New Orleans defense this season. New Orleans Saints reporter Mike Triplett thinks Bud Dupree would be a great addition along with Anthony Davis in Louisiana.

"Earlier in the pre-draft process, Dupree was consistently rated behind Ray and Gregory by most analysts because his college production was spottier and he’s still viewed as a work in progress when it comes to diagnosing plays on the field. But more and more analysts and well-sourced reporters have begun to talk up Dupree as a top-13 pick because he’s more well-rounded than the smaller pass-rush specialists – which is why I think the Saints will like him best, too."

We may never get to see Bud in a Kentucky jersey again, but his NFL career will be followed by the Kentucky faithful and we all wish him the best! Enjoy these highlights of Kentucky’s next NFL star.

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