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Former NFL veteran: Briean Boddy-Calhoun is dark horse of draft

Connor O'Gara

By Connor O'Gara

Published:

Everybody in Indianapolis was looking for the next diamond in the rough. A late-round prospect can impress NFL scouts just as much as a first-round pick. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers built championship-caliber teams on the foundation late-round steals.

Ike Taylor was one of the Steelers’ diamonds in the rough. The former fourth-round draft pick won two Super Bowls in his 12 years in Pittsburgh.

So when the former cornerback was asked about who he feels could fit that bill, he named one of the B1G’s top cornerbacks.

“Boddy-Calhoun from Minnesota,” Taylor said on NFL Network. “This guy is in the slot. He’s outside. He is very savvy. My comparison of him is Deshea Townsend of Pittsburg Steelers. He wasn’t the fastest. He wasn’t the most athletic, but he was very savvy, IQ level was super high and sometimes coach gave him the green light to make the call.

“I believe this guy from watching the tape, Boddy-Calhoun is one of the dark horse guys.”

RELATED: B1G’s top 40-yard dashes at NFL Scouting Combine

Boddy-Calhoun’s combine performance backed up Taylor’s claim that he could be a third- or fourth-round pick.

He recorded a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, which was good for sixth-best among B1G players. The Minnesota senior also finished in the top 10 among cornerbacks in the broad jump.

His 5-9 frame might put a ceiling on his draft stock, but the All-B1G selection doesn’t lack experience. He picked off nine passes at Minnesota and like Taylor said, he could be more NFL-ready than some of the younger cornerback prospects.

Boddy-Calhoun was grateful for the boost from Taylor:

The question heading into the draft is whether or not a front office will see it the way Taylor does.

Connor O'Gara

Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.