College Football Bowls 2016: 10 NFL Draft prospects who can help their stock

By John Buhler | Dec 14, 2016

Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Wayne Gallman (9) runs with the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first quarter of the ACC Championship college football game at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) during a NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Colorado 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

While they came up short of winning the 2016 Pac-12 Championship, the Colorado Buffaloes had a fantastic season nonetheless. Colorado didn’t get the nod to a New Year’s Six bowl, but will still play a worthy adversary in Oklahoma State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on December 29.

This was a senior-laden team for Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre. Many of his best players will leave Boulder after this season, and one player on this 2016 Buffaloes team that could have a bright NFL future is cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.

CBS has Awuzie as the No. 11 cornerback in the 2017 NFL Draft class as a third-round projection. Awuzie feels like a lock to go in day two of the draft, but scouts may want to see how he plays against the vaunted aerial assault of Mason Rudolph’s Cowboys.

At Colorado, Awuzie has shown his abilities to ball-hawk and break up passes in the middle of the field. The more snaps he takes against a vertical offense, the opportunities there are for him to show his versatility in multiple roles in an NFL secondary.

Will he have to play on an island? How does he grade in press-man coverage? Is Awuzie a nickel or dime back? Does he have to play free safety at the next level? There is a role for him on several NFL secondaries. The Alamo Bowl is a solid, second-tier bowl that should be a nice end to Awuzie’s time with the Colorado program.

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