2017 Senior Bowl: 5 players to watch
By John Buhler
Chidobe Awuzie
Cornerback, Colorado Buffaloes
The 2016 Colorado Buffaloes had a surprisingly strong season in the Pac-12. Colorado went 10-4 under head coach Mike McIntyre and won the Pac-12 South division crown. Part of what made the Buffaloes so strong in 2016 was the great play of its secondary. One player from that group that was a notable standout was senior Chidobe Awuzie.
Awuzie is the one player from that Colorado secondary that will be a major commodity in NFL defenses. His Buffaloes were elite in pass defense. That’s very impressive given the pass-heavy tendencies of most Pac-12 offenses. Awuzie is both fast and physical. He can play in multiple personnel packages on Sundays.
2017 projects to be a draft class chock full of great defensive back talent. Awuzie isn’t going to go in the first round, but could be as a high as a late second-round pick, likely a third-round selection. At 6’0, 205 pounds, Awuzie has the size to play press man coverage in nickel situations for an NFL defense.
He has great ball-hawking abilities and would be an absolute steal for whichever NFL team takes him in the second or third round. Awuzie will play on the North team coached by Fox. Given that Fox is a defensive-minded coach, don’t be surprised if Awuzie winds up with the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft.