Which Hoosiers could be drafted in 2021?

By now you know the streak is intact, that Indiana has had a player picked in each of the past seven NFL Drafts. With the likes of tackle Matthew Bedford, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and defensive back Tiawan Mullen, among others, all on the roster, IU has some intriguing prospects in the pipeline. But those guys are still a couple years away.

So what about next year? Will Indiana extend its run of draft selections to eight consecutive years? Here’s a glimpse at the Hoosiers most likely to be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft:

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WHOP PHILYOR

Receiver

The rising senior flirted with an early departure this year before announcing days after IU’s Gator Bowl loss that he’d be back in the fall. After a breakout junior season, during which he caught 70 passes for 1,002 yards and five touchdowns, Philyor feels like a good bet to hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft. His agility should make him an intriguing option for teams looking for help in the slot, and a big senior year could help him come off the board late on Day 2 or early on Day 3.

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JOVAN SWANN

Defensive line

The Indiana native was a productive player during his three seasons on the field at Stanford, and he should be an instant-impact graduate transfer for the Hoosiers. Swann shared the team lead with six hurries and posted 25 tackles as a sophomore, then ranked second among Stanford defenders with 4.5 sacks as a junior. Last season, the Center Grove product finished second on the team with 5.5 sacks and fourth with eight tackles for loss. In comparison, his sack output would’ve ranked first for Indiana and his TFL total would’ve trailed only linebacker Micah McFadden’s 10.0.

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JEROME JOHNSON

Defensive line

After earning recognition as IU’s top lineman while still a sophomore, Johnson followed up with a strong junior campaign in 2019. He posted 43 tackles, five sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, surfacing with a big play or two seemingly every week. Johnson’s coaches have long believed the 6-foot-3, 304-pound three-technique had next-level upside, and the 2019 season saw him start to consistently tap into it.