Former BYU defensive end Ezekiel Ansah is skipping his commencement to attend the 2013 NFL Draft -- and Ansah could hear his name called within the first five picks, according to NFL.com's Albert Breer.
NFL Draft 2013: Ziggy Ansah could land in top 5
Ziggy Ansah could be a top-five pick on Thursday night.
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Ansah isn't likely to be selected with either of the top two picks. Either Luke Joeckel or Eric Fisher is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick -- with Joeckel appearing to be the likely choice for the Chiefs. Jacksonville holds the No. 2 pick and has needs on both sides of the ball. The Jaguars have been linked to a number of prospects, including Fisher, Dion Jordan and Geno Smith, so it seems unlikely that Ansah will be Jacksonville's pick.
The Raiders hold the No. 3 pick, and have been linked to former Florida Gators defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd. In SB Nation's latest mock draft, Ansah slips all the way to No. 10 -- but that might not be the case on Thursday night.
The Detroit Lions, with needs on both sides of the ball, favor Ansah, according to Breer. Detroit holds the No. 4 pick in the draft, and Ansah will almost certainly be available for the Lions at No. 4.
Perhaps Detroit's most pressing need is at offensive tackle, after long-time tackle Jeff Backus retired following 2012. If Fisher is off the board before Detroit picks, the Lions could be tempted to select Ansah with the No. 4 pick, as the Lions also have a pressing need at defensive end -- especially after losing Cliff Avril in free agency.
Ansah will only have to wait another day to see where he’s selected, as the first round of the NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday night.
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