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Mike Iupati’s NFL Draft Stock Rising

Written by Jimmy Boyd on February 1, 2010

According to ESPN.com’s Len Pasquarelli Idaho guard Mike Iupati was the consensus best player at the Senior Bowl practices, and he got his information from several NFL scouts. Playing in Idaho didn’t land Iupati lots of exposure during the season, but he is getting it now. At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, he has the type of frame that makes NFL scouts drool.

And Iupati is no teddy bear as it has been reported that he has a “nasty streak.” On top of that, he has the speed and quickness to pull and trap block and the potential to stand up against the NFL’s most massive defensive tackles.

I nearly forgot that we were talking about a guard here, not a tackle. Since 1970, only 36 pure guards have been taken in the first round, and Chris Naeole is the last to be taken in the top ten. The New Orleans Saints drafted him with their 10th pick in 1997. Basically it’s the tackles that we associate with the top ten, but Iupati could join the party this April.

The Detroit Lions have expressed a large interest in Iupati, which makes sense now that they have a young promising quarterback in Mathew Stafford. But would they really use their No. 2 pick on him? Iupati, who has been forecast to go in the mid to late first round, would be a bit overvalued at No. 2. The Lions do pick again at No. 34, but he could be off the board by then. So if Detroit wants him, they will likely have to make a deal on draft day. If they don’t, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News thinks the Cowboys could take Iupati with their 27th pick. But if his stock continues to rise the way it has been, he likely won’t last that long.