Three Kansas State football players were featured in ESPN’s latest NFL mock draft, released Monday morning.
Cornerback Jacob Parrish, running back D.J. Giddens, and safety Marques Sigle are all projected to hear their names called during the draft, which begins Thursday night.
Parrish, a native of Olathe, Kan., ran an impressive 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and has seen his stock rise steadily since the end of the season.
A versatile defensive back capable of playing both outside and in the slot, he was named a 2024 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He started all 12 regular-season games last year, finishing with 50 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and eight passes defended.
The mock draft had Parrish as the first Wildcat selected, going 87th overall to the Green Bay Packers.
“Parrish is a tough, physical corner who could be an immediate factor in Green Bay. He might be best suited as an inside corner in the NFL,” the article states.
Running back D.J. Giddens was projected just a few picks later, going 94th overall to the Cleveland Browns.
“Giddens is one of my favorite backs in this class and could start early in Cleveland. He is a patient runner who can make defenders miss in short areas,” writes Jordan Reid.
Giddens, a 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior, rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons and scored 23 total rushing touchdowns over his three-year career. Also a threat as a receiver, he caught more than 20 passes in both his sophomore and junior campaigns, offering a diverse skill set for NFL teams seeking a capable pass-catcher and willing blocker out of the backfield.
