Draft analysts see Kikaha going high

Could the 50th State produce two of the first 50 picks in this week’s NFL Draft?

Draft analysts say it is a possibility with former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota projected to go in the first round Thursday and ex-Washington defensive lineman Hau‘oli Kikaha forecast to go in the second round Friday of the three-day, seven-round draft.

Mariota, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Kikaha, the nation’s leader in sacks, were consensus first-team All-Americans this past season, the first time that has happened.

The best 1-2 showing of Hawaii-bred NFL prospects was in 1990, when Bern Brostek was the 23rd overall pick and went to the Los Angeles Rams and Leo Goeas went 60th to the San Diego Chargers.

Goeas, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, was a third-round pick out of UH; there were only 25 selections in the first round that year.

Brostek is a graduate of ‘Iolani School and the University of Washington.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is among those projecting Kikaha as a second-round selection.

Another ESPN analyst, Todd McShay, concurs. "I have a second-round grade on him, although I’m well aware that he could fall to the third, maybe even fourth round."

Being high on the draft radar is, in itself, a remarkable accomplishment for the 6-foot-2, 253-pound Kahuku High graduate, who less than three years ago was running fourth team for the Huskies and faced an uncertain future after two reconstructive surgeries to repair torn ligaments in his left knee.

That history — and a slow 40-yard dash time in the 4.8- to 4.9-second range on his pro day at UW earlier this month — raised concern among some draft followers. "There have been durability issues," McShay said.

But Kiper says the most telling statement on Kikaha is his video the past two seasons for the Huskies.

"You look at the tape and then realize, hey, this kid has natural pass rush moves and natural pass rush instincts," Kiper said. "The way he sets up an offensive tackle, he knows what he’s doing. He’s like a pitcher who doesn’t have a great fastball but knows how to work the hitter and just set him up. He plays a smart game. Now, whether that will translate to success in the pros like it did at Washington remains to be seen."

Kiper says, "That’s why, instead of being a first-round pick, I think he is gonna be a second-round pick."

McShay said, "I love this guy, so I don’t want to say I’m (not) biased, but I don’t care about the numbers sometimes. You know it is good to have numbers to back up what you see on tape, but I’m going to stick to tape over numbers every time."

McShay said, "I like his game. He’s probably gonna slip because he ran a 4.9, he doesn’t have the longest arms and we do this every year — we get so caught up in the stupid numbers on tape. But find me a better player.

"In the past two years the guy has 19 sacks (2014) and 13 (in 2013)," McShay said on a media conference call. "He’s all over the field — 40.5 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, six pass breakups … I mean there is nothing that Kikaha cannot do."