Damarious Randall, Jaelen Strong give ASU chance for successful NFL draft

The question posed to Damarious Randall was simple: How long has it been since Arizona State has had a player go in the first round of the NFL draft?

"Maybe since Terrell Suggs (in 2003)?" the former ASU safety said.

Randall paused and then asked a question of his own:

"How long has it been since we've had two?"

This is where ASU stands entering this week's draft – with optimism and confidence. It's been a process. From 2011 to 2013, the Sun Devils had just three players drafted. They were shut out one of those years.

Last year, ASU made a jump. Defensive lineman Will Sutton went in the third round. Linebacker Carl Bradford went in the fourth and running back Marion Grice – the first ASU recruit to get drafted under coach Todd Graham – went in the sixth.

This draft has a chance to be better.

Much better.

Receiver Jaelen Strong – an All-Pac-12 selection who left school after his junior season – is one of 26 players invited to the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, which means he has a strong chance of going in Round 1. In addition, Randall – considered the draft's top safety by NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock – could hear his name called, as well.

"I guess a lot of the things I do very well are some of the things teams are looking for right now,'' Randall said. "And from what I've been told, there's just not a lot of guys in the draft that have the traits that I have."

For the record: Randall was right. Suggs was ASU's last player – selected 10th in 2003 – to go in the first round. The Sun Devils haven't had two go in the first since linebacker Adam Archuleta and tight end Todd Heap went 20th and 31st in 2001.

So, will it happen? Not everyone is convinced.

Rob Rang, senior NFL draft analyst for CBSSports.com, said he thinks both Strong and Randall will end up in the second round. Two things concern him about Strong: Reports of a broken wrist (Strong – who was not available to comment -- has tweeted it's a non-issue) and speed.

"I'm a big, big Jaelen Strong fan, but I don't believe he's as fast on the field as he was in the workouts and this wide-receiver class is so strong that that little bit of a knock pushes him into the second round, where someone will get themselves a heck of a football player,'' Rang said.

He said there's much to like about Randall, but there's also not much competition at his position.

"This safety class is not only weak, it's terrible,'' Rang said. "Randall's coverage skills help in that regard. He's also worked out really well. You see on tape that he's a playmaker. He's a little bit smaller than you would like, but he plays big. He has that fierce competitiveness about him."

ASU hasn't had four players go in one draft since 2010, but that could change. Offensive lineman Jamil Douglas and defensive lineman Marcus Hardison both have solid chances to go in the middle rounds. (Quarterback Taylor Kelly is not projected to get drafted.) Douglas started three years on ASU's offensive line, while Hardison overcame a slow start to blossom into ASU's top defensive player last season.

"He's an interesting guy,'' Rang said of Hardison. "I know the production didn't happen until his senior season, but having scouted him at the Senior Bowl, you can see the quick-twitch movement. You see the really long arms. … He has some untapped potential there."

Randall plans to watch the draft with his family in Pensacola, Fla. He has dreamed of this day for a long time. He's determined to not let anything ruin it.

"I really don't expect nothing to be honest because, I mean, a couple months ago I was pegged as a sixth rounder,'' he said. "I don't feed into a lot of that stuff. Honestly, wherever I go is a blessing and I'll be thankful, but what prospect wouldn't want to go in the first round?"

ASU's first-round draft picks

2003: (10) Terrell Suggs, OLB, Baltimore Ravens

2002: (10) Levi Jones, T, Cincinnati Bengals

2001: (20) Adam Archuleta, S, St. Louis Rams

2001: (31) Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore Ravens

2000: (26) Erik Flowers, DE, Buffalo Bills

1995: (32) Craig Newsome, CB, Green Bay Packers

1994: (23) Shante Carver, DE, Dallas Cowboys

1991: (14) Leonard Russell, RB, New England Patriots

1988: (19) Randall McDaniel, G, Minnesota Vikings

1988: (20) Aaron Cox, WR, Los Angeles Rams

1983: (23) Jim Jeffcoat, DE, Dallas Cowboys

1982: (9) Gerald Riggs, RB, Atlanta Falcons

1980: (28) Mark Malone, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

1979: (9) Al Harris, LB, Chicago Bears

1978: (14) John Jefferson, WR, San Diego Chargers

1976: (5) Mike Haynes, DB, New England Patriots

1976: (17) Larry Gordon, LB, Miami Dolphins

1974: (16) Woody Green, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

1973: (16) Steve Holden, WR, Cleveland Browns

1971: (4) J.D. Hill, WR, Buffalo Bills

1969: (15) Ron Pritchard, LB, Houston Oilers

1967: (22) John Pitts, DB, Buffalo Bills

1964: (1) Charley Taylor, WR, Washington Redskins