In the last two NFL Drafts, the University of Michigan has been well-represented.

Seven Wolverines were picked in 2007, and six more were chosen last year, including the overall No. 1 selection, offensive tackle Jake Long.

But unlike Long - who made the Pro Bowl as a Miami Dolphins' rookie - there are no first-round locks among Michigan's players this year.

When the two-day, seven-round draft begins Saturday afternoon in New York City, the best question regarding Michigan players might not be how many get drafted, but rather does anyone get drafted at all?

The odds, certainly, are in Michigan's favor for having at least one player picked. The Wolverines have a 70-year streak going in that regard.

But, who might it be?

Among the many mock drafts, there seem to be just two Wolverines considered draft worthy out of the 16 who are eligible: Cornerback Morgan Trent and defensive tackle Terrance Taylor.

Both Trent and Taylor started for three seasons in Ann Arbor, and each had bright spots in February at the NFL Scouting Combine, where draft prospects are put through a series of physical and mental tests and position drills.

Trent, for instance, placed fourth among all cornerbacks by running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. He also showed good strength for his position, bench-pressing 225 pounds 23 times, also fourth-best among cornerbacks.

Yet, despite his physical prowess, Trent is considered no better than a mid- to late-round pick by NFL Draft experts because of a lack of effectiveness on the field.

Likewise, Taylor is renowned for his strength (he led all defensive linemen at the combine with 37 bench-press repetitions), but drew criticism in Pro Football Weekly's draft guide for his inability to create pressure in opposing backfields. He, too, isn't expected to be chosen any higher than the middle rounds.

A Big Ten honorable mention selection last year after being a second-teamer in 2007, Taylor said he's confident he'll be drafted.

"It doesn't matter (to which team) I go," he said. "I can do well anywhere."

Asked for this thoughts about Michigan's draft class, Big Ten Network analyst and former college coach Gerry DiNardo said this week he believed some Wolverines may be underrated.

"Any time you get caught in a coaching change, it's going to impact your play because you're learning a new system," DiNardo said. "I think there's enough talent for them to be in the mix (to be drafted), but I think they kind of got caught in the middle because of the coaching change."

That change, from Lloyd Carr to Rich Rodriguez, didn't work out so well on the field -

at least in 2008 - where Michigan finished 3-9. By the time the draft concludes Sunday, we'll have a better idea of what kind of future NFL teams believe the seniors on that team might have.

John Heuser can be reached at jheuser@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6816.