Okay, I'm modifying my poll expectations around here. Trying to do a daily one has been a little daunting since I've been so busy lately, so let's try to stretch these out to a week now.
FOX Sports raised some eyebrows earlier this spring when they released a mock NFL Draft for 2018. The site is not only projecting Whitehead will make the leap to the pros but even called him a first-round selection for the Dallas Cowboys. Heading into his junior year this fall, that would mean he leaves a year early.
When Whitehead signed with Pitt, many of us believed he could easily be a three-year player. But the projection came after a year when Pitt's secondary was among the worst in college football and when Whitehead himself even had a bit of a down season after his outstanding sophomore year.
Whitehead doesn't have the gaudy pass defense stats that you might expect to accompany a first-round pick. In his two years with the Panthers, he only has two interceptions. His real value for the Panthers has come in helping to stop the run and he has routinely put up double-digit tackle numbers.
A good chunk of that, though, has been due to his position. He's expected to move to the field safety spot this season and that will likely lead to more interception opportunities. As he acknowledged earlier, the new position is a little more difficult, however.
Given all of that, do you expect to see Whitehead to leave early for the NFL Draft?
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