Mike Hughes’ fortunes rose among NFL Draft hopefuls as UCF went undefeated in 2017. Now he’s oneof the best cornerbacks available in the 2018 NFL Draft .
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Over the course of the 2017 college football season, UCF played its way into the hearts of casual fans across the country. The Knights ran the table, winning the American Athletic Conference and the Peach Bowl. There was even talk about how they were snubbed from playing in the College Football Playoff as the only unbeaten squad in the FBS ranks.
Along the way, several players on the Knights roster boosted their NFL Draft stock. Shaquem Griffin is a hybrid linebacker who offers blazing speed and could be an early-round pick. He could be joined in that regard by another teammate, cornerback Mike Hughes. Originally recruited to play for North Carolina, Hughes joined the Knights after one year in Chapel Hill. He sat out his sophomore season, but had a huge year with UCF in 2017.
Hughes did not lead cornerbacks at any of the drills at the NFL Combine. Aside from posting a weak time in the 40-yard dash, though, Hughes posted respectable numbers in every drill he attempted. Hughes finished second in the bench press, fourth in the three-cone drill, and fifth in the broad jump. He was also in the top 10 of the 20-yard dash and vertical jump.
Strengths
Despite standing just 5-foot-10, Hughes makes up for his diminutive build with one of the most physical games of any cornerback coming out of college in this year’s NFL Draft. The Knights secondary star loves to jam receivers right at the line and keep at it all throughout a route.
He has great instincts when it comes to reading the football in the air. Hughes nabbed four interceptions in 2017 and defensed another 11 passes. He took one pick to the house, and scored two kick return touchdowns and once more on a punt return. His mediocre 40 time is not indicative of his true burst of speed.
Weakness
The book on Hughes is relatively thin, after he played just 23 games in his three years of college. As a freshman with North Carolina, Hughes had a relatively limited role. So in reality all scouts really have to work with is his 13 games with the Knights last season.
Hughes is short, even by cornerback standards. While he could serve a valuable role as a punt and/or kick returner, UCF’s defensive backfield dynamo could have limited early value in a pro secondary. He is a raw talent, and can be muscled around by larger receivers.
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Draft expectations
Many teams will probably shy away from Hughes because of his inexperience. Such a small sample size makes it hard to grade the UCF ballhawk, but his raw talent is undeniable. A more impressive NFL Combine performance could have opened the door for talk of a first-round selection. Instead, Hughes will have to wait until the second day to hear his name called at AT&T Stadium.
Projection: Late second/early third round