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Logan • As this week's NFL draft approaches, Utah State is back on the radar of every team.
The Aggies, who did not have a player selected in 2015, are expected to make a splash this year, thanks to linebackers Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil.
Two of the most productive defenders in school history, Fackrell and Vigil have been projected as mid-round picks in nearly every mock draft this spring.
Utah State coach Matt Wells agrees with those assessments.
"I continue to hear from [NFL] coaches and general managers just about every day," he said. "… There's no question these guys are pros."
Why are Fackrell and Vigil so highly regarded by NFL personnel types?
"They have proven it on the field," Wells said. "Their video speaks for itself. The film is their résumé, plus, off the field, they are first-class young men. They have done everything right to represent Utah State at the highest level."
Since 1990, 13 Utah State players have been drafted into the NFL.
In the past four years — despite being shut out in 2015 — six Aggies have been selected. The group includes second-round linebacker Bobby Wagner by Seattle. He was the No. 47 overall pick and has become an anchor on the Seahawks' defense.
More than a few teams see Fackrell and also have high expectations.
One blogger who covers the New York Jets wrote recently the team has become "enamored" with him and could target Fackrell with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round.
That seems high, however.
Fackrell will more likely be taken in the third or fourth round, although the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder from Mesa, Ariz., turned heads all season. He finished first in the country in fumble recoveries with five and set a Utah State record with 12 sacks. He averaged 6.3 tackles per game and was named to the all-Mountain West Conference first team.
"He's just long and athletic with elite pass-rush skills," Wells said. "He's shown he can play the field and boundary linebacker positions in our defense and rush the passer with tremendous success. He also has an ability to drop into pass coverage."
According to NFL.com, Fackrell is a "stand-up rush linebacker with premium length and agility" who last season overcame a 2014 knee injury and was "consistently making plays on the edge against the run and attacking the backfield."
NFL.com projected Fackrell as a third-round pick.
Vigil's draft status is more hazy, with projections putting anywhere between the fifth and seventh rounds.
Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 240 pounds, Vigil is a little smaller than Fackrell. But he made 41 straight starts over his last three seasons at Utah State. Last year, he finished with nine sacks. He made 324 tackles in his career, which is 13th in school history.
"Never quits on a play," NFL.com said. "Active pass rusher who worked well in team blitz scheme. Team leader. Reads pass keys quickly and gets into coverage with depth. … Wrap-up tackler who brings some bang on perimeter tackles."
Said Wells: "Vig is flat-out productive. He is flat-out athletic. He's got a tremendous upside, especially on special teams."
A graduate of Fremont High in Plain City, Vigil hopes to follow his brother, Zach, into the NFL.
Zach Vigil was a walk-on at Utah State but ended his college career as the Mountain West's Defensive Player of the Year. He was not drafted but, last year, he made 18 tackles in 16 games for the Miami Dolphins.
Wells hesitates to guess where Fackrell and Vigil will get drafted, but he wants them enjoy the "once-in-lifetime" weekend.
"It's tough to project where guys are going to go," Wells said. "So much depends on things you can't control. Needs. Trades. Those type of things. But the things you can control are your attitude, effort and being happy where you are selected. …
"We're so happy they will get to experience it because, throughout their careers at Utah State, these guys have earned every right be to drafted and be pros. They are football junkies. They are always in the film room. Plus, they are blessed with God-given ability."
Twitter: @sluhm —
Storylines
• Utah State linebackers Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil are expected to be selected in the NFL draft, which starts Thursday.
• Fackrell is projected to go in the third or fourth round. Vigil is projected to be selected in the fifth, sixth or seventh rounds.
• Another Utah State player who could sneak into the draft is fleet wideout Hunter Sharp, who had 71 receptions last season.
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NFL draft
At the Auditorium Theater, Chicago:
Round 1 • Thursday, 6 p.m. MDT, ESPN and the NFL Network
Rounds 2-3 • Friday, 5 p.m. MDT, ESPN and the NFL Network. Note: TV coverage moves to ESPN2 at 6 p.m.
Rounds 4-7 • Saturday, 10 a.m. MDT, ESPN and the NFL Network NFL draft
The draft will be held at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago:
Round 1 • Thursday, 6 p.m. (MDT), ESPN and the NFL Network
Rounds 2-3 • Friday, 5 p.m. (MDT), ESPN and the NFL Network. Note: TV coverage moves to ESPN2 at 6 p.m.
Rounds 4-7 • Saturday, 10 a.m. (MDT), ESPN and the NFL Network