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STATE CHAMPS! Scout Team looks at the 2020 NFL Draft prospects from Indiana high school football

By: MATTHEW B. MOWERY, April 23, 2020, 1:27 pm

If you’ve been craving sports content while you’re stuck at home, the NFL Draft has your back. While this year’s draft is bound to seem odd, as it works around the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, what won’t be odd is to hear a ton of names familiar to high school football fans in the state of Indiana. All of the players mentioned below — along with hundreds and hundreds of their fellows — made business decisions on their respective signing days, hoping to put themselves in a position to hear their name called by the NFL over the next three days.

Here’s a look at 11 players (listed in alphabetical order) who trace their roots back to Indiana high schools, and where they might be drafted (or not drafted, as the case may be) over the next few days:

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SIGNED! >> UDFA by Denver Broncos

LeVante Bellamy, RB, Western Michigan

High school: Indianapolis Pike

Height: 5-foot-9 | Weight: 192 pounds

Arms: 30 1/4 inches | Hands: 8 3/4 inches

40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds | Bench press: 16 reps

Vertical jump: 39.5 inches | Broad jump: 125 inches

Bio: When healthy, Bellamy was stellar for the Broncos, earning first-team All-MAC honors in 2018 and MAC MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2019. But he was limited by injuries in both 2016 and 2017.

Stats: (2015) 77 carries, 493 yards, 2 TDs, 4 catches, 72 yards, 21.3 average on 4 KOR; (2016) 20 carries, 133 yards, TD in three games;  (2017) 49 carries, 394 yards, 3 TDS in six games; (2018) 205 carries, 1,228 yards, 6 TDs, 30 catches, 185 yards, TD, 18.2 average on 14 KOR; (2019) 266 carries, 1,472 yards, 23 TDs, 15 catches, 55 yards.

Mock draft projection: Priority UDFA (NFL.com); Round 7-UDFA (DraftScout.com); Round 3 (NFL.com), Round 7 (DraftTek.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 5

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SIGNED! >> UDFA by Los Angeles Chargers

Asmar Bilal, LB, Notre Dame

High school: Indianapolis Ben Davis

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 227 pounds

40-yard dash: 4.73 seconds

Bio: A late bloomer in college, Bilal started out at Notre Dame’s rover hybrid position, then moved to the buck linebacker position to replace Chargers fourth-round pick Drue Tranquill.

Stats: (2015) redshirted; (2016) 29 tackles, 3 TFL, sack; (2017) 18 tackles, 1.5 TFL; (2018) 50 tackles, 3 TFL, PBU, FR; (2019) 79 tackles, 10 TFL

Mock draft projection: UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 7

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DRAFTED! >> Panthers, Round 2 (pick No. 64)

Jeremy Chinn, DB/OLB, Southern Illinois

High school: Fishers 

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 221 pounds

Arms: 32 1/8 inches | Hands: 9 5/8 inches | Wingspan: 77 5/8 inches

40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds | Bench press: 20 reps

Vertical jump: 41 inches | Broad jump: 11-feet-6

Bio: Earned 2nd-team All-American honors from the AFCA, and was on the Buck Buchanan Award watch list. Made a splash right off the bat in 2016, earning a spot on the MVFC All-Newcomer team, then earned second-team All-MVFC honors in 2017 and first-team honors in 2018 and 2019. 

Stats: (2016) 51 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 3 INT, 2 PBU in 8 games; (2017) 65 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 3 INT, 6 PBU, FR, 3 FF; (2018) 55 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 3 INT, 7 PBU, 2 FF; (2019) 

Mock draft projection: Round 2-3 (DraftScout.com); Round 2 (NFL.com), Round 3 (DraftTek.com), Round 2 (WalterFootball.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 2

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SIGNED! >> UDFA by Indianapolis Colts

Kendall Coleman, DL, Syracuse

High school: Indianapolis Cathedral

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 257 pounds

Arms: 31 3/4 inches | Hands: 10 inches | Wingspan: 75 3/4 inches

40-yard dash: 4.95 seconds 

Vertical jump: 32 inches | Broad jump: 9-feet-6

20-yard shuttle: 4.62 seconds | 3-cone drill: 7.50 seconds

Bio: A four-year starter at defensive end, Coleman started in 43 of 44 career games played, becoming the first true freshman to start at DE for Syracuse since 1996. First-team All-ECAC as a junior and senior, he won the Bill Horr Award as the team’s MVP. 

Stats: (2016) 29 tackles, 1.5 TFL, sack; (2017) 28 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks in eight games; (2018) 32 tackles, 12 TFL, 10 sacks; (2019)

Mock draft projection: Round 6-7 (DraftScout.com), Round 7 (247Sports.com), Round 7 (NFLDraftSite.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 5

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Logan Justus, PK, Indiana

High school: Mt. Vernon

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 182 pounds

40-yard dash: 5.05 seconds

Bio: A second-team All-Big Ten honoree as a junior and senior

Stats: (2015) redshirted; (2016) no game action; (2017) no game action; (2018) 15 for 18 on FGs (44 long), 32 for 33 on PATs; (2019) 17 for 24 on FGs (50 long), 45 for 47 on PATs.

Mock draft projection: Priority UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: UDFA

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Nigel Kilby, TE, Southern Illinois

High school: Fort Wayne Northrop

Height: 6-foot-8 | Weight: 254 pounds

Arms: 35 3/4 inches | Hands: 10 1/2 inches | Wingspan 83 7/8 inches

40-yard dash: 4.66 seconds | Bench press: 18 reps

Vertical jump: 34 1/2 inches | Broad jump: 10-foot-6 

20-yard shuttle: 4.69 seconds | 3-cone drill: 7.78 seconds

Bio: Kilby started out at Eastern Michigan, redshirted one year and played another, then transferred to Garden City Community College for one season. He signed with Louisville in Feb. 2018, then wound up transferring to Southern Illinois that summer, and played his final two seasons three. 

Stats: (2015/EMU) Redshirted; (2016/EMU) 34 catches, 437 yards, 4 TDs; (2016/GCCC) 43 catches, 458 yards, 10 TDs in 12 games; (2018/SIU) 16 catches, 230 yards, 6 TDs in 9 games; (2019/SIU)

Mock draft projection: Priority UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: UDFA

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SIGNED! >> UDFA by New York Giants

Austin Mack, WR, Ohio State

High school: Bishop Luers

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 208 pounds

Arms: 33 5/8 inches | Hands: 10 inches

40-yard dash: 4.59 seconds | 20-yard shuttle: 4.42 seconds

Vertical jump: 31 1/2 inches | Broad jump: 117 inches 

Bio: Mack got on the field early at OSU, playing in 26 games over his first two seasons, but injuries limited him to 19 over his final two years.

Stats: (2016) 2 catches, 15 yards; (2017) 24 catches, 343 yards, 2 TDs; (2018) 26 catches, 331 yards, 1 TD in 8 games; (2019) 27 catches, 361 yards, 3 TDs in 11 games

Mock draft projection: Round 6-7 (DraftScout.com), Priority UDFA (NFL.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 7

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Matt McCann, OL, Purdue

High school: Bishop Chatard

Height: 6-foot-6 | Weight: 310

Arms: 33 3/4 inches | Hands: 8 3/4 inches | Wingspan: 79 1/8 inches

40-yard dash: 5.29 seconds 

Bio: Was honorable mention all-Big Ten as a junior, honorable mention all-Big Ten freshman team in 2016, after a redshirt season. Played in 48 career games for the Boilermakers, making 47 starts. 

Mock draft projection: Priority UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 7

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SIGNED! >> UDFA by Denver Broncos

Riley Neal, QB, Vanderbilt

High school: Yorktown

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 225 pounds

40-yard dash: 4.87 seconds

Bio: A graduate transfer after starting his career at Ball State, Neal spent one season in a Vanderbilt uniform. Started at quarterback in 10 of 11 appearances for Vandy in 2019.  Played in 11 games in each of his first two years in Muncie, then just 12 over his final two seasons (three in 2017).

Stats: (2015/BALL) 228 for 391 passing, 2,276 yards, 16 TDs, 6 INT; (2016/BALL) 242 for 394 passing, 2,541 yards, 13 TDs, 12 INTs; (2017/BALL) 67 for 99 passing, 659 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs; (2018/BALL) 194 for 335 passing, 1,917 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs; (2019/VAN) 149 of 258 passing for 1,585 yards, 9 TDs

Mock draft projection: UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: UDFA

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DRAFTED! >> Indianapolis, Round 5 (pick 149)

Danny Pinter, OL, Ball State

High school: South Bend Adams

Height: 6-foot-4 | 306 pounds

Arms: 31 7/8 inches | Hands: 9 1/2 inches | Wingspan: 77 7/8 inches

40-yard dash: 4.91 seconds | Bench press: 24 reps

Vertical jump: 29 1/2 inches | Broad jump: 9-foot-2

20-yard shuttle: 4.62 seconds | 3-cone drill: 7.76 seconds

Bio: Started the final 24 games of his career on the offensive line, after starting 11 games (in 19 appearances) at tight end his first two seasons. Four-time Academic All-MAC selection, Pinter earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2019, when he won Ball State’s John Magnabosco award for the team’s most outstanding player. 

Mock draft projection: Round 5 (DraftScout.com); Round 4 (NFL.com), Round 4 (WalterFootball.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 4

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DRAFTED! >> New Orleans, Round 7 (pick 240)

Tommy Stevens, QB, Mississippi State

High school: Decatur Central

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 237 pounds

Arms: 32 inches | Hands: 9 1/2 inches | Wingspan: 76 1/4 inches

40-yard dash: 4.62 seconds

Bio: Graduate transfer from Penn State, Stevens earned the starting QB role, and was a team captain in his only year in Starkville. Played in 23 games over the course of three seasons at Penn State.

Stats: (2015/PSU) Redshirted; (2016/PSU) 2 for 3 passing, 36 yards, 21 rushes, 198 yards, 2 TDs; (2017/PSU) 14 for 27 passing, 158 yards, 3 TDs, 27 rushes, 190 yards, 4 TDs; (2018/PSU) 8 for 11 passing, 110 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 28 rushes, 118 yards, 2 TDs; (2019/MSU) 97 for 161 passing, 1,155 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INTs, 83 carries, 381 yards, 4 TDs.

Mock draft projection: UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: Round 6

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MyKelti Williams, S, Northern Illinois

High school: Warren Central

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 196 pounds

Arms: 30 3/4 inches | Hands: 9 3/8 inches | Wingspan: 72 1/2 inches

40-yard dash: 4.71 seconds | Bench press: 17 reps

Vertical jump: 32 inches | Broad jump: 10-foot-1 

20-yard shuttle: 4.43 seconds | 3-cone drill: 7.14 seconds

Bio: After signing with Notre Dame out of high school, and redshirting his lone season in South Bend, Williams was a JUCO All-American at Iowa Western Community College in 2016, then transferred to Northern Illinois for his final three seasons, earning second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors the final two. 

Stats: (2015/ND) Redshirted; (2016/IWCC) 106 tackles, 4 INT, 9 PBU, 4 FF, 3 FR; (2017/NIU) 73 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 6 PBU; (2018/NIU) 73 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 INT, 3 PBU; (2019) 88 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR.

Mock draft projection: UDFA (DraftScout.com) 

STATE CHAMPS! Projection: UDFA