NFL Draft: Cam Jurgens and Cam Taylor-Britt go in 2nd round

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The 2022 NFL Draft kicked off Thursday night. More picks will be made and a list of Nebraska Huskers could hear their names called with the second round starting on Friday. Here are the Huskers who could hear their name called during the draft.

Cam Jurgens went a round earlier than projected. Jurgens was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round with the 51st pick. Jurgens became the first Husker taken in the 2021 National Football League Draft, as he was a second-round pick (No. 51 overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jurgens, a 6-foot-3, 303-pound center from Beatrice, Neb., became the highest drafted Husker since Prince Amukamara in 2011, and NU’s first second-round selection since Ameer Abdullah and Randy Gregory were both tabbed in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Jurgens was Nebraska’s starting center in 31 of the Huskers’ 32 games from 2019 to 2021, including the final 18 games of his collegiate career. He was a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021, when he was also a member of the Rimington Trophy Watch List. Nebraska’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, Jurgens helped the Huskers ranked 20th nationally in total offense in 2021. In 2019, less than a year after he made a position switch from tight end to center, Jurgens started every game at center as a redshirt freshman, becoming the first Husker freshman (true or redshirt) to start a game at center since the NCAA restored freshmen eligibility in 1972.

Prior to Jurgens’ selection tonight by the Eagles, the last Husker offensive linemen taken in the top three rounds was Spencer Long, who was a third-round pick in 2014. Jurgens is the third Husker offensive linemen taken in the last two years, joining 2021 draft picks Matt Farniok and Brenden Jaimes. Jurgens is also the first Husker center drafted since Josh Sewell in 2004.

Cam Taylor-Britt is heading to the Cincinnati Bengals who won the AFC Championship last season. Taylor-Britt was picked 60th in the second round. Cam Taylor-Britt gave Nebraska a pair of second-round picks for the first time since 2015, as he was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 60 overall) in the National Football League Draft Friday evening.

Taylor-Britt was the first Husker cornerback taken in the NFL Draft since Stanley Jean-Baptiste was a second-round pick in 2014. Taylor-Britt joins the reigning AFC champions who are coached by former Husker great Zac Taylor. Taylor-Britt joins Cam Jurgens, who was tabbed No. 51 overall by Philadelphia, as second-round picks on Friday.

Taylor-Britt, a 5-foot-11, 196-pound cornerback from Montgomery, Ala., played in 42 games with 28 starts in his four seasons as a Husker. He finished his career with 140 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks with 21 pass breakups and six interceptions. Taylor-Britt served as a team captain in 2021, when he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after recording 51 tackles and 11 pass breakups. He was also an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection in both 2019 and 2020. In his first year as a starter in 2019, Taylor-Britt ranked third nationally with four forced fumbles, the highest total by a Husker since the 1999 season.

JoJo Domann and Samori Toure could come in later rounds.

Other Husker hopefuls that should find a team either as a draftee or free agent includes: Austin Allen, Damion Daniels, Marquel Dismuke, Ben Stille and Deontai Williams.

Former Nebraska wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson was selected in the 2nd round by the New York Giants, 43rd overall pick. Robinson was among the Huskers’ top offensive playmakers over his last two seasons with the program. He scored 7 touchdowns, while totalling nearly 1,500 yards of offense. He led the Huskers in receptions and receiving yardage as a sophomore.

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