2012 NFL Supplemental Draft Bio - Ed Wesley

The 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft will be held on July 12 this year and so far there has been only one petitioner, Running Back Ed Wesley out of Texas Christian University. The NFL Supplemental Draft is basically a "last chance" for college players who have lost their playing eligibility or got kicked off their respective teams. These are players with issues. Character issues, off-the-field issues, academic issues and well, you get the picture. On occasion, there is a player that graduated too late to declare for the regular draft who petitions the league for a chance at the Supplemental Draft, but it is a rare event.

However, Wesley’s reason for jumping to the Pro’s isn’t a negative one. It’s a personal one. The man is trying to step up and take care of his family. Just last month, the Horned Frogs 3-year letterman announced he would be leaving the team because of ‘family reasons.’ It is thought that those reasons are of a financial nature because he needs to assist his ailing mother.
Last year, Wesley ran for 726 yards and 6 touchdowns on 120 carries (a 6.1 avg.) in a Running Back by Committee along with Waymon James (875 yards) and Matthew Tucker (702). As a sophomore in 2010, Ed rushed for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns, becoming the first TCU player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Robert Merrill (1,107) did it in 2003. In 3 seasons with the Horned Frogs, Wesley gained 2,442 yards on 387 carries (6.3 average) with 21 touchdowns. He also averaged 10.9 yards per punt return on Special Teams.
According to NFLDraftScout, Wesley has good vision, anticipation and decisive movements as a runner, but isn't overly elusive. He has battled the injury bug over his career, especially to his shoulder after missing three games last season.

A 5-9, 200-pound Running back who runs a 4.46 - 40 Time, with a low of 4.35, Wesley was considered a mid to late round draft pick following his Junior year. He is a legitimate late-round pick candidate according to a source with knowledge

Of the preseason rankings of expected seniors entering 2012, Wesley had "draftable" grades from scouting services National Football Scouting and BLESTO Scouting. A high grade does not assure that a prospect will be selected, which might not necessarily be a bad thing. If Wesley goes undrafted, he will have the opportunity to find the best fit for him this summer.

If he is not selected, Wesley should be signed quickly as an undrafted Free Agent.

The Supplemental Draft works like this. Any team interested in the available players place "bids" using next year's draft picks as the purchase price. In the instance of a tiebreaker, the team with the higher draft slot in the previous year receives the player in question. The team bidding the highest pick for a player is rewarded the rights to that player. They forfeit that round selection in the following year draft. Last year, the Oakland Raiders used their 2012 third-round pick on Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
The last Running Back taken in the NFL supplemental draft was Brigham Young RB Harvey Unga, who was selected in the 7th round of the 2010 supplemental draft by the Chicago Bears. RB Bobby Humphrey was selected with a first round by the Denver Broncos in the 1989 NFL Supplemental Draft.

Wesley is no Humphries, that much is certain, but I believe he would be worth a 6th or 7th round pick. I have no reason to believe that he is on the radar for the Denver Broncos, but at this point, I should think he would only draw their interest if he goes undrafted on July 12th. Also, It has been said by Adam Caplan that there may be as many as 10 other players joining Wesley in this year’s Supplemental Draft.

Go Broncos!

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