Three K-State players featured in ESPN's latest NFL mock draft

Three Kansas State football players were featured in ESPN's latest NFL mock draft, released Monday morning.

Cornerback Jacob Parrish, running back D.J. Giddens, and safety Marques Sigle are all projected to hear their names called during the draft, which begins Thursday night.

Parrish, a native of Olathe, Kan., ran an impressive 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and has seen his stock rise steadily since the end of the season.

A versatile defensive back capable of playing both outside and in the slot, he was named a 2024 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He started all 12 regular-season games last year, finishing with 50 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and eight passes defended.

The mock draft had Parrish as the first Wildcat selected, going 87th overall to the Green Bay Packers.

"Parrish is a tough, physical corner who could be an immediate factor in Green Bay. He might be best suited as an inside corner in the NFL," the article states.

Running back D.J. Giddens was projected just a few picks later, going 94th overall to the Cleveland Browns.

"Giddens is one of my favorite backs in this class and could start early in Cleveland. He is a patient runner who can make defenders miss in short areas," writes Jordan Reid.

Giddens, a 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior, rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons and scored 23 total rushing touchdowns over his three-year career. Also a threat as a receiver, he caught more than 20 passes in both his sophomore and junior campaigns, offering a diverse skill set for NFL teams seeking a capable pass-catcher and willing blocker out of the backfield.

He was clocked at 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, ranking seventh among running backs at the Combine.

Lastly, safety Marques Sigle—originally projected as a potential undrafted free agent—saw his stock rise significantly after a standout Combine performance. At minimum, he’s expected to be a strong special teams contributor as a rookie.

Sigle posted a blazing 4.37-second 40-yard dash, the fastest among all safeties this year and one of the top 10 times ever recorded for the position.

In the mock draft, Sigle was projected to go to the Dallas Cowboys with the first pick of the seventh round. If drafted there, he would join former Wildcats Deuce Vaughn and center Cooper Beebe, along with former offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Conor Riley, who is now on the Cowboys’ staff.

Also mentioned in the mock draft was former Wildcat quarterback Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State and won a national championship with the Buckeyes last season.

Howard was projected to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fifth round, with the 143rd overall pick.

Howard set K-State’s career record for touchdown passes (48) and ranks fourth in career completions, and fifth in passing yards, attempts, and total offense per game. He helped lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship in 2022.