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2015 MAC Crootin' Football Draft: Round 2

The second round is bookended with a pair of players that already have some college experience under their belts.

Antwan Dixon

Welcome back to the 2015 MAC Crootin' Football Draft. Yesterday in Round 1, we saw four quarterbacks and a first-year transfer player out of Notre Dame all be selected by our representatives. Hopefully you enjoyed the first round, because we've got 14 more to get through.

14. Eastern Michigan Eagles

WR- Darrion Landry (Toledo signee). Baytown, TX (Blinn College). 247Sports: 84 (0.8439).

I really should be picking defense, but I couldn't let this pass me by. While there are other receivers I want for four years, I think having a formidable transfer receiver is necessary to improve the EMU offense right away. Landry is a 6-foot-2 that had teams like Texas Tech calling him around signing day with ten offers coming in the mail for him. I think the receiving corps without Tyreesse Russell needs some help and Reggie Bell is going to need some more targets to throw to. This would definitely help.

Here are Landry's Blinn College highlights courtesy of Hudl:

15. Kent State Golden Flashes

WR- Antwan Dixon (Kent St. signee). Fort Myers, FL (South Fort Myers HS). 247Sports: 80 (0.8074)

This is just too perfect of a fit that I had to make sure Dixon landed at Kent State no matter what. Dixon's play will remind a lot of people of alum Dri Archer and for that reason alone this pick was a no brainer. -Mike Karpinski

Watch how fast Dixon can run courtesy of Hud:

16. Miami RedHawks

S- BoBo Jones (BGSU signee). Xenia, OH (Xenia HS). 247Sports: 78 (0.8013)

With Eilar Hardy and Kareem McFadden off the board and safeties dropping like flies, I decided I had to fall in line and take a defensive pick; otherwise, I would lose out in finding a replacement for Q.

Surprisingly, BoBo Jones was still on the board. Besides having a great name, Jones was a shut down corner in high school and considered one of the best prospects in Ohio at his position. 247 gives him three stars, and Jones received offers from many P5 and MAC schools before committing to BGSU. Jones has plenty of positive physical attributes that should put him in the running for a starting spot early. -James Jimenez

Click here for more on Jones' commitment to BGSU.

17. UMass Minutemen

LB- Chris Green (Toledo signee). Toledo, OH (Central Catholic). 247Sports: 84 (0.8550)

Stanley Andre's departure leaves a big hole in the middle of the defense and Jovan Santos-Knox will be a senior this season. Andre was the unsung hero of the linebacking core and Chris Green could very well fill that gap. Green got a lot of attention from the P5, including offers from Indiana, BC, Georgia Tech, and Illinois. He's a run stopping tackling machine that probably shouldn't have gotten out of the second round. The UMass defense needs shoring up and Green will definitely help in that department. -Max Moore

18. Akron Zips

ATH- Delano Madison (WMU signee). Bloomfield Hills, MI (Brother Rice). 247Sports: 75 (0.7611)

DeLano Madison, I felt, was one of the most explosive athletes around. The last several seasons, Akron's been able to get the ball down the field, however we have lacked a go-to playmaker. Someone who has the chance to go the distance every time he touches the ball. Madison has this big-play potential, and the MAC better look out for him when he touches the ball. -Russ Johnson

Here are Madison's highlights courtesy of Hudl:

19. Buffalo Bulls

QB- Mitchell Guadagni (Toledo signee). Hudson, OH (Hudson HS). 247Sports: 84 (0.8296)

Remember when I said I have to take the chance? I got burned. I was concerned that I was overvaluing Buffalo QB commit Tyree Jackson and my first pick was a position of immediate need at DT. But Jackson got scooped up before the first round ended, the second QB off the board. Both of Buffalo's two-deep QBs are seniors this season, so I needed someone.

I went with Toledo QB commit Mitch Guadagni. He was the highest-rated MAC QB commit after James Morgan and Tyree. And truthfully, he's no Tyree, but he's plenty good. He's got a quick, if wobbly, release, and makes decisions quickly. He runs a ton for a 'pro-style' QB, but oh well. He looks a lot like UB backup quarterback Tony Daniel, so if the new coaching staff uses Tony a lot this year, you could see the role that Guadagni could grow into.

I pretty much knew that I'd be going DT-QB with my first two picks here. Next round there are more possibilities, but you can be sure I'll be taking a Buffalo commit who will making an impact right away. -Matt Gritzmacher

20. Ball State Cardinals

OT- Wesley French (WMU signee). St. Joseph, MI (St. Joseph). 247Sports: 84 (0.8430)

The offensive line has a bright future, as many members of the position are underclassmen. With that said, it's important to build on that talent going past next season. At St. Joseph, French stood out due to do his size, and that led him to being an all-state player twice. This is another steal for PJ Fleck over Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana. It's hard to pass someone like that up. -Sam Barloga

21. Ohio Bobcats

CB- Armani McNulty (Ball St. signee). Bolingbrook, IL (Bolingbrook). 247Sports: 78 (0.8028)

Plain and simple, Ohio can use some help in the secondary. The 'Cats return two seniors at corner, but after they graduate, it's slim pickens. McNaulty may be the best corner in a ridiculously deep defensive back class for the MAC. He gives Ohio an athletic, good coverage corner who could redshirt year one and turn into a T.J. Carrie (minus the size) type back. -Sam Smucker

Check out McNulty's highlights courtesy of Hudl:

22. Central Michigan Chippewas

LB- Carter Masek (Miami signee). Grand Rapids, MI (East Grand Rapids). 247Sports: 76 (0.8152)

Masek is a guy who can step in and fill an immediate need for the Chippewas. CMU loses Justin Cherocci and Cody Lopez while also adding an additional starting linebacker spot as the defense transitions from a 4-2-5 to the more standard 4-3. Masek had a lot of interest from Big Ten schools and has the speed and instincts to be a successful outside linebacker in the MAC. -Max Lowe

23. Western Michigan Broncos

S- Antonyo Sotolongo (BGSU signee). Miami, FL (Gulliver Prep). 247Sports: 81 (0.8181)

It was pretty difficult to not go defense in the first round, but I knew I'd still get some crazy value in defensive back in more these following rounds. Sotolongo looks like he could play safety for any team in the West right away. This kid had a wide range of schools to pick from at Signing Day. Cincinnati, Maryland, West Virginia, Arkansas, Princeton, Cornell, as wel as a few MAC schools. I'll bank on grades not being an issue when he gets on campus at Bowling Green in real life, and he was easily one of their best signees on NSD a couple of months ago.

Just above 6-foot, 200ish pounds, and a guy that Fleck could have used to maybe pick up where Donald Celiscar left off. Sotolongo is a hard-hitter and a playmaker. There's no doubt that this kid can be a star in the MAC. -Alex Alvarado

24. Toledo Rockets

CB- Davontae Ginwright (WMU signee). Southfield, MI (Southfieldl). 247Sports: 83 (0.8042)

With the second pick, Davontae Ginwright was the guy I had planned getting here. Ginwright is going to fill a need at corner after getting beat by the deep ball so much last year. He has a unique skill set, but his height makes things even better for this pick. -Russ Johnson

Here are Ginwright's highlights courtesy of Hudl:

25. Bowling Green Falcons

LB- Junior McMullen (Miami signee). Oak Park, MI (Oak Park). 247Sports: 81 (0.8332)

Took care of the offense in the first round and went after the best player available in round two. That just happened to be a player on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Junior McMullen can be a cornerstone to build a dominating defense around.

McMullen had offers from nearly every Mid-American Conference school as well as from the Cincinnati Bearcats. At 6'2" and 225 pounds it's not clear if McMullen will be used inside or outside at linebacker. He can go sideline-to-sideline and will be effective in pass coverage thanks to good speed (4.8) for a linebacker. Scout had him listed as the number one middle linebacker prospect in Michigan, and the number 13 middle linebacker prospect nationwide. -Randy Carpenter

26. Northern Illinois Huskies

S- Rolan Milligan (Toledo signee). Reedley, CA (UAB). 247Sports: 70 (0.700)

At the end of the 2nd round, I was able to draft UAB transfer Rolan Milligan. Safety is a position of need for NIU and Milligan fits a huge need in the secondary for the Huskies. At the end of the 2nd round, being able to draft a senior who is eligible immediately will bring some experience to a young secondary. Adding Milligan to the mix also would give talented players like Deion Hallmon and Mayomi Olootu another year to develop. -Mike Karpinski

Here are Milligan's JUCO highlights, before he transferred to UAB, courtesy of Hudl:

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If there's one trend I'm noticing here, it's draft from the pool of players that came from the Toledo and Western Michigan signing classes. Both of them had four players from their respective classes be selected in this round. Overall, WMU leads with six players from their signing class being taken in these first two rounds while Toledo and Bowling Green both have four prospects selected. Akron and UMass have both yet to have a prospect taken.

Two players in this class already have some college experience, which is always a bonus knowing that they could potentially help out right away. Those two being Darrion Landry and Rolan Milligan, and are both part of the Rockets' signing class.

Click on the players' names to bring up their respective highlight tapes courtesy of Hudl and other video providers.

Round x Team 1 2
Eastern Michigan Helmet
Justin Tranquill Darrion Landry
kent state helmet
Kendrell McFadden Antwan Dixon
miami helmet
Brandon Childress BoBo Jones
umass helmet
Eilar Hardy Chris Green
Akron helmets
Deontai Williams Delano Madison
Buffalo Helmet
Kwanii Figueroa Mitch Guadagni
ball state helmet
Juantez McRae Wesley French
ohio helmet
James Morgan Armani McNulty
CMU helmet
Billy Bahl Carter Masek
WMU helmets
Kadeem Goulbourne Antonyo Sotolongo
Toledo Helmet
Tyree Jackson Davontae Ginwright
Bowling Green helmet 2011
Spencer Tears Junior McMullen
Northern Illinois Helmet
Kevin Thurman Rolan Milligan