Hillgrove grad Bradley Chubb might be prize of NFL draft

Fans of the Colts, Buccaneers are other defensively deprived franchises have their eyes on a Chubb from Georgia.

Not Nick Chubb, UGA’s bruising record-setting running back, but Bradley Chubb, NC State’s dynamic pass rusher who may hear his name called before the more familiar player during the 2018 NFL Draft. The Marietta native has 10 sacks and 23 tackles for loss for the Wolfpack while emerging as perhaps the best defender in an offensively top-heavy draft.

Chubb’s performance mirrors a season ago, when he had 10.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in route to being named the team’s defensive MVP. He’s registered a tackle for loss or sack in all but one game in 2017 and broke the school sack record held by former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams.

He became the first consensus first-team All-American at NC State since 1979.

"Being a consistently successful edge defender at the next level requires a combination of power, explosiveness, technique and instincts," said Luke Easterling, lead analyst and editor at the Draft Wire. "Chubb checks all of these boxes, and plays with a nasty mean streak NFL teams should quickly fall in love with as the predraft process moves along this offseason."

NFL media's Lance Zierlein quoted a scout who propped Chubb above former Tennessee pass rusher Derek Barnett, who's impressed in his rookie season with the Eagles. Zierlein was unsure of the comparison, but pointed out Chubb was a superior athlete and projects much higher than Barnett's No. 14 overall.

NC State’s season ends with a matchup against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl on Friday.

Chubb starred at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs. He chose the Wolfpack over Wake Forest, Duke and others as a three-star defensive end-linebacker hybrid.

He passed on the NFL a year ago and the decision paid off. Chubb might’ve been overlooked coming out of high school, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be underrated again.