Malcolm Koonce could be the first player from the Mid-American Conference selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Longtime ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. lists Koonce as high as a mid-second round pick, citing his length and disruptiveness and distinctive features.
That disruptiveness is what Koonce brought to the table in four years at Buffalo. The definition of “athletic”, he was always the most physical, aggressive player on the field and channeled that aggression into a strong pass rushing résumé. Koonce led the MAC in sacks in 2019 with 8.0 and followed that up with 5.