These 4 South Florida prospects likely to become first-round NFL draft picks

Bosa, Brown, Burns, Bush should hear their names called Thursday night

South Florida products Nick Bosa, Marquise Brown, Brian Burns and Devin Bush Jr. will likely be picked in the first round of the NFL draft. (Getty Images)

These four potential first-round NFL draft picks from South Florida should hear their names called Thursday night in Nashville.


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Nick Bosa
School: Ohio State
Position: Defensive End
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Nick Bosa celebrates after recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 1, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio.

The four-year starter at St. Thomas Aquinas High School played in all 13 games as a true freshman at Ohio State in 2016, recording 29 tackles, including seven for loss, and five sacks. 

Bosa became a starter in 2017, earning first-team All-Big Ten Conference honors with 32 tackles (14.5 for loss) and a team-leading seven sacks. He also had two pass breakups, eight quarterback hurries and a blocked kick. 

Bosa only started three games last season after injuring a core muscle in September that required surgery to repair. He had 14 tackles and four sacks for the Buckeyes before leaving school to prepare for the NFL draft. 

His brother, Joey Bosa, also played at Ohio State and became the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. His father, John Bosa, was a first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1987.


Marquise Brown
School: Oklahoma
Position: Wide Receiver
Hometown: Hollywood

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marquise Brown lines up against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Oct. 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Brown played high school football at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory in Hollywood and spent the 2016 season at the College of the Canyons in California before transferring to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma's leading receiver a season ago finished with 75 receptions for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he was held without a catch in a 45-34 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl. It turned out to be his final game, as he declared for the NFL draft after his junior season. 

Brown finished his career with 2,413 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in two seasons with the Sooners.

He is the cousin of Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown.


Brian Burns
School: Florida State
Position: Defensive End
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale

Florida State Seminoles defensive end Brian Burns causes a fumble by Miami Hurricanes quarterback N'Kosi Perry in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 6, 2018 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Before he was sacking quarterbacks in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Brian Burns helped American Heritage High School win back-to-back state championships in 2013 and 2014.

Burns made an immediate impact at Florida State, leading all freshmen nationally with 9.5 sacks in 2016. He started every game his sophomore and junior seasons for the Seminoles, finishing with 124 tackles, including 39.5 for loss, and 24 sacks in his collegiate career.

As a junior, Burns led the ACC with 15.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He also recorded 52 tackles, eight quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

His 24 sacks rank fifth all-time at Florida State behind Reinard Wilson, Peter Boulware, DeMarcus Walker and Ron Simmons, all of whom went on to play in the NFL.


Devin Bush Jr.
School: Michigan
Position: Linebacker
Hometown: Pembroke Pines

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Devin Bush Jr. carries the Paul Bunyan Trophy off the field after beating the Michigan State Spartans 21-7 at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan.

The former Charles W. Flanagan High School star appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman at Michigan in 2016.

Bush became a starter for the Wolverines in 2017, posting a team-high seven tackles, including three for loss, and two sacks in a 33-17 season-opening win against Florida. By the end of the 2018 season, he was the team's leading tackler with 80 stops and ranked second with 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

In three seasons at Michigan, Bush amassed 172 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and an interception.

Bush skipped the Wolverines' bowl game -- a 41-15 loss to Florida in the Peach Bowl -- to prepare for the NFL draft.

He is the son of former Florida State safety and 1995 first-round draft pick Devin Bush, who spent eight years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns.


The draft begins Thursday at 8 p.m. on Local 10.