Not many BYU players shined in a 27-17 loss to Wisconsin, but one that did was senior linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Kyle Van Noy could have easily left school last year and been a first or second round draft pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Instead, he returned and has played with his signature tenacity, keeping him atop draft boards for the upcoming draft.
Going into the game with Wisconsin, Badgers Head Coach Gary Andersen had some kind words for Kyle Van Noy.
“The Van Noy kid is a good linebacker. He’s one of the top linebackers in the country … He is very talented and you have to account for him every snap.”
Andersen would know better than any opposing coach as the former Utah State coach has played BYU each of the last four years. It’s safe to say he’s seen plenty of Van Noy.
Kyle Van Noy didn’t disappoint against the Badgers with eight tackles, two for a loss and an interception. The interception was the seventh of his career.
Getting in to the backfield is something Kyle Van Noy excels at with a tackle for loss in eight of nine games in 2013 and 10 of 13 games in 2012.
His biggest downfall is size (6-3, 235 lbs) because it prevents him from being dominant in rush defense. If he can manage to add 10 to 15 pounds before the draft, he could move up the big board.
Kyle Van Noy will be one of the first outside linebackers taken in the 2014 NFL Draft. Guys he will be competing with at the NFL Combine will be UCLA’s Anthony Barr, Buffalo’s Khalil Mack, Alabama’s C.J. Mosley and Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier.
What do think of Kyle Van Noy and how he projects to the next level? Let me know by commenting below.
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers. He also enjoys sharing Fantasy Advice and pretends to be a Golf expert from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best. If social media is not your thing, shoot him an email at grays@uwalumni.com.
Images obtained from madison.com and pregame.com