A linebacker out of Utah State University is the first alum of a Utah college to be selected in the NFL Draft on Friday.
Bobby Wagner was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 47th overall pick. Wagner joins Bruce Irvin, a defensive end out of West Virginia, on the Seahawks. Irvin was selected at number 15.
Wagner is a 6-foot, 233-pound player given an 84.7 grade on the NFL.com player list. He had missed the NFL combine because of pneumonia, but the four-year starter for the Aggies was the first local player to be drafted.
Wagner had 147 tackles last season, ranking 11th in the country with more than 11 tackles per game. He played well in the Senior Bowl, grabbing an interception and a team-high 7 tackles, and being named the North team’s most outstanding player.
According to NFL.com, “Wagner is an impressive prospect who is a prototypical NFL middle linebacker in terms of size, tackling ability and instincts. He called all the plays for Utah State’s defense. He’s had more than 100 tackles each of the past two years.
“He is a stellar pre-snap defender and properly lines up his teammates. He recognizes the play and diagnoses where to run once the ball is snapped. He is a bit short for the position at just over 6-foot, but he is thick and brings power when he meets a running back in the hole.”