NFL draft holding added interest for Merced County

Kevin Navarra said he’s always been an NFL draft guy.

The Buhach Colony football coach enjoys hearing the players’ back stories and learning what their coaches and peers think of them as individuals. Back before the NFL changed the draft format to starting on Thursdays a couple years ago, Navarra said he and Atwater principal Torrin Johnson even used to host an annual party to commemorate the event.

Navarra is one of a number of Merced County residents who will be watching the draft, which got underway with the first round on Thursday night, with renewed interest as one of his own, Stanford defensive lineman and Thunder alum Aziz Shittu, is expected to hear his name called.

“We started hosting the party the year Atwater’s Bernard Berrian got drafted,” Navarra said. “It’s something I’ve always enjoyed watching, but this year will obviously be a little more special. My daughter has volleyball on Saturday, so hopefully I don’t miss his name called. But as one of my assistants said the other day, if Aziz gets drafted, he’ll make sure everybody knows about it.

“It’s just who he is.”

Shittu said he’ll be driving down to see his family in Coalinga after he’s done with class on Friday. The draft’s second and third rounds will be held Friday, but Shittu said he most likely won’t get the call until Saturday.

“It would be sweet to go (Friday), but realistically Saturday is the most likely day,” Shittu said. “I’m just going to go home and spend the time with my family. As far as I know it’s just going to be the immediate family. I’m trying to keep it low key.

“About 12 teams have contacted me or my agent over the last week to double check my contact info and just make sure they had a way to get ahold of me in case they took me. I’ve got a pretty good idea now who needs defensive-line help and might be interested in me. A few teams have touched base and said, ‘if you’re available here, we might go with you,’ and I guess that will continue throughout the draft.

“I got off of the phone the other day with Seattle, and I’ll admit I was pretty pumped. Just to talk to these teams that I’ve always watched on TV and that have drafted Stanford alum in the past. I’ve done my best to be cool. My agent even advised I don’t watch the draft because guys can become so emotionally caught up in it, but I’m excited for the weekend and just grateful to be a part of the process and have this opportunity.”

It’s tough to pinpoint where Shittu is most likely to go. He’s been in conversations as high as the fourth round and as low as the seventh or a potential undrafted free agent. The main thing he’ll be battling is the large number of underclass defensive linemen that declared for the 2016 draft.

Still, he’s proven himself a versatile athlete at Stanford and was just named to the 2016 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday for maintaining at least a 3.2 grade point average for his entire Stanford career.

Those who know Shittu best believe whatever team rolls the dice on him will be getting a complete package.

“You have to think teams are going to like his intangibles,” Golden Valley principal and former BC football coach Kevin Swartwood said. “You got a kid who is very smart, with a Stanford education. So he’s going to be able to learn the playbook easily and isn’t going to cause trouble.

“I admit I don’t usually pay attention to the draft. I like watching the NFL and have a team, I’ve just never been a draft guy. That definitely changes this year. I’ve coached for over 30 years and this is the first time I’ve ever had a player in consideration to get drafted.

“The exciting part is it could happen again next year with (Cal offensive lineman) Aaron (Cochran). We’re all really proud of what he’s been able to do at the next level and are looking forward to hearing his name called.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 6:30 PM with the headline "NFL draft holding added interest for Merced County."