NFL draft is underway. Which Sacramento-area players might get picked?
The NFL draft is here, a three-day whirlwind of speculation and calls that change lives and impact teams.
The draft started Thursday evening in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the first round underway at 5 p.m. Pacific. The second and third rounds will be held Friday and the fourth through seventh rounds close out the draft Saturday.
Sacramento-area players expected to get drafted or signed as undrafted free agents include running backs, linemen and a receiver.
Here is a peek at Sacramento-area NFL prospects who expect to get drafted this week. Draft projections are culled from sources including NFL.com, CBS Sports, USA Today, ESPN and others.
Femi Oladejo
Schools: Cosumnes Oaks High, Cal, UCLA
Position: Rush edge
Size: 6-foot-3, 260 pounds
Projected round: 2-3
Skinny: A 3-star prospect out of the Elk Grove Unified School District whose senior season was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, Oladejo first attended Cal and finished at UCLA, where he had 14 tackles for loss with burst off the edge.
Omarr Norman-Lott
Schools: Grant High, Arizona State, Tennessee
Position: Defensive tackle
Size: 6-2, 300
Projected round: 3-5
Skinny: His 5-second 40-yard dash time is frightening for a guy in the middle of the defensive trenches, and he helped collapse the pass pocket in the powerhouse SEC, thus earning an invite to the Senior Bowl.
Cam Skattebo
Schools: Rio Linda High, Sacramento State, Arizona State
Position: Running back
Size: 5-10, 220
Projected round: 3-6
Skinny: The most prolific career prep runner in regional history with 6,192 yards, Skattebo never slowed down, piling up numbers in college while running angry. He is versatile, having passed the ball, caught it and punted it in college.
Jackson Slater
School: Sacramento State
Position: Offensive line
Size: 6-4, 315
Projected rounds: 3-7
Skinny: The Bellevue, Washington, native played all five offensive line positions during his All-American Hornets career, and NFL folks like his potential at center. He impressed in the Senior Bowl, the NFL combine and on his pro day.
Lan Larison
School: UC Davis
Position: Running back
Size: 6-0, 215
Projected rounds: 5-7
Skinny: The Idaho native and one-time national champion rodeo star proved to be quite the football player, too. A two-time FCS All-American rushed for 3,634 career yards and 41 touchdowns and had 127 catches for 1,626 yards and 10 scores, and he’s faster with the ball in his hands as fill shows.
Elijah Badger
Schools: Folsom High, Arizona State, Florida
Position: Receiver
Size: 6-1, 200
Projected round: 5-7
Skinny: The leading receiver for the Gatos in 2024, Badger told Gators Illustrated, “I am the best and No. 1 versatile receiver in the draft.” In four college seasons, Badger had 187 receptions for 2,446 yards and 14 touchdowns. He showcased good hands and speed, clocking a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM.