Buffs Notes: 7 Headed To All-Star Games; Crosby's Historic Day; 3 Former Buffs Still in SB Ring Derby

BOULDER — Seven Colorado Buffaloes who just completed their eligibility will be competing in college all-star games at the end of the month as they continue to point to the April 27-29 NFL Draft.

Two Buffs, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and quarterback Sefo Liufau, will play in the Jan. 28 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Five more — nose tackle Josh Tupou, linebackers Kenneth Olugbode and Jimmie Gilbert, safety Tedric Thompson and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon — will play in the Jan. 21 East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

All are expected to get their chances in an NFL training camp, with as many as seven projected as possible draft picks by one or more national websites.

Since the end of the season, Thompson's stock has risen considerably after he led the Pac-12 in interceptions this season with seven while also tying with Witherspoon for the league lead in passes defended (23).

While the early draft projections serve as a baseline, the true evaluations will begin in the all-star games, at the Feb. 28-March 6 NFL Combine and at individual and team workouts around the nation.

Here's a quick look at how some of the Buffs are projected in the early rankings by some national websites:

Chidobe Awuzie — Ranked as the No. 10 cornerback in the nation by Sports Illustrated. … Ranked as the No. 13 corner by CBS (77th best player overall) and projected to go in the second or third round. … Projected in the third round by Bleacher Report.

Sefo Liufau — Ranked as the ninth-best quarterback in this year's class by Sports Illustrated and the No. 254th player overall. Projected as a seventh-round pick by SI.

Josh Tupou — Ranked as the No. 26 defensive tackle by CBS Sports and projected to go in rounds 6 or 7.

Tedric Thompson — CBS Sports ranks him as the No. 8 strong safety and 199th player overall. … CBS projects him going in the fifth or sixth round; Bleacher Report has him as a possible third rounder.

Ahkello Witherspoon — Ranked as the No. 21 corner by CBS Sports and the 170th player in draft. Projected as a fifth-rounder by CBS and a fourth-rounder by Bleacher Report.

Jimmie Gilbert — CBS has him as the No. 24 outside linebacker and 290th player overall. Projected as a seventh-round pick or free agent signee.

Other players ranked by CBS at their position (but not projected in the draft) are linebacker Kenneth Olugbode (24th ILB), center Alex Kelley (15th), defensive tackle Jordan Carrell (41st) and defensive tackle Samson Kafovalu (65th).

STILL IN SB RING CONTENTION: Three former Buffs — Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby, Packers tackle David Bakhtiari and Patriots tackle Nate Solder — remain in contention for Super Bowl rings, as their teams advanced to their respective conference finals over the weekend.

It was Crosby, though, who produced the biggest headlines with two 50-yard plus field goals in the final 1:38 of the Packers' 34-31 win over Dallas on Sunday.

Crosby's first field goal of the game a 56-yarder, gave the Pack a 31-28 lead over the Cowboys with 1:38 to go in the game. But after the Cowboys quickly answered with a game-tying kick, Crosby waited on the sidelines as Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers maneuvered the Packers back into position for a game-winning try.

Crosby then calmly delivered with a 51-yard game winner as time ran out.

What an amazing feeling. Love this team! #GoPackGo https://t.co/0Ll7pICbSB
— Mason Crosby (@crosbykicks2) January 16, 2017

The final kick simply enhanced Crosby's reputation as one of the game's most-dependable kickers, especially in the playoffs. He is 9-for-9 on PATs this year in the playoffs and 3-for-3 on field goal tries.

Even more impressively, he has extended his NFL record for most consecutive successful field goal tries in the postseason to 23. While Sunday was his first game as a pro with two 50-yard plus field goals in the same game, it's nothing he hasn't done before — he accomplished the feat three times as a Buff.

Crosby's 56-yarder was the third-longest field goal in NFL postseason history (surpassed only by a a 58-yarder by the 1990 Dolphins' Pete Stoyanovich and a 57-yarder by the 2014 Bengals' Mike Nugent).

Crosby also became the first kicker to hit two field goals of 50 yards or farther in the final two minutes of a postseason game.

Crosby, who met his wife (the former Molly Ackermann) at Colorado, still stays in close touch with the Buffs. He and Molly visited the campus last summer and took a tour of the Champions Center with Buffs athletic director Rick George.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu