Jake Haener rising on draft boards? This draft expert thinks so

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Jake Haener landed on national television Wednesday morning when he received an endorsement from ESPN's leading NFL Draft expert, Mel Kiper Jr.

Appearing on ESPN's First Take, Kiper Jr. was asked about the draft prospects of another Bulldog quarterback, Georgia signal caller Stetson Bennett.

Unprompted, Kiper Jr. said, "I think when you look at that next tier, Jake Haener for Fresno State is another guy. He doesn't have the great size, but all he does is win. He'll draw comparisons to Drew Brees...For me, Jake Haener and Stetson Bennett are in that next tier of quarterbacks."

Kiper Jr. originally listed Haener as No. 7 in his 2023 NFL Draft quarterback rankings. In his initial mock draft, Kiper projected three QBs drafted in the Top 5 and four in the Top 10.

Haener will have plenty of opportunities to further boost his draft stock. He will participate in the Senior Bowl, which takes place on February 4. A month later, he'll attend the NFL Draft Combine, the first Fresno State QB to do so since Derek Carr.

If Kiper Jr's words are true, then Haener will have a good shot at becoming the first Fresno State QB since Carr to be drafted, too.

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