Fresno State football has two players heading to the NFL next season.
Interior offensive lineman Netane Muti and linebacker Mykal Walker were both drafted on Saturday in the 2020 NFL Draft. Walker was the first Bulldog to be drafted at the 13th pick of the fourth round by the Atlanta Falcons, and Muti was drafted at the second pick of the sixth round by the Denver Broncos.
Walker played two seasons at Fresno State, racking up a total of 87 tackles and 14 tackles for loss.
In his first season as a Bulldog, Walker was an All-Mountain West First Team selection and was named the Defensive MVP in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game against the Boise State Broncos.
Walker transferred to Fresno State from Division II Azusa Pacific, and he was one of two players to post triple-digit tackles in 102. Many NFL scouts had Walker landing in the sixth or seventh round.
Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a tweet that Walker is “athletic, fast and explosive,” and has the versatility to play inside and outside linebacker.
Muti was the second Bulldog drafted, and he turned heads at the 2020 NFL Combine by benching 44 reps of 225 pounds — tied for the fourth most in combine history.
In his first season at Fresno State, Muti started all 14 games and was a big part of an offensive line that ranked third in the country in sacks allowed. He also was an All-MW honorable mention selection that same year.
In his next two seasons as a Bulldog, Muti suffered several injuries. He started the first two games of the 2018 season as left tackle before suffering an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season.
In his final season, he was voted as a team captain and started three games before suffering a Lisfranc injury. Many scouts had Muti being drafted as high as the second round, but his health is a long term concern.
Broncos General Manager John Elway said in a tweet that “Netane is a powerful run blocker and a strong anchor vs bullrushers as well.”
This is the first time since 2015 that the Bulldogs have had two players drafted in the same year. The last Fresno State player drafted was wide receiver KeeSean Johnson by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019.
