Fiesta Bowl 2014: Boise State vs. Arizona NFL Draft Prospects to Watch for

From a future professional perspective, the 2014 Fiesta Bowl is by far the least interesting high-profile game on this year's bowl slate. There won't be any first-round picks to come out of Wednesday night's contest and perhaps not even any second-rounders.

That tends to be an issue when a BCS game (or whatever we're calling it now) pits a mid-major giant against a still-building Power Five team. Despite its elongated run of excellence, Boise State doesn't have a huge history of producing NFL stars. On the other sideline, Rich Rodriguez almost prides himself by succeeding with groups of undersized, under-appreciated future non-pros who fit his system.

Scouts will still litter the stands and keep the All-22 tape available hoping to find a diamond in the rough. But truth be told, this is a game that will be somewhere beneath a repeat episode of Scrubs on the DVR watch list.

Whenever the scouts do get around to flicking through the channels, though, there should be a few guys worthy of mid-round grades to keep an eye on. Let's quickly look at the Fiesta Bowl participants who should be taking their talents to Sundays come next September.

Austin Hill, WR, Arizona

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Hill should be the highest-drafted player participating Wednesday. He's the No. 64 player on ESPN Scouts Inc.'s big board (subscription required), putting him right on the edge of the second round. The senior wideout has turned in a somewhat disappointing 2014 given his breakout junior season, moving to tight end out of team need.

That move makes Hill's tape and number difficult to assess. He'll play receiver at the next level, and teams will be more than two years removed from seeing him excel at that position when draft day comes. (Hill missed the entire 2013 season with an injured knee.)

In 2012, Hill established himself as one of the Pac-12's best red-zone targets and a big-play threat down the field. He had 81 receptions for 1,364 yards and 11 touchdowns, displaying excellent ball skill and route-running intelligence. Moving to tight end did little to quell concerns about his top-end speed, but it's nonetheless made him one of the more polished blocking wideouts in the nation. 

"It has helped me show that I'm a little tougher than I look, and I took it upon myself to really get better blocking this year and becoming a more physical receiver," Hill told Anthony Gimino of Tucson News Now. "I'm trying to make it as much fun as possible."

Hill will have to wait to prove his worth to scouts. He'll still be filling the interior role for Rodriguez against Boise State, which will make his individual workouts hold a ton of weight. If he shows he can still run in the 4.5 range despite the knee injury and wear and tear this season, Hill may move up to the early second-round range.

Any slippage in agility or speed, though, could cause a free-fall.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State

Otto Kitsinger/Associated Press

It's not very often a Boise State player performs well enough to give up on the collegiate life with a year of eligibility remaining. Not many Boise State players are Jay Ajayi. The junior back rushed for 1,689 yards and 25 touchdowns during the regular season, flashing his versatility by adding 45 receptions for an additional 536 yards.

While it's unclear where Ajayi will go draft night—he might wind up into the late second-round range or fall to the third day—his process for declaring is strong. If Ajayi hasn't proved his on-field worth, he never will. Over the last two seasons he's rushed for 43 touchdowns and added little wrinkles to his game that should make him a better all-around NFL running back.

Boise State's usage of its star is also a concern. Ajayi touched the ball 370 times during the regular season on either a carry or a reception. If there is anything we've learned about the running back position, it's how dangerous it can be for high-usage players.

Ajayi is more likely to get injured and irreparably alter his draft stock if he were to come back next season. He's also wasting valuable carries he could getting paid to take. Running back is arguably the most fungible position in football that doesn't involve kicking a football up in the air or through some uprights.

There are some worthy questions to be asked about Ajayi's pro stock, most of which are competition-related. Ajayi is a big-play threat with soft hands and an impressive college portfolio. He may not wind up being the best running back in football, but he's smart to be taking advantage of his draft stock now.

Others to Watch: RB Terris Jones-Grigsby (Arizona), OT Mickey Baucus (Arizona), WR Matt Miller* (Boise State)

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter

(*Miller is injured and will not play.)