With the NFL Draft slated to begin just one day from now, the professional dreams of some former Iowa football players will be realized, while others’ futures will remain uncertain.

Among the Hawkeyes in this year’s NFL Draft pool are defensive linemen Daviyon Nixon and Jack Heflin, defensive end Chauncey Golston, tight end Shaun Beyer, linebacker Nick Niemann, offensive linemen Alaric Jackson and Coy Cronk, and wide receivers Brandon Smith and Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Of those players, five are likely to be drafted.

Daviyon Nixon appears to be a shoo-in, projected by some to be a first-round draft pick prior to the end of the 2020-21 college football season — though many draft experts have since flexed Nixon into a second or third-round pick since.

Smith-Marsette also seems to be a sure-fire late-round draft pick, given his explosive playmaking ability both as receiver and a returner on special teams.

Smith has a good chance to be drafted too. His 6-foot-2 frame and ability to corral jump balls make him a great red zone weapon for NFL teams.

The recent success of Iowa offensive linemen and defensive players in the NFL will likely help Jackson and Golston land on NFL rosters this fall as well.

I don’t think Cronk, Niemann, or Beyer will be selected in this year’s draft.

Cronk’s injury problems may sway teams from spending any draft capital on him.

Beyer wasn’t the best tight end on the Hawkeyes’ roster last season — that title goes to Sam LaPorta. I don’t think NFL franchises are willing to spend a draft pick on a player that wasn’t even the best at his position on his college team.

The first round of the 2021 NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, with subsequent rounds to follow on Friday and Saturday.