With The 32nd Pick In The 2012 Entry Draft, The Oilers Are Proud To Select...

In the SB Nation Mock Draft, the Edmonton Oilers pulled no funny business, made no moves, and surprised no one by selecting Nail Yakupov, the unanimous #1 prospect in 2012.

With the 32nd overall pick, the Oilers will have a cornucopia of defensemen available and one who fits the profile: he's from the WHL, he's got a huge shot from the point and he can run a power play. The Edmonton Oilers are proud to select:

from the Kelowna Rockets, defenseman Damon Severson. I looked at the possibility of taking Severson back in April and not much has changed. Severson is ranked 32rd overall in the consensus rankings, and is a close-to-home guy the Oilers can track as he develops.

The top two draft predictors, Bob McKenzie and Craig Button have Severson ranked 45th and 43rd respectively, with Button commenting:

He is a very good skater who has an effortless stride, is very agile and has quickness which helps him both defensively and offensively. He has very good vision and poise with the puck and he makes very good plays. He has confidence when he has the puck and because his skating is so good, he doesn't have to 'rush' or force things because the space he has gained, is not in danger of being lost.

Future Considerations has Severson ranked 40th, noting:

A big and strong two-way defender with a good physical element to his game. He has good feet and a wide skating base, which allows him to remain balanced. He has a strong leg push that generates impressive speed. He’s calm when carrying the puck and recognizes when to rush it and when to pass it or just chip it away. He’s strong along the boards and plays with an edge. He has impressive strength and does a good job of managing the front of the net. He plays with his head up and shows patience with the puck, even when under pressure from the forecheck.

Corey Pronman has Severson ranked 30th, and describes him as a do-it-all type of player:

Severson had a pretty impressive draft season, showing a desirable all-around game. He's a pretty good do-it-all type of prospect, but with an emphasis on his puck-moving skills. He gets regular praise within the industry for his calm demeanor with the puck. He reads the play quickly and effectively, makes a good first pass and has a nice amount of creativity to his game. Severson can control the play on the break outand has the instincts to be a power play quarterback as well.

The Scouting Report has Severson 36th overall and thinks he's destined for the top 4:

Severson has been overlooked at times this season, but he may have just as much upside as any defenseman taken out of the WHL in this year’s draft. While struggling at times to find consistency in his game, Severson has shown flashes of a potentially brilliant young defenseman and simply needs to put it all together at this point. Severson plays an all-around solid game, chipping in offense when need be, but also showing a willingness and capability to play in his own end and step up with a hard checking defense style.