FEELING A DRAFT
Get an early look at this year’s top prospects.
The deadline to declare for the NFL draft has passed. The Senior Bowl is in the books. The scouting combine is a scant three weeks away. Draft season is fully engaged, and the many prospects are already well along the proverbial road to the podium.
Which players will get that invite to the 2017 NFL draft in Philadelphia? Plenty of those among my top 25 will get that coveted invitation to Philadelphia, so let’s take a look at my Big Board heading into the combine at the end of the month.
1. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
There have been three different versions of my Big Board and things aren’t changing at the top. They won’t change this time. They won’t change in the future, either. Garrett is No. 1, will be No. 1 and should be drafted No. 1.
2. Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
Allen’s size, strength, power and explosiveness flash on film every single game. He can wreck an offense from inside or outside, although he’s primed to be a dominant interior passrusher.
3. Jamal Adams, S, LSU
His 2016 performance alleviated any and all fear that Adams
might not be a great fit in a league that stresses the passing game as much as it does. He’s a ferocious hitter and tackler with the explosiveness to find the ball and make plays consistently.
4. Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster may not have been the maestro of his defense that former Alabama star and Ravens Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley was, but no Alabama linebacker has ever been as physical as Foster. That’s being nice, honestly. He aims to knocks every single ball carrier into next week if he dares to wander into Foster’s dojo.
5. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook’s vision and one-cut ability make him a fit in a power or a zone-dominated scheme. Mix in dynamic long speed and there could be some teams looking to make Cook a top-10 pick, a la the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott.
6. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The first name that comes to mind when watching Hooker is Seattle star safety Earl Thomas. Some have brought up Ed Reed, but Hooker’s body type and game are more reminiscent of Thomas than anyone else. The only stumbling block, and it’s a big one, is a pair injuries that will require surgery. Those ailments will keep him out of the physical aspect of the draft process entirely. If Hooker is not a top-12 pick, then those injuries were more severe than anyone let on.
7. DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson
I’ve gone back and studied nearly every single one of Watson’s passes the past
two years. There are some questionable throws on tape. There are some definite “What the ?!?” decisions in his repertoire. However, what makes him a top-10 candidate are the impressive throws into tight windows and clutch throws late in games. The obvious example was the clutch performance in the fourth quarter against Alabama for the national championship victory. However, that’s just the starting point when assessing Watson. Sometimes the analysis can be as easy as answering the question: What guy do I want with the ball in his hands with the game on the line? That’s Watson.
8. Malik McDowell, DT/DE, Michigan State
McDowell was injured over the last half of the 2016 season and it forced him to sit out the last third of the schedule. Regardless, he reminds me a bit of the Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney in that he’s not traditionally built for one particular position, but his athletic gifts afford him the opportunity to find a fit at any position along the defensive line. Unfortunately, his 2016 game tape won’t blow anyone away. As such, there are some who are down on McDowell as a prospect, but I trust his 2015 film, when he was the most disruptive interior defender in the Big Ten.
9. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
From a height, weight and speed perspective, there’s no question about Fournette. He’s solid. I stood next to him at the 2015 Texas Bowl and felt like a kicker. When Fournette has a sliver of space straight ahead of him, he’s a heartbeat away from making a house call. Unfortunately, NFL defenses don’t often open lanes for running backs, according to the initial play design. Force him to bounce to a different gap or running lane and he doesn’t always make that quick, explosive cut to produce more yardage.
11. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Range, length and football IQ are traits that the son of a former first-round running back flashes on a consistent basis. That said, he got his speed from his mom, who was a recordholding 400-meter sprinter in college. Alabama consistently spits out first-round defenders, especially in the secondary, and Humphrey could, and should, be the next one. He must do a better job playing the ball down the field as he’s been lost at times making plays on the ball in the air. But, he has natural cover skills and a long future at the next level.
10. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
Ultimately, Charlton might be the best prospect on one of the best defenses in the nation. He’s not as explosive as a guy like Jadeveon Clowney but he can win with power going through passblockers as well as he can with some quickness and upfield speed. At 6-foot-6, 272 pounds, he possesses prototypical 4-3 defensive end size, but has the athletic ability and strength to play a multitude of spots in any scheme.
12. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
As I walked through Radio Row at the Super Bowl in Houston, I saw longtime Texans star receiver Andre Johnson and immediately thought of Williams. He can win at every level on the field, possessing size similar to that of the former Miami Hurricanes star. His lack of concentration problem seems to be history, along with concerns from his 2015 injury, as he nearly caught everything thrown in his direction at all areas on the field.
13. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
He has prototypical NFL receiver size at 6-3, 205 pounds. He has speed to pull away from defenders on one of his many catch-and-long-run touchdowns. He has excellent ball skills and body control. He turns 50/50 throws into 80/20 tosses in his favor. He runs precise routes to get open in all areas of the field. He has glue sticks for hands. Like Hooker, an injury will keep him from participating at the combine and, perhaps, beyond.
14. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Ask any quarterback what bothers him more than anything else and 11 times out of 10, they’ll say interior pocket pressure at their feet. Because of that, Thomas is as intriguing and dangerous as anyone else in this draft. He’s built like Adonis, with impressive explosiveness off the ball, as he displayed on the Sun Bowl’s penultimate play, a sack on a twopoint attempt to give Stanford a 25-23 win over North Carolina.
15. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
With prototype size and length, Lattimore is a natural fit at cornerback in any scheme at the next level. He only started for a year at Ohio State, though, and over the final few weeks of the season, he was sharing time at corner opposite Gareon Conley. That’s a bit worrisome, even though his traits are worthy of middle-of-the-first-round attention.
16. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Kizer was the epitome of inconsistency throughout the 2016 season, making an NFL level throw on one play then a JV level decision and throw on the next. There’s little question about his elite traits: size and arm strength, but the pieces of the puzzle have yet to completely come together. But are his tools too much to pass on, given the importance at the quarterback position?
17. Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
With an effortless throwing motion and quick release, Trubisky reminds me of Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. As such, I was a big fan of Garoppolo coming out of Eastern Illinois but haven’t come all the way around on the former Tar Heels star. For starters, Trubisky is a couple of inches shorter than Garoppolo, and he only started one season in Chapel Hill. For those reasons and others, I’m a bit skittish to completely buy into the accelerated hype on Trubisky.
18. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
After only one year as a starter, Ramczyk declared for the 2017 draft. That wasn’t just a good decision; it was a great one. The former Badger star latched on to the starting job early in 2016 spring practice and turned in one of the best seasons for a Wisconsin lineman in some time. Because of the Wisconsin ties, he’ll be compared to Cleveland Browns star Joe Thomas. He’s not quite in that class (who is, really?), but he’s a future Pro Bowler at either tackle position. He has better than average feet, athleticism and movement skills to be an outstanding edge protector at the next level, no matter whether he plays left side or right side.
19. John Ross, WR, Washington
Ross was certainly the nitrous oxide booster to the potent 2016 Washington offense, helping lead the Huskies to their inaugural College Football Playoff appearance. In the Peach Bowl, though, he was held in check by a group of physical and nasty Alabama defensive backs. If there’s a concern about Ross, it’s that he can easily be disrupted by physical corners. Now, they have to first catch the speedy Ross who reminds me a great deal of Washington Redskins star DeSean Jackson.
20. Garett Bolles, LT, Utah
As a former defensive tackle, Bolles plays the left tackle position a lot like he’s still playing defense. He’s ornery and finishes defenders in the run game, but his feet, agility and flexibility help him stay square, in perfect position, to block edge rushers. This is not a deep tackle draft so he’ll be highly coveted by plenty of tackle-needy teams at the next level.
22. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
Prior to the season, I remarked that Barnett wasn’t nearly as “twitchy” as the other edge players
21. Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
Jackson was a different player at corner in 2016 than in his first two years on campus. His technique was improved and he was much more consistent in coverage. That said, he’s still got some work to do to become a true shutdown cornerback. It’s far from a talent issue, though; he can fly and his change of direction skills are outstanding. He has to learn how to anticipate better, read the quarterback’s eyes and make more plays in coverage than he did in his three years at USC. in this draft class and that’s still true. However, his ability to work his hands and utilize his strength and quickness rushing the passer led to moments of sheer dominance . If he can show throughout the draft process he has the athleticism to play 3-4 outside linebacker, his stock could rise substantially.
24. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
JuJu has an NFL body and looks like a professional receiver in every respect. He has tremendous body control with the ball in the air and runs strong after the catch. I don’t know how well he’ll run at the scouting combine but I’ve seen him run away from plenty of defensive backs on routes or after the catch.
23. Forrest Lamp, OG/OT, Western Kentucky
The former Hilltopper star left tackle will more than likely end up at guard at the next level. His 31 inch arms will more than likely keep him from being a tackle in the future. But, he’s sitting on a 12-year Pro Bowl career at an interior spot. He’s built like a tank with little fat on him. He’s barrel chested, quick, strong and nasty out of the gate. His performance against Alabama slowing down each and every star Alabama pass-rusher really put him on scouts’ radar screen.
25. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
When Howard enters the NFL and immediately takes his game to a new level, many will wonder why the Alabama offensive staff didn’t get him more involved in the passing game in his four years in Tuscaloosa. I heard plenty of that noise in Mobile when Howard put on an absolutely dazzling show at the Senior Bowl. More of a passcatcher than a blocker, but he, and the rest of this tight end class, will end the “where are all the tight ends?” narrative.