Baller squad:
Looking for a draft steal this week? Here are 17 candidates.
Successful NFL teams and scouts trust their eyes. Scouting combine testing, pro days, workouts and visits are all important when researching a draft pick. Still, the most important portion of draft evaluation is the tape. I’ve looked at a lot of tape in preparing draft previews. Here is a list of my favorite players in the 2017 draft class, culminating in what I call my “baller squad” — 17 draft prospects who stood out on tape. Everyone knows the first-round players. The players on my list, for the most part, are underrated prospects who will be selected on the second or third day of the draft. It’s a subjective group of ballers, guys who may not test well, have great size or limitless potential, but they can flat-out play. These are dudes I’d take on my team. This isn’t every prospect I like that isn’t highly rated, but it’s a good snapshot — organized by position groups.
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
Watch his Texas A&M and Vanderbilt game tapes to be wowed. Elusive, explosive, versatile. He’s the best of the second-tier running backs and could end up being the best overall in three years. Projected selection: Second round.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
Great vision, elusiveness and openfield cuts from a tailback with good size? Sign me up. Hunt’s 98 total missed tackles forced were secondmost in the nation in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Projected selection: Third or fourth round.
Donnel Pumphrey, RB, S. Diego St.
He won’t be a lead tailback at 178 pounds, but he will be an effective weapon as a third-down and receiving back. Being a mini-Darren Sproles is a great compliment. Projected selection: Fifth or sixth round.
Brandon Wilson, RB-DB, Houston
Running back, defensive back or kick returner? Heck, let him do a little of all three. He’s an electric playmaker who will fill multiple roles on game day. Projected selection: Fifth or sixth round.
Zay Zones, WR, East Carolina
He catches everything, finds a way to get open and has a swag about him. He’s also the NCAA’s all-time leading receiver. I think he’s going to be a star. Projected selection: Second round.
Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina
Switzer may never be more than a high-volume slot receiver, but there’s a good chance he will be a good one. Reliable, quick and a polished route runner. Projected selection: Third or fourth round.
O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
The only sure first-round pick on this baller squad earned his way here. He will bring a playmaking dimension to his team’s offense quickly. Projected selection: Top 12.
Dion Dawkins, OT-G, Temple
A true “buckle your chin strap” lineman. Dawkins could be as good as Alabama’s Cam Robinson, but will be picked a round or two later. Projected selection: Second or third round.
Dorian Johnson, G, Pittsburgh
Most of the players are on the baller squad because they flash. Johnson is here because the players who face him don’t. Ten-year starter. Projected selection: Second round.
Issac Asiata, G, Utah
The Utes’ offensive line was dominant last year, but Asiata epitomizes the group’s nastiness and physicality. Immediate starter in a power scheme. Projected selection: Third or fourth round. Hidden on a defense loaded with NFL players, Tomlinson did the dirty work inside. Strong run stuffer with sneaky athleticism. Projected selection: Second or third round.
Jordan Willis, DE-OLB, Kansas St.
Has an NFL flavor to his game among a draft of raw pass rushers. Balanced enough to be a threedown productive pass rusher and run defender. Projected selection: First or second round.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tenn.
It’s rare to find a three-down linebacker who is always around the ball, can cover and play the run well on Day 3. Reeves-Maybin’s injuries will make him a team’s high-risk, high-reward pick. Projected selection: Fifth or sixth round.
Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colo.
His CU teammate, Chidobe Awuzie, could go in round one, but Witherspoon may have a higher ceiling. He flashes CB1 ability with his length, ball skills and physicality. Projected selection: Second or third round.
Cam Sutton, CB, Tennessee
Injuries derailed the latter part of his career, but Sutton, a four-year starter, has locked down SEC receivers since his freshman season. He can return punts too. Projected selection: Third round. I didn’t intend to watch Stribling’s tape, but he was the player who flashed with every look at a Michigan defender. He has the ball skills, instincts and physicality to be a late-round starter. Projected selection: Fifth or sixth round.
Desmond King, CB-S, Iowa
King doesn’t fit the NFL’s size and speed preferences. On tape, he was one of the most effective cornerbacks in college football. At safety or corner, that’s a guy I want. Projected selection: Third round.