Here's MY brief list of some of the top prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft entering the college football season. This list was compiled before most of the other major sources therefore trying to get my opinion out there before anyone else. Be sure to comment below if you feel a player is ranked too high/low or not seeing someone that you thought should be in this list. Thanks. Baltimore Ravens
General manager Ozzie Newsome is know for putting together solid draft classes together year in and year out and he racked up another talented group of young players. Breshad Perriman was not my favorite prospect on the board at 26 (if you follow me on Twitter you should already know that: @cpage2911), but he should fill in for the vacant role left by Torrey Smith who is now a 49er. Maxx Williams should see the field instantly being an effective receiver and blocker along with Delaware's Nick Boyle who shined at the Senior Bowl. Buck Allen should complement Justin Forsett nicely being an effective third down back at USC. The Ravens put together a class that can add immediate impact on both sides of the ball. Another great job for Baltimore. Cincinnati Bengals
Top to bottom the Cincinnati Bengals may have the most talented roster with a depth chart full of college all-stars and now all-pros. Bengals seemed to have taken that same approach this draft season as the eyed some top talent to help out in the near future. Their first two picks Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher are poised to take over in the next year or two with some polish and added bulk, though both should be strictly considered right tackles. Paul Dawson is tied at the top as the most instinctive linebacker in this draft class with former UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks (Vikings) and should see the field immediately. Some have already pegged him with the Vontaze Burfict comparison being able to make plays all over the field with a high motor and powerful physical play. Cincinnati never shies away from picking up some tight ends as they add two. This draft class is just another building block to cement that solid foundation of a roster in Cincinnati. Now let's just win a playoff game. Cleveland Browns
The Browns needed a strong draft after dealing with a bad taste in their mouth from last season's two first round selections, though the verdict is still out on cornerback Justin Gilbert. I can guarantee you that this year's two first round selections will bring more impact and long-term ability than last year's. Danny Shelton and Xavier Cooper will create a physical front that the Browns desperately need to also create pass rush off the edge with new addition Nate Orchard and outside backers Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo. Taking Cameron Erving in the first round was more of a best player available selection, but should implement more of a ground and pound philosophy in Cleveland while also selecting Duke Johnson, their third rookie running back pick up in two years. Randall Telfer is a solid blocking tight end and Malcolm Johnson will do his best to help fill the vacancy left by Jordan Cameron. The Browns scored a 7.22 (out of 8.00) value on my grading scale which ranked them in the top five. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers knew a big offseason was ahead after losing Hall of Famer safety Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor to retirement a year after having to replace Ryan Clark. The Steelers added some depth to the secondary this draft season with sticky cover corner Senquez Golson out of Ole Miss and potential starter Doran Grant (Steelers need size n the secondary; Grant can hopefully provide that). First round pick Bud Dupree can provide that James Harrison style of play that has pretty much faded since his return from Cincinnati. Sammie Coates of Auburn can knock the top off the defense as a big target downfield with great speed to complement with top receiver Antonio Brown and rising threat Martavis Bryant. It would have been nice to see Pittsburgh add some depth upfront with the trend of offensive linemen going down. Both sides of the ball got better from this draft adding key pieces of impact.
It's never too early to get started on next year's crop of course before all of my 2015 work isn't yet completed, but it's always exciting. I like to get this out as early as possible to see how the top players perform from game one to their final college appearance and to see how the rankings fluctuate throughout that time. Here are the top quarterbacks I have noted pre-2015 college football season. Feel free to comment and give me your rankings. I would love to hear! 1. Connor Cook (Michigan State, Senior, 6'4, 220) If coming out in this "past year's" draft, Cook would have been at least the third best quarterback. Though, the possible high billing in the 2015 NFL Draft, it was good to see Cook stick around another year to work on some things dealing with mostly accuracy. His occasional poor footwork is most of the reason for his sporadic accuracy that he dealt with on and off last season. Cook plays well in big games which helps his draft stock even more. Cook seems to be number one on most draft boards before the regular season begins and it is his ranking to lose.
3. Cardale Jones (Ohio State, Junior, 6'5, 250) I could leave this write-up blank and you could fill it in for me, but Cardale Jones's draft stock obviously soared after his three game winning streak in Ohio State's run to the national title. Jones has incredible ability as an athlete and as a quarterback. Over his three game starting span he threw for 860 yards with a 7-2 ratio and a 61% completion percentage. Jones has a cannon and generally makes good decisions downfield and knows when to tuck it and run. And remember he did his damage against three of the most talented teams in the nation at the time. With Jones's return, we now get to see him complete an entire season as the man under center; that's assuming he wins the job over talented sophomore J.T. Barrett who was racking up Heisman numbers before his season ending injury.
5. Carson Wentz (North Dakota State, Senior, 6'5, 222) It's about time North Dakota State received some love for their dominant success at the FCS level. Carson Wentz filled in nicely for the departed Brock Jensen when his time was done. Wentz set school records a season ago and is most likely an early favorite to win the FCS Player of the Year in 2015. Wentz is a big framed quarterback with a nice accurate arm and can escape outside the pocket with a nice physical running game. Wentz is a winner and this year his team/program goes for a fifth straight national title. Others to keep an eye on… (Alphabetical order)
Trevone Boykin (TCU, Senior, 6'2, 205) Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee, Junior, 6'3, 215) Jared Goff (California, Junior, 6'4, 210) Kevin Hogan (Stanford, Senior, 6'4, 220) Jeremy Johnson (Auburn, Junior, 6'5, 240) Cody Kessler (USC, Senior, 6'1, 210) Dak Prescott (Mississippi State, Senior, 6'2, 230) MarQuise Williams (North Carolina, Senior, 6'2, 220) Dallas Cowboys
The highlight, or lack there of, of the Dallas Cowboys' 2015 draft was not selecting a running back with many solid options on the board being one of the deeper running back classes in recent memory. If the Boys snatched a running back off the board their draft class as a whole would be much better, but consistency at that position may be of concern in 2015. Selecting Byron Jones in the first round is a semi-safe pick being a versatile option in the secondary, which is definitely an area of concern. Randy Gregory should be a nice piece to add to Rob Marinelli's improving defense. The Cowboys could have stole the show with some solid additions, but overall just a so-so draft with no eye popping selections. A little disappointing. New York GiantsThe Giants did a nice job last weekend hitting a home run on their first three selections starting with Ereck Flowers. The Giants need offensive line help and now will shift Justin Pugh inside and plug Flowers at right tackle that will best fit his skill set. Trading up to select Landon Collins with the first pick in the second round was the best move during the draft helping out a rugged secondary and trading up to select the best and possible only potential starting safety in the draft was a must for this Giants team to get better. Mykkele Thompson was a total reach in the fifth round but will add a piece to special teams. Geremy Davis is an athletic target, which seems to have become a trend with New York receivers nowadays. Fairly good draft for the G-Men with more than a few early contributors. Philadelphia EaglesNo trade up for Marcus Mariota unfortunately, but the Eagles still finished the weekend with some nice additions to a pretty talented roster already. USC receiver Nelson Agholor gained a lot of buzz the last week of the draft and Chip Kelly knew from experience in the Pac 12 that Agholor would fit in nicely to his scheme. Agholor should see as much playing time as any receiver in this class due to an average receiving corp in Philly. Eric Rowe has versatility in the secondary and is an electric player at that. Jordan Hicks was one of my favorite players in college football these past few years, but could never stay on the field due to injuries. He has plenty of potential and upside. Jacorey Shepherd is one of the most underrated players in all of the draft coming out of a below average Kansas football program. Watching more film on Shepherd recently I should have ranked him higher and he has a lot of skills as some of those first round guys with tremendous ball skills and ability. Washington Redskins
The Redksins selected a lot of big names on draft day starting with offensive tackle Brandon Scherff. We have been told Scherff will get his shot at right tackle, though he is best suited at guard. Preston Smith will pair up with the comparable Ryan Kerrigan for a nasty pass rushing attack. Matt Jones will add nice depth at running back and Jamison Crowder will most likely see most of his playing time initially at kick and punt returner. Arie Kouandjio could be a great pick if he puts it all together, but isn't as talented as his brother, nor as athletic. The Skins added two pieces to the secondary with Kyshoen Jarrett (my 202nd ranked player) and Tevin Mitchel, who was not on my draft board, but had glimpses of potential in his career at Arkansas. With a lot of picks the Redskins needed a strong draft and did a pretty job even though reaching for a few picks here and there.
Buffalo BillsThe Bills didn't hit a home run, but it wasn't absolutely necessary to with a loaded roster already. Adding some pieces to the puzzle to contend for that second spot at chomping at New England's heels is what Buffalo did. Sure, adding a quarterback would have been ideal, but no quarterback outside of Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston and maybe Bryce Petty have that ability to make a significant impact day one. Buffalo's last two picks could be the two that add the most impact out of the rookie class. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins may have had the best draft across the board. Getting DeVante Parker to start it off Thursday was a great addition after losing Brian Hartline and now will be a great one-two punch with Jarvis Landry. Bobby McCain is one of my sleepers of this draft with tremendous ball skills and fills a cornerback need that the Dolphins had coming in. Adding running back Jay Ajayi in the fifth round is one of the better overall picks in the draft. Tony Lippett was a solid receiver at Michigan State, but has phenomenal ball skills and fluidity at corner in which is what Miami drafted him as. Great value in every single pick. New England Patriots
The Patriots always throw us for a loop on draft day and they sort of kind of did it again when selecting Jordan Richards with their second pick. Malcom Brown and Tre' Jackson were two of the better value picks in the draft. Jackson should start immediately aside to his former Seminole teammate all-rookie selection Bryan Stork. Adding some extra pieces off the edge was nice. It would have been nice to see the Pats take a corner early day two with some solid corners left on the board, but they must have been comfortable enough in what the future holds there for now. Overall, nothing sexy, but hey these guys will be Super Bowl champs here at some point, right? New York JetsInstantly the Jets started off with a bang getting the best player in the draft to fall to them at six. A unique target to add to the cooky quarterback situation is Devin Smith that can add a new dimension with the likes of Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, and Eric Decker. Bryce Petty will have to play second or third fiddle to Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick, but a year of grooming will only help the record setting Baylor quarterback. Call me crazy, but Jarvin Harrison could ultimately be one of the better players in this draft class five to seven years down the road IF he puts it all together. Inconsistent effort and play made this talented guard drop to the fifth round. Keep his name handy though. Their first five picks can matchup with any other top five picks of any other team in this draft.
( (-total reached) My ranking. Player, School, Position --> Selection: Actual Pick. Team. ) 1. *(-a lot) n/a. Rodney Gunter, Delaware State, DT --> Selection: 116. Arizona Cardinals To be 100% honest, I had never heard of Rodney Gunter before last weekend. So with that said, this is one of the biggest reaches I have seen since following the draft over the past decade with the Cardinals selecting Gunter in the fourth round. Let's see how happy that area scout is when Gunter becomes an All-Pro in a few seasons... 2. (-201) 243. Jamon Brown, Louisville, OT --> Selection: 72. St. Louis Rams I liked Jamon Brown throughout his college career along with his partner in crime offensive guard John Miller. Brown had a fairly good career, but I didn't see the major upside or starting potential that the Rams saw at pick 72. With a few targets at offensive tackle still left on the board this reach is a little more than shocking. 3. (-195) 258. Frank Clark, Michigan, DE --> Selection: 63. Seattle Seahawks Frank Clark was a tossup on many draft boards, that is if he was even on draft boards during the weekend. Clark's talent can be examined but his off-the-field domestic violence issues and later dismissal is enough to leave a question mark at selecting him 63 or even worth being a draft pick. Pete Carroll and company say they did their homework. Well, let's see if Clark can play to that 63 pick potential with Owa Odighizuwa, Eli Harold, and Danielle Hunter still left on the board - to name a few. 4. (-164) 297. Max Garcia, Florida, OL --> Selection: 133. Denver Broncos Max Garcia is a solid player, but didn't excel at one position when playing at Florida. I had a feeling Garcia would go earlier than expected due to his versatility across the line and leadership quality. With some holes to fill on the Denver offensive line, you can't blame a team for reaching for someone if they like a guy still available regardless of his overall rating. 5. (-150) 267. Blake Bell, Oklahoma, TE --> Selection: 117. San Francisco 49ers Blake Bell is an interesting prospect to grade due to starting his career at Oklahoma as a quarterback then transitioning to tight end in his last two seasons in Norman. Though the transition, Bell in no way dominated his role as the starting tight end, but more just used his physical ability to fill the position. Bell is a willing football player, but there were more tight ends of value available at the time of this pick. 6. (-146) 229. Craig Mager, Texas State, CB --> Selection: 83. San Diego Chargers 7. (-142) 218. Chris Conley, Georgia, WR --> Selection: 76. Kansas City Chiefs 8. (-139) 268. Jake Ryan, Michigan, ILB --> Selection: 129. Green Bay Packers 9. (-138) 257. Andrew Donnal, Iowa, OT --> Selection: 119. St. Louis Rams 10. (-135) 235. Angelo Blackson, Auburn, DT --> Selection: 100. Tennessee Titans 11. (-127) 225. Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern, S --> Selection: 115. Cleveland Browns 12. (-120) 250. Terry Poole, San Diego State, OT --> Selection: 130. Seattle Seahawks Each team gets very fortunate in the draft every now and then getting a player of value to fall right into their hands later than expected. This here is a list of players that fell into later rounds/selections acceding to my rankings. 1. (+190) 51. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon, CB --> Selection: 241. Cleveland Browns It's no surprise that Ekpre-Olomu fell into the later rounds, but 15 picks until the final selection seemed a little shocking. Before his ACL injury, Ekpre-Olomu was considered as one of if not the top cornerback in the draft class. That should mean something, right? 2. (+150) 30. Michael Bennett, Ohio State, DT --> Selection: 180. Jacksonville Jaguars Normally when a player has first round grade potential he drops due to character or medical concerns. Well, in this case the Ohio State defensive tackle had no issues or concerns, but fell all the way to Jacksonville in the sixth round. I'm not sure why teams initially passed on him, but I can tell you that Jacksonville may have had the biggest steal of the draft when it's all said and done. 3. (+134) 82. Christian Covington, Rice, DT --> Selection: 216. Houston Texans Covington went a little unnoticed during the draft process and still probably is to many that follow football, but the guy can play. Christian had some injury concerns which ultimately made him slip to the sixth round. 4. (+122) 117. Gerod Holliman, Louisville, S --> Selection: 239. Pittsburgh Steelers I believe I was higher than most on Holliman's draft ranking, but you don't just get lucky in picking off 14 passes and leading the nation in that category. Holliman still has a lot of work to do in tackling and playing the field, but has potential to play immediately in the situation he fell into at Pittsburgh. 5. (+111) 74. Tre McBride, William & Mary, WR --> Selection: 245. Tennessee Titans Tre McBride was a sleeper before the draft and still will be after and heading into the season. Having already selected Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round, it wasn't really expected for the Titans to select another receiver, but finding McBride in the seventh round it was a no-brainer to add another weapon to help out the rookie Marcus Mariota. 6. (+105) 32. Grady Jarrett, Clemson, Clemson, DT --> Selection: 137. Atlanta Falcons 7. (+97) 100. Derron Smith, Fresno State, S --> Selection: 197. Cincinnati Bengals 8. (+96) 53. Jay Ajayi, Boise State, RB --> Selection: 149. Miami Dolphins 9. (+85) 25. TJ Clemmings, Pittsburgh, OT --> Selection: 110. Minnesota Vikings 10. (+78) 61. Rashad Greene, Florida State, WR --> Selection: 139. Jacksonville Jaguars 11. (+77) 102. Max Valles, Virginia, OLB --> Selection: 179. Oakland Raiders 12. (+71) 40. Tre' Jackson, Florida State, OG --> Selection: 111. New England Patriots *In ( ) is where I had the players rated during the draft process. Quarterback 1st Team Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings (Louisville, #3 QB - #17 OVR – First Round) 2nd Team Derek Carr, Raiders (Fresno State, #4 QB - #40 OVR - Second Round) Running Back 1st Team Jeremy Hill, Bengals (LSU, #2 RB - #44 OVR – Second Round) Tre Mason, Rams (Auburn, #3 RB - #59 OVR - Second Round) 2nd Team Andre Williams, Giants (Boston College, #5 RB - #73 OVR – Third Round) Isaiah Crowell, Browns (Alabama State, #19 RB - #178 OVR – Sixth Round) Wide Receiver 1st Team Odell Beckham Jr., Giants (LSU, #4 WR - #20 OVR – First Round) Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers (Florida State, #7 WR – #39 OVR – Second Round) Mike Evans, Bucs (Texas A&M, #2 WR - #8 OVR – First Round) 2nd Team Sammy Watkins, Bills (Clemson, #1 WR - #5 OVR – First Round) Jordan Matthews, Eagles (Vanderbilt, #6 WR - #37 OVR – Second Round) John Brown, Arizona (Pittsburg State, #21 WR – #150 OVR – Fifth Round) Tight End 1st Team Jace Amaro, Jets (Texas Tech, #2 TE - #26 OVR – First Round) 2nd Team Crockett Gilmore, Ravens (Colorado State, #12 TE - #166 OVR – Fifth Round) Offensive Tackle 1st Team Jake Matthews, Falcons (Texas A&M, #2 OT - #3 OVR – First Round) Justin Britt, Seahawks (Missouri, #14 OT - #139 OVR - Fifth Round) 2nd Team Taylor Lewan, Titans (Michigan, #3 OT - #6 OVR – First Round) Ja’Wuan James, Dolphins (Tennessee, #7 OT - #45 OVR – Second Round) Center 1st Team Bryan Stork, Patriots (Florida State, #4 C - #159 OVR – Fifth Round) 2nd Team Corey Linsley, Packers (Ohio State, #8 C - #270 OVR – Undrafted) Offensive Guard 1st Team Joel Bitonio, Browns (Nevada, #6 OT, #38 OVR – Second Round) Zack Martin, Cowboys (Notre Dame, #1 OG - #22 OVR - First Round) 2nd Team Gabe Jackson, Raiders (Mississippi State, #4 OG - #36 OVR – Second Round) Brandon Linder, Jaguars (Miami, #12 OG - #193 OVR – Sixth Round) Defensive End 1st Team Timmy Jernigan, Ravens (Florida State, #3 DT - #23 OVR – First Round) Kerry Wynn, Giants (Richmond, #23 DE - #263 OVR - Undrafted) 2nd Team Stephon Tuitt, Steelers (Notre Dame, #4 DT - #46 OVR – Second Round) Kony Ealy, Panthers (Missouri, #2 DE - #54 OVR – Second Round) Defensive Tackle 1st Team Aaron Donald, Rams (Pittsburgh, #1 DT - #7 OVR – First Round) Justin Ellis, Raiders (Louisiana Tech, #15 DT - #182 OVR – Sixth Round) 2nd Team Zach Kerr, Colts (Delaware, #NA - #NA OVR – Undrafted) Ego Ferguson, Bears (LSU, #21 DT - #271 OVR – Undrafted) Linebacker 1st Team Anthony Barr, Vikings (UCLA, #2 OLB - #9 OVR – First Round) Khalil Mack, Raiders (Buffalo, #1 OLB - #4 OVR - First Round) 2nd Team Preston Brown, Bills (Louisville, #8 ILB - #184 OVR – Sixth Round) Christian Kirksey, Browns (Iowa, #12 OLB - #183 OVR – Sixth Round) Linebacker 1st Team Chris Borland, 49ers (Wisconsin, #2 ILB - #48 OVR – Second Round) CJ Mosley, Ravens (Alabama, #1 ILB - #14 ILB - First Round) 2nd Team Jonathan Newsome, Colts (Ball State, #20 OLB - #265 OVR – Undrafted) Telvin Smith, Jaguars *OLB (Florida State, #10 OLB - #149 OVR – Fifth Round) Safety 1st Team HaHa Clinton-Dix, Packers (Alabama, #1 FS - #15 OVR – First Round) Deone Bucannon, Cardinals (Washington State, #2 SS - #28 OVR – First Round) 2nd Team Tre Boston, Panthers (North Carolina, #7 FS - #111 OVR – Fourth Round) Calvin Pryor, Jets (Louisville, #2 FS - #24 OVR – First Round) Cornerback 1st Team Kyle Fuller, Bears (Virginia Tech, #5 CB - #35 OVR – Second Round) Bashaud Breeland, Redskins (Clemson, #11 CB - #99 OVR – Third Round) 2nd Team Bene Benwikere, Panthers (San Jose State, #27 CB - #272 OVR – Undrafted) EJ Gaines, Rams (Missouri, #19 CB - #240 OVR – Seventh Round) Kicker 1st Team Cody Parkey, Eagles (Auburn, #NA K - #NA OVR - Undrafted) 2nd Team Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals (Clemson, #4 K - #NA OVR - Undrafted) Punter
1st Team Pat O'Donnell, Bears (Miami, #3 P - #NA OVR - Undrafted) 2nd Team No other rookie punter |
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