Big Board 1.0

Hey guys I don't want to give away anything in terms of my draft boards, but I figured a really quick top ten would give people an idea of what I do...

Here is the top ten list with Bio's as of right now...

2015 NFL DRAFT PLAYER RANKINGS – NON TEAM SPECIFIC

1.    1.    Leonard Williams – DT USC 97

Williams is a very complete football player from the defensive line position. I’ve heard an evaluator whom I trust very much, say his floor is Muhammad Wilkerson. That is scary. He can play 34 DE, 43 DT, or 43 DE. He can play anywhere from the 1 technique all the way out to the wide-9 and can dominate at the point of attack. I think he clearly is the best fit at 34 DE where he can shuck blockers, eat up double teams, and get penetration. He is a good pass rusher from the interior with his great power but is even better using leverage against the run. Has a great work ethic both on and off the field as well. You’d be very comfortable taking him in the top 5 with attitude, work ethic, versatility, and production.

2. 2.       Danny Shelton – DT Washington 95

Shelton is a tremendous prospect for a number of reasons. He has great size and can play the zero technique right away at the NFL level which is an extremely tough transition. Shelton has an awesome motor and his speed and quickness for his size is rivaled by only a few players in the NFL. He has the potential to have a Suh or McCoy type impact in the league. For a majority of the year he led the Huskies in tackles as a defensive tackle. That same defense has Shaq Thompson on it. Think about that for a second. He has a great size and speed combination along with ridiculous productivity from an inside defender. Guy should be a top ten pick.

3. 3.       Amari Cooper – WR Alabama 93

Cooper doesn’t possess the greatest size and speed combination for a wide receiver, which means that he doesn’t get as high of a grade as some of the top players coming out in the previous years. What Cooper does do is run the best routes of any player you’ll ever watch as a prospect. He glides and uses tremendous football IQ and route savvy to create separation. His floor is almost as high as his ceiling in that there is no doubt he’ll be a good NFL receiver. I wonder about his overall upside because he doesn’t have ideal H-W-S, but he sort of reminds me of a younger Reggie Wayne. He just always seems to be open. I think the kid has the highest floor of all the receivers in the draft, and the people at Alabama said this guy’s work ethic was legendary.

4.4.        Kevin White – WR West Virginia 94

The kid reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald coming out of school, and that’s a bit of a scary proposition. He has a really good combination of height, at 6’3, weight at 220 pounds, and speed, which Is elite for the position at 4.35. He is tremendous in the red zone and on contested catches down the sideline. He seems to track and high point the football well, and when the throws aren’t contested he can simply run by defenders with good power to get off the press and the speed to run by players. He doesn’t have elite hands, although they are probably a notch below that and his route running needs work, but both of those can be improved. He has a skill set that can’t be taught and shows good toughness and ability to make people miss after the catch. I think it’s a toss up between White, Parker, and Cooper who is the best receiver in the draft, all three are really good players, and I wouldn’t have a problem with any of the three being the first wideout taken, somewhere in the top 5. 

5. 5.       Andrus Peat - OT Stanford 93

Peat is your prototype when you want to build a left tackle. He’s not a perfect prospect in that his technique and balance aren’t perfect but they are well above average. He’s a long, thickly built kid who is around 6’6 and 320 pounds and possesses more than adequate arm length. Peat can absolutely maul people in the running game and can open up big holes on the left side of an offensive line. Peat moves well for his size and seems to have above average speed, he also locates and drives through second level defenders. He can get caught off balance at times and he can either overstep his kick step or get caught lunging, but those are technical aspects that can be taught. Peat could dominate at right tackle immediately, as his power and strength could elevate an entire offensive line, but he’s a terrific left tackle candidate.  If this guy gets a top tier offensive line coach the ceiling on him is as high as anyone in the league. He gets a major bump in value because he is a left tackle at the next level, he is clearly a first round talent although he may experience some growing pains the first year or two. His upside is pretty darn high if you can wait out some young mistakes.

6.6.        Vic Beasley – OLB Clemson 93

Beasley has some exceptional physical abilities that will translate very well to the NFL. He’s a high motor, very quick football player rushing the passer and chasing down plays from the backside. Beasley can beat you with quickness against flat footed tackles to put tremendous pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The biggest question you have to ask yourself with Beasley is if he can hold up in the run game. He weighed in at less than 230 pounds during the season and seemed to struggle at the college level when teams ran right at him. That being said, he jumped his weight to 246 pounds and dominated on the bench and in 40 at the combine, answering a number of questions about his size. He’s extremely productive, which bumps his value going into the draft. Overall, Beasley provides major upside as a pass rusher while his run stopping abilities aren’t in the top tier of defensive players, the kid’s motor, quickness, and upside, along with increased weight and strength mean that he shouldn’t drop past 13 on draft day and he may even be in the conversation all the way up to number 3.

7.7.       Devante Parker – WR Louisville 92

Parker might end up challenging Cooper and White to be the first wide receiver taken when the process plays all the way out. He has ridiculous athletic ability teamed with nice route running and recognition skills. Parker has the potential as a true number one and could instantly help any team he goes to as a 1000 yard plus receiver. He can make people miss in space and does a nice job high pointing the football down the field. He has no weaknesses to his game and while his floor probably isn’t as high as Cooper’s his ceiling could be much higher. This guy could end up being one of the top 6-8 receivers in the game when it’s all said and done, I’d be surprised if he makes it out of the top 13 picks.

8. 8.      Melvin Gordon – RB Wisconsin 93

Gordon is a Jamaal Charles clone. You watch them run and you can’t help but notice the obvious comparison. He runs with both a nasty edge and combines that with true breakaway speed. Gordon averaged over seven yards per carry this season with nothing that even resembled a passing game. He can go around you, through you, over you, or past you in the blink of an eye and has already shown he can carry more than his fair share of the load. A quick, powerful back with tremendous vision; Gordon is the total package. Gordon has a chance to transform an offense as a rookie, he’s that good. 

9. 9.      Brandon Scherff – OL Iowa 93

Scherff is a nice easy top ten draft pick for a number of reasons. Number one is that his floor is very high because he could make such an easy transition to guard. I think there is a possibility he could play four positions in the NFL at a high level. Kirk Ferentz might be the best offensive line coach in all of college football so you know the kid’s technique and football IQ are going to be very high. He has really nice power and shows good footwork in all facets of the game. While I don’t know if he’s ever going to be a truly dominant left offensive tackle, I do think he will be a pro-bowl guard or a really good right tackle. His versatility and consistency makes this kid a nice pick somewhere in the top 10.

10.   Landon Collins – S Alabama 92

As good as Ferentz is at preparing offensive lineman to come into the league, Nick Saban is as good at coaching defensive backs. Collins is an extremely heady and tough safety who can play in a variety of schemes. He plays fast because he can diagnose so quickly and attacks the football and ball carriers with reckless abandon. You watch him in coverage and he seems to know where to go immediately and looks comfortable in zone. He plays the run well, tackles well, and has a high football IQ. I wonder about his overall speed and quickness and he does look more comfortable in zone than in man but those are average things and not deal breakers. A very nice player especially if you want to play some sort of zone man combination defense where you give your safeties some flexibility. 

I know i'm in the minority and don't have Winston or Mariota in my top ten... if you want to know why.. Buy my damn draft kit and find out!!!