Initial top 10 - 2017 NFL Draft

These are my initial top 10 players in the 2017 NFL Draft. I've got 3 months until my rankings will be finalized so relax if you have huge issues with my grades or rankings at this point because they will likely change.

1.      Myles Garrett – Edge, Texas A&M 96

Simply the best player in this draft class. Garrett is a smooth and electric pass rusher with a bevy of moves and styles. He can lull you to sleep off the line at times and then run through you. His ability to convert speed to power and bulrush is as good as any player I’ve scouted. The reason he’s the best player in this class though is that not only can he be a game wrecker getting after the quarterback, but he is very solid against the run. Garrett can set the edge on first and second down and then make game changing plays on third down. His comparison in the NFL is Von Miller, although I think Miller was a bit more explosive rushing the passer and not quite as good against the run.

2.       Jonathan Allen – DL, Alabama 95

This kid was the best overall player in the country this year for the Crimson Tide and should have probably been invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony. You don’t see interior players make the kind of impact plays that Allen made consistently this season. He is a guy who can play 34 defensive end, or 43 defensive tackle as the 3 technique and be a difference maker wherever you want to play him. I think at 6’3 and 295 pounds, with his ability to move is pretty rare. I have no idea who I’d compare him to in the NFL, but he can play all 3 downs immediately and create mismatches against whomever he goes against.

3.       Leonard Fournette – RB, LSU 95 

This kid is as good of a running back prospect in terms of simply running the football that has come out since Adrian Peterson. In my rankings I do typically take position into account in some small way so that’s why Fournette isn’t ranked number one, although he might be the best player in the entire class. He runs with a  violence that I haven’t seen since Adrian Peterson, and his combination of size and speed is terrifying to watch. Fournette has been knicked up a bit in his college career which also dips his value a point or two. That being said, he was the entire focus of opposing defenses the second he stepped onto campus at Baton Rouge and he still had almost 4000 rushing yards and 40 TD in his college career in the SEC. He wasn’t used a ton in the passing game but he shows promise there too. I’m not a big proponent of drafting a running back super early in the draft, but Fournette is an exception. He could be a game changing weapon for an NFL offense. I do have him graded out 1 point below Elliott from last year because Elliot’s ability to block and receive were truly elite and Fournette hasn’t shown he’s quite as good in those areas as Zeke was last season.

4.       Jamal Adams – S, LSU 95 

       Likely the safest player in the entire 2017 NFL Draft is Jamal Adams from LSU. He’s a guy who shows great versatility in the back end, with the ability to play single high 20 yards deep, or up in  the box as a big hitting, sure tackling strong safety. Most people are going to want to line him up deep and let him roam around and make plays but I think I’d like him in the versatile role. A notoriously hard worker, Adams is also highly respected among all his coaches and teammates, so there are zero red flags there. To me he can play anywhere on the field, is a solid tackler, and  takes tremendous routes to the football when he gets to play centerfield. His comparison is simple, this is Eric Berry 2.0, so take him in the top 5 and get a guaranteed hit and a Pro-Bowler eraser on your defense for the next 10 years. 

5.       Reuben Foster – LB, Alabama 94

This kid is a ball player. If Adams is the safest player in the 2017 NFL Draft then Foster is a very close second. He is a rock solid 6’1 240 pounds and he can really run sideline to sideline. Foster is a monster hitter who is one of the surest tacklers in the entire class. The reason I have Foster rated so high though is that as good as he is against the run he’s almost equal as a pass defender. Foster closes extremely hard on running backs in the flat and can run up the seam with any tight end I’ve scouted. It’s rare to see a linebacker that’s as aggressive as he is miss so few tackles as well, as he simply closes on the football and players go down. I think he’s probably better in man to man against the pass than he is in zone but he’s very good either way as a linebacker. When he blitzes he’s effective as well, as you’ve seen inside linebackers cause more havoc as blitzers this season I believe than in the past, see Benardrick McKinney and Bobby Wagner. Foster can change a defense the minute he walks in the door and he is easily a first half of the first round type player. 

6.       Malik Hooker – S, Ohio State 93

There’s a reason personnel people and Buckeye fans call this kid Malik the Freak. He’s an extremely enticing blend of size and speed at 6’2 and 210 pounds, and a tremendous closing burst. Hooker doesn’t always take the best angle but his unique athleticism and ball skills make up for that. Hooker attacks the football like a wide receiver too, giving him a chance to make more interceptions than what a normal player would or could make. He’s very raw in his experience though, only playing one full season for the Buckeyes. While he has the size to play in the box, he isn’t a super gifted tackler, and his form tackling leaves something to be desired, so I think Hooker will likely need to play in a high-safety look to take advantage of his skill set. You’ll have to be patient with Hooker, as there’s a decent chance he’ll struggle as a rookie, you just can’t be a star in the NFL right away with so little experience. Even with that he’ll make his share of splash plays as he’s just simply always around the ball. By the end of his first contract he’ll be a Pro-Bowl caliber player, he’ll earn the nickname the Freak if you have the patience to just let him learn on the job.


7.       Dalvin Cook – RB, Florida State 92

If you want a home-run hitter in your backfield, look no further than Tallahassee and Dalvin Cook. Cook is a truly explosive running back prospects and the comparison I keep hearing is of Jamaal Charles and I absolutely love the comp. I believe that Cook is a better flexed out route runner than Charles was coming out of school though. One of the things I love about Cook is simply his ability to put defensive players on skates when he gets them in space in passing routes. His inside running is better than most people give him credit for as the average fan only sees him busting big runs and not the ones that he turns from 2 yard runs into 4 and 5 yard carries. His explosive speed and ability to make people miss in space is truly dynamic. That being said there are still warts here that keep him from being a better prospect than Fournette. Cook has had numerous run-ins with the law and you have to worry about whether he can truly grow up and become an adult when he gets that first paycheck. The other issue that I think a lot of people overlook is that there is a history of fumbles here as well, and he’s not a terrific blocker at under 210 pounds. His explosiveness will make someone fall in love with him, but 13 career fumbles and off-the field issues would make the interview process with him extremely important. Read two different people compare him to Marshall Faulk.. if he can become anywhere between Faulk and Charles a team would be ecstatic.


8.       Derek Barnett – DE, Tennessee 90

Barnett is a dynamic pass rusher with ideal size as a 43 defensive end. Barnett has been extremely productive for the Volunteers in his three-seasons and is equally efficient against the run and the pass. When he sets the edge he can get lineman on their heels’ forcing running backs to give up ground to not get engulfed at the line. I love his ability to get upfield and get tackles to guess at what he’s going to do. He doesn’t have elite level quickness but he times the snap count very well and uses his strength to push the pocket. Barnett has the power to move inside on pass rush downs and create problems in pushing the pocket which gives him the added versatility that some scouts, myself included fall in love with. I think he doesn’t have great feet and so quicker offensive tackles and people who cut block him can have success. That said I think Barnett is going to be a guy who threatens double digit sacks consistently and will be a plus edge defender against the run. If your team needs an edge guy, I wouldn’t hesitate to take Barnett early on day one.


9.       O.J. Howard, TE Alabama 90

Howard was criminally under-utilized for the Crimson Tide in his career but was tremendous in the two games he played in the National Championship. When given the opportunity to make plays in the passing game Howard shows rare athletic ability for a man his size. At 6’6 250 pounds he runs extremely well and does a nice job of high pointing the football when the ball is in the air. He’s not a great route runner at this point, which to me is actually exciting. When he can figure out how to create separation with his route running, his athleticism will make him  a Pro-Bowl caliber player. The reason I give Howard such a high grade though is that he is also a very capable and quality run blocker at the point of attack. He’s not going to maul you there but he can create some movement, particularly when he is down-blocking. I think there is room for improvement as a blocker too, he’s not elite there but does a good enough job for the most part. Most scouts don’t grade him as a great blocker, but I think with time given his arm length and athletic ability he could turn into a very quality in-line blocker. Overall though, the kid is a matchup nightmare who can turn short throws into big gains. Could be special.


10.   Soloman Thomas, DE Stanford 90

Thomas was as disruptive as any player in the country this season and it’s not a surprise to wonder why his draft stock is rising in the scouting community. Thomas has a bit of a strange frame, so it’s tough to try to figure out where you’d want to play him in the NFL. At 6’1 and around 285 pounds he doesn’t really project as a prototypical anything. With that being said his ability to create leverage and a non-stop motor combined with very good heavy hands makes him very difficult to contain. He’s very stout against the run on the outside and may be the best player in this draft at collapsing the pocket. In longer plays he just doesn’t stay engaged with blockers, his hands and feet make it extremely difficult to stop for very long. When you combine that with his motor, this is a guy that will get you coverage sacks consistently. He may have the most pass rush moves in this class as well, giving you an inside spin, a bulrush, and a rip move consecutively means he sets you up as the game wears on. I worry a bit about where to play him as I don’t really know what to do with him. I think he projects best as a 34 defensive end who moves inside when teams go 4 man fronts on sub packages. I really want to know what his arm length will be at the combine as well. I also hate that he guesses at the snap count so much, he had 7 offsides just this season, and that will need to get cleaned up. Overall, he’s a superb player who will help any defense he goes to, and as a Stanford kid you know he’s very bright. Someone will draft him, figure out where to play him, and watch him wreak havoc.