Who's the best at each position in the 2017 NFL Draft?

 

With ohe 2017 NFL Draft at the door, it’s time for a full update of our positional rankings for the class. A group that shows lots of promise. Something that was confirmed at the combine where the class tested as one of the more athletic groups, across the board, that we’ve ever seen.

Note not all positions are created equal and you’ll see that in the honorable mentions sections where some positions only have a few names and others have several. The deepest groups this year are running back, tight end, edge rushers, cornerbacks, and safeties. While the thinnest – probably better than calling them the weakest – are quarterback, offensive line (both interior and offensive tackle), and the interior defensive line.

Note, with red flags always influencing things, players who are lower in the rankings because of off-field issues are delineated with an asterisk (*). Injuries and other issues are also taken into account in these rankings.

Here we go before the madness all begins on April 27th with the first round.

Quarterbacks

This quarterback class isn’t phenomenal in its depth and it’s not great at the top with no clear-cut franchise quarterbacks but the top five could go very high and some in the bottom half could be useful players down the road. Not all is lost.

Watson’s been my top man at the position and it’s not changing now. His ceiling isn’t as high as others in the top five here but he has lots of NFL-ready tools that could make him a contributor earlier than you’d think.

Trubisky has all the tools but there are inconsistencies and he’s not battle tested. He’s likely to be the first QB taken but he’ll require some seasoning. His footwork and accuracy are really promising.

Kizer, Mahomes, Webb and Kelly are all high upside projects who’ll require lots of grooming. Kizer’s at times flashed the most complete toolset of all while Mahomes probably has the highest upside. Kaya’s upside isn’t all that high but he has a skill set that translates and could be a pretty good backup. Liufau’s got several tools to succeed but inconsistencies and his injury history are a bit worrisome. Rush is a perfect west coast quarterback and has some nice upside in a backup role. Torgersen is a new addition to the list, he looks the part and is another backup candidate who has a little growth potential as well.

1. DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson

2. Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC

3. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

4. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

5. Davis Webb, QB, Cal

6. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami

7. Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss*

8. Sefo Liufau, QB, Colorado

9. Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan

10. Alek Torgersen, QB, Penn

Honorable mentions

Josh Dobbs, QB, Tennessee

Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh

Trevor Knight, QB, Texas A&M

Seth Russell, QB, Baylor

Jarod Evans, QB, Virginia Tech

C.J. Beathard, QB, Iowa

Runningbacks

This running back class is loaded with at least three potential first rounders and another six to eight who should be gone by the first two rounds based off of their talents. There are plenty of guys even in the honorable mentions who are big names and could be immediate contributors in the NFL.

Fournette has an elite combination of size and speed. If he can improve as a receiver watch out, the sky is the limit. McCaffrey has a versatile skill set, elite athleticism, on top of great vision and route running ability. In the right coaches hands, he’s a miss match problem waiting to happen.

Cook is a dynamic running back who dominated at college football’s highest levels. Some off-field concerns have led to his stock dropping some but he’s still a phenomenal talent. Samuels might be best as a slot receiver but he also has some value as a scatback. He’s an electrifying athlete who just needs to have the ball in space to make plays – he’s Percy Harvin like.

Mixon needs no introduction as he’s one of the most talked about prospects in the entire draft but his talents are real – he’s reminiscent of David Johnson with his size, speed, and running ability. Foreman is a big bruising back with deceiving speed. He’s a bit underrated at this point as he should be a top 50 pick and an immediate high-level contributor in the NFL.

There are players for all your tastes later on. Mack’s explosive and very versatile, while Williams is a big downhill bruiser. Hill’s extremely productive and has great size and speed while Cohen is small but absolutely ridiculous in the open field. Kamara could go really high as well and there’s tons of talent in the honorable mentions group as Hunt and Williams are others who could make a big impact in the NFL.

Just for reference, the top 13 running backs are in our top 100. Those are elite grades for future projected starters. A great class.

1. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

3. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

4. Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State

5. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma*

6. D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

7. Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida

8. Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU

9. Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming

10. Tarik Cohen, RB/PR/WR, North Carolina A&T

Honorable mentions

Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee

Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

Joe Williams, RB, Utah

Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo

Austin Ekeler, RB, Western State Colorado

De’Angelo Henderson, RB, Coastal Carolina

Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State

Matthew Dayes, RB, NC State

James Connor, RB, Pitt

Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma

T.J. Logan, RB, UNC

Dare Ogunbowale, RB, Wisconsin

Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin

Wide Receivers

Davis’ stock might be falling some as an injury’s prevented him from working out in the pre-draft period but not here as he’s a complete wideout with size, speed, hands and nice upside. He’s one of the few in the class who’s talented enough to be a future number one NFL receiver. Engram isn’t talked about much but his talents are legitimate. Think of a poor man’s Jimmy Graham who might not block much but will be impossible to cover in the slot.

Ross and Williams have serious past injuries but great talent, though they’re not perfect. Smith-Schuster’s stayed high in our rankings all season, he needs to create more consistent separation but he’s amazing with the ball in his hands. His upside’s very intriguing and he’s one of the youngest players in the entire draft.

Stewart’s very intriguing as well though he didn’t get used as a conventional receiver at Alabama. But he can contribute already if you create touches for him. Jackson might just be the next Tyreek Hill and is really appealing as a returner and receiver. Westbrook is a legitimate deep threat with some nice hands though he struggles with physical corners. If not for some off-field concerns he’s a better prospect than Will Fuller was last season. Godwin’s physical and at his worst he’s a great possession receiver on the outside. But he showed some impressive athleticism making me think there’s room for more.

The class is deep with lots of intriguing potential – watch out for Malachi Dupre and Noah Brown who could be real diamonds in the rough – it might not have a true star but there are several contributors here.

1. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

2. Evan Engram, TE/WR, Ole Miss

3. John Ross, WR, Washington

4. Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State

5. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC

6. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

7. ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama

8. Adoree Jackson, CB/WR/PR, USC

9. Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma*

10. Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State

Honorable mentions

Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky

Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina

Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan

Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech

Malachi Dupre WR LSU

Chad Hansen, WR, Cal

Noah Brown, WR, Ohio State

Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina

K.D. Cannon, WR, Baylor

Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M

Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech

Gabe Marks, WR, Washington State

Jehu Chesson, WR, Michigan

Stacy Coley, WR, Miami

Travis Rudolph, WR, Florida State

Tight Ends

This tight end class is unbelievable with eight guys in our top 100 which is impressive. There are also three legitimate first round talents in Howard, Engram, and Njoku. Howard is a complete talent with tons of upside. He needs to become more dominant as a receiver but the sky’s the limit. One of the highest ranked tight ends we’ve seen in a long time. Njoku’s much more of a project but his potential is truly unbelievable as a receiver. In creating yards after the catch (YAC) or in the red zone or contested catch situations he’s truly a special talent.

Hodges’ upside is no less than any of the top guys he’s just rawer as a blocker and didn’t dominate as he should have, but he still could go very high. Everett’s a talent receiver and h-back who could be very impactful in the league but will have to be used the right way. Butt would have been in the top five conversation for this group if not for an unfortunate ACL injury in his final Bowl game. Leggett’s another guy with high upside though he needs to be much more consistent, but still a potential second round pick. Shaheen’s oversized, with an edge as a blocker and some real skill in the red zone.

Smith and Brown are impressive athletes with intriguing skills also. Don’t sleep on Sprinkle or Hikutini in the honorable mentions.

1. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

2. Evan Engram, TE/WR, Ole Miss

3. David Njoku, TE, Miami

4. Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

5. Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama

6. Jake Butt, TE, Michigan

7. Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson

8. Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland

9. Jonnu Smith, TE, Florida International

10. Pharaoh Brown, TE, Oregon*

Honorable mentions

Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville

Jeremy Sprinkle, TE, Arkansas*

George Kittle, TE, Iowa

Michael Roberts, TE, Toledo

Darrell Daniels, TE, Washington

Eric Saubert, TE, Drake

Jaylen Samuels, FB-H-Back, NC State

Sam Rogers, FB-H-Back, Virginia Tech

Interior Offensive Line

This interior line group might not be elite but the top eight guys can play and there’s talent in the bottom half also. However, Lamp is the clear cut best player in the class with the potential to be a pro-bowl type starter in a couple years. Moton’s also a nice player who can play both right tackle or guard where he might fit best.

Feeney would be in the top-50 conversation if not for some injury concerns. Pocic who played as a center with the Tigers has the length to play other spots on the line. He has intriguing upside thanks to his smarts and nice size. Siragusa is big and mauls, a tone setter much like Johnson. Elfin’s dropped off a little this season but as a guard who has experience at center as well, he projects as a solid starter.

Asiata’s good as well, can block nicely at the second level on pulls and is a sound technician. Mama is big and powerful while Harlow moves nicely though he lacks length. Not many stars or big-time picks but there are lots of solid future pros in here.

1. Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky

2. Taylor Moton, RT, Western Michigan

3. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana

4. Ethan Pocic, OC, LSU

5. Nico Siragusa, OG, San Diego State

6. Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh

7. Pat Elfin, OC/OG, Ohio State

8. Isaac Asiata, OG, Utah

9. Damien Mama, OG, USC

10. Sean Harlow, OG, Oregon State

Honorable mentions

Tyler Orlosky, OC, West Virginia

Danny Isidora, OG, Miami

Jordan Morgan, OG, Kutztown

J.J. Dielman, OC/T, Utah

Chase Roullier, OC, Wyoming

Offensive Tackles

The tackle position isn’t the best, there’s no other way to put it. But there’s still going to be lots of relatively high picks in this group. Ramczyk, Lamp, Bolles and Robinson area all likely first rounders – don’t be surprised if they go earlier than most are predicting. And then you have Garcia, Moton, and Dawkins who are likely to go high in the top 50 or so picks. No one’s a safe pick as far as projecting them to stay at tackle but there’s some real potential with these guys and given the importance of the tackle position they’ll likely go high.

Johnson, Eluemunor, and Davenport are all raw but they have intriguing skills and measurables. There’s some starter potential in the honorable mentions as well but a lot of guys play sloppy and will need lots of NFL coaching to get on the field.

1. Ryan Ramczyk, LT, Wisconsin

2. Forrest Lamp, OT/OG, Western Kentucky

3. Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah

4. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama

5. Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy

6. Taylor Moton, RT, Western Michigan

7. Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple

8. Rodrick Johnson, LT, FSU

9. Jermaine Eluemunor, RT, Texas A&M

10. Julie’n Davenport, LT, Bucknell

Honorable mentions

Andreas Knappe, RT, Uconn

Colin Buchanan, RT, Miami (Ohio)

Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pitt

David Sharpe, OT, Florida

Dan Skipper, OT, Arkansas

Conor McDermott, OT, UCLA

Interior Defensive Line

This group has really taken a tumble throughout the season and into the draft process with the group not looking nearly as talented as last year’s potentially historic class. Allen’s great but his measurable and athletic testing weren’t elite which could cause him to fall. McDowell’s inconstant on the field and potentially off of it as well where he has character concerns though don’t be surprised if he gets pushed up the board as his potential’s very high. Adams is also inconsistent but has shown flashes of greatness.

Wormley could be another find outside the top 40 or so picks. His ceiling might not be the highest but in the right system – he’s ideally suited as a 3-4 defensive end – he could be a high-level starter for several years. Brantley’s plummeting due to an off-field allegation that’s simply heinous. With pending legal action his stock’s extremely murky right now.

Jones has very high upside as an interior penetrator with great size but inconsistent play and injuries make him another tough player to project. Johnson promises to be solid, particularly against the run though he could slip some due to lackluster athletic testing. Qualls is an intriguing prospect who’s on the short side but he moves really well for a big dude.

Tomlinson is the one true nose guard in the group who will surprise you with some ability to get into opposing backfields. Watkins has some upside particularly as an interior pass rusher but consistency is an issue. Vanderdoes could go really high if someone clears him medically and gambles on his upside, same goes for Walker, Kpassagnon, and Ogunjobi.

1. Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama

2. Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

3. Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn

4. Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan

5. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida*

6. Jarron Jones, DT, Notre Dame

7. Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa

8. Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington

9. Dalvin Tomlinson, NT, Alabama

10. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson

Honorable mentions

Eddie Vanderdoes, DT, UCLA

Nazair Jones, DT, UNC

Isaac Rochelle, DE, Notre Dame

Charles Walker, DT, Oklahoma*

Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova

Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane

Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte

Ryan Glasgow, DT, Michigan

Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU

Edge rushers

This edge class is really outstanding with all the top 10 guys having an outside shot at the first round and all seemingly locks to go in the top two rounds. There’s pass rushing skill for days here and there are even eight guys in the honorable mentions who are in the top 120 meaning there’s lots of potential starting talent. Garrett’s the clear top guy who can seemingly walk onto a field and rack up 10 sacks a season by just beating the occasional single block. That’s rare talents folks and he’s a player with a high floor and a very high ceiling.

Thomas will require some seasoning in likely a new role in the pros – was mostly a 5-technique in college – but his athleticism and motor are elite. McKinley’s raw but special in his relentlessness and get off. Coach him up and he’s another potentially elite talent. Barnett is ultra solid and a real technician in getting after the passer, another potential top 20 pick. As is Charlton, who’s longer and lanky but he’s developing quickly. Plus he might have the most devastating spin move of all.

Lawson would be in the top 15 conversation if he hadn’t missed almost two entire season due to serious injuries. His power is really impressive. Watt is best as an outside linebacker, he’s very complete but he’s also an exciting prospect who can get after the passer. Rivers has a great first step as well and is very disciplined. Don’t be surprised if you hear his name much earlier than expected.

Williams might have been a top 20 pick last year and could be this year if someone’s willing to take a risk on his marijuana-induced off-field issues. Harris is also a potential first rounder with a great first step and some promising bend. He had a down year but the potential to get after the quarterback is there. This group is deep in elite talents and there are about 18 to 20 potential starters in here. For a position that’s at a premium in today’s NFL, these guys should go early and often.

1. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

2. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford

3. Takkarist McKinley, EDGE, UCLA

4. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee

5. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan

6. Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn

7. T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin

8. Derek Rivers, EDGE, Youngstown State

9. Tim Williams, OLB/EDGE, Alabama*

10. Charles Harris, EDGE, Missouri

Honorable mentions

Trey Hendrickson, EDGE, Florida Atlantic

Jordan Willis, EDGE, Kansas State

Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio

Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama

Dawuane Smoot, EDGE, Illinois

Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M

Vince Biegel, EDGE, Wisconsin

Samson Ebukam, OLB, Eastern Washington

Carroll Phillips, EDGE, Illinois

Devonte Fields, OLB/EDGE, Louisville

Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova

Deatrich Wise Jr., DE, Arkansas

Ejuan Price, EDGE, Pittsburgh

Garrett Sickels, EDGE, Penn State

Pita Taumoepenu, EDGE, Utah

Linebackers

This group of linebackers isn’t half bad either particularly in the top five to eight guys as there are lots of immediate contributors. The top four have gone in lots of directions during the draft process as Foster’s stock’s dropped quite a bit with issues at the combine while Reddick’s risen every step of the way. They’re very close in our rankings but Foster’s tape is just a little bit better and there’s less projection as Reddick’s taking on a new position.

Davis is a fast riser during the process and he’s simply fun to watch. A true linebacker who runs around and tosses himself into plays. While Cunningham’s a perfect modern backer who can play off the line but he’s dropped a bit with disappointing athletic scores. McMillan could be the surprise of the group as he’s got the tools, he just needs to clean up his game particularly in coverage. But he could go high.

Taylor’s a personal favorite who stood out the last couple seasons as Houston went through a historic rise of sorts. He’s small but man is he impactful. He affects the game rushing the passer, against the run and in coverage playing with great instincts.  Bowser is another guy who could go really high. If used the right way he could be a Jamie Collins type playmaker. Anderson is simply solid as is Walker. Watch out for Lee who’s undersized but is a great sideline-to-sideline athlete who could be a steal in day three.

1. Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama*

2. Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple

3. Jarrad Davis, OLB, Florida

4. Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt

5. Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio State

6. Steven Taylor, OLB, Houston

7. Tyus Bowser, OLB/EDGE, Houston

8. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama

9. Anthony Walker Jr., ILB, Northwestern

10. Elijah Lee, LB, Kansas State

Honorable mentions

Tanner Vallejo, OLB, Boise State

Jalen Reeves-Maybin, OLB, Tennessee

Dylan Cole, ILB, Missouri State

Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida

Paul Magloire, SS/LB, Arizona

Duke Riley, LB, LSU

Skai Moore, WLB, South Carolina

Jimmie Gilbert, OLB, Colorado

Cornerbacks

Much like the edge rushers, all the guys on this list could go very high even in the first, though the group’s so deep that teams could wait. I still expect about 18 guys from this group to be drafted in the top three rounds, which would be noteworthy, to say the least. Lattimore’s the top dog because his upside is incredible and he plays physically while also having great ball skills and speed down the field. He’s a potential top five pick.

After that there’s not a real clear cut second best prospect particularly after Jones’ unfortunate injury at his pro day – he should be back within the first month of the season. But he’s a potential lock down corner. Humphrey is also but he’s raw and at his best downhill right now. Awuzie might not have the upside of some but he’s so versatile and complete. The best blitzing corner and tackler of the group.

King has the length of a Richard Sherman with promising upside if he gets better at the line of scrimmage. Conley could have gone really high if not for a last-minute off-field issue. It could cause him to fall greatly but he might still go high if clarity on the situation can be garnered. White has big upside as a lockdown corner but needs to be more consistent. Witherspoon’s also loaded with potential but needs to be better tackling.

Wilson is physical but doesn’t have great foot speed and might even be converted to safety. But he has upside as a press corner which is big in today’s NFL. Moreau is too physical at times, but he’s sticky and feisty with great speed.

1. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

2. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

3. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

4. Chidobe Awuzie, DB, Colorado

5. Kevin King, DB, Washington

6. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State*

7. Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU

8. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado

9. Quincy Wilson, CB/S, Florida

10. Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA

Honorable mentions

Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson

Adoree Jackson, CB/WR/PR, USC

Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida

Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan*

Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State

Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia

Desmond King, CB, Iowa

Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee

Corn Elder, CB, Miami

Howard Wilson, CB, Houston

Channing Stribling, CB, Michigan

Brendan Langley, CB/WR, Lamar

Brian Allen, CB, Utah

Safeties

This is another great group with Hooker and Adams who seem guarantees for the top 10 which is rare air for players at the position. Peppers could fall out of the first round with a positive drug test at the combine affecting his stock but the talent to be a playmaker in the league is all there. Same goes for the undersized Baker who might just be Tyrann Mathieu 2.0. Jackson might have been in the first round conversation like the rest of this group if not for an injury that cut his season short.

Thompson is one of the most instinctual free safety prospects in this class and could be a big-time steal as a pro. Melifonwu has big upside but there are questions in coverage on his tape. Jones is another super athlete who plays with bad intentions downhill. He could be a big-time hitter if put in the right spots. Williams has great size and intriguing tools, he’ll need a little work but could be a future starter also. Maye is another fun and instinctual player to watch out of Florida. He could have gone much higher in a typical safety draft class.

Even Evans who didn’t crack our top 10 could go really high in the draft. This is another special class with 11 guys in our top 80 and a slew of potential starters.

1. Malik Hooker, FS, Ohio State

2. Jamal Adams, SS, LSU

3. Jabrill Peppers, DB, Michigan*

4. Budda Baker, FS, Washington

5. Eddie Jackson, FS, Alabama

6. Tedric Thompson, FS, Colorado

7. Obi Melifonwu, S, UConn

8. Josh Jones, SS, NC State

9. Marcus Williams, S, Utah

10. Marcus Maye, FS, Florida

Honorable mentions

Justin Evans, FS, Texas A&M

Xavier Woods, S, Louisiana Tech

Montae Nicholson, SS, Michigan State

John Johnson, FS, Boston College

Nate Gerry, S, Nebraska

Delano Hill, SS, Michigan

Paul Magloire, SS/LB, Arizona

Jonathan Ford, FS, Auburn

Weston Steelhammer, SS, Air Force