 |
| Najee Harris/Alabama (Rolltide.com) |
Rankings are done with an eye toward the long-term – some players lower in the rankings may have more early success than higher-ranked guys, but over the long haul the higher-ranked players should deliver more. They also have zero to do with where teams view players, as I am not privy to that information.
There are three tiers of rankings – E (Early part of the round), M (Middle of the round) and L (Later portion of the round). E = picks 1-10, M = picks 11-21, L = picks 22-32. The rankings equate to “round value,” the point at which I would feel comfortable with their selection. I am not into minutiae, so the Pros/Cons section will be fairly basic. I’m not going to talk about hip turn or quick twitch ability, as that’s not my specialty. I take notes during games and then go back to watch later, to make sure my initial impressions weren’t terribly off. There won’t be much talk about scheme fit, either, as I admittedly don’t know enough about what NFL teams run (on either side of the LOS). This is simply how I view players and a brief look at what they are good at and where they can improve.
Pros and cons will be done for the top five players at each position and will be followed by the rest of the players I feel are draftable. I only rank players I have seen, which is why you will see very few small school prospects on these lists. Breaking down oodles of tape isn’t my specialty as I am a college football devotee first. Ranking draft prospects is more a fun pursuit than anything.
Some of the comments may be a different, and the rankings will certainly deviate from some of the experts. That’s a good thing, no?
POSITIONAL RANKINGS
QUARTERBACKS1. Trevor Lawrence/Clemson (E1)
PROS: Impeccable timing, elite level anticipation on throws; NFL-ready in terms of processing/going through reads; Can get the ball to all points on the field; Elite level deep ball skills; Very good at manipulating the pocket and feeling pressure.
CONS: Accuracy improved this year but isn’t always on point; desire to make every throw sometimes results in forced passes and poor decisions, especially outside the pocket; will get locked on to his primary receiver too often, needs to be more willing to distribute.
2. Zach Wilson/Brigham Young (E1)
PROS: Best deep-ball thrower in this class, pinpoint accuracy over the top; Almost otherworldly arm talent, can throw from multiple platforms; Gets the ball out quickly and makes it look easy; Can move the pocket and keeps plays alive with the best of them.
CONS: Wasn’t always the best under pressure, too often made questionable decisions; Doesn’t always set his feet, relying on arm talent alone; Competition level wasn’t the highest; Durability concerns, only had one great season.
3. Justin Fields/Ohio State (E1)
PROS: Accuracy can be frightening, especially on sideline routes; Can throw the deep out with the best of them; A weapon with his legs, isn’t afraid of contact; Even his misses are seldom in harm’s way; Loves taking the deep shot and is highly proficient in that area.
CONS: Processing speed must improve, as he holds the ball far too long; Took unnecessary sacks and had questionable decision-making in the face of pressure; Not as accurate on the move as he is from the pocket; Ohio State offense made for few tight-window throws. Won’t have as much room for error at the next level.
4. Mac Jones/Alabama (M-L1)
PROS: Deadly accurate on underneath throws, allows his playmakers to grab ball in stride and do something with it; High IQ, understood what the offense needed and didn’t go off script very often; Is very good when pressured, very few pressured throws would be considered dangerous.
CONS: Lacks elite arm talent, especially downfield; Receivers always open, didn’t have to make many tight window throws; Elite talent around him, very seldom had to deal with chaos; One year as a high-level starter.
5. Trey Lance/North Dakota State (L1-E2)
PROS: Elite traits are there – mobility, top-level arm, excellent decision-maker; Lethal as a runner, will make linebackers pay if they linger too long in coverage; Maybe the most explosive cannon of any QB in this draft; Won’t settle for plays that move the chains, likes the home run ball and is proficient with it.
CONS: Legitimate questions about level of competition; Accuracy has been inconsistent, especially on shorter throws; Lacks anticipation; Wasn’t asked to be a full-time passer as the Bison offense loves the quarterback run.
6. Kyle Trask/Florida (M2)
7. Kellen Mond/Texas A&M (M3)
8. Jamie Newman/Georgia (E4)
9. Shane Buechele/SMU (M4)
10. Feleipe Franks/Arkansas (L4-E5)
11. Davis Mills/Stanford (L4-E5)
12. Ian Book/Notre Dame (L4-E5)
13. Sam Ehlinger/Texas (M5-L5)
14. Brady White/Memphis (L5-E6)
15. Peyton Ramsey/Northwestern (E6-M6)
16. Zac Thomas/Appalachian State (L6-E7)
RUNNING BACKS1. Najee Harris/Alabama (E1)
PROS: Shifty in open space, quicker than his 230 pounds would say; Very good pass catcher, which makes him a three-down back; Excellent combination of size and speed; Difficult to bring down, thrives after initial contact.
CONS: Lacks true home run speed; Operateed behind a top-level offensive line so elusiveness is an unknown; Doesn’t always take the easiest opportunity; Occasionally hesitates in close quarters and tight spaces.
2. Travis Etienne/Clemson (M1)
PROS: Excellent after contact despite being just over 200 pounds; Lighting quick through the hole, a threat to take it to the house on any carry; Shows top-notch awareness and ability in the passing game; Elite balance, doesn’t appear to slow down after getting hit.
CONS: Prefers to bounce things outside, which can cause him to hesitate and get caught at/behind the LOS; Won’t be anything close to a workhorse back; Only average in pass protection; Lacks elite vision and patience and suffered when Clemson’s OL was average this season.
3. Javonte Williams/North Carolina (M1)
PROS: Had more yards after contact than any back in America, runs with a violent, contact-seeking style; A master at breaking tackles, leading the nation with 75 forced misses; Elusiveness and burst for days; Better balance than you’d expect for a bigger back.
CONS: Wasn’t the sole back for the Tar Heels and he split carries almost evenly with Michael Carter. Can he stand up to a bigger workload?; Only average catching the football; Seems to lose top speed on longer runs; Came out of nowhere to produce rather than steadily climbing into a productive role.
4. Michael Carter/North Carolina (E2)
PROS: Led the nation in runs of 15+ yards and was proficient in forcing defenders to miss with decisiveness; Runs bigger than his listed 199 pounds; Quick feet, very good at start/stop and lethal cuts; You’d better hit him high because his contact balance is elite; Able to create with below-average blocking up front.
CONS: Wasn’t asked to do much as a pass protector, so there are concerns there; Even though he plays tough, NFL teams may decide he’s a bit too lean to be a true lead back; Not overly dynamic at making defenders miss in space.
5. Jaret Patterson/Buffalo (E2-M2)
PROS: Top-level cutback ability, he’s there one minute then gone the next; Superb balance; Very patient, allows his OL to do its thing and then goes; Isn’t afraid of contact despite weighing less than 200 pounds;
CONS: Limited factor in the passing game for Bulls; On the small size, which will limit his carries; Doesn’t have elite top end speed; Wasn’t asked to operate in small spaces very often, holes won’t be as large at the next level.
6. Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State (M2)
7. Kenneth Gainwell/Memphis (L2-E3)
8. Trey Sermon/Ohio State (L2-E3)
9. Chuba Hubbard/Oklahoma State (M3)
10. Kylin Hill/Mississippi State (M3)
11. Khalil Herbert/Virginia Tech (L3-E4)
12. Spencer Brown/UAB (L3-E4)
13. Javian Hawkins/Louisville (L3-E4)
14. Rhamondre Stevenson/Oklahoma (M4)
15. Rakeem Boyd/Arkansas (M4)
16. CJ Marable/Coastal Carolina (L4)
17. Elijah Mitchell/Louisiana (L5-E6)
18. Larry Rountree III/Missouri (E6)
19. Pooka Williams/Kansas (M6)
20. CJ Verdell/Oregon (L6-E7)
WIDE RECEIVERS1. Ja’Marr Chase/LSU (E1)
PROS: Excellent with the ball in his hands, has the strength to break tackles; Difficult to jam off the LOS; Excellent at tracking the ball; Doesn’t have true home run speed, but plays faster than expected; Very good route runner
CONS: Only one season of elite production; Concerns about his ability at the catch point since he is not a big receiver; Doesn’t have an arsenal of moves off the line to get free, won’t always threaten corners at the snap; Not a physical freak by any means
2. Jaylen Waddle/Alabama (M1)
PROS: Explosiveness is off the charts; Has shown dominance on the outside and in the slot, so should fit anywhere; Top-level hands, wide catch radius and home run speed; Almost always finds separation from corners; Elite return specialist, which adds even more value to his game.
CONS: Size (5-10, 185) will have some teams leery about opening the entire playbook with him; Good but not great route runner; Experience, hasn’t played a ton of snaps.
3. DeVonta Smith/Alabama (M1)
PROS: Scary ball skills; Excellent body control, which makes him hard to corral in the open field; Polished route runner; Has an excellent arsenal of releases to get himself free off the LOS; Huge potential in the return game; Teams playing man against him are asking for trouble as he can take the top off the defense or provide an inviting target underneath.
CONS: Size and body frame is a concern, even though he is difficult to hit; Can be neutralized a bit by physical corners; Is he scheme-specific? He got the ball on a lot of screens and worked his magic in the open field; Doesn’t force many missed tackles and won’t always get away in tight quarters.
4. Rondale Moore/Purdue (M1)
PROS: Dynamic in the open field, makes you hold your breath when he catches the football; Good at playing through contact, despite his 180-pound frame; Stops and starts on a dime; Better than expected route runner; Glue-fingered, rarely drops a catchable ball; Middle of the field is his domain.
CONS: Has not proven to be durable, playing just seven games in three seasons. That has to scare some teams, who may knock them down on their boards; Size may force him into slot duties at the next level; Hasn’t shown a varied route tree, used mostly underneath by Purdue; A lot of production came from screens, so he may be scheme-specific
5. Rashod Bateman/Minnesota (M1)
PROS: Lethal after the catch, breaking 36 tackles in his career with the Gophers; Versatile, shows an ability to win outside and from the slot; Gifted route runner; Doesn’t have top end speed but finds ways to get open deep; Smooth in and out of breaks; Won’t wow you in any area but does a lot of things well.
CONS: Focus has been an issue as he had 19 drops in his career; Not an elite athlete; Seems to be better against zone than against man, sometimes having issues getting off the line against physical corners.
6. Jonathan Adams/Arkansas State (L1-E2)
7. Kadarius Toney/Florida (L1-E2)
8. Tylan Wallace/Oklahoma State (E2)
9. Terrace Marshall Jr/LSU (E2)
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown/USC (E2)
11. Dyami Brown/North Carolina (M2)
12. Elijah Moore/Ole Miss (L2-E3)
13. Jaelon Darden/North Texas (E3)
14. Sage Surratt/Wake Forest (M3)
15. Seth Williams/Auburn (L3-E4)
16. D’Wayne Eskridge/Western Michigan (L3-E4)
17. Tutu Atwell/Louisville (E4)
18. Amari Rodgers/Clemson (M4)
19. Demetric Felton/UCLA (L4-E5)
20. Marlon Williams/UCF (M5-L5)
21. Dez Fitzpatrick/Louisville (L5-E6)
22. Frank Darby/Arizona State (E6)
23. Anthony Schwartz/Auburn (E6)
24. Austin Watkins/UAB (M6)
25. Cornell Powell/Clemson (M6)
26. Shi Smith/South Carolina (L6-E7)
27. Nico Collins/Michigan (E7)
28. Marquez Stevenson/Houston (E7)
29. Tamorrion Terry/Florida State (M7)
30. Damonte Coxie/Memphis (M7)
31. Trevon Grimes/Florida (L7)
TIGHT ENDS1. Kyle Pitts/Florida (E1)
PROS: Separates as well as any tight end in recent years; Runs routes like a receiver, precise cuts; Can get by corners in single coverage; Catch radius is out of this world; Excellent athleticism and hands; Lethal red zone target, will go after every ball; Can line up multiple places in the formation.
CONS: Though improved as a blocker, there is still work to be done; Speed isn’t lethal, more reliant on route running; He’s not exceptional after the catch, as he will be caught by defenders; How will he do against physical defenders at the line?
2. Pat Freiermuth/Penn State (L1-E2)
PROS: Versatile, ran a diverse route tree; Finds ways to get open despite lacking top end speed; Lethal after the catch as he is a tackle-breaking machine; Has the ability to use his body to win downfield.
CONS: Has not developed much as a blocker; Won’t get by defenders so will need to use intelligence to win matchups; Has eight drops on 100 career catchable passes; Doesn’t initiate contact as a route runner.
3. Hunter Long/Boston College (L2)
PROS: The leader among all tight ends in catches and targets in 2020, won’t shy away from heavy usage; Solid route runner, good hands; Doesn’t have great speed but can gain yards on flat routes and screens; Big frame helps him win most of the time on contested catches.
CONS: Not super athletic so a bit limited in what he’ll be asked to do; Doesn’t have a go-to route where he’s a mismatch for defenders; Won’t make defenders miss after the catch; Needs to get better with power and functional strength as a blocker.
4. Brevin Jordan/Miami Fla (L2-E3)
PROS: Can line up anywhere in the formation; Excellent athleticism; Lethal up the seam and after the catch; Can make defenders miss in open space; Speed allows him to be a mismatch on crosses and drags; Cuts in and outs of routes are top notch; Can separate vs linebackers.
CONS: Not much of a downfield threat in the passing game; Ball skills just average, won only 33 percent of the time on contested catches; Almost no experience as an in-line blocker; Catch radius average at best, which will limit him in the red zone.
5. Cary Angeline/NC State (L3-E4)
PROS: Was a scoring machine his final two seasons, collecting 11 touchdowns in that span; Can line up anywhere, including the slot; Has excellent height and hands, and his ball skills are very good; Tracks the ball well for a big man.
CONS: Doesn’t have a ton of agility or quickness; OK as a blocker but could use more functional strength; Won’t ever be confused for a deep threat.
6. Tre’ McKitty/Georgia (L3-E4)
7. Kenny Yeboah/Ole Miss (M4)
8. Tommy Tremble/Notre Dame (L4-E5)
9. Tony Poljan/Virginia (E6)
10. Noah Gray/Duke (L6-E7)
11. Kylen Granson/SMU (M7)
12. John Bates/Boise State (M7)
13. Matt Bushman/Brigham Young (L7)
14. Pro Wells/TCU (L7)
OFFENSIVE TACKLES1. Penei Sewell/Oregon (E1)
PROS: Excellent athlete, balance is superb; Road grader in the run game; Explosive off the ball, will maul defenders until the whistle blows; Has length to subdue outside pass rushers and is very good on combination blocks.
CONS: Not always on form with technique -- can get back on heels and put himself into tough spots; Oregon offense limited his chances for one-on-one battles; Sometimes has trouble adjusting in space; There are concerns that he may be a better fit inside.
2. Rashawn Slater/Northwestern (E1)
PROS: Allowed just two QB hits in 950 passing snaps over his two seasons; Can play on either side, was great as a true freshman at Northwestern; Light on his feet; Very good processing speed, can make adjustments on the fly.
CONS: Some wonder whether his height (6-3) is a detriment on the outside; Arm length isn’t ideal; Doesn’t always appear to be nasty at the point of contact, won’t always impose his will; Didn’t play in 2020
3. Christian Darrisaw/Virginia Tech (M1)
PROS: Made a huge leap in his play in 2020, became much more consistent; Doesn’t just contact defenders, really engages and moves them; Competition faced mirrors much of what he will see in the NFL; Excellent upper body strength, solid balance; Didn’t allow a sack or QB hit in 2020.
CONS: Not many occasions for one-on-one in pass protection due to Virginia Tech’s scheme; Sometimes appears to “give up” if defender gets by him with initial move; Could add functional strength; Not particularly agile or quick.
4. Sam Cosmi/Texas (L1-E2)
PROS: Extremely experienced in pass protection, and has shown he can play on either side of the formation; Gifted athletically, quick feet; Consistent with pad level; Determined and aggressive as a run blocker;
CONS: Lack of play strength at first level; Athleticism masks some technical deficiencies; Sometimes loses balance in pass pro due to foot position; Tends to play a bit high in pass protection
5. Alex Leatherwood/Alabama (E2)
PROS: Very
polished, pro ready in his pass sets; Frame and thick arms make him difficult
to get the better of; Uses length to advantage; Extremely
aggressive, explodes off the snap and drives defenders to the whistle.
CONS: Can be had by quick edge rushers as he lacks flexibility in his lower half; Lack of athleticism may force a move inside to guard as he won’t have to operate in as much space; Part of his problem is playing with a too wide base; Too many misses at the second level.
6. Jalen Mayfield/Michigan (M2)
7. Liam Eichenberg/Notre Dame (M2)
8. Teven Jenkins/Oklahoma State (L2)
9. Brady Christensen/Brigham Young (L2-E3)
10. Dillon Radunz/North Dakota State (L2-E3)
11. Jackson Carman/Clemson (L2-E3)
12. Walker Little/Stanford (E3)
13. Alaric Jackson/Iowa (M3)
14. James Hudson III/Cincinnati (L3-E4)
15. Spencer Brown/Northern Iowa (L3-E4)
16. Adrian Ealy/Oklahoma (L4-E5)
17. Robert Hainsey/Notre Dame (E5)
18. Cole Van Lanen/Wisconsin (M5)
19. Josh Ball/Marshall (L5-E6)
20. Brenden Jaimes/Nebraska (M6)
21. Foster Sarell/Stanford (L6-E7)
22. Carson Green/Texas A&M (M7)
23. Landon Young/Kentucky (L7)
INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE1. Alijah Vera-Tucker/USC (M1)
PROS: Versatility, has played left tackle and both guard spots in college career; Nice athleticism, does great work in space; Rarely gets himself into bad positions; Watch his feet and aggressiveness in the run game, never stop moving; Good body control in pass sets.
CONS: Was taken to the woodshed by the best defender he faced (Kayvon Thibodeaux); Limited quickness and length; Skill set says he would thrive almost exclusively in zone scheme.
2. Wyatt Davis/Ohio State (L1-E2)
PROS: A real mauler; Very good lateral mobility; Functional strength helps to eliminate defenders; Excellent physical tools, fundamentals extremely sound; Superb balance.
CONS: Consistency took a step back in 2020, allowed three sacks in just eight games after allowing zero in a full 2019 season; Awareness has been an issue, often late in picking up stunts; Wasn’t always effective at the second level this season.
3. Landon Dickerson/Alabama (L1-E2)
PROS: Extremely versatile, has played all five positions in his Alabama career; Elite strength at point of attack; Latches on quickly, stays engaged; Always plays to (and often through) the whistle; Leadership qualities off the charts.
CONS: Nothing special athletically; Has been dogged by injuries; Didn’t become a truly dominant player until his final season; Quick interior defenders have given him trouble.
4. Creed Humphrey/Oklahoma (E2)
PROS: Three-year starter, very savvy football player; Top-notch upper body strength; A definite power player, not much finesse to his game; Excellent hands and ability to direct defenders.
CONS: Leverage against shorter interior players has been an issue; Oklahoma’s offense limited the number of rushers he faced; Not great athletically, can struggle in space.
5. Trey Smith/Tennessee (E2)
PROS: Aggressive and nasty; Has played multiple positions at Tennessee; Seems to have a high ceiling if health allows.
CONS: Has had a laundry list of injuries, so some teams may push him down their boards; Play-to-play consistency must improve; Would be better served to stay within his game rather than going for the monster block on every play.
6. Ben Cleveland/Georgia (E3)
7. Drake Jackson/Kentucky (M3)
8. Aaron Banks/Notre Dame (M3)
9. Jack Anderson/Texas Tech (L3-E4)
10. Tommy Kraemer/Notre Dame (L3-E4)
11. Josh Myers/Ohio State (M4)
12. Tristen Hoge/Brigham Young (M4)
13. Jimmy Morrissey/Pittsburgh (L4-E5)
14. Sadarius Hutcherson/South Carolina (M5)
15. Trey Hill/Georgia (M5)
16. James Empey/Brigham Young (E6)
17. Drew Dalman/Stanford (M6)
18. Paul Grattan/UCLA (L6-E7)
19. Deonte Brown/Alabama (E7)
20. Kayode Awosika/Buffalo (M7)
21. Doug Kramer/Illinois (L7)
We will reveal defensive player rankings on Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment