Here are my top 125 players heading into the Combine. These are in pretty solid ordination but there is definite flexibility between closely grouped players based on team and scheme fit. I’ll keep the notes brief and relevant to explaining some odd rankings
For the complete big board, please reference the Google spreadsheet.
1. Myles Garrett, Edge, Texas A&M
2. Jamal Adams, S, LSU
3. Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
4. Deshone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame: I’m less worried about his losing record in 2016 than most. Kizer has the highest ceiling of any QB in this draft with his physical skills.
5. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
6. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
7. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
8. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford: He’s handily the most complete of the most notable running backs
9. Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
10. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State: The offseason surgery and occasional brutal tackling angles make him risky but Hooker has a fair chance to be a perennial All Pro
11. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech: Heck yes Mahomes is this high for me. Heck yes this could look incredibly stupid in 2 years.
12. Tim Williams, Edge, Alabama
13. Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
14. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
15. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
16. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
17. Taco Charlton, Edge, Michigan
18. Solomon Thomas, Edge, Stanford: I’m probably lower on Thomas than most because I foresee NFL coaches having trouble deciphering with a 6’2”, 270-pound edge rusher with short arms.
19. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
20. Budda Baker, S, Washington
21. David Njoku, TE, Miami FL
22. Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple: A versatile playmaker with surprising agility and sideline range for a guy who played DE in college
23. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
24. Derek Barnett, Edge, Tennessee
25. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: On the field he’s clearly the No. 1 runner, better than Todd Gurley. I have grave concerns about his ability to remain on the field with his repeated injuries.
26. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
27. Jabrill Peppers, S/RS, Michigan: My optimal Peppers situation: base strong safety, nickel LB who walks out with flexed TE. He gets bonus points for being the most dangerous return man in this class.
28. Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
29. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
30. Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut
31. Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
32. Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa
33. Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
34. Takk McKinley, Edge, UCLA
35. Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
36. John Ross, WR, Washington
37. Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo: His balance, cutting and agility between the tackles reminds me of Emmitt Smith. Not saying, just sayin’…
38. Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama: Another player where on the field he belongs significantly higher but repetitive injuries bring him down. Will miss the offseason with rotator cuff surgery, has had recurring stinger issues through college.
39. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
40. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: Love the ceiling, but his floor is lower than most acknowledge and he’s the most reliant of the top RBs on getting good blocking
41. Taylor Moton, OT/OG, Western Michigan
42. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado: Long, smart corners who can run like him are in very high demand
43. Derek Rivers, Edge, Youngstown State
44. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma: The off-field incident is terrible but if it wasn’t on video nobody would care. What Frank Clark did was far worse and wasn’t his first dalliance with the law as this was for Mixon.
45. Marcus Williams, S, Utah
46. Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech
47. Forrest Lamp, OG/OC, Western Kentucky
48. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
49. Tarell Basham, Edge, Ohio
50. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
51. Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech
52. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
53. Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
54. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State: Undeniable physical gifts but real questions about how much he values the game
55. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
56. Carl Lawson, Edge, Auburn
57. Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
58. Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
59. Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State: Play him the way Detroit uses Theo Riddick and he’s a star
60. T.J. Watt, Edge, Wisconsin
61. Cam Sutton, CB/S, Tennessee
62. Deatrick Wise, Edge, Arkansas
63. Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington
64. Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M
65. Pat Elflein, OG/C, Ohio State
66. Charles Harris, Edge, Missouri: All-or-nothing pass rusher with no inside game, but man he can burn around the edge even again really good future NFL tackles
67. Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
68. Corn Elder, CB, Miami FL
69. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
70. Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern
71. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia
72. Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky
73. Eddie Vanderdoes, DT, UCLA
74. Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
75. Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU
76. Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State
77. Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan
78. Michael Roberts, TE, Toledo: Has no twitch to him but once he’s moving he’s fantastic as a receiver and a better blocker than advertised
79. Tyus Bowser, Edge, Houston
80. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama
81. Ethan Pocic, OC/OG, LSU
82. Dion Dawkins, OT/OG, Temple
84. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama: At times dominant and worthy of first round, but too often underwhelming and overhyped
85. Jordan Willis, Edge, Kansas State
86. Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
87. Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State
88. Demarcus Walker, DT, Florida State
89. Marcus Maye, S, Florida
90. Vince Biegel, OLB, Wisconsin
91. Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh
92. Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan
93. Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte: I wrote a scouting report on Ogunjobi over at Texans Wire, check it out here.
94. Bucky Hodges, TE/WR, Virginia Tech
95. Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson
96. Tedric Thompson, S, Colorado: Might be the best safety in class with the ball in the air, it’s the action beforehand and the run game which hold him back
97. Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma
98. Will Holden, OT, Vanderbilt
99. Kevin King, CB, Washington
100. K.D. Cannon, WR, Baylor
101. Ryan Switzer, WR/RS, North Carolina
102. Jarron Jones, DT, Notre Dame
103. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama
104. Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State: Very good college LB, not sold on his athletic ability to find the same success in pros but can still be an effective starter at 3-4 ILB
105. Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pittsburgh
106. Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
107. Davis Webb, QB, California
108. DeAngelo Brown, DT, Louisville: I wrote a scouting report on Brown, the biggest Combine snub, over at Browns Wire.
109. Rayshawn Jenkins, S, Miami FL
110. Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU
111. Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane: One of the Senior Bowl standouts, my limited game exposure to Smart was also more impressive than I expected for what little hype he gets.
112. Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy
113. Dorian Johnson, OG Pittsburgh
114. Daeshon Hall, Edge, Texas A&M
115. Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida
116. Eddie Jackson, S/CB, Alabama
117. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
118. Paul Magloire, OLB, Arizona
119. Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova
120. Jon Toth, C, Kentucky
121. Blake Jarwin, TE, Oklahoma State
122. Garett Bolles, OT, Utah: Amazing agility and tenacity but he’s 25 and played CFB for one year, sorely lacks anchor strength
123. Jeremy Sprinkle, TE, Arkansas
124. Erik Magnuson, OT, Michigan
125. Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida: Love his feel for the game and tackling, but another guy whose durability dogs his ranking
We will update the big board by position following the Combine, and stay tuned for this year’s Draft Prospecting editions.