RS12
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2. Where does the strength of the 2017 draft class reside? Taking into account juniors and redshirt sophomores who are expected to declare, this class looks stacked at a few positions.
Running backs: Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook highlight a loaded group at running back, with both carrying a first-round grade. The depth here is tremendous too. Joe Mixon, D'Onta Foreman, Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey, Samaje Perine and Royce Freeman all look like potential Day 2 picks.
Tight ends: After a few seasons of poor tight end quality, the 2017 class gives us a rebound. O.J. Howard is a legit Round 1 player, and behind him Jake Butt, Bucky Hodges, Evan Engram and Jordan Leggettare all quality Day 2 picks.
Edge-rushers: Myles Garrett may be the top pick in the draft come April, but the depth here is tremendous as well. Alabama's duo (Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson) could easily go in the top 40. Tennessee has a potential top-15 pick in Derek Barnett. You can't overlook SEC stars Carl Lawson and Charles Harris either. Out west, Solomon Thomas and Takkarist McKinley look like first-rounders as well.
Cornerbacks: Five cornerbacks are in my top 32 players—Quincy Wilson, Gareon Conley, Teez Tabor, Marlon Humphrey and MarshonLattimore. Right behind them are Jourdan Lewis, Sidney Jones and Desmond King. We could see eight cornerbacks go in the top 40 picks.
Safeties: This is an unusually good safety class. Last year, I had two safeties with Round 1 grades—Karl Joseph and Keanu Neal. This year, I have four—Jabrill Peppers, Jamal Adams, Malik Hooker and Justin Evans. And outside the top 32, guys such as Marcus Allen and Marcus Williams are lighting up offenses and making a case for premium-pick status.
1. Every draft class is weak in at least a few spots. Looking at this year's crop, where will teams be hunting for steals in weak groups?
Franchise quarterbacks: Where are the studs? Last year at this time, Goff had already established himself as the top quarterback in the country, and Wentz had considerable Round 1 buzz building. This year? No one can agree on a top quarterback among the Big Four underclassmen.
Wide receivers: Outside of Mike Williams at Clemson, no wide receiver looks like a lock to be drafted on the first day. JuJu Smith-Schuster at USC is emerging after a poor start, and I do like Isaiah Ford at Virginia Tech, but after seeing six receivers drafted in the top 50 last year, we could realistically see three or four this time around.
Offensive tackles: Two tackles—Ramczyk and Cam Robinson—are in my top 32 right now, but I don't feel great about either one. Ramczyk is still raw and may not even enter the draft. Robinson is a bit of a headache off the field and has struggled to match speed on the field. He's likely an NFL right tackle.
Defensive tackles: Jonathan Allen is a stud and should be a top-five pick, but after him there's a huge drop-off to Michigan State's MalikMcDowell. Even with McDowell, you can question his on-field growth potential and off-field maturity. Other than those two, there isn't one defensive tackle who currently carries a Round 1 grade.
Running backs: Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook highlight a loaded group at running back, with both carrying a first-round grade. The depth here is tremendous too. Joe Mixon, D'Onta Foreman, Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey, Samaje Perine and Royce Freeman all look like potential Day 2 picks.
Tight ends: After a few seasons of poor tight end quality, the 2017 class gives us a rebound. O.J. Howard is a legit Round 1 player, and behind him Jake Butt, Bucky Hodges, Evan Engram and Jordan Leggettare all quality Day 2 picks.
Edge-rushers: Myles Garrett may be the top pick in the draft come April, but the depth here is tremendous as well. Alabama's duo (Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson) could easily go in the top 40. Tennessee has a potential top-15 pick in Derek Barnett. You can't overlook SEC stars Carl Lawson and Charles Harris either. Out west, Solomon Thomas and Takkarist McKinley look like first-rounders as well.
Cornerbacks: Five cornerbacks are in my top 32 players—Quincy Wilson, Gareon Conley, Teez Tabor, Marlon Humphrey and MarshonLattimore. Right behind them are Jourdan Lewis, Sidney Jones and Desmond King. We could see eight cornerbacks go in the top 40 picks.
Safeties: This is an unusually good safety class. Last year, I had two safeties with Round 1 grades—Karl Joseph and Keanu Neal. This year, I have four—Jabrill Peppers, Jamal Adams, Malik Hooker and Justin Evans. And outside the top 32, guys such as Marcus Allen and Marcus Williams are lighting up offenses and making a case for premium-pick status.
1. Every draft class is weak in at least a few spots. Looking at this year's crop, where will teams be hunting for steals in weak groups?
Franchise quarterbacks: Where are the studs? Last year at this time, Goff had already established himself as the top quarterback in the country, and Wentz had considerable Round 1 buzz building. This year? No one can agree on a top quarterback among the Big Four underclassmen.
Wide receivers: Outside of Mike Williams at Clemson, no wide receiver looks like a lock to be drafted on the first day. JuJu Smith-Schuster at USC is emerging after a poor start, and I do like Isaiah Ford at Virginia Tech, but after seeing six receivers drafted in the top 50 last year, we could realistically see three or four this time around.
Offensive tackles: Two tackles—Ramczyk and Cam Robinson—are in my top 32 right now, but I don't feel great about either one. Ramczyk is still raw and may not even enter the draft. Robinson is a bit of a headache off the field and has struggled to match speed on the field. He's likely an NFL right tackle.
Defensive tackles: Jonathan Allen is a stud and should be a top-five pick, but after him there's a huge drop-off to Michigan State's MalikMcDowell. Even with McDowell, you can question his on-field growth potential and off-field maturity. Other than those two, there isn't one defensive tackle who currently carries a Round 1 grade.
