Risen Star
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2017/i...695/mcshay-final-tier-rankings-2017-nfl-draft
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Tier 1
The elite class of the 2017 NFL draft. These players should be starters from Day 1 and project as perennial Pro Bowl players.
2017: 1 player | 2016: 0 players
1. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M* (Grade: 95)
Garrett's production, tape and athletic upside put him on a different level compared to his peers. He's one of the elite pass-rushing prospects of the past decade and should be an easy choice for the Cleveland Browns with the No. 1 overall pick.
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Tier 2
A notch below the elite class but still worthy of top-20 picks in most drafts. These picks are expected to be plug-and-play starters.
2017: 10 players | 2016: 8 players
2. Jamal Adams, S, LSU* (94)
3. Solomon Thomas, DT, Stanford* (94)
4. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU* (93)
5. Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama (93)
6. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State* (92)
7. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama (92)
8. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State* (92)
9. Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama (92)
10. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford* (92)
11. Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple (92)
Adams is a special player. He has the toughness to play near the line of scrimmage and the athleticism to cover wide receivers and tight ends in space. He's a more complete prospect than Hooker -- and he has a cleaner bill of health, with Hooker coming off multiple offseason surgeries. Howard is my highest-ranked tight end since I had Vernon Davis No. 6 overall in 2006. The Alabama product reminds me of Greg Olsen; they have very similar measurables, plus both bring value as big-play threats and blockers.
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Tier 3
These players carry late first-round grades.
2017: 13 players | 2016: 14 players
12. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson* (91)
13. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee* (91)
14. David Njoku, TE, Miami (Fla.)* (91)
15. Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky (90)
16. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State* (90)
17. Charles Harris, OLB, Missouri* (90)
18. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State* (90)
19. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan (90)
20. Garett Bolles, OT, Utah* (90)
21. John Ross, WR, Washington* (90)
22. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama* (90)
23. Evan Engram, TE, Mississippi (90)
24. Kevin King, CB, Washington (90)
In the previous 10 drafts, my highest-rated offensive lineman was ranked, on average, fourth overall. The 2017 class is especially weak in that regard, with Lamp at No. 15 being the best O-lineman on my board. McCaffrey's rare versatility -- he can run between the tackles, catch passes in the slot and contribute as a return specialist -- helped bump him up to Tier 2, while Cook stock has been affected by character/durability concerns.
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Tier 4
Would rather not reach for these prospects late in the first round, but they're good value picks in the first half of Round 2.
2017: 22 players | 2016: 16 players
25. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama* (89)
26. Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA (89)
27. Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (89)
28. Jarrad Davis, ILB, Florida (89)
29. Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina* (89)
30. Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU (89)
31. Adoree' Jackson, CB, Southern California* (89)
32. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson* (88)
33. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida* (88)
34. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin* (88)
35. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State* (88)
36. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan (87)
37. Marcus Maye, S, Florida (87)
38. T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin* (87)
39. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan (87)
40. Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina (87)
41. Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State* (86)
42. Budda Baker, S, Washington* (86)
43. Josh Jones, S, NC State* (86)
44. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma* (85)
45. Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut (85)
46. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan* (85)
That's right: The top-rated QB on my board (Trubisky) does not carry a first-round grade. Both he and Watson have the tools and mental makeup to eventually grow into good NFL starters, but neither are ready to start from Day 1. This tier is where the depth of the defensive back group starts to show: Fifteen of my top 46 players are cornerbacks or safeties. Good DBs will be available deep into Day 2.
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Tier 5
These players are middle- or late-second-round prospects.
2017: 15 players | 2016: 20 players
47. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech* (84)
48. Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado (83)
49. Dion Dawkins, OG, Temple (83)
50. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame* (83)
51. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Southern California* (83)
52. Marcus Williams, S, Utah* (83)
53. Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt* (82)
54. Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee* (82)
55. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida* (81)
56. Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State (81)
57. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama (81)
58. Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan (80)
59. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana (80)
60. Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland* (80)
61. Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama (80)
It's looking like Mahomes will be a first-round pick, despite carrying a mid-second-round grade. That's quarterbacks for ya. Smith-Schuster is a bit of a forgotten man in this wide receiver class, but I love his competitiveness and he'd be a good fit in a West-coast system because of his ability to make plays after the catch. This is around the spot on the board where the second tier of TEs pop up. Shaheen leads that group, with the size/speed combination to cause matchup problems in the NFL.
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Tier 6
These players are third-round prospects. They could develop into solid starters, but they either have limited upside or come with a higher element of risk than players worth drafting in the first two rounds.
2017: 47 players | 2016: 46 players
62. Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan (79)
63. Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama (79)
64. DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State (79)
65. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida* (79)
66. Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee (79)
67. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington (79)
68. Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte (79)
69. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington* (78)
70. Duke Riley, ILB, LSU (78)
71. Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy (78)
72. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson (78)
73. Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh (78)
74. Jake Butt, TE, Michigan (78)
75. Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh (77)
76. Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA (77)
77. Derek Rivers, OLB, Youngstown (77)
78. Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma* (77)
79. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama (77)
80. Alex Anzalone, ILB, Florida* (77)
81. Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M (77)
82. Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech* (77)
83. Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa (76)
84. Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson (76)
85. Ethan Pocic, OC, LSU (76)
86. Desmond King, CB, Iowa (76)
87. Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn* (76)
88. Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio State* (76)
89. Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky (75)
90. Kendell Beckwith, ILB, LSU (75)
91. Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech* (75)
92. Pat Elflein, OC, Ohio State (75)
93. D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas* (75)
94. Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn (75)
95. Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State (75)
96. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado (74)
97. Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M (74)
98. Mack Hollins, WR, North Carolina (74)
99. Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova (73)
100. ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama* (73)
101. Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State* (72)
102. Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio (72)
103. Josh Malone, WR, Tennessee* (71)
104. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia (71)
105. Davis Webb, QB, Cal (70)
106. Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU* (70)
107. Cam Sutton, CB, Tennessee (70)
108. Zach Banner, OT, Southern California (70)
Tabor's stock took a nosedive after the combine, where he ran a 4.62 40. No matter how clean your technique is, you need speed to play cornerback at a high level in the NFL, and Tabor's time falls in the red-flag territory. Jones was my No. 12 overall player before he tore his Achilles at Washington's pro day. Some team will get a steal on Day 2 if his recovery goes as planned. I love watching Hollins' tape: He's a very good blocker and shows the toughness to make contested catches over the middle. The only reason he's this low on my board is because he's coming off a collarbone injury.
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Tier 1
The elite class of the 2017 NFL draft. These players should be starters from Day 1 and project as perennial Pro Bowl players.
2017: 1 player | 2016: 0 players
1. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M* (Grade: 95)
Garrett's production, tape and athletic upside put him on a different level compared to his peers. He's one of the elite pass-rushing prospects of the past decade and should be an easy choice for the Cleveland Browns with the No. 1 overall pick.
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Tier 2
A notch below the elite class but still worthy of top-20 picks in most drafts. These picks are expected to be plug-and-play starters.
2017: 10 players | 2016: 8 players
2. Jamal Adams, S, LSU* (94)
3. Solomon Thomas, DT, Stanford* (94)
4. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU* (93)
5. Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama (93)
6. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State* (92)
7. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama (92)
8. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State* (92)
9. Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama (92)
10. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford* (92)
11. Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple (92)
Adams is a special player. He has the toughness to play near the line of scrimmage and the athleticism to cover wide receivers and tight ends in space. He's a more complete prospect than Hooker -- and he has a cleaner bill of health, with Hooker coming off multiple offseason surgeries. Howard is my highest-ranked tight end since I had Vernon Davis No. 6 overall in 2006. The Alabama product reminds me of Greg Olsen; they have very similar measurables, plus both bring value as big-play threats and blockers.
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Tier 3
These players carry late first-round grades.
2017: 13 players | 2016: 14 players
12. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson* (91)
13. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee* (91)
14. David Njoku, TE, Miami (Fla.)* (91)
15. Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky (90)
16. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State* (90)
17. Charles Harris, OLB, Missouri* (90)
18. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State* (90)
19. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan (90)
20. Garett Bolles, OT, Utah* (90)
21. John Ross, WR, Washington* (90)
22. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama* (90)
23. Evan Engram, TE, Mississippi (90)
24. Kevin King, CB, Washington (90)
In the previous 10 drafts, my highest-rated offensive lineman was ranked, on average, fourth overall. The 2017 class is especially weak in that regard, with Lamp at No. 15 being the best O-lineman on my board. McCaffrey's rare versatility -- he can run between the tackles, catch passes in the slot and contribute as a return specialist -- helped bump him up to Tier 2, while Cook stock has been affected by character/durability concerns.
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Tier 4
Would rather not reach for these prospects late in the first round, but they're good value picks in the first half of Round 2.
2017: 22 players | 2016: 16 players
25. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama* (89)
26. Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA (89)
27. Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (89)
28. Jarrad Davis, ILB, Florida (89)
29. Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina* (89)
30. Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU (89)
31. Adoree' Jackson, CB, Southern California* (89)
32. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson* (88)
33. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida* (88)
34. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin* (88)
35. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State* (88)
36. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan (87)
37. Marcus Maye, S, Florida (87)
38. T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin* (87)
39. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan (87)
40. Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina (87)
41. Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State* (86)
42. Budda Baker, S, Washington* (86)
43. Josh Jones, S, NC State* (86)
44. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma* (85)
45. Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut (85)
46. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan* (85)
That's right: The top-rated QB on my board (Trubisky) does not carry a first-round grade. Both he and Watson have the tools and mental makeup to eventually grow into good NFL starters, but neither are ready to start from Day 1. This tier is where the depth of the defensive back group starts to show: Fifteen of my top 46 players are cornerbacks or safeties. Good DBs will be available deep into Day 2.
-
Tier 5
These players are middle- or late-second-round prospects.
2017: 15 players | 2016: 20 players
47. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech* (84)
48. Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado (83)
49. Dion Dawkins, OG, Temple (83)
50. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame* (83)
51. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Southern California* (83)
52. Marcus Williams, S, Utah* (83)
53. Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt* (82)
54. Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee* (82)
55. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida* (81)
56. Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State (81)
57. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama (81)
58. Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan (80)
59. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana (80)
60. Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland* (80)
61. Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama (80)
It's looking like Mahomes will be a first-round pick, despite carrying a mid-second-round grade. That's quarterbacks for ya. Smith-Schuster is a bit of a forgotten man in this wide receiver class, but I love his competitiveness and he'd be a good fit in a West-coast system because of his ability to make plays after the catch. This is around the spot on the board where the second tier of TEs pop up. Shaheen leads that group, with the size/speed combination to cause matchup problems in the NFL.
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Tier 6
These players are third-round prospects. They could develop into solid starters, but they either have limited upside or come with a higher element of risk than players worth drafting in the first two rounds.
2017: 47 players | 2016: 46 players
62. Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan (79)
63. Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama (79)
64. DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State (79)
65. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida* (79)
66. Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee (79)
67. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington (79)
68. Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte (79)
69. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington* (78)
70. Duke Riley, ILB, LSU (78)
71. Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy (78)
72. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson (78)
73. Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh (78)
74. Jake Butt, TE, Michigan (78)
75. Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh (77)
76. Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA (77)
77. Derek Rivers, OLB, Youngstown (77)
78. Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma* (77)
79. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama (77)
80. Alex Anzalone, ILB, Florida* (77)
81. Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M (77)
82. Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech* (77)
83. Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa (76)
84. Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson (76)
85. Ethan Pocic, OC, LSU (76)
86. Desmond King, CB, Iowa (76)
87. Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn* (76)
88. Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio State* (76)
89. Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky (75)
90. Kendell Beckwith, ILB, LSU (75)
91. Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech* (75)
92. Pat Elflein, OC, Ohio State (75)
93. D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas* (75)
94. Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn (75)
95. Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State (75)
96. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado (74)
97. Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M (74)
98. Mack Hollins, WR, North Carolina (74)
99. Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova (73)
100. ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama* (73)
101. Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State* (72)
102. Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio (72)
103. Josh Malone, WR, Tennessee* (71)
104. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia (71)
105. Davis Webb, QB, Cal (70)
106. Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU* (70)
107. Cam Sutton, CB, Tennessee (70)
108. Zach Banner, OT, Southern California (70)
Tabor's stock took a nosedive after the combine, where he ran a 4.62 40. No matter how clean your technique is, you need speed to play cornerback at a high level in the NFL, and Tabor's time falls in the red-flag territory. Jones was my No. 12 overall player before he tore his Achilles at Washington's pro day. Some team will get a steal on Day 2 if his recovery goes as planned. I love watching Hollins' tape: He's a very good blocker and shows the toughness to make contested catches over the middle. The only reason he's this low on my board is because he's coming off a collarbone injury.
