Jose Ramirez, WAR and Versatility
April 24, 2017Francisco Lindor turned down $100 million? The WFNY Podcast
April 24, 2017Finally! We have hit the week of the 2017 NFL Draft. One of the best and most exciting weeks of the NFL calendar. The Browns will be quite busy over the three days of the upcoming draft, including making two picks in each of the first two rounds. It will be an important draft for the Browns and their ability to build a sustainable winning franchise.
The Top 5 positional rankings for the 2017 NFL Draft are complete, so now we will put them all together to showcase my Top 20 overall players, along with listing the rest of my first-round prospects. This Big Board is how I would order the 28 players, who I believe have first-round talent. I will also place the board in tiers, separating the players by their talent level and showing where the drop in talent really changes throughout the rankings.
This year’s tier qualifications are a little different from last year. Tier One is for players worthy of the No. 1 pick. Tier Two is for players worthy of a Top 10 pick, but probably not No. 1 overall. Tier Three is for players who are worthy of being taken in 10-20 range. And Tier Four is for players worthy of being a late first round pick from 20-32. So with that, let’s take a look at my 2017 NFL Draft Big Board!
Joe Gilbert’s 2017 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Safeties, Cornerbacks, Inside Linebackers, Edge Rushers, Interior Defensive Linemen, Interior Offensive Linemen, Offensive Tackles, Tight Ends, Wide Receivers, Running Backs, Quarterbacks
1. EDGE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
Myles Garrett is the best player in the draft and there is space between him and the rest of the class. Garrett is a great athlete who was one of the most productive rushers in the SEC during his Texas A&M career. His combination of explosion and power is incredibly hard to handle as an offensive lineman. He is a dangerous pass rusher who should immediately terrorize NFL backfields. He is a complete player who is also strong against the run. He is by far my No. 1 overall player.
Tier Level: One
Position Rank: No. 1 Edge Rusher
2. S Jamal Adams, LSU
Jamal Adams is a tough, physical safety, who has the athleticism to play either safety spots. He has the instincts and intelligence teams love to have in their safety. He can impact both the run and pass game. He uses his physicality and toughness to make tackles in the run game. But in coverage, the safety is athletic enough to cover tight ends, running backs and wide receivers, while also having good instincts to react to a pass and make on the ball quickly. He is a complete safety.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 1 Safety
3. EDGE Solomon Thomas, Stanford
Solomon Thomas is a great athlete with explosion to be a dangerous edge rusher in the NFL. He is a player with a good combination of reaction time and an explosive first step that helps him get a quick advantage against the blocker. His hands are a real asset in his game, showing a strong punch, but also quick decisive moves to help him dislodge from blocks. His disruptive ability makes him a playmaker in both the run and pass defense.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 2 Edge Rusher
4. CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
Marshon Lattimore is one the cleanest and smoothest prospects in the entire draft. He has great athleticism with the ability to run with any receiver. He has all the tools you look for in a shutdown press corner. He has the athleticism, fluidity, physicality, technique and size to be a big time corner for a team. Lattimore also has good ball tracking skills along with playmaking ability after the catch to turn interceptions to touchdowns.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 1 Cornerback
5. S Malik Hooker, Ohio State
Malik Hooker is a ballhawk in the secondary with the athleticism to be the safety net for a NFL team’s defense. His instincts and range are outstanding with the ability to quickly read and react to a pass and make a play on the ball. His ball skills are elite, allowing him to out jump receivers and snatch balls away from them, making the interception and not just the breakup. He has the talent to be a true playmaker as a free safety in the NFL.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 2 Safety
6. QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
Patrick Mahomes is a franchise-level quarterback in my opinion. He has the arm talent that teams dream of in the NFL, able to make any pass on the field. But, what makes his arm strength all the more lethal is his natural accuracy. He is able to complete passes accurately without having the best platform or technique when throwing the pass. He is a smart player with the athleticism to also elude rushers and make some plays with his feet. His intelligence and eyes are really good, giving him another way to beat defenses besides just his pure arm talent.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 1 Quarterback
7. DL Jonathan Allen, Alabama
Jonathan Allen was one of the most productive defensive linemen in all of college football last season. What makes him a disruptive force in the interior of the defensive line is his quickness and hands. He is able to quickly get off the line of scrimmage, gaining a fast advantage against the blocker. He uses his hands really well, either making a strong punch to stun the blocker or quick movements to disengage from blocks to make a play on the ball.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 1 Interior Defensive Lineman
8. TE O.J. Howard, Alabama
O.J. Howard is one of the most complete tight ends to come out of the college in a long time. He has great size and athleticism, making him a mismatch in the passing game. He has the ability to make big plays after the catch, using his athleticism to beat the defense. His game is complete because he provides the ability to block. He is a strong blocker who was tasked to block in-line during his college career. A NFL team could use Howard in multiple situations and on all three downs.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 1 Tight End
9. EDGE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
Derek Barnett is one of the top pass rushers in the 2017 NFL Draft, after producing at a high level at Tennessee during his college career. He has great snap reaction, allowing him to quickly get off the line and gain a quick advantage against the blocker. On the edge, he has a good combination of bend and hands to allow him to win and turn the corner against offensive tackles. His awareness and overall effort makes him a player who will be a reliable player on a NFL defense.
Tier Level: Two
Position Rank: No. 3 Edge Rusher
10. RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
Dalvin Cook is a player who has the elusiveness and big play ability to really change a game for a NFL team. He has extremely quick feet with the ability to cut on a dime and explode up field. His vision is a great complement to his elusiveness because he can find the hole and then get to the hole quickly. He adds versatility for an offense because he is able to make plays in the passing game, catching passes out of the backfield. His speed makes him a homerun threat on every play.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 1 Running Back
11. QB Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina
Mitchell Trubisky is another quarterback who has the chance to be a franchise-level quarterback. He has the prototypical size, along with good athleticism to move around in the pocket and use his legs to make plays and elude tackles. His best asset is his accuracy on the short and intermediate routes, allowing receivers to catch the ball in stride. He has good arm strength to make all the throws needed and he shows good intelligence to read the defense and find the holes in the defense.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 2 Quarterback
12. RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
Leonard Fournette is one of the most powerful running backs to come out of college in a long time. With his size, he batters tacklers with his physicality and power, extending plays through contact. His combination of size and athleticism is rare for a running back. He can explode through holes, giving him momentum along with his power to wreck havoc on the defense. His balance allows him to stay up through contact and continue down field, while most runners would already be tackled.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 2 Running Back
13. IOL Forest Lamp, Western Kentucky
Forest Lamp is the best offensive lineman in the entire 2017 NFL Draft. He has great feet for a big man, allowing him to shuffle his feet quickly and mirror rushers throughout the rushing process. He played offensive tackle in college, but he is probably best suited as an offensive guard at the next level. Lamp is a patient blocker with the ability to move his body in right position to get in front of the rusher and shield him away from the ball. His versatility to also play tackle is a valuable asset for him, too.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 1 Interior Offensive Lineman
14. TE David Njoku, Miami (FL)
David Njoku is a tight end who will create mismatches in the passing game. The former Hurricane star has freakish athleticism with the explosiveness to make the big plays in the passing game. He will be a safety net for a quarterback because he provides good size, explosiveness and ball skills to over-match the coverage. After the catch, he has the speed and elusiveness to break tackles and make big plays.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 2 Tight End
15. WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan
Corey Davis is a receiver with the great combination of good route running, size and body positioning. He is able to separate from the coverage using his crisp and quick route running. His size is a great help to the quarterback, giving him a huge catch radius for the quarterback to target. He uses his body well, squaring the defender away from the ball so he can make the catch. After the catch, he has good enough speed, feet and physicality to run for more yardage after the catch.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 1 Wide Receiver
16. WR John Ross, Washington
John Ross may be the best big play producer of all the offensive skill players in the draft. His best asset is his speed and quickness. He has the speed to easily beat his coverage and gain separation quickly. His quickness and speed shows up in his route running, which is one of his better skills. After the catch, he can either run past defenders or elude them with quickness. His hands are solid with the ability to track the ball well and get in the right position to bring in the catch. He adds playmaking ability as a returner, too.
Tier Level: Three
Position Rank: No. 2 Wide Receiver
17. LB Reuben Foster, Alabama
Reuben Foster is an explosive athlete who can fly all over the field as a linebacker. He has the athleticism to move fluidly on the field, showing the ability to change directions smoothly. He explodes to the ball and can make a huge hit on the ball carrier. In pass coverage, he can play in man or zone, matching up with tight ends, receivers and running backs in man coverage. His pass rushing ability gives him another nice quality for a linebacker.
Tier Level: Four
Position Rank: No. 1 Inside Linebacker
18. RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
Christian McCaffrey is one of the toughest players to corral in the draft. His agility and elusiveness allows him to make quick cuts and agile moves to avoid defenders. He has great vision to find the developing hole and hit it at the right time. Overall, he has good speed to elude the defense and than put them in the rear view mirror for a big play. His versatility to be a returner and receiver is a huge asset for him. He can make big plays as a runner, receiver and returner.
Tier Level: Four
Position Rank: No. 3 Running Back
19. S Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut
Obi Melifonwu is a NFL teams dream for a safety, with his combination of size and freakish athleticism. He is able to play from sideline to sideline with his great athleticism. He is able to cover receivers, running backs and tight ends in coverage because of his combination of size and athleticism. His talent allows him to line up all over the field in multiple positions. His size also helps enforce a physical playing style with the ability to make big hits in the run game.
Tier Level: Four
Position Rank: No. 3 Safety
20. LB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
Zach Cunningham is another top prospect with a great combination of length and athleticism. He is an explosive athlete with the ability to close on the ball quickly and to play from sideline to sideline. He is a smart player with good awareness to read the play and react quickly to where the ball is going. In coverage, he can cover receivers, running backs and tight ends in man and float around in zone. He can play multiple linebacker spots on both a 3-4 and 4-3 defense.
Tier Level: Four
Position Rank: No. 2 Inside Linebacker
Rest of Tier Four (and remaining first round talent)
21. WR Mike Williams, Clemson
22. TE Evan Engram, Ole Miss
23. OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
24. CB Teez Tabor, Florida
25. DL Malik McDowell, Michigan State
26. CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
27. CB Tre’Davious White, LSU
28. OT Garett Bolles, Utah
27 Comments
Forest Lamp??
https://33.media.tumblr.com/8edc2f94046c52fbfab5c4ffa0a5b677/tumblr_mfk85u8TW01qmn5ngo2_250.gif
https://media.giphy.com/media/b6Rb8bYAOgVXO/giphy.gif
Really quite an unfortunate name as it invokes two…less smart movie characters. But I suppose the constant references might make up for it.
Jabril Peppers! (in the 3rd round)
Caleb Brantley! (Undrafted free agent)
Need to dig but I do believe the diluted sample = 4 game suspension. If not, he is at least in the program now with extra tests. They altered it slightly in last CBA rendition, cannot remember where they landed.
His lawyer says he is the victim.
(does play out a plausible narrative – too bad almost impossible for full story to come out before Thur/Fri unless they leak the video they supposedly have)
Have my stuff coming out later this week, but here is where Joe & I differ the most:
Soloman Thomas: I don’t see what makes him special. I see a 2nd rounder.
Jon Allen: Saban runs players into ground, his degenerative shoulders, nope. Love his tape but nope.
Dalvin Cook: I don’t think he’ll be nearly as good in NFL. Think lack of athleticism will hurt him.
Teez Tabor: With his off field issues, think there are plenty of CBs that over-take him on draft board.
Malik McDowell: Hearing lots of bad things about work ethic for this Sparty.
Gareon Conley: Have him in my Top 10, not listed here
Haason Reddick: With Foster’s off field issues, I have Reddick above him.
QB No. 2: I have Kizer over rrubisky, but they are close.
Obi Melifonwu.
No.
His agent is saying he was “rehydrating” because of a combination of being sick from the flight and participating in in extra combine drills.
Blah, blah, blah…
Joe Thomas made a valid point — diluted sample should be able to be seen right away, so why not just wait and give you another sample (MLB does this — so, it has precedent in other sports).
not in the first
Foster claimed “rehydration” due to food poisoning.
Can’t these guys lay off the weed for just 1 month? They KNOW they’re getting tested at the combine.
On a semi-related note, Harbaugh’s sample was 90% whole milk. True story.
I suspect he’s just “in the program” since he wouldn’t have been bound by the CBA until today or its testing and regulation. Because of the secrecy to it all, there’s probably some squishy rules as to which potential pro is already the program before he starts playing in the NFL or how many strikes, since retroactively that must be hard to police. (i.e. yeah, there were reports his RA caught him in a room with a joint his freshman year and he’d been disciplined, blah blah blah)
Or the second.
well, he probably won’t be there in the 2nd at least at 52
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No doubt. Hard pass.
I agree with you on Mahomes. He’s going to go high and should be the first QB drafted.
I’d use a 6th on him. Worst comes to worst we wasted a 6th round pick (when we had 10 earlier picks) on a 1st round talent at a position of need. Not like we were passing on sure things that late anyway.
Just no QB in round 1. After the season all the experts indicated that none of the QB’s had a first round grade. Now, as we get closer to the draft, we are seeing QB inflation. We must stick to reason and logic and not emotion. This is a defensive draft and we need to build a championship defense with our picks.
it is a similar draft to the Bortles/Teddy/Carr (Manziel) QB class in that none of the QBs are “must pick” but there are plenty of guys who could become “the guy” with mentoring. we just have to pick wisely.
or the Locker, Gabbert, Ponder draft where all 3 were picked in the top half and all were busts. Only time will tell.
I can happily note that I hated all three of those QBs as prospects.
1
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