Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Offense
Quarterbacks
1. **Jameis Winston, Florida St.
2. *Marcus Mariota, Oregon
3. Bryce Petty, Baylor
4. Garrett Grayson, Colorado St.
5. *Brett Hundley, UCLA
6. Sean Mannion, Oregon St
7. Bryan Bennett, Southeastern Louisiana
8. Brandon Bridge, South Alabama
9. Shane Carden, East Carolina
10. Grant Hedrick, Boise St.
Not many changes here since the NFL combine. The notable drop is Hundley from No. 3 to No. 5. I love the raw tools, but there's a lot of work to be done there. The two new names who weren't on the previous ranking are Bridge and Carden. Bridge I haven't had in this ranking going back to August, whereas Carden is a returning name. Bennett is still something of a wildcard, because there's a lot of natural ability; but he's just a terribly difficult projection at this point.
Running backs
1. *Melvin Gordon III, Wisconsin
2. *Tevin Coleman, Indiana
3. *Todd Gurley, Georgia
4. David Johnson, No. Iowa
5. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
6. *Jay Ajayi, Boise St.
7. *Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.)
8. Jeremy Langford, Michigan St.
9. *Javorius "Buck" Allen, USC
10. David Cobb, Minnesota
The order has changed; the names have not. The risers are David Johnson, who has proven to be a fantastic athlete for a player who packs on over 220 pounds, and Langford, who has big-time speed at his size. Langford was a standout at the combine, and you can see the potential. As a patient runner who knows how to wait on the running lanes, Langford has serious speed when he finds a seam. No changes at the top. I still think this can be the year when a running back goes in Round 1 for the first time since 2012.
Fullbacks
1. Jalston Fowler, Alabama
2. Tyler Varga, Yale
3. Zach Zenner, South Dakota St.
4. Mark Weisman, Iowa
5. Michael Burton, Rutgers
6. Lee Ward, Stanford
7. Cameron Stingily, No. Illinois
8. Connor Neighbors, LSU
9. Hunter Joyer, Florida
10. Zach Laskey, Georgia Tech
I know, I know, you all want to see more movement with the fullbacks. No changes among the top four, but there's a big jump for No. 5 here, as I didn't have Burton ranked in the previous top 10. He was a player I just didn't get enough time to analyze during the season, but I particularly like his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, aside from the blocking ability.
Wide receivers
1. *Amari Cooper, Alabama
2. Kevin White, West Virginia
3. DeVante Parker, Louisville
4. Phillip Dorsett, Miami (Fla.)
5. *Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
6. *Jaelen Strong, Arizona St.
7. Devin Smith, Ohio St.
8. *Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
9. *Devin Funchess, Michigan
10. *Sammie Coates, Auburn
The 40 times and broad jumps and verticals and official heights are in and ... well, I still have Cooper at No. 1 and no changes among the top four players here overall, because the combine did more to confirm the tape than it did to cause a full re-examination. The notable changes are a rise for Perriman, a switch of Funchess from tight end to the wide receiver group and the addition of Coates, who had been previously ranked here.
Tight ends
1. **Maxx Williams, Minnesota
2. Clive Walford, Miami (Fla.)
3. Jeff Heuerman, Ohio St.
4. *Tyler Kroft, Rutgers
5. Nick Boyle, Delaware
6. Ben Koyack, Notre Dame
7. Blake Bell, Oklahoma
8. *Jesse James, Penn St.
9. Nick O'Leary, Florida St.
10. E.J. Bibbs, Iowa St.
The NFL combine didn't do much to cause a shakeup with this group, as I still have the top two in place from my previous ranking. The move of Funchess to wide receiver has Heuerman -- who has a lot of potential if he can stay healthy -- in at No. 3. The biggest drop here is O'Leary, who falls to No. 9. It wouldn't surprise me if there are no tight ends taken in Round 1. Given what the position has become at the NFL level -- fewer classic tight ends who can actually block consistently -- teams see these guys differently, and minus major "athlete" credentials it can hurt their standing.
Offensive tackles
1. Brandon Scherff, Iowa
2. *Andrus Peat, Stanford
3. La'el Collins, LSU
4. *Ereck Flowers, Miami (Fla.)
5. *D.J. Humphries, Florida
6. T.J. Clemmings, Pitt
7. Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
8. *Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah
9. Jake Fisher, Oregon
10. Daryl Williams, Oklahoma
The biggest move from the previous ranking is the rise of Humphries, who is now clearly in the mix for the first round. Scherff is a player many see as a likelier long-term fit at guard, but I believe he can stick at tackle -- and right tackle seems like a good possibility, depending on who drafts him. Fisher had an outstanding week in Indy and moves into the top 10 for the first time.
Guards
1. A.J. Cann, South Carolina
2. Laken Tomlinson, Duke
3. Tre' Jackson, Florida St.
4. John Miller, Louisville
5. Ali Marpet, Hobart
6. Josue Matias, Florida St.
7. Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech
8. Trenton Brown, Florida
9. Robert Myers, Tennessee St.
10. Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M
Once again, no changes among the top four guard prospects from the previous ranking. I think Cann is the likeliest bet to land in Round 1. Marpet has been great during the postseason process, turning in an impressive combine performance following a breakthrough showing in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, where he proved he can hang after a college career in D-III.
Centers
1. Cameron Erving, Florida St.
2. Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
3. Reese Dismukes, Auburn
4. Andy Gallik, Boston College
5. BJ Finney, Kansas St.
6. Shane McDermott, Miami (Fla.)
7. Greg Mancz, Toledo
8. Jake Smith, Louisville
9. David Andrews, Georgia
10. Elliott Porter, LSU
This group is almost identical to the one I had ranked in the pre-combine rankings. The only new name is Porter, from LSU. Erving is now clearly the top center available, as he offers versatility having played both tackle and guard for the Noles. Grasu wasn't able to do all the athletic drills in Indy as he works to get back to 100 percent following a late-season knee injury, but he's a known commodity based on the tape.
Defense
Defensive ends
1. *Leonard Williams, USC
2. *Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
3. *Shane Ray, Missouri
4. *Randy Gregory, Nebraska
5. *Arik Armstead, Oregon
6. Preston Smith, Mississippi St.
7. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
8. *Mario Edwards, Florida St.
9. *Danielle Hunter, LSU
10. Trey Flowers, Arkansas
A repeat note: The "defensive end" classification makes for some odd groupings, and the difference in style between No. 1 and, say, No. 4 on this list underscores that. Gregory at No. 4 dips a bit after the combine under this classification, and I may yet move him to the outside linebacker group. Fowler gets a bump up after a stellar combine that not only underscores his versatility in a 260-plus pound frame but backs up the tape. I also think Smith has moved himself into the first-round conversation.
Defensive tackles
1. Danny Shelton, Washington
2. *Malcom Brown, Texas
3. *Eddie Goldman, Florida St.
4. **Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
5. Carl Davis, Iowa
6. **Darius Philon, Arkansas
7. Michael Bennett, Ohio St.
8. Gabe Wright, Auburn
9. *Xavier Cooper, Washington St.
10. Leterrius Walton, Central Michigan
Shelton has solidified his status as the top true defensive tackle on the board, and I don't think you have to take him with a specific system in mind. Phillips flips ahead of Davis. But in either case there is a lot of work to be done on the tape, because both players flash more than they consistently perform. Cooper is a notable addition after a great combine to back up a productive career at Washington State. He's now safely in the Day 2 mix.
Inside linebackers
1. *Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi St.
2. Stephone Anthony, Clemson
3. Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.)
4. Eric Kendricks, UCLA
5. Jake Ryan, Michigan
6. Hayes Pullard, USC
7. Ramik Wilson, Georgia
8. Bryce Hager, Baylor
9. Taiwan Jones, Michigan St.
10. Ben Heeney, Kansas
There's been a shift at the top, as McKinney moves back to No. 1, which is where I had him heading into the season. Anthony also moves up a spot, while Perryman drops two spots since the previous ranking. The new addition here is Jones, who put together a very good combine performance to back up a solid career in East Lansing.
Outside linebackers
1. Vic Beasley, Clemson
2. *Shaq Thompson, Washington
3. *Eli Harold, Virginia
4. Alvin "Bud" Dupree, Kentucky
5. Paul Dawson, TCU
6. Nate Orchard, Utah
7. *Kwon Alexander, LSU
8. Lynden Trail, Norfolk St.
9. Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington
10. Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville
I don't think there was a single player who improved his draft stock more at the NFL combine than Beasley, who didn't just shine based on outstanding speed and strength numbers but did so after checking in at 246 pounds. This was a player I had listed in the 220-pound range as a junior. He's gotten stronger but hasn't lost any of the quickness he shows on tape. Harold and Alexander are players who have made a notable jump.
Cornerbacks
1. *Trae Waynes, Michigan St.
2. *Marcus Peters, Washington
3. *Jalen Collins, LSU
4. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
5. Byron Jones, Connecticut
6. Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio)
7. Eric Rowe, Utah
8. *Charles Gaines, Louisville
9. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
10. Steven Nelson, Oregon St.
I can't say he will be the top cornerback taken -- system fit plays into where these guys come off the board -- but Waynes certainly solidified a first-round projection by running really fast in Indy. And if there's any position where the 40 times really matter, it's at cornerback -- where you don't have to be the fastest guy, but you can't run below 4.6 and keep your place up high in the rankings. Jones is the biggest riser out of the combine after a stellar performance that helps back up the tape.
Safeties
1. *Landon Collins, Alabama
2. Damarious Randall, Arizona St.
3. Derron Smith, Fresno St.
4. *James Sample, Louisville
5. Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
6. Anthony Harris, Virginia
7. *Durell Eskridge, Syracuse
8. Jordan Richards, Stanford
9. Dean Marlowe, James Madison
10. Cedric Thompson, Minnesota
This ranking has been a case of Collins and everybody else for a while, and the combine did nothing to change that. I think Collins is the one surefire first-rounder, with Randall now in the conversation. Sample has moved up, as has Tartt, a physical player who will get a lot more love as a possible Day 2 pick now.
Special teams
Place-kickers & punters
1. Kyle Loomis, P, Portland St.
2. Tom Obarski, PK, Concordia, (MN)
3. Wil Baumann, P, NC St.
4. Spencer Roth, P, Baylor
5. Justin Manton, PK & P, Louisiana-Monroe
6. Trevor Pardula, P, Kansas
7. Darragh O'Neill, P, Colorado
8. Kyle Christy, P, Florida
9. Will Johnson, P, Texas St.
10. Mike Sadler, P, Michigan St.
No changes here in an underwhelming class, though I typically spend a lot more time on this group in the days leading up the draft, so it's not set in stone.
Quarterbacks
1. **Jameis Winston, Florida St.
2. *Marcus Mariota, Oregon
3. Bryce Petty, Baylor
4. Garrett Grayson, Colorado St.
5. *Brett Hundley, UCLA
6. Sean Mannion, Oregon St
7. Bryan Bennett, Southeastern Louisiana
8. Brandon Bridge, South Alabama
9. Shane Carden, East Carolina
10. Grant Hedrick, Boise St.
Not many changes here since the NFL combine. The notable drop is Hundley from No. 3 to No. 5. I love the raw tools, but there's a lot of work to be done there. The two new names who weren't on the previous ranking are Bridge and Carden. Bridge I haven't had in this ranking going back to August, whereas Carden is a returning name. Bennett is still something of a wildcard, because there's a lot of natural ability; but he's just a terribly difficult projection at this point.
Running backs
1. *Melvin Gordon III, Wisconsin
2. *Tevin Coleman, Indiana
3. *Todd Gurley, Georgia
4. David Johnson, No. Iowa
5. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
6. *Jay Ajayi, Boise St.
7. *Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.)
8. Jeremy Langford, Michigan St.
9. *Javorius "Buck" Allen, USC
10. David Cobb, Minnesota
The order has changed; the names have not. The risers are David Johnson, who has proven to be a fantastic athlete for a player who packs on over 220 pounds, and Langford, who has big-time speed at his size. Langford was a standout at the combine, and you can see the potential. As a patient runner who knows how to wait on the running lanes, Langford has serious speed when he finds a seam. No changes at the top. I still think this can be the year when a running back goes in Round 1 for the first time since 2012.
Fullbacks
1. Jalston Fowler, Alabama
2. Tyler Varga, Yale
3. Zach Zenner, South Dakota St.
4. Mark Weisman, Iowa
5. Michael Burton, Rutgers
6. Lee Ward, Stanford
7. Cameron Stingily, No. Illinois
8. Connor Neighbors, LSU
9. Hunter Joyer, Florida
10. Zach Laskey, Georgia Tech
I know, I know, you all want to see more movement with the fullbacks. No changes among the top four, but there's a big jump for No. 5 here, as I didn't have Burton ranked in the previous top 10. He was a player I just didn't get enough time to analyze during the season, but I particularly like his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, aside from the blocking ability.
Wide receivers
1. *Amari Cooper, Alabama
2. Kevin White, West Virginia
3. DeVante Parker, Louisville
4. Phillip Dorsett, Miami (Fla.)
5. *Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
6. *Jaelen Strong, Arizona St.
7. Devin Smith, Ohio St.
8. *Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
9. *Devin Funchess, Michigan
10. *Sammie Coates, Auburn
The 40 times and broad jumps and verticals and official heights are in and ... well, I still have Cooper at No. 1 and no changes among the top four players here overall, because the combine did more to confirm the tape than it did to cause a full re-examination. The notable changes are a rise for Perriman, a switch of Funchess from tight end to the wide receiver group and the addition of Coates, who had been previously ranked here.
Tight ends
1. **Maxx Williams, Minnesota
2. Clive Walford, Miami (Fla.)
3. Jeff Heuerman, Ohio St.
4. *Tyler Kroft, Rutgers
5. Nick Boyle, Delaware
6. Ben Koyack, Notre Dame
7. Blake Bell, Oklahoma
8. *Jesse James, Penn St.
9. Nick O'Leary, Florida St.
10. E.J. Bibbs, Iowa St.
The NFL combine didn't do much to cause a shakeup with this group, as I still have the top two in place from my previous ranking. The move of Funchess to wide receiver has Heuerman -- who has a lot of potential if he can stay healthy -- in at No. 3. The biggest drop here is O'Leary, who falls to No. 9. It wouldn't surprise me if there are no tight ends taken in Round 1. Given what the position has become at the NFL level -- fewer classic tight ends who can actually block consistently -- teams see these guys differently, and minus major "athlete" credentials it can hurt their standing.
Offensive tackles
1. Brandon Scherff, Iowa
2. *Andrus Peat, Stanford
3. La'el Collins, LSU
4. *Ereck Flowers, Miami (Fla.)
5. *D.J. Humphries, Florida
6. T.J. Clemmings, Pitt
7. Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
8. *Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah
9. Jake Fisher, Oregon
10. Daryl Williams, Oklahoma
The biggest move from the previous ranking is the rise of Humphries, who is now clearly in the mix for the first round. Scherff is a player many see as a likelier long-term fit at guard, but I believe he can stick at tackle -- and right tackle seems like a good possibility, depending on who drafts him. Fisher had an outstanding week in Indy and moves into the top 10 for the first time.
Guards
1. A.J. Cann, South Carolina
2. Laken Tomlinson, Duke
3. Tre' Jackson, Florida St.
4. John Miller, Louisville
5. Ali Marpet, Hobart
6. Josue Matias, Florida St.
7. Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech
8. Trenton Brown, Florida
9. Robert Myers, Tennessee St.
10. Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M
Once again, no changes among the top four guard prospects from the previous ranking. I think Cann is the likeliest bet to land in Round 1. Marpet has been great during the postseason process, turning in an impressive combine performance following a breakthrough showing in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, where he proved he can hang after a college career in D-III.
Centers
1. Cameron Erving, Florida St.
2. Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
3. Reese Dismukes, Auburn
4. Andy Gallik, Boston College
5. BJ Finney, Kansas St.
6. Shane McDermott, Miami (Fla.)
7. Greg Mancz, Toledo
8. Jake Smith, Louisville
9. David Andrews, Georgia
10. Elliott Porter, LSU
This group is almost identical to the one I had ranked in the pre-combine rankings. The only new name is Porter, from LSU. Erving is now clearly the top center available, as he offers versatility having played both tackle and guard for the Noles. Grasu wasn't able to do all the athletic drills in Indy as he works to get back to 100 percent following a late-season knee injury, but he's a known commodity based on the tape.
Defense
Defensive ends
1. *Leonard Williams, USC
2. *Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
3. *Shane Ray, Missouri
4. *Randy Gregory, Nebraska
5. *Arik Armstead, Oregon
6. Preston Smith, Mississippi St.
7. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
8. *Mario Edwards, Florida St.
9. *Danielle Hunter, LSU
10. Trey Flowers, Arkansas
A repeat note: The "defensive end" classification makes for some odd groupings, and the difference in style between No. 1 and, say, No. 4 on this list underscores that. Gregory at No. 4 dips a bit after the combine under this classification, and I may yet move him to the outside linebacker group. Fowler gets a bump up after a stellar combine that not only underscores his versatility in a 260-plus pound frame but backs up the tape. I also think Smith has moved himself into the first-round conversation.
Defensive tackles
1. Danny Shelton, Washington
2. *Malcom Brown, Texas
3. *Eddie Goldman, Florida St.
4. **Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
5. Carl Davis, Iowa
6. **Darius Philon, Arkansas
7. Michael Bennett, Ohio St.
8. Gabe Wright, Auburn
9. *Xavier Cooper, Washington St.
10. Leterrius Walton, Central Michigan
Shelton has solidified his status as the top true defensive tackle on the board, and I don't think you have to take him with a specific system in mind. Phillips flips ahead of Davis. But in either case there is a lot of work to be done on the tape, because both players flash more than they consistently perform. Cooper is a notable addition after a great combine to back up a productive career at Washington State. He's now safely in the Day 2 mix.
Inside linebackers
1. *Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi St.
2. Stephone Anthony, Clemson
3. Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.)
4. Eric Kendricks, UCLA
5. Jake Ryan, Michigan
6. Hayes Pullard, USC
7. Ramik Wilson, Georgia
8. Bryce Hager, Baylor
9. Taiwan Jones, Michigan St.
10. Ben Heeney, Kansas
There's been a shift at the top, as McKinney moves back to No. 1, which is where I had him heading into the season. Anthony also moves up a spot, while Perryman drops two spots since the previous ranking. The new addition here is Jones, who put together a very good combine performance to back up a solid career in East Lansing.
Outside linebackers
1. Vic Beasley, Clemson
2. *Shaq Thompson, Washington
3. *Eli Harold, Virginia
4. Alvin "Bud" Dupree, Kentucky
5. Paul Dawson, TCU
6. Nate Orchard, Utah
7. *Kwon Alexander, LSU
8. Lynden Trail, Norfolk St.
9. Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington
10. Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville
I don't think there was a single player who improved his draft stock more at the NFL combine than Beasley, who didn't just shine based on outstanding speed and strength numbers but did so after checking in at 246 pounds. This was a player I had listed in the 220-pound range as a junior. He's gotten stronger but hasn't lost any of the quickness he shows on tape. Harold and Alexander are players who have made a notable jump.
Cornerbacks
1. *Trae Waynes, Michigan St.
2. *Marcus Peters, Washington
3. *Jalen Collins, LSU
4. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
5. Byron Jones, Connecticut
6. Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio)
7. Eric Rowe, Utah
8. *Charles Gaines, Louisville
9. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
10. Steven Nelson, Oregon St.
I can't say he will be the top cornerback taken -- system fit plays into where these guys come off the board -- but Waynes certainly solidified a first-round projection by running really fast in Indy. And if there's any position where the 40 times really matter, it's at cornerback -- where you don't have to be the fastest guy, but you can't run below 4.6 and keep your place up high in the rankings. Jones is the biggest riser out of the combine after a stellar performance that helps back up the tape.
Safeties
1. *Landon Collins, Alabama
2. Damarious Randall, Arizona St.
3. Derron Smith, Fresno St.
4. *James Sample, Louisville
5. Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
6. Anthony Harris, Virginia
7. *Durell Eskridge, Syracuse
8. Jordan Richards, Stanford
9. Dean Marlowe, James Madison
10. Cedric Thompson, Minnesota
This ranking has been a case of Collins and everybody else for a while, and the combine did nothing to change that. I think Collins is the one surefire first-rounder, with Randall now in the conversation. Sample has moved up, as has Tartt, a physical player who will get a lot more love as a possible Day 2 pick now.
Special teams
Place-kickers & punters
1. Kyle Loomis, P, Portland St.
2. Tom Obarski, PK, Concordia, (MN)
3. Wil Baumann, P, NC St.
4. Spencer Roth, P, Baylor
5. Justin Manton, PK & P, Louisiana-Monroe
6. Trevor Pardula, P, Kansas
7. Darragh O'Neill, P, Colorado
8. Kyle Christy, P, Florida
9. Will Johnson, P, Texas St.
10. Mike Sadler, P, Michigan St.
No changes here in an underwhelming class, though I typically spend a lot more time on this group in the days leading up the draft, so it's not set in stone.
