1. Myles Garrett, Edge, Texas A&M
Garrett has occupied the top spot on this board since the October update and nothing in his play suggests that it’s likely to change anytime soon. A phenomenal pass-rusher, Garrett has averaged a pressure once every 6.1 pass rushing attempts this season, and has totaled 66 combined sacks and hits over the past three seasons. For any team looking for a defensive playmaker who can knock opposing quarterbacks to the ground, Garrett is going to be at the top of the wish list.
2. Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama
As good as Garrett is on the edge, Allen is on the interior. A completely disruptive force on the inside, he has racked up eight sacks, 11 hits and 34 hurries on 332 pass rushing snaps, good for a pass rushing productivity rating of 12.6, ranking third among 3-4 defensive ends in college this year. He’s not limited to just being a pass-rusher though, and has added 28 tackles resulting in a defensive stop against the run, with his run stop percentage of 12.8 percent ranking second at the position.
3. Derek Barnett, Edge, Tennesssee
It’s an SEC 1-2-3 at the top of this draft class, with Barnett pushing Myles Garrett close for the nation’s top edge defender in each of the past two seasons. His 62 total pressures, including 12 sacks and 18 hits, from the defensive end position give him a pass rushing productivity rating of 14.9, good for the sixth-best mark at the position in college this year, while he has been a solid run defender in each of the past three seasons too.
4. Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
Press-man corners with shutdown potential are highly coveted in the modern NFL. Tankersley possesses all the traits to make him a defensive cornerstone at the next level. Although he has not made as many big plays this season, his reliability has overshadowed a lack of turnovers. In total, Tankersley has allowed only 23 catches for 236 yards, one touchdown, one interception and six pass deflections. With the desired production, size and athleticism, Tankersley ticks every box.
5. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Our love for Corey Davis is extensive and has long been documented, and that will not change even if he does not test out in February with elite speed numbers. He is the rare complete package at the position, as his size, route-running ability and competitiveness with the ball in the air makes him a dangerous target to all parts of the field, and his blocking ability far exceeds that of most of his power five conference counterparts. For his career he has caught 251 balls, has 44 touchdowns and has forced 41 missed tackles after the catch.
6. Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
The fourth SEC defender on our draft board, Tabor is currently the top defensive back on our draft board. His coverage numbers this season are pretty ridiculous, allowing just 15 receptions on 302 coverage snaps so far this year, with an NFL passer rating allowed of just 39.3. Over the past three seasons he has shown his ability to make plays on the ball, with 32 combined interceptions and pass breakups since 2014.
7. Dalvin Cook, HB, Florida State
Cook’s late-season performances further separated him from the chasing pack in this running back class. He still tops the nation in elusive rating, with 86 combined broken tackles this year, putting his slow start to the season well into rear view mirror. Cook certainly spent plenty of this weekend looking behind him, running clear of Florida defenders. In total, he broke nine tackles and generated 95 yards after contact in the Seminoles’ rivalry game. With unmatched vision and acceleration, Cook could easily end up a top-ten pick this April.
8. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Injuries may have prevented Fournette from being the dominant player he was in 2015 this year, but he is still one of the best running back prospects of the past few years, especially when you consider his ability as a pure runner. He has forced 136 missed tackles on running plays over the past three seasons, working out at an average of a missed tackle forced every 4.5 carries, and remains a terrifying prospect for opposing linebackers and defensive backs when he gets to the second level.
9. Desmond King, CB, Iowa
Listed at 5-feet-11 and 200 pounds, King is going to check off all the measurables boxes come February’s combine. More importantly though, he has a three-year body of work that is unmatched in consistency and excellence at his position. QBs have a rating of below 60 all three years, and he has combined to allow just 79 catches on 172 targets while picking off 13 and breaking up another 24 throws during his prolific career at Iowa.
10. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Another physical freak out of a school renowned for producing them, Williams hopes to emulate, or even surpass, the exploits of former Tigers Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins. He’ll be well worth a top-ten pick if he reaches that peak of performance. Williams is a terror at the catch point, where he uses his body effectively to shield the ball from defensive backs, but is also capable of catching a slant, breaking a few tackles, and taking it to the house. Everything appears set for Williams to become a feature receiver in the NFL.
11. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Unlike his Big Ten counterpart King, Lewis is likely to be knocked down some draft boards because of his lack of ideal size (he is listed at 5-feet-10, 175 lbs). However, he has been every bit as dominant over the past three years, highlighted by the fact that this year on 35 throws into his coverage he has as many total balls defended, 10, as he does receptions allowed. QBs have a rating of 16.0 when testing Lewis this season, and for the past three years at Michigan that figure sits at 39.6.
12. Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
The big question Lawson had to answer this season was whether or not he could stay healthy for a full season, and deliver on all the potential he had shown in half a season last year. With nine sacks, 12 hits and 37 hurries, he certainly answered that question to push him higher up draft boards. He still needs some refinement against the run, but averaging a pressure once every 5.9 pass rushing attempts, he will be able to make an impact as a pass rusher from day one in the NFL.
13. Malik McDowell, DI, Michigan State
While injuries and poor play around him prevented him from having the breakout year we had anticipated, the fact remains that McDowell has the NFL body and athleticism to develop into a dominant interior player, regardless of scheme. NFL scouts are sure to value his early-season film over his inconsistent late season efforts, as he was a force to be reckoned with when healthy this past September. Through the first four games of Michigan State’s season he amassed 18 total pressures and 11 run stops.
14. Tim Williams, Edge, Alabama
With four SEC edge defenders inside our top 14 spots on the draft board, it’s safe to say that the conference has produced a serious amount of NFL talent at the position over the past few years, but Williams just might be the most intriguing from an on-field perspective. He has played just 567 snaps over the past three seasons, and while he has graded well against the run, he only played 141 snaps in that role. Instead he has been a pass rush specialist, racking up 19 sacks, 17 hits and 75 hurries on 400 pass rushing snaps since the beginning of the 2014 season. That’s an average of a pressure once every 3.6 pass rushing attempts.
15. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Inconsistency has plagued Watson’s 2016 season, but the big-time throws will ensure at least one NFL franchise becomes infatuated with his skillset. Few quarterbacks display the kind of touch and accuracy Watson achieves down the field and in the redzone. His outing against South Carolina is exemplary in that regard, in particular his touchdown toss to Mike Williams. Watson played his best football down the stretch in 2016, and has an opportunity to repeat that feat this year.
16. Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster was already an NFL prospect heading into the 2016, but the level he has reached this year has helped elevate him into becoming the top linebacker in this draft class. He has shown incredible range against both the run and pass, recording 46 tackles resulting in a defensive stop this year. Foster isn’t far away at this point of having a legitimate shot of hearing his name called in the top 10 of the draft.
17. Jamal Adams, S, LSU
This feels like the best safety class in several years, and it’s headline by LSU’s Adams. Showing his ability to cover the best tight ends in the nation, he played a key role in slowing down another NFL prospect in Ole Miss’ Evan Engram earlier this year. He has also excelled in his work closer to the line of scrimmage, be it diagnosing screens and bringing players down in the backfield, or his work against the run, where he has recorded 18 tackles resulting in a defensive stop this year.
18. Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
Harris currently ranks 12th in the country with an 88.2 pass rush grade, thanks to his incredible spin move combined with quick but strong hands. His production as a pass-rusher has been among the best these past two seasons. Last time we wrote that we’d like to see him dominate down the stretch to cement his case as a first-round talent. Well he’s done just that, racking up four sacks and 18 total pressures in three games, and grading out as the fourth-best edge rusher over the past three weeks.
19. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Jones is one of the more talented cornerbacks in the country and opposing quarterbacks often shied away from throwing into his coverage. On the year Jones has only allowed 22 catches for 280 yards and 0 touchdowns. Jones has the size, speed and coverage ability the NFL desires out of its cornerbacks and he should hear his name called early in the draft. This season opposing quarterbacks only have a 41.0 QB rating when throwing into Jones’s coverage.
Bruce FeldmanVerified account@BruceFeldmanCFB
