Now that the combine is over, most of the information needed to evaluate prospects has been completed. With that said, it is time to rank the top 50 prospects on a combination of tape and athletic ability. These are the author’s personal rankings and not a complete site reflection. Also, you may notice that off-field issues are not factored in. I am not a doctor and have not personally met any of these prospects, so to judge them in that regard seems out of line. With that in mind, here are the top 50 prospects.
NFL Draft: Post-Combine Top 50 Prospects
1. Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
Tested off of the charts to solidify himself as the top player in the class. Garrett can play in any scheme, and provide a pass rush, and a force on the line of scrimmage.
2. Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Adams is so great thanks to being a technically strong player. He plays with great speed and desire, but staying lane discipline, and taking great tackling angles only helps his case.
3. Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
Allen comes with questions of where he will play and if his shoulders can hold up long enough. However, he is a violent, scheme diverse player who wins with his hands and causes havoc from any position on the line.
4. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Lattimore is surprisingly high given that he is a one-year starter. However, he is so fluid in movement and is one of the best run defending cornerbacks in the entire class.
5. Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster can find the ball and get to the ball. He dropped weight this year to add speed, and it showed as he is a sideline to sideline dynamic threat.
6. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Howard has 10 pounds on Leonard Fournette and ran the same 40. He also comes in as one of the more refined blockers in recent history. He should be the rare tight end with the ability to start in year one.
7. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Thomas proved doubters wrong by blowing up at the combine. He is a bigger player for the edge, but showed he has the quicks and the bend to get by. Think a Michael Bennett force who can play inside and out in the 4-3.
8. Tim Williams, LB, Alabama
Williams comes in with some off of the field issues. However, on the field, he is dynamic and relentless in his mission to get after the quarterback. He also showed as a much-improved run defender in 2016.
9. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook has the lateral agility, quick cuts and surprising power for his size. He can catch, block and run in any scheme you want him to run in.
10. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
Mixon obviously will fall very far with his off of the field issues. However, on tape, he is a top ten player and a dynamic athlete running downhill, laterally, and receiving the ball.
11. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Davis a technician and wins with great footwork for a well-sized body. He is a strong possession player with the potential to take the top off if given the chance.
12. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Hooker is a great center field talent. He can roam sideline to sideline and protect the deep third. If he can show more precision in tackling angles, he could be a scheme diverse player, but for now, he is best in a Cover-3.
13. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Williams does a great job when it comes to winning at the catch point. He has the size, catch radius and my ball mentality to be a force as an outside wide receiver.
14. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Kizer comes in as quarterback one. He has the highest upside, can make throws on the run and handles the pressure the best. However, he does have some mechanical issues and may have the lowest floor of the big name gunslingers as well.
15. Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
McDowell jumps out at you on tape. He has the size to be a defensive tackle with speed to attack the quarterback from the edge. He does bring some other off of the field issues, but his upside is as high as any in the class.
16. David Njoku, TE, Miami
Njoku comes in with some of the highest upside of the group as well. He is a dynamic athlete, and while he is a raw route runner and blocker when the ball is in his hands, he is destined to make a big play.
17. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Jones comes in as another very technically sound cornerback. He plays with a swagger, and while he is a bit light and needs to get to an NFL weight room, his size, length, and hips could make a case for him to be ranked even higher.
18. Budda Baker, S, Washington
Baker played a role similar Tyrann Mathieu in college. He was a safety who patrolled the slot and blitzed off of the edge. He is quick enough to infuriate the quarterback, smart enough to find the ball against the run, and quick enough to play deep centerfield.
19. Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
Harris has a burst and ability to get off of the ball quick. He also is fluid in his movements to play off of the ball and in coverage. Harris comes from a line of great Missouri pass rushers.
20. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Fournette is best suited in the I-formation, with a fullback running down hill. He can do a lot of different things from that set but may be more scheme dependent than some realize due to a lack of lateral agility.
21. Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
Reddick the exact opposite Fournette in that he can thrive in any scheme. A former wide receiver and safety turned defensive end will likely be best as a linebacker. He showed his lateral quickness spying quarterbacks and guarding tight ends in college. Adding in a dynamic combine to prove his off-ball athleticism cemented his role as a top 25 player.
22. Ryan Ramczyk, T, Wisconsin
When the best offensive lineman is a one-year starter and JuCo transfer, you know it isn’t a strong offensive line year. Still, size, technique and athleticism point to Ramczyk being the top lineman in the class.
23. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
Charlton is not very scheme diverse and will have to fit best in a 4-3. Still, has great length and tackling ability to eat up the run, and has enough pass rushing moves to be a menace off of the edge in the NFL.
24. Carl Lawson, OLB, Auburn
Lawson has some medical red flags that will need to be checked off to be a first round prospect. Still, in terms of technique and power, he is the elite in the class.
25. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
Peppers profiles best as a safety in the NFL. He is still raw in his deep coverage ability, but in the box and stopping the run, there will not be a more dynamic athlete in the draft.
26. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
Barnett has a great bend and is able to turn speed into power. However, he is not a well-rounded athlete, and his lack of counter moves hinges his upside.
27. Tak McKinley, OLB, UCLA
McKinley is a great athlete who offers strong ability to stop the run and get after the quarterback in a hurry. Still, he runs too upright and lacks great bend to be considered an elite prospect at this time.
28. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
McCaffrey is on a quest to prove that he is more than just a change of pace player. What he lacks in size and strength, and makes up for in quickness, patience, and agility. Bet on the talent of this kid.
29. Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
Mahomes has the second highest amount of upside in the class. Think a Johnny Manziel style with a Matthew Stafford body type and off-field history. This obviously comes with some major question marks, but in a down quarterback class, he could easily emerge as the best.
30. Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
Trubisky tends to be the leader in the clubhouse among quarterback options. Still, with one year of starter experience, and an uneasiness to read defenses, it is tough to gauge how high his ceiling can be.
31. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Humphrey has size, speed and arm length to be a strong press cornerback. He also has the desire and is a ferocious tackler of wide receivers and running backs. He is not the most technically sound safety and will need to play the ball more than the man, but his physical nature makes him a better bet than recent Alabama cornerbacks.
32. DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Watson comes in with all of the intangibles. Still, he ran a well-oiled machine at Clemson, and may not land in a spot with dynamic skill players and offensive line help. Still, he has a quick release, and if he can prove more accurate and aware when under pressure, it will look foolish to make this low.
33. Forest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky
Lamp may be the most complete offensive line prospect in the class. Still, his size and arm length push a former tackle into a guard role. It diminishes his draft value but will increase his NFL ceiling.
34. Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
Tankersley is a great option for a press cornerback. He has length and has quick fit to follow quick or slow wide receivers. He has some balance issues but has a high floor of being a number two outside threat.
35. John Ross, WR, Washington
Ross won the combine with his 4.22 40 yard dash time. He has the ability to take the top off, but may be a better player with the ball in his hands. Drops and contested catches are a bit of an issue, but he likely solidified first round status at the combine.
36. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
Conley is the more experienced of the two Ohio State cornerbacks. He also brings great size and speed, but is not as active in the run game, and struggles more with physical receivers.
37. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Wilson has the size and the ball skills to be a shutdown cornerback. The question with him is whether he has the feet and the deep speed to be a number one threat. Some have questioned if he would be better at safety, and it is not the craziest thought.
38. Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Davis a downhill runner, and team leader. At times he over pursues his mark and can get burnt on counters, and play action. Still, his ability to blow plays up come just as frequently, if not more frequently.
39. Cam Robinson, T, Alabama
Robinson is a project. He has all of the traits and athleticism to be a starter. However, his technique, especially against the run can be an issue. It has been questioned whether he should move to guard, but right tackle may be his best bet.
40. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
Brantley has a compact frame and is able to explode off of the ball. He is not very scheme diverse and will be best as a 4-3 defensive tackle, but he is one of the safer options in that role.
41. Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State
Rivers put up great stats at a small school in Youngstown State. Still, he backed up his abilities with a great combine and proved that he has the athletic ability to match up with any player in his position group.
42. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
The best way to describe Tabor is a springy and agile cornerback. He has some off-field issues and is not the most helpful against the run, however, he has quick feet and does a great job mirroring routes.
43. Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
If you are looking for a tight end, Engram gives little to nothing as a blocking threat. However, as a big move slot wide receiver, Engram has everything you need and can make a big impact statistically in year one.
44. Garett Bolles, T, Utah
Bolles may be one of the more athletic tackle options. However, he will be 25 as a rookie and may have reached his peak athletic ability.
45. Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Cunningham is a great athlete with a great knack for getting to the ball. However, the angles he takes and his form when tackling leave some to be desired, and some coaching up needs to be done.
46. Dorian Johnson, G, Pitt
Johnson is a stud athlete, and a former tackle turned guard. It gives him great size for his position and ability to make plays in space. He may have the most upside of any lineman in the class.
47. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Lewis handled outside duties and was a great return asset for the maize and blue. In the NFL, he has the quickness to be a premier slot cornerback, which is likely the best bet for his size and physical profile.
48. Obi Melifonwu, S, UCONN
Melifonwu has outrageous size and may be the most athletic safety in the draft. He is not going to the best over the top helper, but running downhill, and in the box, only Adams is a better safety prospect.
49. Marcus Williams, S, Utah
Williams has great size and length for the position. He has good ball skills and can close on passes well making him a centerfield option. Williams tackles too high, but has the effort to where his technique can be worked on.
50. Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
White can succeed in man or zone. He may not have the foot quickness, or size to be a number one cornerback in the NFL, but as a number two, he can find the ball, and make plays.
Just missed the cut: Pat Elflein, Jamaal Williams, Dan Feeney, Raekwon McMillan, Jaleel Johnson, D’Onta Foreman
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