Mayock lives for the draft and he's put together ratings for each position, including a few surprises.
The 2015 NFL Draft does not get underway until April 30 in Chicago. Yet, the buzz surrounding it is already beginning to pick up with the NFL Combine starting on Feb. 17 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock is renowned for his expertise in the draft world and released his first ranking of the top five players at each position on Wednesday.
Mayock, who broadcasts all the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football games during the season, covers all of the draft events including the Senior Bowl, combine and a bevy of pro days. He will also be part of NFL Network's draft night coverage. Mayock will update his rankings periodically throughout the process as players rise and fall, especially after the large events. The former defensive back releases only one mock, showcased the night before the real draft.
Below are Mayock's first set of rankings for each position, via NFL.com:
Quarterback
1. Jameis Winston, Florida State
2. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
3. Bryce Petty, Baylor
4. Brett Hundley, UCLA
5. Garrett Grayson, Colorado State
Winston and Mariota are easily the two best at their position this year. Mariota is the safer pick to some, while Winston is the more talented. Petty and Hundley both have flaws but are seen as potential second or third round selections. Grayson is a bit of a wild card, somewhat surprisingly ranked ahead of Sean Mannion.
Running back
1. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
2. Todd Gurley, Georgia
3. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
4. Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.)
5. Tevin Coleman, Indiana
Running back has not been this loaded in a long time. After not seeing a back taken in the first round for two years, Gordon is likely to break that streak after rushing for over 2,000 yards this year. Gurley would have been a slam-dunk first rounder if not for tearing his ACL. Abdullah, Johnson and Coleman are all expected to be off the board within the first 75 picks.
Wide receiver
1. Kevin White, West Virginia
2. Amari Cooper, Alabama
3. DeVante Parker, Louisville
4. Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
5. Devin Funchess, Michigan
White is rising up many boards, and Mayock is no exception. Mayock has White ahead of Cooper, which is a bit of a shocker. Green-Beckham has ample talent but is trying to rehab his image after failing multiple drug tests, being dismissed from Missouri and sitting out all of last year following a transfer to Oklahoma. Funchess is talented but might be a candidate to transition to tight end.
Tight end
1. Maxx Williams, Minnesota
2. Clive Walford, Miami (Fla.)
3. Nick O'Leary, Florida State
4. Tyler Kroft, Rutgers
5. Ben Koyack, Notre Dame
This is not the best year for tight ends. Williams is projected as a Day One pick but after that, the stocks drop off. O'Leary has some of the best hands in the draft but is not overly-athletic, perhaps dropping him into the late-second or early-third round. Kroft is an intriguing player with deceptive ability.
Interior offensive linemen
1. Brandon Scherff, Iowa
2. Cameron Erving, Florida State
3. Laken Tomlinson, Duke
4. A.J. Cann, South Carolina
5. Tre' Jackson, Florida State
This was interesting to see Scherff listed as an interior offensive lineman. Most mock drafts have the Iowa standout listed as a tackle, with some seeing him as the blindside protector. Mayock clearly sees a guard. The rest of this list will likely be waiting until the second day to be called.
Offensive tackle
1. T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh
2. Andrus Peat, Stanford
3. La'el Collins, LSU
4. Ereck Flowers, Miami (Fla.)
5t. Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
5t. D.J. Humphries, Florida
This is a group to watch. Clemmings has only been a tackle for two years but is making major strides, working his way into a first-round projection. Peat, Collins and Flowers have also been ranked as Day One talents, with Ogbuehi likely to join them. Showing well at the combine could be big for their stocks.
Interior defensive linemen
1. Leonard Williams, USC
2. Danny Shelton, Washington
3. Malcom Brown, Texas
4. Arik Armstead, Oregon
5t. Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
5t. Eddie Goldman, Florida State
Williams should absolutely be the first defensive player off the board according to most draft analysts. Shelton is another man who is seeing his stock rise after a great Senior Bowl week. The Washington star is being compared to Dontari Poe, a two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs. Armstead has a great body and will impress scouts with his athleticism, but questions could remain about his ability to perform consistently.
Edge rusher
1. Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
2. Randy Gregory, Nebraska
3. Shane Ray, Missouri
4. Vic Beasley, Clemson
5. Bud Dupree, Kentucky
For teams in need of a good pass-rusher, this is an excellent draft. The top four names might all be gone in the first dozen picks. Gregory is an explosive athlete off the edge while Fowler, Ray and Beasley have elite combinations of strength and speed. Dupree could also work himself into the first round.
Linebacker
1. Paul Dawson, TCU
2. Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
3. Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.)
4. Eric Kendricks, UCLA
5. Stephone Anthony, Clemson
This is one of the most hotly-contested positions in the draft. Mayock sees Dawson as the best linebacker coming out, followed by McKinney, who is Mel Kiper's top choice on the inside. Mayock then sees Perryman checking in above Kendricks. Perryman is more of a thumper while Kendricks has top speed, able to range more freely. Anthony projects to be a mid-round selection.
Cornerback
1. Trae Waynes, Michigan State
2. Marcus Peters, Washington
3. Jalen Collins, LSU
4. P.J. Williams, Florida State
5. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
Not a great draft for corners. Waynes is a no-doubt first rounder, but after that things are unsettled. Peters is a borderline Day One pick, with Collins, Williams and Johnson all likely to fall into Day Two. Teams in search of the next Darrelle Revis might be waiting a bit.
Safety
1. Landon Collins, Alabama
2. Shaq Thompson, Washington
3. Derron Smith, Fresno State
4. Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
5. Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern
Collins is the consensus best safety in the draft. He will be joined by Thompson in the first round, a player who was moved all over the map during his college days with the Huskies. Smith, Tartt and Campbell are not elite prospects but could see improvement in their stocks with a good showing in Indianapolis.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1J1ixVN
No comments:
Post a Comment