Top NFL Prospect from Every College Football Conference
Well, it’s about that time. One meaningful game remains in the 2014 college football season: Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship pitting the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks.
Once the final seconds tick away, confetti drops on the floor of AT&T Stadium and the winners raise the trophy, fans' focus will shift to recruiting and the NFL draft.
The Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Game and a host of smaller all-star games—followed by the NFL scouting combine—will shape NFL teams' opinions of college prospects headed toward the draft in early May.
Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller is hard at work, with his latest Big Board here.
ESPN and the NFL Network will feed you all the shots of dueling draft experts you can handle as prospects across America battle to maximize their draft potential and future earning power. Yes, NFL draft season is here, as the flurry of high-profile underclassmen declaring for the draft has shown.
This is by no means a full-fledged preview, but let’s take a look at the top NFL draft prospect from each college football conference.
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com and team websites.
American Athletic Conference: East Carolina WR Justin Hardy
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East Carolina had a somewhat disappointing season in the American Athletic Conference. Following a 6-1 start that included wins over North Carolina and Virginia Tech, the Pirates lost four of their final six—including to Florida in the Birmingham Bowl—and finished 8-5.
But that doesn’t mean the Pirates were bereft of talent, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
The Pirates averaged 371.9 passing yards per game, No. 3 nationally, and scored 35.8 points per game, ranking 23rd. Quarterback Shane Carden and wide receiver Justin Hardy were two of the key players behind that success.
Hardy flew under the radar but had a spectacular campaign, catching 121 passes for 1,494 yards and 10 touchdowns. That built on an excellent junior season: 114 receptions, 1,284 yards and eight scores.
He had eight 100-yard games and saved one of his best efforts for Florida’s secondary and standout corner Vernon Hargreaves III, catching 11 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown.
He stands 6’0”, 188 pounds and has well-rounded abilities with good route running, speed and versatility to thrive in the NFL. He is the AAC’s top NFL draft prospect.
Atlantic Coast Conference: Florida State QB Jameis Winston
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You might not like him. By May, if you watch enough NFL draft coverage, you’ll probably get tired of hearing his name, much as draft-fatigued watchers felt about Johnny Manziel last May.
But there’s no denying Jameis Winston’s talent.
When Florida State’s sophomore quarterback declared for the NFL draft this week, he immediately became a likely top-five selection and the ACC’s best draft bet.
Winston stands 6’4”, 230 pounds, has a big arm, big confidence and surprising mobility for a player his size. He is rated as Matt Miller's No. 4 overall prospect.
This fall, Winston took a step back from his 2013 Heisman Trophy campaign, throwing for 3,907 yards with 25 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. A year ago, he threw for 4,057 yards with 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, leading Florida State to the final BCS National Championship.
He finished his collegiate career 27-1 as a starter, with the only loss coming to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
Winston carries baggage and controversy with him, most notably a 2012 sexual-assault incident that he didn't get charged for. He was also cleared in a recent FSU code of conduct hearing.
But his character will be as scrutinized as his ability to pass in tight coverage. Yahoo's Dan Wetzel says Winston will need more than talent to succeed in the NFL.
He has question marks, but there’s no doubting Winston’s ability on the field.
Big Ten: Nebraska DE Randy Gregory
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With Ohio State's and Michigan State’s success, the Big Ten went from punchline to power this fall. But the deep league’s best draft prospect plays on a team that, once again, fell short of expectations and fired its coach.
Nebraska finished with nine wins this season, a huge reason why fiery coach Bo Pelini was canned and replaced by Oregon State coach Mike Riley. But that wasn’t Randy Gregory’s fault. The junior defensive end, who declared for the draft last week, is a physical freak who would star on any defense.
He stands 6’6”, 240 pounds and is one of college football’s top rush ends. He missed a game with injury but lived in opposing backfields this fall and terrorized opposing left tackles, making 54 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, an interception and 16 quarterback hits.
Gregory is an excellent, active pass-rusher who can make plays all over the field, equally capable of wrapping up a quarterback for a sack or tracking down a running back to make a tackle for loss.
He’ll be a surefire top-10 selection—rated as Matt Miller's No. 5 overall prospect—and will make an immediate impact on an NFL team’s defensive line.
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Big 12: West Virginia WR Kevin White
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Better late than never, right?
Kevin White began his college career at Lackawanna College, a community college in Pennsylvania, but following a transfer to West Virginia, he had a breakout senior year.
White had just 507 yards as a junior but thrived in the Mountaineers’ wide-open Air Raid offense, piling up 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns on 109 catches.
The 6’3”, 210-pounder is one of the nation’s best receivers, and he showed power against all kinds of coverage, catching balls both short and long and displaying excellent leaping ability.
He should be one of the first wideouts selected following Alabama’s Amari Cooper, and he has the size and poise to contribute immediately in an NFL passing game. Matt Miller rates him as the No. 12 overall prospect.
Conference USA: Rice DT Christian Covington
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Conference USA has been one of the losers in the realignment shuffle, losing its best teams to the American Athletic Conference and filling the gaps with former Sun Belt programs.
As a result, the talent level has dipped, but one standout is Rice junior defensive tackle Christian Covington.
Covington had a down junior season and missed the final five games of 2014 with a knee injury, but he still declared for the NFL draft.
This year, he had 20 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He stands 6’3”, 295 pounds and was a standout as a sophomore, leading Rice with 11.5 tackles for loss.
He has good feet and hips, and he is fully capable of making an impact in opponents' backfields. He has a solid base and could be a second-day draft pick if he proves the injury is behind him.
Mid-American Conference: Central Michigan WR Titus Davis
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Players who begin their careers in the Mid-American Conference sometimes have a hard time gaining respect from NFL scouts, but there’s no denying that plenty have made huge impacts on the professional level.
Central Michigan alumnus Antonio Brown came into the NFL with little hype but has developed into one of the league’s top overall receivers with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His alma mater has another player ready to make his mark on the league.
No one is saying Titus Davis is the next Brown, but he was remarkably productive in his four seasons with the Chippewas.
The 6’2”, 190-pounder thought about heading to the NFL following a 1,109-yard junior season, but he returned for his senior year. He missed three games but still finished with 60 catches for 985 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns.
He ended his collegiate career with a flourish in the Bahamas Bowl, catching six passes for 137 yards and four touchdowns. He also tallied 204 receptions for 3,700 yards and 37 touchdowns.
Davis isn’t the fastest receiver, but he knows what to do with the ball when he gets his hands on it. He’ll be an intriguing value selection for a team needing a prolific pass-catcher.
Mountain West Conference: Colorado State LT Ty Sambrailo
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There’s a good reason Florida plucked Jim McElwain as its next head coach following a short stint at Colorado State.
The Rams quickly became a good team under McElwain’s watch, with an excellent offense that averaged 33.9 points per game, No. 32 nationally. Their passing offense was outstanding, averaging 321.6 yards per game, which ranked eighth overall.
Quarterback Garrett Grayson threw for 4,006 yards and garnered plenty of attention, but the offensive line protected him and tailback Dee Hart, who rushed for 1,275 yards.
The cornerstone of that line? Senior left tackle Ty Sambrailo.
Sambrailo stands 6’5”, 315 pounds and is garnering first-round attention. This year, he recorded more than 65 knockdown blocks and graded out above 90 percent in every game, per Colorado State.
He is rated as Matt Miller's No. 42 overall prospect.
Sambrailo has excellent footwork and size, and he is an aggressive player who can move well. He might not be an immediate NFL starter, but he has the frame and skills to thrive as a starting tackle.
Pac-12: Oregon QB Marcus Mariota
8 of 10Marcus Mariota has yet to make a public decision about the NFL draft, but for good reason: He has one game left to play.
If and when he declares, Mariota joins Jameis Winston on the (very) short list to be selected No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mariota was the clear choice for the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,121 yards with 40 touchdowns against three interceptions and adding 731 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
He makes the Ducks offense go and has excellent ability to throw both in the pocket and on the run. The quiet Mariota does his talking on the field with a dangerous dual-threat style, breaking down defenses by moving out of the pocket and finding targets all over the field while also fueling the Ducks’ potent ground game.
He told the Los Angeles Times he has the fire to succeed as a professional.
"I think you wouldn't be playing this game if you didn't have the competitiveness," he said. "I'm a competitive person when it comes to anything, if it's video games, cards, you know, I hate losing. Doesn't matter what it is."
Mariota has the ability and character to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, and he’ll almost certainly get the chance to begin that quest in 2015.
Southeastern Conference: Alabama WR Amari Cooper
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Following a 1,000-yard freshman season, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper had a down year in 2013, catching 45 passes for 736 yards and four touchdowns.
But boy, did he ever bounce back this fall.
Cooper thrived in new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin’s attack. He had a huge season, going for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns on 124 receptions. He is expected to declare for the NFL draft, per ESPN's Chris Low.
He won the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top receiver, and was all but impossible for opposing secondaries to slow down. He finished with seven 100-yard receiving games and a trio of 200-yard receiving games this season, and he scored multiple touchdowns in five games. He also had five games with at least 10 receptions.
At 6’1”, 210 pounds, Cooper has an NFL-ready body. He’s capable of catching anything thrown at him and is an excellent deep threat.
He is the top wide receiver prospect in the draft and has the potential to be an immediate No.1 receiver in the NFL. He is rated as Matt Miller's No. 3 overall prospect.
Sun Belt Conference: South Alabama TE Wes Saxton
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Despite a Camellia Bowl loss to Bowling Green, South Alabama enjoyed a breakout season, winning six games and making its first bowl game.
The Jaguars have never had an NFL draft pick, but that could change this spring. Senior tight end Wes Saxton has caught the attention of NFL scouts.
Saxton stands 6’4”, 235 pounds and has excellent athleticism. He can be a mismatch for foes downfield in pass coverage with speed and athletic ability.
He had a down senior season—making just 20 receptions for 155 yards—but was coming off a 50-catch, 635-yard junior season.
Saxton is by no means a first-round pick, but he could be an excellent value pick for a team late in the draft.
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