2017 NFL Draft: Draft Radar Heading into NFL Week 7
In another thrilling week of college and pro football, plenty of names continue to jump out in the NFL draft landscape. The cornerback class for 2017 is impressive as ever, while the quarterbacks continue to hit plenty of speed bumps. As always, there are plenty of playmakers beginning to hit their stride such as Oklahoma big vertical threat Dede Westbrook and USC touchdown machine JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The race to go first overall has no clear-cut winner, but as the weeks go by it's becoming a bit more obvious who will hold the top selection. Meanwhile, one NFC team might have to think about the future of its quarterback position as an all-time great plays into his upper 30s.
To top it all off? Let's pair five prospects with five teams that could make great NFL landing spots for each of them.
Stock Up
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Florida’s Corner Duo of Quincy Wilson and Jalen Tabor
These two Gators defined "shutdown corner" on Saturday, with Wilson only allowing one catch for 15 yards on six total targets, one of which he intercepted and took back for a touchdown.
Tabor decided to one-up his teammate, intercepting the only target that came his way and also running it back for a touchdown. Both players have Round 1 talent and look like the best cornerback duo in the country.
Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
There has been no letdown in Allen all season, who should be the highest-graded senior prospect in the country this season. He tallied a sack, another hit and seven hurries for a total of nine pressures against Tennessee on Saturday.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
The junior USC wideout is catching fire after a slow start to his 2016 season, posting his fourth 100-plus receiving yards game in a row on Saturday. He hauled in nine of his 13 targets, three of which went for touchdowns. In that four-game stretch, Smith-Schuster has not dropped a pass on 38 targets.
Stock Down
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DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Kizer was benched against Stanford this weekend in a very bad outing for the junior quarterback. While he has all the talent in the world, his decision-making is still a big hurdle, especially when under pressure.
He threw two interceptions before being benched and was hovering around a 50 percent completion rate. The biggest problem for Kizer right now is holding on to the ball too long, as he took three more sacks this weekend, totaling 16 on the season.
Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami
Kaaya is the first player this season to make the stock down category in back-to-back weeks. He came into the 2016 season with a ton to gain, but his lack of a top skill set was on full display against North Carolina this weekend.
In a game where he threw no touchdowns and also no interceptions (while completing exactly half of his passes), Kaaya could not push the ball down the field to get his team points. He was 0-of-5 on passes between 10 and 19 yards and 1-of-2 on passes over 20 yards, with one 30-yard completion. Scouts will love Kaaya’s leadership qualities and IQ, but at some point you have to display upper-tier traits to show promise of developing into a franchise passer. Kaaya continues to look like a late Day 2 prospect.
Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss
There comes a point when you conclude that a prospect’s struggles might not be bumps in the road, but rather representative of the player. Enter Chad Kelly’s frustrating, weekly turnovers.
Not only did Kelly throw his sixth interception of the season against Arkansas in a loss for Ole Miss, but he only completed 46.2 percent of his passes. Kelly is not a top-tier quarterback prospect, and it’s time people stop thinking he ever will be one.
Eye-Popping Prospect Numbers of the Week
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Oregon State Senior cornerback Treston Decoud followed up an impressive performance of only surrendering five catches on 14 targets for 28 yards by not allowing a catch against Utah (they only threw two passes his way). The 6'3" defensive back has quietly been one of the better senior defenders in the country this season.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Stanford, but defensive lineman Solomon Thomas continues to be a model of consistency. He had a sack, another quarterback hit and two hurries for a total of four pressures against a good Notre Dame offensive line. He now has 28 quarterback pressures in six games this season.
Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook had another monster game, hauling in nine of his 11 targets for 184 yards and three touchdowns. Each week Westbrook makes a huge play, and against Kansas State that continued, hauling in 88-yard touchdown.
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The Race to Go No. 1 Overall
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With the Browns sitting at 0-6, there is a high possibility the always quarterback-needy team from Cleveland could be sitting first overall. Right now, there is no clear-cut top quarterback prospect who would be guaranteed to be taken. The Browns (or another team, potentially a trade-up partner) would be left with a difficult choice: Take a top talent, such as Myles Garrett, or grab a quarterback and attempt to develop him, even if the talent does not warrant the top selection.
Garrett has rare traits as a pass-rushing prospect. He can fly off the edge but also work as an interior rusher as well. At 6'5", 270 pounds he has the ideal length and strength that every NFL defensive staff desires. Not only does his skill set warrant a top selection, but he has the production to match as well.
Now, which quarterbacks could possibly warrant going first overall? Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer has the most raw arm talent in this class (if he declares), but his decision-making and overall processing through reads is a work in progress. He’s very young, and starting out on the bench could be a wise strategy. One can argue his upside is worthy of a top selection.
The other quarterback in the picture is Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. He’s had a down year by his standards,, but he’s still led the Tigers to an undefeated record while having a 20-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His placement on intermediate to long-range throws has wavered at times, but his ability to extend plays and keep his eyes upfield are advanced for the college level.
Watson does not possess the same upside as Kizer, but he might be a safer pick. Garrett, on the other hand, would make the biggest instant impact of the three and could single-handedly begin a rebuild for any defense. The race for No. 1 is far from over and looks to be one of the better ones in recent years.
Making the Case For: The Saints Finding a QB for Life After Brees
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There is no denying it: At age 37, Drew Brees is still playing at a high level for the New Orleans Saints under head coach Sean Payton. He’s thrown for over 1,700 yards along with 14 touchdowns and only four interceptions in just five games this season.
With that being said, the Saints need to think about the future of their quarterback position at some point. Getting ahead of a future issue could go a long way, allowing a young passer to sit behind Brees and learn under Payton from the sidelines for a year or two.
You’ve heard all about DeShone Kizer and Deshaun Watson, but what about a few value quarterbacks who could come into play? Brad Kaaya’s struggles have been well documented in this article, but his IQ and short-range passing ability could develop in New Orleans.
Some high-upside but raw passers include Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes and California’s Davis Webb. Each player has the size and big-time arm to succeed, but they will need as much time as any quarterback acclimating to the NFL due to the offenses they play in.
There will be plenty of names at quarterback connected to the Saints as the draft approaches, but the overall point is they should capitalize on finding a future replacement before it becomes a larger issue.
Five Prospects for Five Teams
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Minnesota Vikings: Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU
The first-place Vikings certainly do not look like a team that will be in contention to land a talent like LSU's Leonard Fournette or Florida State's Dalvin Cook. Not to worry, Vikings fans, as this class is absolutely loaded with talent that can takeover for Adrian Peterson next season. Williams is a powerhouse three-down back with exceptional leg drive and workhorse ability. He can be the Vikings' starting running back right away in 2017 after he most likely tallies his third college season of rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Carolina Panthers: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
The Panthers clearly miss Josh Norman, as their starting cornerbacks have struggled this season. Cutting Bene Benwikere has only made their defensive back corps even thinner. Landing a shutdown corner in Wilson could help that defense get back to the Super Bowl form it desperately needs to find.
San Francisco 49ers: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
While it is highly likely the 49ers take a quarterback in Round 1 Foster is a great consolation prize if the value does not add up. He's a three-down linebacker who would help a team currently starting Nick Bellore due to the injury of NaVorro Bowman. Chip Kelly needs to find a future signal-caller, but if the 49ers win a few more games he might have to wait a little longer while continuing to rebuild their front seven.
Oakland Raiders: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
The Raiders' duo of Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper is among the best in the NFL, but a game-changing tight end could make their offense unstoppable. Derek Carr looks like the real deal; getting him a dangerous weapon for the middle of the field like Howard could propel their offense to an elite level.
Cincinnati Bengals: Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
Unfortunately for Tennessee's star linebacker, he could miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, according to SEC Country's Mike Griffin. Fortunately, the Bengals could begin to round out their linebacker corps by getting a value selection on Day 2 of the draft. Reeves-Maybin, much like Darron Lee last year, is a lighter but ultra-fast presence in the front seven. The Bengals have plenty of strength up front, but they need speed.
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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