2017 NFL Draft: Draft Radar Heading into NFL Week 10
The College Football Playoff Top Four is taking shape, giving plenty of NFL hopefuls an even bigger spotlight to showcase their ability.
Deshaun Watson will have another opportunity to lead the Clemson Tigers to a national title, but more importantly, he can break away from the quarterback pack in the draft world. Speaking of that tight quarterback race, one dark-horse candidate is beginning to emerge similarly to Carson Wentz's late rise last year.
In the Pac-12, a speed-demon receiver is posting monster numbers for the Washington Huskies and could be a top-50 pick next spring. Monster numbers are a staple for the draft radar, and three players will take the spotlight this week for various reasons.
Who's on the rise? Who's starting to fall? We'll conclude with three dream landing spots that could take the selected NFL franchises to a new level. We're past the halfway mark, but there's no slowing down now in the NFL draft world.
Stock Up
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Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
While much of the attention has been on some of the brilliant cornerback prospects in the SEC, Sidney Jones continued to be lights-out in Washington’s matchup with California this weekend.
Jones has been quiet in a good way this season, as quarterbacks rarely look his way, but that changed against the Davis Webb-led Golden Bears on Saturday. Jones was targeted 13 times, only allowing four catches for 51 yards. He intercepted two passes, broke up one and allowed a passer rating of 4.5. That’s a ridiculous day for a player who looks like a Round 1 lock for next spring.
D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
A lot of the spotlight was around D'Onta Foreman’s goal-line fumble (where he was carrying multiple defenders) that went back for a 100-yard Texas Tech return touchdown, but overall, he had an incredible day. On 33 carries, he had 340 rushing yards (averaged 10.3 yards per carry) with three touchdowns and 10 missed tackles forced.
Foreman has workhorse ability and is a pain to bring down one-on-one in the open field. He rips through arm tackles at the line of scrimmage and has enough speed to do damage in the second level of the field. The hype around him in a loaded class has been quiet, but he could be a Day 2 home run selection in the 2017 draft.
Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
Adoree' Jackson has made the "stock down" list in the past for struggling in coverage, but his performance against Oregon this weekend warrants plenty of praise. He was targeted six times but only allowed three catches for 14 yards with no touchdowns and one broken-up pass.
While not the biggest defensive back, Jackson has improved in coverage as the season has wore on. He has blazing speed and is smooth when running with wide receivers in the intermediate passing game. His ability to be a dynamic returner will also improve his draft stock, which projects as a late Round 2 or early Round 3 selection at the moment.
Stock Down
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Davis Webb, QB, California
Webb had his worst game yet in an opportunity to prove himself against an elite Huskies defense. He immensely struggled against pressure, only completing three passes on 14 attempts for 30 yards while also throwing two picks.
For the day, he finished 23-of-47 with 262 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Webb has a lot of arm talent, but he clearly has a long way to go as a complete quarterback prospect. This was a chance to put himself into the pack of high-end Day 2 names, and he came up short.
Patrick Mahomes II, QB, Texas Tech
Patrick Mahomes II has an ideal build at 6'3", 230 pounds, and plenty of arm talent to excel at the next level, but this weekend was a perfect example of how much more he needs to develop. Mechanically, the junior quarterback struggles to work in the pocket when throwing to intermediate and deep targets.
Against Texas, he was 1-of-11 on passes of 20-plus yards with only 30 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. Texas Tech’s system is not helping his NFL development, which could be a big curve. Under pressure, he completed nine passes on 25 attempts for 108 yards, one touchdown and one interception with a 46.8 passer rating. He’s simply not grasping what the defense is showing him pre-snap.
If he leaves school early, Mahomes' physical ability alone could warrant a late Day 2 selection. Even if that happens, he might have a two- or three-year development period before seeing the field. He’ll have a big decision to make after the 2016 season.
Daeshon Hall, EDGE, Texas A&M
With Myles Garrett battling injury, many wondered if Daeshon Hall could step up to be a game-changing primary pass-rusher for Texas A&M. In a stunning loss to Mississippi State this weekend, he was held without a single quarterback pressure on 28 pass-rush attempts (he was called for roughing the passer on the QB hit in the red zone).
Playing opposite from Garrett has helped Hall have plenty of success on his own, drawing one-on-one matchups that he wins to pile up sacks. In an opportunity where he could have been "the guy" on that Texas A&M defense, he had a dud of a performance.
Eye-Popping Prospect Numbers of the Week
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Nebraska senior safety Nate Gerry is holding quarterbacks to a 27.2 passer rating when targeted. He now has four interceptions on the season along with five broken-up passes. He hasn’t allowed a completion over 17 yards all season.
There is no slowing down Tim Williams’ pass rush. The Alabama linebacker registered a sack and five total pressures against LSU Saturday evening. He was also rock solid against the run with five registered solo stops.
East Carolina senior wideout Zay Jones has put up video game numbers this year. The target monster now has 127 catches for 1,300 yards and five touchdowns in just nine games. On 168 targets, he’s only dropped five passes while also forcing 20 missed tackles after the catch.
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The Dark-Horse Candidate to Rise Among the Quarterbacks
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The 2017 NFL draft quarterback class has underwhelmed all season long, but one candidate who could have a late rise similar to Wentz last season is North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky.
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer has flashed immense talent but serious inconsistencies, and his draft stock has cooled off recently. Watson will have an opportunity to lead a Clemson championship run, but his play has been wildly inconsistent as well. Players such as Texas Tech’s Mahomes and Miami’s Brad Kaaya are projected as Day 2 selections.
As for Trubisky, who’s now thrown 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions, he has flourished in his first season as the Tar Heels starter. He can extend plays with his legs, keeps his eyes down the field and has plenty of juice in his arm to make any throw.
At 6'3", 220 pounds, the former high-profile recruit out of Ohio is making a serious case to be one of the top quarterbacks. His only poor performance was against Virginia Tech in outrageous weather (where he threw both of his interceptions).
The biggest question surrounding Trubisky at the moment is if he will consider declaring early. As previously mentioned, he’s only started one year at UNC and may look to build off the success he’s had as a junior.
A Lone Standout in a Weak WR Class: Washington’s John Ross
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It’s been a quiet year for wide receiver prospects, but speedster John Ross has officially put his name on the map. With a six-catch, 208-yard and three-touchdown performance against Cal on Saturday, he’s beginning to build quite the resume.
Ross is a deadly weapon in the open field, which was on full display this weekend in a game where he forced six missed tackles. He’s also been reliable, only dropping three passes on 66 targets with 44 total catches.
Players with top-end speed who can win down the field are always in high demand in the draft, as seen with both Will Fuller V last spring and Devin Smith the year before. With 16 touchdowns in just nine games this year, Ross could be shooting up boards in what is a relatively weak wide receiver class.
Three Dream Landing Spots
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Green Bay Packers: Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU
The Packers desperately need to find a potential workhorse running back to get their ground attack going. Eddie Lacy cannot be relied on heading into next year, and it remains a mystery of how big a workload Ty Montgomery can handle. Aaron Rodgers would flourish if the Packers posed a significant running threat, and Jamaal Williams has the agility, power and vision to create on his own.
Philadelphia Eagles: John Ross, WR, Washington
Now that you know all about Ross, here is the perfect landing spot for him. Wentz has a big arm, but the Eagles have little in terms of a vertical threat. They can continue to use Jordan Matthews as an intermediate target and develop Dorial Green-Beckham, but finding a player who can get over the top has to be a priority for them next offseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The Steelers secondary still needs work even after drafting Artie Burns in the first round last spring. Jamal Adams is a do-it-all safety who would bring an attitude to the back end of the Steelers defense they haven’t had since Troy Polamalu retired. He can come up to play the run, laying plenty of big hits, but also roam in coverage to help out the younger cornerbacks.
Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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