2017 NFL Draft: Draft Radar Heading into NFL Week 11
The college football world was rocked this weekend, with multiple upsets potentially shaking up the playoff picture. Meanwhile in the NFL, the favorites to pick in the top five are becoming clearer.
In the Pac-12, there were plenty of big-time performances with one senior reeling off a five-sack day. USC's Adoree' Jackson stepped up when it mattered most in an upset win over Washington, and three wide receivers shined but need more love.
We also have an old-school pro player comparison for Pitt powerhouse James Conner and will finish things off by fixing three struggling NFL teams with draft options. Who's standing out on the draft radar as we head into Week 11?
Stock Up
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Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee
Derek Barnett continues to prove that Myles Garrett isn't the only college pass-rusher deserving of a potential top-10 selection. The progress he's made since 2015 is incredible. He's displaying better bend around the edge and powerful hands. He also gave Kentucky all they could handle and more this weekend, racking up a sack, two more quarterback hits and eight total pressures.
Montravius Adams, DL, Auburn
Montravius Adams was a force for Auburn’s defensive line against Georgia, racking up six total tackles and a sack. At 6'4" and 309 pounds, his power from the interior will translate well to the next level. He's flown under the radar this season, but he looks like a surefire top-50 pick from that Auburn defensive front, much like Carl Lawson.
Pharaoh Brown, TE, Oregon
Pharaoh Brown's performance has been one of few bright spots for Oregon this season, and he continued to boost his stock with six catches on 10 targets for 92 yards on Saturday in a loss to Stanford. He also reeled off over 50 yards after the catch, proving himself as a threat in the open field with a great blend of size and speed that would translate well to the next level.
Stock Down
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Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
The senior star wideout finally had a tough day, only catching one pass on three targets for 18 yards with a drop as well. As a member of a wide receiver class in which he can find his way into the top-three conversation, Corey Davis needs to keep churning out big performances. He'll be a top player to watch if he attends the Senior Bowl this year
Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech
The ultra-athletic tight end has hit a rough patch, as he's been held under 25 receiving yards in each of his last two games. Against Georgia Tech this weekend, he caught three passes on five targets for just 23 yards and fumbled once. He and Isaiah Ford are dynamic threats in the Hokies offense, but consistency continues to be the biggest hurdle.
The Washington Huskies Defense
It's not that the Huskies aren't immensely talented from front to back, but if Washington does not make the College Football Playoff, it will have lost a chance at the national spotlight because of its defense.
Sidney Jones and Kevin King have formed one of the better lockdown cornerback duos in the country, but playing in the Pac-12 has made them a bit of a hidden gem. Elijah Qualls continues to be a force up front, but losing Azeem Victor is a big blow. The Huskies are fantastic defensively, but Saturday derailed their draft momentum quite a bit.
Eye-Popping Prospect Numbers of the Week: Pac-12 Edition
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Utah's senior defensive lineman Hunter Dimick had five sacks and seven quarterback hurries against Arizona State this weekend. On just 42 pass-rush attempts, that's an incredibly disruptive effort.
USC pulled off a huge upset over Washington this weekend, and Adoree' Jackson stole the show. He had his struggles at times in coverage, allowing six catches on nine targets for 125 yards and a touchdown. But he had two game-changing interceptions. Sometimes a rough day can be washed away instantly. That was the case for Jackson.
UCLA's pass-rush duo of Takkarist McKinley and Deon Hollins combined for 10 total quarterback pressures against Oregon State. Hollins might only project as a situational pass-rusher at the next level, but he's productive with the reps he gets. He had a sack, a quarterback hit and five total pressures on only 13 pass-rush attempts. Meanwhile, McKinley is a nightmare for the Pac-12 and looks like a top-50 lock.
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3 Under-the-Radar WRs You Need to Know
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Zay Jones, East Carolina
The East Carolina offense is funneled through Zay Jones, who leads the country with 192 targets. He has posted video-game numbers, but he has traits that translate to the NFL. He's forced 20 missed tackles this year, adding 661 yards after the catch. His ability to work in traffic with reliable hands is a gigantic plus. He projects as a Day 2 selection in the 2017 draft.
Courtland Sutton, SMU
Courtland Sutton might be the best in this class at attacking the football at its highest point, and he's only a redshirt sophomore. SMU's inconsistent quarterback play has not helped his numbers or consistency, but at 6'4", 215 pounds, he has a Brandon Marshall-like build with the same attitude in the red zone. If he declares, look for his name to fly up boards and come up in the top-five-receiver conversation.
Kenny Golladay, Northern Illinois
The 6'4", 213-pound Kenny Golladay has been a target monster for Northern Illinois this season (126 in 11 games) and has capitalized with 79 catches for 1,022 yards and eight touchdowns.
He has a knack for making spectacular catches, but more importantly, he's been a model of consistency. He has five or more catches in nine of his 11 games this year and three efforts of 10 or more catches. He's also creating on his own, with 262 total yards after the catch. His most impressive stat: He's only dropped two passes this year, an absurdly low 1.6 percent of his targets.
3 Layup Pro Player Comparisons for Running Backs
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D'Onta Foreman, Texas: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers
D'Onta Foreman has been a powerhouse runner for Texas this year, constantly running through tackles and finding his way to the second level. He and Jonathan Stewart have a similar build and style, but they also have underrated light feet and vision.
James Conner, Pittsburgh: Corey Dillon, Former Bengal and Patriot
This one might jump out at you, considering how special Corey Dillon was. James Conner (6'2", 235 lbs) and Dillon (6'1", 225 lbs) have a similar build and run angry for every yard possible. Much like Dillon once did, Conner loves to stiff-arm and shoulder his way for more yardage as he gets to the outside or second level of the field.
Christian McCaffrey, Stanford: Reggie Bush, Buffalo Bills
Though he's an elite athlete himself, Christian McCaffrey might not be on Reggie Bush's level. But his NFL usage and style should be similar. Teams will look to get McCaffrey heavily involved as a receiver, even splitting him out wide at times. His special teams ability is a huge plus, and much like Bush, he's deadly in the open field because he can dodge tackles.
Get Them Draft Help: Fixing Struggling NFL Teams
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New Orleans Saints
The Saints sit at 4-5 in the NFC South and lost in devastating fashion to the Broncos this weekend on a blocked and returned extra-point attempt. While they are far from NFL cellar dwellers, they still need to think about a youth movement for their future.
Drew Brees will turn 38 in January, and finding a quarterback to develop behind him over the next two years would be wise. They don't need to reach for a first-rounder this year and should look to Day 2 options such as Brad Kaaya, who could find success working under Sean Payton.
With that addressed, let's get into how they should approach Round 1. With Myles Garrett expected to be long gone, edge-rushers Derek Barnett and Carl Lawson would fit well in New Orleans. If they look to help the back end of the defense, keep an eye on Florida cornerbacks Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor, Washington's Sidney Jones, and Ohio State’s Gareon Conley.
My dark-horse pick for the Saints is Stanford's Christian McCaffrey. They don't need to use a premium pick on a running back, but he would be an electric player in that Saints offense.
Cleveland Browns
I've already said a million times in this series that the Browns should use their potential No. 1 overall selection on Myles Garrett, so I won't dive too deep into that again. But what about their other first-round selection and Day 2 of the draft?
The Browns might head into next season with Cody Kessler as their starter, but the draft this year is certainly not a place to find a Week 1 starter. They could look to add a developmental project with high upside, such as Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer or Texas Tech's Pat Mahomes. Both are big quarterbacks with big-time arms, but their processing and decision-making need some work.
Gary Barnidge has been good for Cleveland, but with him getting older, the Browns should look for another threat to pair with him, such as Michigan's Jake Butt or a mid-round option in Pitt's Scott Orndoff.
On the defensive side of the ball, getting Garrett would immensely improve their pass rush, but how about a Day 2 cornerback for the back end? LSU's Tre'Davious White would make a lot of sense in that scenario.
Chicago Bears
Bears fans have to be fed up with the Jay Cutler experiment by now, but quarterback help might not be easy to find this spring. It would be a surprise if Mitch Trubisky of North Carolina declares, but he would be a good fit in Chicago. Deshaun Watson has had a roller coaster of a season, but he's still a Round 1 player who could thrive in the right system.
The wild card here would be if the Bears made DeShone Kizer's move from Notre Dame quite short. He has all the upside in the world, but can he take the next step with John Fox and Co.? That would be a big roll of the dice.
It would be a surprise if the Bears used a premium pick on a skill player, as Jordan Howard has been a nice surprise at running back and Alshon Jeffery is still in town.
As for the defense, Leonard Floyd is starting to blossom as a pass-rush threat off the edge. Getting a playmaking safety to roam behind the front seven, such as Ohio State's Malik Hooker or LSU's Jamal Adams, would help increase the takeaway total of a unit that has just five interceptions this season.
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