NFL Combine 2017: Matt Miller's Position-by-Position Primer
Matt Miller@nfldraftscoutNFL Draft Lead WriterMarch 1, 2017NFL Combine 2017: Matt Miller's Position-by-Position Primer

What does the NFL Scouting Combine mean to the draft stock of the players who will perform, those too injured to take part and even those not invited? Tons.
The combine, which ends Monday, is the best chance to compare athletes across the board. It's also the first chance for teams to meet underclassmen, put all 330 players through medical tests and conduct 15-minute private interview sessions. This is the introductory phase for these teams. Does the athleticism on the turf match what we saw on film? That's the question everyone will be asking throughout the week.
The NFL selects the best of the best and brings them all to Lucas Oil Field for a week of intense physical and mental testing. Who will leave Indianapolis with the most gained and lost? We'll take a look while also updating my top-400 rankings before the madness begins.
Top 100 Overall Players

Heading into the combine, it's worth noting that this is a really, really good draft class—and not just at the top with rare talents like Myles Garrett and Leonard Fournette either. This class is deep at multiple positions.
The 2017 safety and tight ends classes are the most talented I've ever seen. Jamal Adams and Malik Hooker are legitimately on par with Eric Berry and Earl Thomas as prospects. The same goes for the cornerback class with a legitimate eight players capable of going in the first round. Because of this, it's easy to want to put 50 players on a top-32 list.
When watching the workouts this week in Indianapolis, be aware of just how much talent is available at each spot. When I was coming up as a scout, we were taught to use the combine as a tiebreaker, and that's how I still view the event. Below you'll notice many players at the same position grouped together in the top 100 list. The combine will allow me to separate Corey Davis from Mike Williams or Marshon Lattimore from Quincy Wilson. The film grade I assign to players is ultimately around 90 percent of the final evaluation, but this is still a height-weight-speed league. Finding athletes matters.
Because of the depth of this class, there will be names below that will surprise you with where they're ranked. Some may seem too high, and some no doubt seem too low. Much will change in the next three months, but here's a look at the top 100 players for the 2017 NFL draft as we head into the combine.
Rank | Player | School | Pos. |
1 | Myles Garrett | Texas A&M | EDGE |
2 | Leonard Fournette | LSU | RB |
3 | Reuben Foster | Alabama | LB |
4 | Jamal Adams | LSU | S |
5 | Malik Hooker | Ohio State | S |
6 | Solomon Thomas | Stanford | EDGE |
7 | Jonathan Allen | Alabama | DL |
8 | Mike Williams | Clemson | WR |
9 | Quincy Wilson | Florida | CB |
10 | Corey Davis | Western Michigan | WR |
11 | Marshon Lattimore | Ohio State | CB |
12 | O.J. Howard | Alabama | TE |
13 | David Njoku | Miami (Fla.) | TE |
14 | Taco Charlton | Michigan | EDGE |
15 | Mitch Trubisky | North Carolina | QB |
16 | DeShone Kizer | Notre Dame | QB |
17 | Gareon Conley | Ohio State | CB |
18 | Dalvin Cook | Florida State | RB |
19 | Sidney Jones | Washington | CB |
20 | Charles Harris | Missouri | EDGE |
21 | Haason Reddick | Temple | LB |
22 | Garett Bolles | Utah | T |
23 | Derek Barnett | Tennessee | EDGE |
24 | Ryan Ramczyk | Wisconsin | T |
25 | Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | RB |
26 | Joe Mixon | Oklahoma | RB |
27 | Teez Tabor | Florida | CB |
28 | Deshaun Watson | Clemson | QB |
29 | Jabrill Peppers | Michigan | S |
30 | Takkarist McKinley | UCLA | EDGE |
31 | Ryan Anderson | Alabama | EDGE |
32 | Tre'Davious White | LSU | CB |
33 | Marlon Humphrey | Alabama | CB |
34 | Montravius Adams | Auburn | DL |
35 | Caleb Brantley | Florida | DL |
36 | Alvin Kamara | Tennessee | RB |
37 | John Ross | Washington | WR |
38 | Forrest Lamp | Western Kentucky | G |
39 | Jarrad Davis | Florida | LB |
40 | Cam Robinson | Alabama | T |
41 | Budda Baker | Washington | S |
42 | Patrick Mahomes | Texas Tech | QB |
43 | Adoree' Jackson | USC | CB |
44 | Justin Evans | Texas A&M | S |
45 | Jordan Leggett | Clemson | TE |
46 | Malik McDowell | Michigan State | DL |
47 | Cooper Kupp | Eastern Washington | WR |
48 | Marcus Williams | Utah | S |
49 | Desmond King | Iowa | S |
50 | Davis Webb | California | QB |
51 | Zach Cunningham | Vanderbilt | LB |
52 | T.J. Watt | Wisconsin | EDGE |
53 | Dan Feeney | Indiana | G |
54 | Evan Engram | Ole Miss | TE |
55 | Zay Jones | East Carolina | WR |
56 | Carlos Henderson | Louisiana Tech | WR |
57 | Dawuane Smoot | Illinois | EDGE |
58 | Cordrea Tankersley | Clemson | CB |
59 | D'Onta Foreman | Texas | RB |
60 | Tim Williams | Alabama | EDGE |
61 | Joe Mathis | Washington | EDGE |
62 | Carl Lawson | Auburn | EDGE |
63 | Eddie Jackson | Alabama | S |
64 | Fabian Moreau | UCLA | CB |
65 | Brad Kaaya | Miami (Fla.) | QB |
66 | Raekwon McMillan | Ohio State | LB |
67 | Bucky Hodges | Virginia Tech | TE |
68 | Carroll Phillips | Illinois | EDGE |
69 | Antonio Garcia | Troy | T |
70 | Chidobe Awuzie | Colorado | CB |
71 | Jourdan Lewis | Michigan | CB |
72 | Chris Godwin | Penn State | WR |
73 | Pat Elflein | Ohio State | C |
74 | Rasul Douglas | West Virginia | CB |
75 | Marcus Maye | Florida | S |
76 | Howard Wilson | Houston | CB |
77 | Obi Melifonwu | UConn | S |
78 | Nathan Peterman | Pitt | QB |
79 | Dion Dawkins | Temple | G |
80 | Garrett Sickels | Penn State | EDGE |
81 | Chad Hansen | California | WR |
82 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | USC | WR |
83 | Amara Darboh | Michigan | WR |
84 | Curtis Samuel | Ohio State | WR |
85 | Jordan Willis | Kansas State | EDGE |
86 | DeMarcus Walker | Florida State | EDGE |
87 | Elijah Qualls | Washington | DL |
88 | Anthony Walker | Northwestern | LB |
89 | Roderick Johnson | Florida State | T |
90 | Ethan Pocic | LSU | C |
91 | Isaiah Ford | Virginia Tech | WR |
92 | Wayne Gallman | Clemson | RB |
93 | Jalen Reeves-Maybin | Tennessee | LB |
94 | Marlon Mack | South Florida | RB |
95 | Kevin King | Washington | CB |
96 | Vince Biegel | Wisconsin | LB |
97 | Cameron Sutton | Tennessee | CB |
98 | Corn Elder | Miami (Fla.) | CB |
99 | Samaje Perine | Oklahoma | RB |
100 | Chris Wormley | Michigan | DL |
Quarterbacks

The big talk from media analysts—and I've been guilty of this too—is that the quarterback and offensive tackle classes are kind of weak. That's not fair. The quarterback class is incredibly deep. There just aren't day one starters like Jameis Winston or Andrew Luck. That doesn't make it a bad group; it's a group that isn't ripe yet.
Patrick Mahomes and DeShone Kizer have super rare traits. Mahomes has the strongest arm I've ever seen and is able to make unbelievable throws off-platform that few quarterbacks in the last 10 years of draft scouting have been able to. Kizer also has a strong arm and a big body, and he's a very good runner; he just needs time to develop.
Veteran scout Greg Gabriel told me a few weeks ago that "quarterback evaluation starts now," and he's right. So much of the final grade on a quarterback includes interviews, medicals, combine workouts, pro-day workouts and the wiring of the player. For Mahomes and Kizer, this week in Indy could shoot them to the top of my list.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Mitch Trubisky | North Carolina | 15 | Yes |
2 | DeShone Kizer | Notre Dame | 16 | Yes |
3 | Deshaun Watson | Clemson | 28 | Yes |
4 | Patrick Mahomes | Texas Tech | 42 | Yes |
5 | Davis Webb | California | 50 | Yes |
6 | Brad Kaaya | Miami (Fla.) | 65 | Yes |
7 | Nathan Peterman | Pittsburgh | 78 | Yes |
8 | Chad Kelly | Ole Miss | 184 | No |
9 | C.J. Beathard | Iowa | 185 | Yes |
10 | Joshua Dobbs | Tennessee | 188 | Yes |
11 | Jerod Evans | Virginia Tech | 201 | Yes |
12 | Cooper Rush | Central Michigan | 239 | Yes |
13 | Alek Torgersen | Penn | 248 | No |
14 | Seth Russell | Baylor | 285 | Yes |
15 | Brady Gustafson | Montana | 333 | No |
16 | Sefo Liufau | Colorado | 347 | Yes |
17 | Mitch Leidner | Minnesota | 350 | Yes |
18 | Trevor Knight | Texas A&M | 354 | Yes |
19 | Wes Lunt | Illinois | 404 | No |
20 | Zach Terrell | Western Michigan | 410 | No |
21 | Antonio Pipkin | Tiffin | 411 | No |
Running Backs

This is the year to get a running back.
An unreal five running backs hold legitimate first-round grades, and many teams will eye this year as the time to get a young back. Leonard Fournette is a rare, generational athlete at the position and should turn heads in Indianapolis, but he's not the only top-tier back. Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey both offer excellent three-down skills. So do Joe Mixon and Alvin Kamara, but concerns about off-field issues for Mixon could push him out of the draft completely, while Kamara saw limited use in two seasons as a backup at Tennessee.
There is value in this group on Day 2 and even into Day 3. There can be starting running backs to come out of this group in Round 4 or 5, much like a Jordan Howard last year. One interesting subplot to the draft will be if teams jump on running backs early or wait given the depth. Some general managers may see a player like Marlon Mack as a third-round value and potential starter and opt to pass on a Dalvin Cook in Round 1 because of that.
No matter where the run on backs starts in the draft, we can be confident there will be many of them drafted.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Leonard Fournette | LSU | 2 | Yes |
2 | Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 18 | Yes |
3 | Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | 25 | Yes |
4 | Joe Mixon | Oklahoma | 26 | No |
5 | Alvin Kamara | Tennessee | 36 | Yes |
6 | D'Onta Foreman | Texas | 59 | Yes |
7 | Wayne Gallman | Clemson | 92 | Yes |
8 | Marlon Mack | South Florida | 94 | Yes |
9 | Samaje Perine | Oklahoma | 99 | Yes |
10 | Brian Hill | Wyoming | 106 | Yes |
11 | Kareem Hunt | Toledo | 116 | Yes |
12 | Jeremy McNichols | Boise State | 124 | Yes |
13 | T.J. Logan | North Carolina | 128 | Yes |
14 | Elijah Hood | North Carolina | 151 | Yes |
15 | Jamaal Williams | BYU | 159 | Yes |
16 | Justin Davis | USC | 175 | Yes |
17 | James Conner | Pitt | 195 | Yes |
18 | Dare Ogunbowale | Wisconsin | 199 | Yes |
19 | Donnel Pumphrey | San Diego State | 212 | Yes |
20 | Corey Clement | Wisconsin | 214 | Yes |
21 | Joe Williams | Utah | 223 | Yes |
22 | Stanley Williams | Kentucky | 226 | Yes |
23 | Aaron Jones | UTEP | 227 | Yes |
24 | Elijah McGuire | UL Lafayette | 236 | Yes |
25 | Devine Redding | Indiana | 240 | Yes |
26 | De'Veon Smith | Michigan | 242 | Yes |
27 | Tarean Folston | Notre Dame | 252 | No |
28 | Joe Yearby | Miami (Fla.) | 269 | No |
29 | Matthew Dayes | NC State | 279 | Yes |
30 | Tarik Cohen | NC A&T | 286 | Yes |
31 | Jahad Thomas | Temple | 294 | Yes |
32 | De'Angelo Henderson | Coastal Carolina | 340 | Yes |
33 | Chris Carson | Oklahoma State | 349 | Yes |
34 | Rushel Shell III | West Virginia | 364 | Yes |
35 | Shock Linwood | Baylor | 388 | No |
Wide Receivers

Corey Davis and Mike Williams might not be on the level that A.J. Green and Julio Jones were in the 2011 draft class, but we're seeing two very dynamic playmakers sit atop the board at wide receiver this year. After that, the depth is staggering too.
Williams and Davis are one-two on the board right now with time left for a flip-flop at the top. The combine will be big for both, but since Davis is struggling with an ankle injury, the on-field tests won't help push him over Williams just yet.
Among the favorites from the next tier, Carlos Henderson is a burner with great downfield ability, and possession guys like Cooper Kupp and Zay Jones have the skills to be instant starters in the pros. The same could be said for Chad Hansen, Chris Godwin and sleepers like Taywan Taylor.
There's a good chance three wide receivers go in the first round (Davis, Williams and John Ross) with a solid 10 possible on Day 2. With 31 receivers drafted last year and 35 the year before, that's a safe bet to look at in 2017.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Mike Williams | Clemson | 8 | Yes |
2 | Corey Davis | Western Michigan | 10 | Yes |
3 | John Ross | Washington | 37 | Yes |
4 | Cooper Kupp | Eastern Washington | 47 | Yes |
5 | Zay Jones | East Carolina | 55 | Yes |
6 | Carlos Henderson | Louisiana Tech | 56 | Yes |
7 | Chris Godwin | Penn State | 72 | Yes |
8 | Chad Hansen | California | 81 | Yes |
9 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | USC | 82 | Yes |
10 | Amara Darboh | Michigan | 83 | Yes |
11 | Curtis Samuel | Ohio State | 84 | Yes |
12 | Isaiah Ford | Virginia Tech | 91 | Yes |
13 | Taywan Taylor | Western Kentucky | 102 | Yes |
14 | Noah Brown | Ohio State | 109 | Yes |
15 | Dede Westbrook | Oklahoma | 113 | Yes |
16 | Travin Dural | LSU | 114 | Yes |
17 | Trent Taylor | Louisiana Tech | 122 | Yes |
18 | Ryan Switzer | North Carolina | 135 | Yes |
19 | Malachi Dupre | LSU | 138 | Yes |
20 | Josh Reynolds | Texas A&M | 139 | Yes |
21 | Mack Hollins | North Carolina | 144 | Yes |
22 | Jehu Chesson | Michigan | 148 | Yes |
23 | Amba Etta-Tawo | Syracuse | 149 | Yes |
24 | KD Cannon | Baylor | 154 | Yes |
25 | Fred Ross | Mississippi State | 156 | Yes |
26 | Stacy Coley | Miami (Fla.) | 158 | Yes |
27 | Travis Rudolph | Florida State | 162 | Yes |
28 | Jalen Robinette | Air Force | 164 | Yes |
29 | Damore'ea Stringfellow | Ole Miss | 165 | No |
30 | Kermit Whitfield | Florida State | 169 | Yes |
31 | Isaiah McKenzie | Georgia | 172 | Yes |
32 | Derrick Griffin | Texas Southern | 176 | No |
33 | Josh Malone | Tennessee | 177 | Yes |
34 | Jamari Staples | Louisville | 178 | Yes |
35 | Ish Zamora | Baylor | 180 | No |
36 | James Quick | Louisville | 182 | Yes |
37 | Shelton Gibson | West Virginia | 193 | Yes |
38 | Jerome Lane | Akron | 198 | Yes |
39 | Artavis Scott | Clemson | 215 | Yes |
40 | ArDarius Stewart | Alabama | 216 | Yes |
41 | Speedy Noil | Texas A&M | 220 | Yes |
42 | Bug Howard | North Carolina | 228 | Yes |
43 | Rodney Adams | South Florida | 233 | Yes |
44 | Ricky Seals-Jones | Texas A&M | 241 | Yes |
45 | Michael Rector | Stanford | 244 | Yes |
46 | Kendrick Bourne | Eastern Washington | 257 | Yes |
47 | Robert Davis | Georgia State | 274 | Yes |
48 | Jesus "Bobo" Wilson | Florida State | 278 | Yes |
49 | Billy Brown | Shepherd | 280 | Yes |
50 | Corey Smith | Ohio State | 283 | No |
51 | Krishawn Hogan | Marian University | 287 | Yes |
52 | Noel Thomas | UConn | 297 | Yes |
53 | Victor Bolden | Oregon State | 306 | Yes |
54 | Quincy Adeboyejo | Ole Miss | 307 | Yes |
55 | Kenny Golladay | Northern Illinois | 308 | Yes |
56 | Gabe Marks | Washington State | 310 | Yes |
57 | Zach Pascal | Old Dominion | 324 | Yes |
58 | Darreus Rogers | USC | 328 | Yes |
59 | Drew Morgan | Arkansas | 331 | Yes |
60 | Keon Hatcher | Arkansas | 336 | Yes |
61 | Greg Ward Jr. | Houston | 346 | Yes |
62 | Keevan Lucas | Tulsa | 361 | Yes |
63 | Jhajuan Seales | Oklahoma State | 395 | No |
64 | Deon-Tay McManus | Marshall | 402 | No |
65 | Jordan Westerkamp | Nebraska | 403 | No |
Tight Ends

Never before have I ranked two tight ends so high in a draft class. O.J. Howard and David Njoku aren't just special pass-catchers; both are special all-around players. This isn't an Eric Ebron-type pick. These are legitimate plug-and-play weapons with excellent blocking, receiving and run-after-catch talent. And both could be gone in the top 15.
Howard and Njoku are the cream of the crop, but this is a solid all-around group. Evan Engram and Jordan Leggett are very good flex tight end candidates, as is small-schooler Gerald Everett. Michigan star Jake Butt was considered a Day 2 prospect before suffering an ACL tear in the Orange Bowl, while Ashland junior Adam Shaheen is turning heads in pre-combine workouts.
Gauging pure athleticism is a great scouting tool for tight ends, and this group will put on a show in Indianapolis.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | O.J. Howard | Alabama | 12 | Yes |
2 | David Njoku | Miami (Fla.) | 13 | Yes |
3 | Jordan Leggett | Clemson | 45 | Yes |
4 | Evan Engram | Ole Miss | 54 | Yes |
5 | Bucky Hodges | Virginia Tech | 67 | Yes |
6 | Jake Butt | Michigan | 117 | Yes |
7 | Adam Shaheen | Ashland | 119 | Yes |
8 | Gerald Everett | South Alabama | 126 | Yes |
9 | Michael Roberts | Toledo | 141 | Yes |
10 | Cole Hikutini | Louisville | 146 | Yes |
11 | Jeremy Sprinkle | Arkansas | 160 | Yes |
12 | Blake Jarwin | Oklahoma State | 173 | No |
13 | Eric Saubert | Drake | 189 | Yes |
14 | Pharaoh Brown | Oregon | 210 | Yes |
15 | Josiah Price | Michigan State | 247 | No |
16 | Darrell Daniels | Washington | 293 | Yes |
17 | Scott Orndoff | Pitt | 311 | Yes |
18 | George Kittle | Iowa | 323 | Yes |
19 | Daniel Brunskill | San Diego State | 329 | Yes |
20 | Cethan Carter | Nebraska | 338 | Yes |
21 | Jonnu Smith | Florida International | 351 | Yes |
22 | Hayden Plinke | UTEP | 357 | Yes |
23 | Phazahn Odom | Fordham | 375 | No |
24 | Tyrone Swoopes | Texas | 397 | No |
25 | Barrett Burns | Appalachian State | 398 | No |
Offensive Tackles

All year we've talked about the lack of top-tier talent at the offensive tackle position. That hasn't changed—no player ranks inside my top 15—but the depth of the group is starting to impress with more viewings.
Garett Bolles and Ryan Ramczyk are battling for that first tackle slot, and what's interesting is that both players were one-year starters at their FBS schools—Bolles at Utah and Ramczyk at Wisconsin. Each shows remarkable movement and toughness, which could propel them up the board before the draft. Ramczyk, who had surgery on a torn hip labrum, will not work out at the combine.
After the Big Two, Cam Robinson is the next on the list. He's an excellent run-blocker but struggles with consistency and movement against smaller, quicker ends. The Alabama star will also need to answer questions about a summer arrest on gun charges when interviewed by teams.
The sleepers of the group come from Temple and Western Michigan. Dion Dawkins may end up playing guard in the NFL, but his ability to anchor and drive-block makes him exciting, while Taylor Moton is moving up my board consistently due to his plug-and-play skills as a right tackle.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Garett Bolles | Utah | 22 | Yes |
2 | Ryan Ramczyk | Wisconsin | 24 | Yes |
3 | Cam Robinson | Alabama | 40 | Yes |
4 | Antonio Garcia | Troy | 69 | Yes |
5 | Dion Dawkins | Temple | 79 | Yes |
6 | Roderick Johnson | Florida State | 89 | Yes |
7 | Adam Bisnowaty | Pitt | 131 | Yes |
8 | Taylor Moton | Western Michigan | 134 | Yes |
9 | Julie'n Davenport | Bucknell | 145 | Yes |
10 | Jermaine Eluemunor | Texas A&M | 152 | Yes |
11 | Conor McDermott | UCLA | 161 | Yes |
12 | Avery Gennesy | Texas A&M | 168 | Yes |
13 | J.J. Dielman | Utah | 179 | Yes |
14 | David Sharpe | Florida | 202 | Yes |
15 | Dan Skipper | Arkansas | 203 | Yes |
16 | Jon Heck | North Carolina | 246 | No |
17 | Jonah Pirsig | Minnesota | 253 | No |
18 | Clint Van Horn | Marshall | 254 | No |
19 | Collin Buchanan | Miami (Ohio) | 259 | Yes |
20 | Erik Magnuson | Michigan | 261 | No |
21 | Aviante Collins | TCU | 289 | Yes |
22 | Justin Senior | Mississippi State | 292 | Yes |
23 | Ethan Cooper | Indiana-Pa. | 299 | Yes |
24 | Levon Myers | Northern Illinois | 314 | No |
25 | Sam Tevi | Utah | 322 | Yes |
26 | Nate Theaker | Wayne State (Mich.) | 342 | Yes |
27 | Javarius Leamon | South Carolina State | 343 | Yes |
28 | Jerry Ugokwe | William & Mary | 345 | Yes |
29 | Will Holden | Vanderbilt | 359 | Yes |
30 | Cole Croston | Iowa | 376 | No |
31 | Andreas Knappe | UConn | 381 | No |
32 | Kent Perkins | Texas | 389 | No |
Offensive Guards

While not a sexy position, offensive guard has become an important add in Round 1 of the NFL draft. Players like Zack Martin have helped round out offensive lines in Dallas, while Brandon Scherff was a top-five pick in 2015.
There aren't any top-five picks here, but there are some potential first-rounders. That starts with Forrest Lamp. The left tackle from Western Kentucky has the length of an NFL guard and projects well there given his excellent agility and poise as a blocker. Lamp, like Martin and Scherff, has all the tools to be a great day one guard after playing left tackle in college.
Other top names include Dan Feeney from Indiana and Dorian Johnson from Pitt. I've heard from NFL scouts that both players could rise into the top 50 picks due to the demand for solid offensive linemen in the NFL right now.
Everyone loves to watch linemen run the 40-yard dash, but I'll focus mostly on short-area agility drills like the three-cone and on-field work where players' movement and balance are on display. The 40 and the bench press are good for TV but haven't proved to be great indicators of NFL success.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Forrest Lamp | Western Kentucky | 38 | Yes |
2 | Dan Feeney | Indiana | 53 | Yes |
3 | Dorian Johnson | Pitt | 111 | Yes |
4 | Zach Banner | USC | 166 | Yes |
5 | Damien Mama | USC | 186 | Yes |
6 | Nico Siragusa | San Diego State | 211 | Yes |
7 | Greg Pyke | Georgia | 249 | No |
8 | Sean Harlow | Oregon State | 260 | Yes |
9 | Isaac Asiata | Utah | 276 | Yes |
10 | Jessamen Dunker | Tennessee State | 277 | Yes |
11 | Chase Roullier | Wyoming | 290 | Yes |
12 | Erik Austell | Charleston Southern | 291 | Yes |
13 | Gavin Andrews | Oregon State | 316 | No |
14 | Caleb Peterson | North Carolina | 317 | No |
15 | Kyle Kalis | Michigan | 327 | No |
16 | Jordan Morgan | Kutztown | 330 | Yes |
17 | Ben Braden | Michigan | 337 | Yes |
18 | Danny Isidora | Miami (Fla.) | 348 | Yes |
19 | Corey Levin | Chattanooga | 353 | Yes |
20 | Cameron Lee | Illinois State | 371 | Yes |
21 | Alex Kozan | Auburn | 409 | No |
Centers

Last year, Alabama's Ryan Kelly established himself as a legit Round 1 player. After the combine, all the talk in scouting circles was about him as a target for teams like the Indianapolis Colts and even the San Francisco 49ers in a trade-up scenario that ultimately netted Joshua Garnett. This year, there isn't a top-tier talent like Kelly, but two very good centers have the tools to make instant impacts.
Pat Elflein at Ohio State and Ethan Pocic from LSU are both impressive talents. Elflein is a shorter, more compact player, while Pocic is a hulking 6'6". While different in build, both are tough, nasty blockers who project as NFL starters.
After the two top players, the depth at center is equally impressive. Chad Wheeler and Tyler Orlosky could both be starting on NFL teams within two seasons and can be had after Day 2 of the draft.
We're accustomed to first-round centers after Kelly and Travis Frederick. While this year won't give us that top-tier draft pick, the depth is among the best in recent memory.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Pat Elflein | Ohio State | 73 | Yes |
2 | Ethan Pocic | LSU | 90 | Yes |
3 | Chad Wheeler | USC | 150 | Yes |
4 | Tyler Orlosky | West Virginia | 155 | Yes |
5 | Kyle Fuller | Baylor | 205 | Yes |
6 | Jon Toth | Kentucky | 335 | Yes |
7 | Deyshawn Bond | Cincinnati | 377 | No |
8 | Cameron Tom | Southern Mississippi | 385 | No |
9 | Lucas Crowley | North Carolina | 393 | No |
10 | Jay Guillermo | Clemson | 400 | No |
Defensive Line

Alabama's Jonathan Allen is head and shoulders above the competition as the best defensive lineman in this year's class. That makes the combine important for him as he looks to maintain his status—and medicals will be huge for Allen given his string of shoulder surgeries in college—and also key for the players below him who are looking to come up the board.
The second tier of defensive linemen—Caleb Brantley, Montravius Adams, Malik McDowell and Elijah Qualls—combine impressive talents and tools but have question marks either about size, motor, wiring or scheme fit. McDowell, especially, is a gifted athlete in the mold of former first-rounder Arik Armstead and could see his stock rise in Indianapolis if he aces interviews with teams.
The real depth in this draft on defense comes at every position but defensive lineman, but there are plenty of diamond-in-the-rough prospects likely to be available in Round 3 or later. My favorite? Larry Ogunjobi of Charlotte, whose quick first step and stout build will remind many of Grady Jarrett.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Jonathan Allen | Alabama | 7 | Yes |
2 | Montravius Adams | Auburn | 34 | Yes |
3 | Caleb Brantley | Florida | 35 | Yes |
4 | Malik McDowell | Michigan State | 46 | Yes |
5 | Elijah Qualls | Washington | 87 | Yes |
6 | Chris Wormley | Michigan | 100 | Yes |
7 | Carlos Watkins | Clemson | 101 | Yes |
8 | Dalvin Tomlinson | Alabama | 108 | Yes |
9 | Tanoh Kpassagnon | Villanova | 112 | Yes |
10 | Larry Ogunjobi | Charlotte | 120 | Yes |
11 | Vincent Taylor | Oklahoma State | 125 | Yes |
12 | Eddie Vanderdoes | UCLA | 127 | Yes |
13 | Nazair Jones | North Carolina | 130 | Yes |
14 | Jaleel Johnson | Iowa | 133 | Yes |
15 | Jarron Jones | Notre Dame | 136 | Yes |
16 | Charles Walker | Oklahoma | 147 | Yes |
17 | Ryan Glasgow | Michigan | 170 | Yes |
18 | DeAngelo Brown | Louisville | 191 | No |
19 | Davon Godchaux | LSU | 219 | Yes |
20 | D.J. Jones | Ole Miss | 243 | Yes |
21 | Isaac Rochell | Notre Dame | 273 | Yes |
22 | Ralph Green III | Indiana | 284 | No |
23 | Stevie Tu'ikolovatu | USC | 295 | Yes |
24 | Tanzel Smart | Tulane | 302 | Yes |
25 | Treyvon Hester | Toledo | 309 | Yes |
26 | Chunky Clements | Illinois | 320 | Yes |
27 | Jeremiah Ledbetter | Arkansas | 355 | Yes |
28 | Josh Tupou | Colorado | 390 | No |
29 | Devaroe Lawrence | Auburn | 401 | No |
30 | Harold Brantley | Missouri | 408 | No |
31 | Isaiah Golden | McNeese State | 412 | No |
Edge-Rushers

The top overall player in the draft—Myles Garrett—headlines a stellar class of edge-rushers. While Garrett may be a generational athlete, there are legitimate seven pass-rushers with a top-32 grade, and a potential 10 of them could go in the first round when it's all said and done. That's unheard of.
Garrett should go first overall. Solomon Thomas could go top-five. Taco Charlton could go top-15. The top-tier talent is amazing, and the depth is also notable. If you can't find a pass-rusher in this class, fire your scouts.
What am I looking for from this group at the combine? As mentioned before, the drill work is a great tiebreaker. Looking at the cluster of players here—Takkarist McKinley, Ryan Anderson, Charles Harris, Derek Barnett—a leader can emerge as the top player in that group with what he does on the field and in meetings.
Edge-rushers aren't all about athleticism, but that is a very telling part of the evaluation. The 40 isn't a great scouting tool but does offer a cross-comparison among the players. As always, I find more value in three-cone drills, short shuttles and field work.
With 16 edge-rushers in the top 100, here's my list of the best overall.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Myles Garrett | Texas A&M | 1 | Yes |
2 | Solomon Thomas | Stanford | 6 | Yes |
3 | Taco Charlton | Michigan | 14 | Yes |
4 | Charles Harris | Missouri | 20 | Yes |
5 | Derek Barnett | Tennessee | 23 | Yes |
6 | Takkarist McKinley | UCLA | 30 | Yes |
7 | Ryan Anderson | Alabama | 31 | Yes |
8 | T.J. Watt | Wisconsin | 52 | Yes |
9 | Dawuane Smoot | Illinois | 57 | Yes |
10 | Tim Williams | Alabama | 60 | Yes |
11 | Joe Mathis | Washington | 61 | Yes |
12 | Carl Lawson | Auburn | 62 | Yes |
13 | Carroll Phillips | Illinois | 68 | Yes |
14 | Garrett Sickels | Penn State | 80 | Yes |
15 | Jordan Willis | Kansas State | 85 | Yes |
16 | DeMarcus Walker | Florida State | 86 | Yes |
17 | Tarell Basham | Ohio | 103 | Yes |
18 | Tyus Bowser | Houston | 104 | Yes |
19 | Derek Rivers | Youngstown State | 105 | Yes |
20 | Daeshon Hall | Texas A&M | 115 | Yes |
21 | Trey Hendrickson | Florida Atlantic | 137 | Yes |
22 | Noble Nwachukwu | West Virginia | 153 | Yes |
23 | Bryan Cox | Florida | 157 | Yes |
24 | Matt Milano | Boston College | 187 | Yes |
25 | Ejuan Price | Pitt | 208 | Yes |
26 | Ifeadi Odenigbo | Northwestern | 213 | Yes |
27 | Avery Moss | Youngstown State | 217 | Yes |
28 | Deatrich Wise Jr. | Arkansas | 218 | Yes |
29 | Josh Carraway | TCU | 231 | Yes |
30 | Keionta Davis | Chattanooga | 232 | Yes |
31 | Tashawn Bower | LSU | 258 | Yes |
32 | Devonte Fields | Louisville | 264 | Yes |
33 | James Onwualu | Notre Dame | 265 | No |
34 | Dylan Cole | Missouri State | 281 | No |
35 | Lewis Neal | LSU | 282 | No |
36 | Fadol Brown | Ole Miss | 304 | Yes |
37 | Calvin Munson | San Diego State | 315 | No |
38 | Pita Taumoepenu | Utah | 344 | Yes |
39 | Al-Quadin Muhammad | Miami (Fla.) | 356 | Yes |
40 | Dylan Donahue | West Georgia | 358 | Yes |
41 | Ken Ekanem | Virginia Tech | 363 | Yes |
42 | Torrodney Prevot | Oregon | 374 | No |
43 | Joshua Posley | Ball State | 378 | No |
44 | Deon Hollins | UCLA | 386 | No |
45 | Kylie Fitts | Utah | 391 | No |
46 | Jordan Burton | Oklahoma State | 394 | No |
47 | Jamal Marcus | Akron | 406 | No |
Linebackers

Think back to all the great linebackers drafted early in Round 1 recently—players like Luke Kuechly and Patrick Willis. Reuben Foster has the tools to be a similar kind of player. While he wouldn't have ranked ahead of a healthy Jaylon Smith or Myles Jack last year—both were special players—he's still a very, very talented linebacker and worthy of a top pick.
Watching linebackers at the combine means focusing hard on change-of-direction skills and range, both as a tackler and as a cover man. Even middle linebackers nowadays are asked to cover the middle of the field, so Foster and those challenging for his top spot must show the ability to not only come up and play the run but also get deep in coverage.
The 2017 linebacker class is a very good one. Foster reigns as the king of the castle, but there are starters to be found outside the top 10 picks here. Haason Reddick's performance at the Senior Bowl has his stock soaring, and a good week of testing could secure his status as a Round 1 player.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Reuben Foster | Alabama | 3 | Yes |
2 | Haason Reddick | Temple | 21 | Yes |
3 | Jarrad Davis | Florida | 39 | Yes |
4 | Zach Cunningham | Vanderbilt | 51 | Yes |
5 | Raekwon McMillan | Ohio State | 66 | Yes |
6 | Anthony Walker | Northwestern | 88 | Yes |
7 | Jalen Reeves-Maybin | Tennessee | 93 | Yes |
8 | Vince Biegel | Wisconsin | 96 | Yes |
9 | Paul Magloire Jr. | Arizona | 118 | No |
10 | Kendell Beckwith | LSU | 121 | Yes |
11 | Duke Riley | LSU | 123 | Yes |
12 | Elijah Lee | Kansas State | 143 | No |
13 | Josh Harvey-Clemons | Louisville | 163 | Yes |
14 | Steven Taylor | Houston | 181 | No |
15 | Alex Anzalone | Florida | 183 | Yes |
16 | Connor Harris | Lindenwood | 200 | Yes |
17 | Ben Gedeon | Michigan | 206 | Yes |
18 | Keith Kelsey | Louisville | 229 | Yes |
19 | Hardy Nickerson | Illinois | 237 | Yes |
20 | Nyeem Wartman-White | Penn State | 250 | No |
21 | Ukeme Eligwe | Georgia Southern | 255 | No |
22 | Ben Boulware | Clemson | 256 | Yes |
23 | Riley Bullough | Michigan State | 266 | Yes |
24 | Tanner Vallejo | Boise State | 267 | Yes |
25 | Jermaine Grace | Miami (Fla.) | 271 | No |
26 | Blair Brown | Ohio | 303 | Yes |
27 | Jayon Brown | UCLA | 305 | Yes |
28 | Harvey Langi | BYU | 319 | Yes |
29 | Brooks Ellis | Arkansas | 360 | Yes |
30 | Marquel Lee | Wake Forest | 362 | Yes |
31 | Kevin Davis | Colorado State | 365 | Yes |
32 | Brandon Bell | Penn State | 396 | No |
33 | Marcus Oliver | Indiana | 407 | No |
Cornerbacks

NFL teams love cornerbacks, but in recent history they haven't drafted them super early. Patrick Peterson was the No. 5 overall pick in 2011, and last year Jalen Ramsey went in the same spot, but traditionally the first cornerback comes off the board around pick No. 10. This year, that won't be the case.
Marshon Lattimore is the man crush of many NFL scouts I've spoken to based on his size, speed and ball skills. Teams also like his teammate, Gareon Conley, and the duo at Florida (Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson). Don't forget about Sidney Jones and Marlon Humphrey as potential Round 1 players either.
When April 27 finally gets here, a run on cornerbacks should be expected. The players mentioned above and USC's Adoree' Jackson are all contenders to hear their names called Thursday night.
It's not a top-heavy class, though. Starting-caliber cornerbacks can be found in subsequent rounds. There might be seven cornerbacks ranked in the first round, but there are another 10 ranked in the top three rounds after that.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Quincy Wilson | Florida | 9 | Yes |
2 | Marshon Lattimore | Ohio State | 11 | Yes |
3 | Gareon Conley | Ohio State | 17 | Yes |
4 | Sidney Jones | Washington | 19 | Yes |
5 | Teez Tabor | Florida | 27 | Yes |
6 | Tre'Davious White | LSU | 32 | Yes |
7 | Marlon Humphrey | Alabama | 33 | Yes |
8 | Adoree' Jackson | USC | 43 | Yes |
9 | Cordrea Tankersley | Clemson | 58 | Yes |
10 | Fabian Moreau | UCLA | 64 | Yes |
11 | Chidobe Awuzie | Colorado | 70 | Yes |
12 | Jourdan Lewis | Michigan | 71 | Yes |
13 | Rasul Douglas | West Virginia | 74 | Yes |
14 | Howard Wilson | Houston | 76 | Yes |
15 | Kevin King | Washington | 95 | Yes |
16 | Cameron Sutton | Tennessee | 97 | Yes |
17 | Corn Elder | Miami (Fla.) | 98 | Yes |
18 | Marquez White | Florida State | 132 | Yes |
19 | Ahkello Witherspoon | Colorado | 140 | Yes |
20 | Channing Stribling | Michigan | 167 | Yes |
21 | Cole Luke | Notre Dame | 174 | No |
22 | Damontae Kazee | San Diego State | 190 | Yes |
23 | Jalen Myrick | Minnesota | 196 | Yes |
24 | Jack Tocho | NC State | 197 | Yes |
25 | Jeremy Clark | Michigan | 204 | Yes |
26 | William Likely III | Maryland | 207 | Yes |
27 | Shaquill Griffin | Central Florida | 221 | Yes |
28 | Nate Hairston | Temple | 222 | Yes |
29 | Brian Allen | Utah | 224 | Yes |
30 | Sojourn Shelton | Wisconsin | 230 | Yes |
31 | Ezra Robinson | Tennessee State | 263 | Yes |
32 | Des Lawrence | North Carolina | 268 | No |
33 | Jeremy Cutrer | Middle Tennessee | 270 | No |
34 | Ashton Lampkin | Oklahoma State | 275 | Yes |
35 | Michael Tyson | Cincinnati | 296 | Yes |
36 | Brendan Langley | Lamar (Texas) | 301 | Yes |
37 | Breon Borders | Duke | 313 | No |
38 | Brad Watson | Wake Forest | 318 | No |
39 | Treston Decoud | Oregon State | 334 | Yes |
40 | Art Maulet | Memphis | 366 | Yes |
41 | Greg Mabin | Iowa | 380 | No |
Safeties

Not since the 2010 draft—when Eric Berry and Earl Thomas came out—has a draft class seen two safeties like Jamal Adams and Malik Hooker. Because of the rare talent the two possess, it's safe to assume NFL teams will be all over them in the early picks of Round 1.
Adams and Hooker are special, but they aren't alone in the Round 1 talk. Jabrill Peppers and Budda Baker are legitimate prospects and will warrant conversations after the combine given their athleticism. Peppers, especially, is poised to blow up in Indianapolis given his all-around skill set. He will work out as a linebacker, but I rank him among the safeties.
The strength of the safety class is at free safety with Day 2 prospects like Eddie Jackson, Marcus Williams and Justin Evans all potential starters. Like the edge-rusher class, no team should have an excuse to miss on a safety this year.
Rank | Player | School | Overall | Combine Invite |
1 | Jamal Adams | LSU | 4 | Yes |
2 | Malik Hooker | Ohio State | 5 | Yes |
3 | Jabrill Peppers | Michigan | 29 | Yes |
4 | Budda Baker | Washington | 41 | Yes |
5 | Justin Evans | Texas A&M | 44 | Yes |
6 | Marcus Williams | Utah | 48 | Yes |
7 | Desmond King | Iowa | 49 | Yes |
8 | Eddie Jackson | Alabama | 63 | Yes |
9 | Marcus Maye | Florida | 75 | Yes |
10 | Obi Melifonwu | UConn | 77 | Yes |
11 | John Johnson | Boston College | 107 | Yes |
12 | Lorenzo Jerome | Saint Francis (Pa.) | 110 | Yes |
13 | Josh Jones | NC State | 129 | Yes |
14 | Tedric Thompson | Colorado | 142 | Yes |
15 | Delano Hill | Michigan | 171 | Yes |
16 | Montae Nicholson | Michigan State | 192 | Yes |
17 | Jadar Johnson | Clemson | 194 | Yes |
18 | Rayshawn Jenkins | Miami (Fla.) | 225 | Yes |
19 | Johnathan "Rudy" Ford | Auburn | 234 | Yes |
20 | Nathan Gerry | Nebraska | 235 | Yes |
21 | David Jones | Richmond | 245 | No |
22 | Jordan Sterns | Oklahoma State | 251 | No |
23 | Tony Conner | Ole Miss | 262 | No |
24 | Xavier Woods | Louisiana Tech | 298 | Yes |
25 | Randall Goforth | UCLA | 312 | No |
26 | Demetrious Cox | Michigan State | 321 | No |
27 | Shalom Luani | Washington State | 339 | Yes |
28 | Jamal Carter | Miami (Fla.) | 341 | Yes |
29 | Damarius Travis | Minnesota | 352 | Yes |
30 | Chuck Clark | Virginia Tech | 367 | Yes |
31 | Ahmad Thomas | Oklahoma | 379 | No |
32 | Nate Andrews | Florida State | 382 | No |
33 | Weston Steelhammer | Air Force | 387 | No |
34 | Orion Stewart | Baylor | 399 | No |
35 | Quincy Mauger | Georgia | 405 | No |