Remembering Top 2017 NFL Draft Prospects as College Football Recruits
How do you get to be one of the top prospects in this year's upcoming NFL draft, which starts Thursday night?
Everybody's path is different. From unheralded, no-name recruits to marquee prospects with heaping helpings of hype, they all had to start somewhere. And each of the top prospects in this year's haul has their own unique story.
For every Leonard Fournette and Myles Garrett who entered college with fanfare galore and visions of All-America honors and hardware dancing in fans' heads, there was little-known Corey Davis at Western Michigan or Quincy Wilson at Florida who was overshadowed by bigger-name prospects.
Using B/R NFL draft analyst Matt Miller's post-combine big board, let's take a look at this year's top 10 players in the draft and track them from their high school days.
Did they live up to collegiate expectations? What can we expect from them once they sign NFL contracts?
Let's retrace the path this year's top draft-eligible players took to Thursday night's festivities in Philadelphia.
10. Corey Davis
1 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2013 3-star; No. 136 wide receiver.
What was expected: Honestly, not much. After slipping through the cracks as a high school receiver from Wheaton, Illinois, (chronicled here by Detroit Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel) Corey Davis was just another late fill in P.J. Fleck's first Western Michigan class, a guy who wasn't even eligible when he signed.
What was delivered: Davis became one of the most decorated receivers in Mid-American Conference history, helping put the Broncos on the map and transform a 1-11 program to a BCS participant as a senior. He was the MAC Freshman of the Year, the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2016 and wound up first all-time in Football Bowl Subdivision receiving yardage with 5,278.
What's next: Davis is a can't-miss star on the next level. He's 6'3", 209 pounds and is blessed with the ideal size-and-speed combination. He has an alpha attitude, is aggressive to the ball and is a fabulous route-runner. He'll be an All-Pro in no time and enjoy a brilliant career if he stays healthy.
9. Quincy Wilson
2 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2014 3-star; No. 46 safety.
What was expected: Recruiting analysts were split on Quincy Wilson's ability, as he was either a 4-star or 3-star prospect, depending on the outlet. That was mainly due to people not being sure of whether he'd project as a cornerback or safety. Still, a lot of schools were willing to take that chance as he boasted more than 50 offers.
What was delivered: Once he showed he had the athleticism to play cornerback, he surged. Wilson turned out to be one of the nation's best at his position, and at 6'1", 211 pounds, he has ideal size and physicality to play at the next level. He had six interceptions and 14 pass deflections in his career.
What's next: Wilson may wind up being a safety at the next level, and it remains a question whether he can display the fluidity and athleticism to hang with the league's best receivers. He has size and swagger, but he's not a guaranteed hit at the next level. He'll need a little time to marinate and settle into the right situation.
8. Mike Williams
3 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2013 3-star; No. 38 wide receiver.
What was expected: The big, physical receiver was also a fringe 4-star, high 3-star prospect in high school, depending on the service. Still, Mike Williams' small town of Santee, South Carolina, and less-than-stellar competition didn't stop major programs like Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Georgia and others from offering. Many saw his potential.
What was delivered: Williams turned into a monster for the national champion Tigers, returning from a fractured bone in his neck during the 2015 season opener to catching 98 passes for 1,361 yards and 11 scores in his final year. He's an elite playmaker with great size and aggressiveness.
What's next: Davis could be the biggest name at his position in this draft, but Williams is a superstar just waiting to happen. The first team that wants a receiver needs to take him because he's a player who will have an immediate impact and be a longtime stalwart. Everybody saw what happened when paired with an elite quarterback in '16.
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7. Jonathan Allen
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What was expected: The 2013 U.S. Army All-American was expected to be a stud, and though it took him a year to break into Nick Saban's rotation of freaks along the defensive front, his size, athleticism and potential as a prospect were never in question.
What was delivered: Jonathan Allen grew into one of the most fearsome defensive linemen in the country, and after playing sparingly in seven games as a freshman, he was dominant for the Crimson Tide as they consistently produced the country's top defense. In those final three seasons, Allen wound up with 41.5 tackles for a loss and 27.5 sacks.
What's next: At 6'3", 286 pounds, he has the versatility to slot nicely into a 4-3 or 3-4 base defense, and that makes him attractive to virtually everybody. There are more flashy linemen, but when it comes to yeoman's work along the front, Allen is going to be a consistent force who'll enjoy a long, prosperous career.
6. Solomon Thomas
5 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2014 5-star; No. 4 defensive end.
What was expected: Solomon Thomas was considered a coup when Stanford reached into Texas and nabbed him as part of the '14 class. The Cardinal always seems to do well in the Lone Star State, and Thomas was the jewel of coach David Shaw's class.
What was delivered: After failing to crack the rotation as a freshman, Thomas made an impact as a sophomore, finishing with 10.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He parlayed that into being one of the biggest playmakers in the country as a junior, finishing with 14 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks.
What's next: Teams love his size, speed and aggression, and he may not even slip out of the top five. He's a lot like Michael Bennett of Seattle, and though he probably isn't fast enough to stick on the outside, he'll slide to the interior and be an elite run defender at the next level. He'll make some team very happy, even if he may not rack up huge stats.
5. Malik Hooker
6 of 10
What was expected: At 6'2", 185 pounds, it wasn't that Malik Hooker was under-recruited; it's just that nobody knew where he'd play. He had offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and others, but his position was up in the air, so projections were all over the place.
What was delivered: A late bloomer, Hooker needed a redshirt year and nearly left Ohio State, according to B/R's Ben Axelrod. He didn't become a full-time starter until 2016, waiting his turn behind Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell. He made the most of it, finishing his junior year as an All-American with 74 tackles and seven interceptions.
What's next: Hooker isn't as seasoned or talented as Jamal Adams, but he's still an extremely good value pick as a first-rounder. Due to his inexperience, Hooker isn't a guarantee to be a quick study, but once he finds the right spot, he's got All-Pro potential and can be used all over the defense. He can do it all on the back end.
4. Jamal Adams
7 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2014 5-star; No. 1 safety.
What was expected: Jamal Adams was expected to be a star, and he didn't disappoint, playing in all 12 games as a true freshman and becoming one of the most consistent performers on LSU's defense during his three years on the Bayou.
What was delivered: Simply put: Adams is elite. He registered 66 tackles in his first year, never hitting the freshman wall. He followed that up with 67 tackles and 76 as a junior. Though he never was a turnover machine, he was an enforcer on the back end who receivers must account for on every play.
What's next: He isn't the greatest safety reacting to the pass, but he's such a hitter and a weapon in the run game that he'll be a great player in the NFL. He shows up on film, and it's impossible not to watch him in a game. He's all over the place. Adams may not be as fast or as much of a ball hawk as Kansas City All-Pro Eric Berry, but he's that kind of talent.
3. Reuben Foster
8 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2013 5-star; No. 1 middle linebacker.
What was expected: Now, we enter the Hype Zone, where the top three players on this list (all SEC alumni) entered college with massive expectations. All three lived up to them. When Reuben Foster chose Alabama over home school Auburn, it not only sent shockwaves through the Yellowhammer State but also recruiting.
What was delivered: Foster graduated from highlight-reel hitter to all-around defensive quarterback in 2016, taking the place of Reggie Ragland to be a star in the center of Alabama's defense. He proved he can do it all last year with 115 tackles, including 13 for a loss and five sacks. He didn't star throughout his career, but he waited his turn, and he'll get paid handsomely.
What's next: Though it's been a rough few days for Foster with news emerging regarding a diluted drug test at the NFL combine and a shoulder injury, those are just blips on the radar screen. If he keeps his head on straight, Foster is the most complete interior linebacker to come out in a long time. He's an ideal fit for an inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
2. Leonard Fournette
9 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2014 5-star; No. 1 running back (and overall player).
What was expected: Amid all the Heisman Trophy and national championship projections that accompanied Leonard Fournette to Baton Rouge, it was hard to separate any fact from fiction. There was arguably more hype surrounding the running back than any recruit in history.
What was delivered: Fournette never won a championship or the hardware, but he also approached his career with more humility than anybody would have expected. He played maturely, and though his controversial decision to skip the bowl game during his junior year was met with scrutiny, Fournette battled injuries during most of 2016. He was unstoppable when healthy during his career.
What's next: At 6'0", 240 pounds, Fournette is a physical freak, and if he stays healthy, he's talented enough to be one of the best NFL runners ever. He looks and runs like Bo Jackson out there. It's a no-brainer for the first team needing a running back to take Fournette. He's a can't-miss NFL star.
1. Myles Garrett
10 of 10
Recruiting info: Class of 2014 5-star; No. 1 defensive end.
What was expected: Some services had Myles Garrett as the top-ranked overall player, and he was a consensus top-five prospect. He was expected to make an immediate impact, and he starred all three years in College Station.
What was delivered: From setting the SEC freshman sack record to continuing to destroy quarterbacks off the edge throughout his career, he became one of the most athletic, fearsome pass-rushers in the country. He finished with 31 sacks in three years, and that's even with battling injuries as a junior. He can dominate, but there are some questions considering much of his sacks came against less-than-stellar competition.
What's next: Like Jadeveon Clowney before him, Garrett has to sift through the headlines and find consistent production. He has the ability to take over the NFL, but he can't take off plays. If Garrett takes critique such as this week's lashing from Warren Sapp (via ESPN.com's Adam Schefter) to heart, and it fuels him to live up to his massive potential, he'll be a star. If not, he'll continue to only show flashes.
Recruit rankings courtesy of Scout.com unless otherwise noted.
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