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So, after we win, we'll be picking around #10 so that eliminates a number of players including Nelson.
WalterFootball.com is used as a reference for slotting.
6. Derwin James, S, Florida State. Previously: 6 Avg. 3.7 per 18
12/27/17: James has decided to enter the 2018 NFL Draft and will skip Florida State's bowl game. Taking on Louisiana-Monroe in his final collegiate football game, he had 12 tackles. James made seven tackles and a breakup versus Florida, but had an interception fly through his hands. Against Clemson, James notched nine tackles and a pass breakup. Taking on Syracuse, he made an interception and came close to three more picks, including some drops. He ended up with four passes broken up and showed coverage with ball skills. James made a lot of tackles against Louisville and was around the ball a lot, including for some clutch open-field stops of Lamar Jackson.
Versus Wake Forest, James made a lot of clutch tackles and had a kickoff returned for a touchdown called back by a penalty. Against N.C. State, he made a lot of excellent plays and tough tackles, but he did have a painful missed tackle that allowed a 70-yard touchdown. While James didn't have a flawless performance against Alabama in Week 1, it was good overall with six tackles and .5 sacks. James was healthy and able to display his great instincts and rare combination of great size, speed, physicality and versatility.
For the NFL, James fits as a strong safety who is a tough eighth defender in the box. He is very fast with good instincts and is a hard hitter. James has good athleticism to cover tight ends, but has coverage issues and is not good to line up as a nickel corner against slot receivers or be a deep center fielder. James could also add some weight and be a Will - weakside - linebacker. He needs to improve on his ball skills for the NFL.
James played well this season, but had some painful missed tackles. On the year, he totaled 84 tackles with 11 passes batted and two interceptions.
08/28/17: There is no doubt that James (6-3, 211) is a freak athlete. He is a very fast defender with tremendous closing speed who flies around the football field and demonstrates good instincts. On top of being very fast, James is a big safety with height and strength. He will dish out some bone-rattling hits and is a good tackler on running backs in space. In pass coverage, James is a real asset. He can play the deep center field well, possessing the speed and instincts to be a true single-high safety. His coverage skills as a free safety are very impressive as he flies around the field to defend receivers running deep. James can get to the sideline in a blur, yet he also has the size to defend jump balls against big wideouts or tight ends. James is so big and fast that he also could serve as a press-man cornerback on big wide receivers. The versatility in his skill set makes him a real weapon in man coverage on tight ends and receiving backs as well. James also is a willing run defender as he will come downhill into the box to make tackles.
As a freshman, James recorded 91 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, four passes broken up two forced fumbles. He had 11 tackles and an interception in the early going of 2016 before a knee injury ended his season.
7. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA. Previously: 7 Avg. 9.3 per 18
12/27/17: WalterFootball.com was first to report that Rosen would skip his senior year and enter the 2018 NFL Draft. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, however, that Rosen could be hesitant to declare if he were sure that the Browns would take him with the No. 1-overall pick. These thoughts and attitude toward a franchise could end up hurting Rosen with some teams that already question his intangibles.
Against California, Rosen completed 13-of-18 passes for 202 yards with two touchdowns. He left the game early with a concussion, which also left him out of the Cactus Bowl. UCLA earlier held out Rosen against Utah because of a concussion. Taking on Washington before that, he completed 12-of-21 passes for 93 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions before leaving in the second half with an injury.
Rosen had highs and lows in 2017, including an ugly game against Arizona and mixed outings in losses to Stanford and Memphis. He had a legendary Week 1 performance, leading one of the greatest comeback wins in college football history. UCLA was down 44-10 in the third quarter before Rosen led the Bruins back to a 45-44 victory over Texas A&M. On the evening, Rosen completed 35-of-58 passes for 491 yards with four touchdowns.
Of the top quarterback prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft, Rosen has the best mechanics and is the most natural pocket passer. He throws a tremendous ball and can really spin it. Rosen's tight spiral helps him to get his passes through tight windows and beat good coverage. He has serious arm talent along with field vision and pocket presence. On the year, Rosen completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,717 yards with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
08/28/17: Rosen had an impressive debut as a freshman, completing 60 percent of his passes for 3,670 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He only played in six games in 2016 before a shoulder injury ended his season. The sohomore completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,915 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions for his year.
Rosen can be an accurate passer who is willing to make tough throws into tight windows. He is able to throw receivers open with well-placed passes and shows the ability to be a rhythm passer. Rosen flashes good timing and anticipation, especially when he has a clean pocket. In terms of field vision, Rosen will work off his primary read, and he definitely needs to improve his vision for the NFL. Like all college players, there are things that Rosen can improve on. The junior could stand to get better with the consistency of his accuracy. One of the big problems for Rosen entering 2017 is that he has developed a reputation for having poor intangibles as a bad teammate and leader.
8. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville. Previously: 8 Avg. 11.8 per 18
12/27/17: Against Kentucky, Jackson completed 15-of-21 passes for 216 yards with two touchdowns. He also gained 156 yards on 18 carries.
Jackson has a great athletic skill set, including a powerful arm that can make all throws the NFL requires and some rare passes. While his tremendous running ability gets a lot of attention, Jackson is better passing from the pocket than he is given credit for. Jackson will take some shots and deliver good passes in the face of the rush. He also handles Bobby Petrino's scheme well. Jackson can be inconsistent with his accuracy, and he needs to add weight to his frame for the NFL. He also needs to develop maturity in his leadership skills as he can be of one of the guys too much. One general manager told me they think Jackson is being undervalued similar to Deshaun Watson a year ago. A number of sources think Jackson is a taller and right-handed version of Michael Vick.
In 2017, Jackson has completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,489 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is averaging 6.9 yards per carry on the ground on his way to 1,443 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
08/28/17: Jackson set college football on fire in 2016 while winning the Heisman Trophy. The sophomore was a massive point-producer for the Cardinals. Jackson completed 56 percent of his passes for 3,543 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions on the year. He also ran for 21 touchdowns and 1,571 yards while averaging six yards per carry.
Jackson has a lot of talent as a passer with a strong arm, an advanced intellect and the ability to burn teams downfield, plus he stands tough in the pocket. He also is a great runner. Jackson (6-3, 210) has added weight heading into his junior year, and his frame has been a concern. In 2017, Jackson needs to continue to improve his accuracy as a pocket passer. However, he has a rare skill set that could cause many evaluators to fall in love.
9. Vita Vea, DT, Washington. Previously: 9 Avg. 24.5 per 15
12/27/17: Some sources have compared Vea to Haloti Ngata in terms of ability to play defensive end or nose tackle. They feel that Vea is a special nose tackle prospect who offers more than Danny Shelton did coming out of Washington. Vea will be downgraded in the 2018 NFL Draft because of being a nose tackle, but he still is a special and rare prospect.
Vea has a serious combination of size, length, strength, and quickness at the point of attack. He is a heavy nose tackle who is a rock against the run and can occasionally collapse the pocket in the pass rush.
Against Washington State, Vea dominated the point of attack and destroyed the Cougars' offensive line. Vea has 38 tackles, 3.5 sacks and four passes batted in 2017. The 6-foot-5, 332-pounder was a load at the point of attack for Washington in 2016. He totaled 39 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss, five sacks, one force fumble and two passes batted on the season.
10. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson. Previously: 10 Avg. 9.8 per 8
12/27/17: Ferrell didn't have a big stat line against Miami, but he put pressure on the quarterback. Previously, Ferrell notched four tackles and a sack in Clemson's win over South Carolina. Against Florida State, he notched four tackles with a sack in a solid performance.
Clemson has a defensive line that is comprised of future first-round picks, and some sources think that Ferrell creates some of the big plays for the other Clemson defensive linemen. Fellow defensive end Austin Bryant is playing himself into becoming an early-rounder this year, but Bryant has done well with cleaning up a lot of scrambling quarterbacks running away from Ferrell. Ferrell looks like a future first-round pick in the 2018 or 2019 draft.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Ferrell has superb speed with athleticism and the ability to bend around the corner. On the season, he has 58 tackles with 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, one pass batted and two forced fumbles.
11. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson. Previously: 13 Avg. 12.9 per 18
12/27/17: Wilkins was phenomenal against Miami with a sack and passes batted. He dominated at the point of attack and led Clemson's defense to have a huge night in the ACC Championship.
Versus South Carolina, Wilkins didn't record any tackles. He had seven tackles and a sack against Florida State. Wilkins and Clemson fell to Syracuse as he recorded three tackles and .5 sacks. Against Virginia Tech, Wilkins recorded six tackles, plus shared a sack with a teammate. He put together a strong game against Auburn with a handful of tackles and two sacks.
In 2017, Wilkins has 45 tackles with seven tackles for a loss and four sacks.
08/28/17: Wilkins played well for Clemson in 2016 as part of a tough defensive line that controlled the point of attack. The sophomore totaled 48 tackles with 13 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and 10 passes batted on the year. He lined up at a variety of spots for the Tigers and showed real versatility up front. Naturally, Wilkins (6-4, 310) is a defensive tackle, but he played a lot of defensive end as a sophomore due to injuries. As a pass-rusher, Wilkins was able to get after the quarterback with pressure coming around the corner. He looked the most dangerous when lining up over guards and firing past them to cause disruption in the backfield. Wilkins was a solid run defender. He has a strong, thick lower body to hold his ground at the point of attack. He will have to guard against playing too high and stay on top of conditioning.
12. Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama. Previously: 11 Avg. 9.6 per 18
12/27/17: Payne had three tackles against Auburn and played well for the Crimson Tide. Versus Mississippi State, he totaled six tackles and a sack. Payne notched four tackles and half of a sack against LSU. He did a good job of bottling up the Tigers' rushing attack. In the blowout of Tennessee, Payne made one tackle. He previously played well against Arkansas, showing off his pass-rushing and run-stuffing skills. Payne recorded six tackles against Texas A&M, and was superb to shut down the Aggies' rushing attack. A week earlier, Payne made six tackles against Colorado State. He previously played well against Florida State, showcasing his freakish speed and athleticism. He made five tackles against the Seminoles.
In 2017, Payne has 45 tackles, two sacks and a pass batted.
08/28/17: Scouts who have looked ahead to the 2018 class have raved about Payne's potential. Coming from Alabama, it isn't a stretch, as Payne could take on the lead role for the Crimson Tide now that Jonathan Allen is in the NFL. Payne is a run plugger with a lot of potential to grow. He recorded 36 tackles with 3.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks and one pass broken up. What the stats don't illustrate is that Payne (6-2, 319) can be physically dominant. He dominated his one-on-ones last year when he was lining up over guards. Payne causes disruption and makes his teammates better. His contributions last year boosteded the sacks totals of Allen, Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson.
13. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama. Previously: 12 Avg. 10.7 per 18
12/27/17: With Jalen Hurts struggling to pass the ball, Ridley had three receptions for 38 yards in the loss to Auburn.
Ridley made some huge catches to help Alabama avoid an upset to Mississippi State. He recorded five receptions for 171 yards on the evening. All night versus LSU, Ridley got open with his superb route-running and quickness. Unfortunately for Ridley, Jalen Hurts was unable to get him the ball much, limiting him to three receptions for 61 yards. Ridley notched eight catches for 82 yards versus Tennessee.
Against Florida State in Week 1, Ridley totaled 45 yards on five receptions. He had 82 yards on seven receptions with a touchdown. Ridley made a huge play in the second quarter, torching the Seminoles' secondary for a 53-yard touchdown. He also forced a defensive pass interference that prevented him from producing another long touchdown.
So far this year, Ridley has 55 catches for 896 yards and three touchdowns. His production is being suppressed by Alabama's ground-based offense and having a running quarterback.
08/28/17: Scouting sources say that, from a skill set perspective, Ridley is comparable to Amari Cooper in terms of the same strengths, weaknesses, and similar size. They feel that Ridley is suited for to make an instant impact in the NFL. Ridley has a lot of strengths to his game as he is a fast receiver who is very adept at creating separation. With his quick feet and sudden athleticism, Ridley is a very good route-runner. He has a second gear of explosion to break downfield and is dangerous with the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-1, 188-pounder isn't overpowering with size, but does have some height and leaping ability, allowing him to make some contested catches over defensive backs.
In 2015, Ridley was phenomenal as a freshman with 89 receptions for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns as the replacement for Cooper. As a sophomore, Ridley made 72 catches for 769 yards with seven touchdowns.
14. Sam Darnold, QB, USC. Previously: 14 Avg. 10.7 per 18
12/27/17: Darnold was 17-of-24 for 325 yards with two touchdowns versus Stanford. He made some excellent throws with touch passes downfield and impressive accuracy.
The redshirt sophomore has had some up and down performances this season with great throws. There have also been ball-security issues, including a lot of fumbles and some interceptions. In every game, however, Darnold displays accuracy, arm strength, vision, anticipation and touch.
Darnold needs to improve his decision-making, eye movement, and confidence. He has admitted that confidence has been an issue for him this season. Earlier in the day of the Trojans' upset loss to Washington State, a scout who was doing tape study of USC quarterback Sam Darnold texted me that he thought Darnold was a good prospect and should end up being a quality starter in the NFL, but they thought Darnold was being overhyped as a "can't miss" elite-quarterback prospect. They felt that Darnold was not better on tape this season than Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson were last year.
In 2017, Darnold has completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,787 yards with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
08/28/17: The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Darnold broke out in 2016, leading the Trojans to finish the year on a nine-game winning streak. The redshirt freshman completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,086 yards with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions for the season.
Darnold looks like a future franchise quarterback for the NFL. First and foremost, he is an accurate passer from the pocket. He displayed nice ball placement and accuracy in the short to intermediate part of the field in 2016. Darnold looks comfortable in the pocket, but also has the ability to move around to buy time. While he is not a running quarterback, the redshirt sophomore is functional enough to avoid sacks and will move around to help his offensive line and receivers. Darnold also has good size and surveys the field well. He has a strong enough arm to make the throws required and generally makes good decisions; he was very skilled at protecting the football to avoid turnovers last seasn. Darnold has also flashed some anticipation and timing to his throws with field vision to work through progressions. Darnold may not have elite size, athleticism, arm strength, or running ability, but he is a balanced player who does everything well.
15. Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU. Previously: 15 Avg. 20 per 18
12/27/17: Sutton had six catches for 68 yards in Louisiana Tech's bowl loss. After the game, Sutton made it official that he was skipping his senior year to enter the 2018 NFL Draft.
Sutton made 11 catches for 160 yards against Houston. In early September, he partied "Al Bundy" style against North Texas with four touchdowns. He had eight receptions for 163 yards in that contest. In 2017 Sutton totaled 68 catches for 1,085 yards with 12 touchdowns. He saw a lot of extra attention in the form of double teams throughout 2017, but that helped teammates to have breakout seasons.
08/28/17: The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is a dangerous receiver who could have been a first-round pick if he had entered the 2017 NFL Draft. In 2016, Sutton totaled 76 receptions for 1,246 yards - 16.5 yard average - with 10 touchdowns. He recorded 862 yards and nine touchdowns on 49 receptions in 2015, making for an average of 17.6 yards per catch.
Sutton provides his quarterback with a big target who is very good at winning contested catches. Routinely, Sutton will sky over a defensive back to make a difficult catch. Similar to Mike Evans or Mike Williams, Sutton isn't a huge separation receiver but he is always a threat because, like them, he makes catches even with a corner right on him. With his ability to win 50-50 passes, Sutton is a tremendous red-zone weapon and should be an asset as a touchdown producer in the NFL.
16. Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia. Previously: 16 Avg. 23 per 15
12/27/17: Smith was all over the field in the SEC Championship againts Auburn. He was superb and the most impressive prospect on the field, making a ton of huge tackles to limit the Tigers' offense. Smith finished with 13 tackles and two sacks.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder is a linebacker who has impressed some scouting sources, who have compared him to the Falcons' recent second-day picks of the LSU duo of Deion Jones and Duke Riley. They think that Smith is a better prospect than either of them and could be a NFL linebacker similar to Lavonte David. Smith is a very fast and physical linebacker who flies around the field. Along with great speed, he has excellent instincts and the ability to cover. Smith should be an impact-making three-down starter in the NFL.
Smith has 113 tackles with 5.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and two passes batted in 2017. In 2016, he led Georgia in tackles with 95. Smith also had five tackles for a loss, one pass batted and two forced fumbles.
17. Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa. Previously: NR Avg. 0 per 0
12/27/17: In speaking with a director of college scouting, they had Jackson as the highest-graded cornerback for the 2018 NFL Draft. It is easy to understand why Jackson is held in such high esteem as he has had tremendous ball production in 2017 with seven interceptions and 18 passes broken up to go along with 47 tackles. Jackson had a three-interception game against Ohio State to help the Hawkeyes blow out the Buckeyes. It has been a breakout year for Jackson, who had 10 tackles with four breakups as a sophomore in 2016. In the previous year, he had eight tackles and two breakups.
Evaluators like Jackson's size at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds with speed and athleticism. With his skill set and production, Jackson could be the first cornerback off the board next April.
18. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame. Previously: 18 Avg. 18.6 per 18
12/27/17: McGlinchey didn't have a flawless game, but was solid overall against Stanford. He had a bad outing in the loss to the Hurricanes, giving up a strip sack and other pressures to Miami's fast sophomore edge rusher Joe Jackson.
The Fighting Irish previously won a high-scoring game against Wake Forest. McGlinchey helped to limit Wake Forest defensive end Duke Ejiofor to two tackles, with one being an assisted tackle for a loss. Taking on a good N.C. State defensive line, McGlinchey played well overall. He was beaten by Bradley Chubb for one pressure, but McGlinchey also had a lot of one-on-one wins against Chubb. McGlinchey was phenomenal when Notre Dame cruised over USC. He was excellent in pass protection and opened a lot of holes in the ground game.
McGlinchey blocked really well against Boston College, too. He won his few reps against Harold Landry, and McGlinchey was instrumental to the Fighting Irish having a tremendous day rushing the ball. They had two different players run for over 200 yards and racked up seven total rushing touchdowns. The Fighting Irish lost a tight game against Georgia in Week 2, but they rolled Temple in the season opener. McGlinchey blocked well versus the Bulldogs until the last play of the game for his offense, when he was beaten for a strip sack.
McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson have helped the Fighting Irish to have success running the ball despite loaded defensive fronts.
08/28/17: McGlinchey could have been the closest thing to a franchise left tackle if he had entered the 2017 NFL Draft, but he decided to return for his senior year. McGlinchey isn't a rare athlete, but he is a tough, well-balanced blocker at the point of attack. In pass protection, McGlinchey looked like a natural at left tackle in his first year as a starter. He showed excellent feet to get depth in his kick slide and cut off speed rushers. He also displayed a nice ability to bend at the knee, and that in combination with his feet, kept him from having to reach after edge rushers. As a run blocker, McGlinchey can get movement at the point of attack. He flashes heavy hands to push defenders out of their gaps and open holes for his back. McGlinchey has strength to start out his NFL career at right tackle and be a plus run blocker. The one consistent problem McGlinchey has is a lot of false start penalties. In speaking with some NFL sources, they felt that issue was correctable.
19. Donte Jackson, CB, LSU. Previously: 17 Avg. 21.4 per 5
12/27/17: Jackson is a bit of a love/hate prospect, with some scouts saying they see him as a first-rounder and others thinking he belongs on Day 2 because of playing discipline and size. All the scouts agree, however, that Jackson is extremely fast, so he will be a good matchup corner to line up against speed receivers. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder is athletic to run the route and prevent separation, but he is a gambler and could stand to play with more discipline for the pros. Scouts tell me that Jackson is talented, but has a ton of discipline issues to work on, and that might include some hard lessons versus pro receivers. Still, he has great speed and serious coverage skills to run the route and prevent separation. Jackson is a track star and is expected to run an eye-popping 40 time that could push him higher. The scouts who like Jackson compare him to Janoris Jenkins, and Jenkins would have been a first-rounder had it not been for off-the-field issues.
Jackson has 46 tackles with 10 passes broken up and an interception this season. As a sophomore, he recorded 39 tackles with eight pass breakups and two interceptions.
20. Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State. Previously: 19 Avg. 27.8 per 10
12/27/17: Ward put on a clinic in the Big Ten Championship with an interception and a few passes broken up against the Badgers. He has been excellent all season for the Buckeyes as he has done a superb job of limiting receivers. In the season opener against Indiana, Ward notched an interception, four tackles and five passes broken up. He also was beaten for a touchdown and some other receptions by big Indiana receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. Ward struggled with Cobbs' size, but was good at preventing Cobbs from generating separation.
Ward has 37 tackles with 15 passes broken up and two interceptions in 2017. He totaled 23 tackles with nice passes broken up in 2016. For the NFL, Ward (5-10, 191) has good speed, athleticism, ball skills, and quick feet to run the route to prevent separation. He times his reaches well and shows nice instincts to play the eyes and hands of receivers. Ward looks like a future starter and could have No. 1-corner potential in the NFL.
21. Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky. Previously: 20 Avg. 21.1 per 12
12/27/17: Allen made two tackles versus Louisville. Against Georgia, he showed good coverage against Georgia with an interception, but he had problems in run defense. Georgia left tackle Isaiah Wynn pushed Allen around on some plays, and Nick Chubb ran through some of Allen's tackles.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Allen has been impressive this season. The junior has seven sacks with 58 tackles with 9.5 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, one interception and three passes batted on the year. Allen produced well as a sophomore in 2016 with 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and four forced fumbles.
One national scout compared Allen to Leonard Floyd coming out of Georgia with Allen's ability to rush off the edge. That scout said Allen isn't as freaky of an athlete as Floyd was, and Allen is not a top-10 pick, but he did grade Allen as a first-rounder.
Another director of college scouting said he gave Allen a high second-round grade, but thought Allen could definitely end up going in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. That director said Allen was an interesting player because he also can play inside linebacker, whereas Floyd was just an outside edge defender. That college director said as an inside linebacker, Allen has similarities to current Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham in terms of his height, speed, length, and athleticism in the middle.
22. Taven Bryan, DT, Florida. Previously: 22 Avg. 28.6 per 11
12/27/17: WalterFootball.com was first to report back in November that Bryan would enter the 2018 NFL Draft, which he made that official in December. Bryan notched 40 tackles with six tackles for a loss and four sacks in 2017. He enjoyed a breakout year with the Gators even though they had a disappointing season. Announcers have compared the 6-foot-4, 295-pounder to J.J. Watt, and in terms of style of play, Bryan is reminiscent of Watt, but he clearly isn't on the NFL veteran's level. While speaking with a director of college scouting, we agreed that Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe was a good comparison to Bryan.
Bryan has a tremendous get-off with serious explosion off the snap. He has developed strength with active hands to shed blocks. With his length, Bryan can play end or tackle, and would be a perfect fit as a five-technique. He is a great athlete who is big, strong, fast and agile.
Bryan had a late start in football, however, from growing up in Wyoming, and that shows up in him not demonstrating good instincts. Bryan is inconsistent while lacking feel and pass-rushing moves. There have been times when Bryan has been a dominant force, but he needs to make those flashes more consistent.
23. Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn. Previously: 21 Avg. 28.9 per 14
12/27/17: Thus far in 2017, Davis has 36 tackles, 11 passes broken up and an interception. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is a good corner with size, speed and length. Davis is good to battle big wideouts as he is a physical defender who really competes. Like many big corners, Davis can have issues with coverage downfield and deep speed. He also has eye-discipline issues and average ball skills.
Some scouts believe Davis could end up being a first-round pick, but others aren't as high on him. The sources that like Davis say he is a tall, loose, long, and very disruptive at the top of the route. Cornerbacks with his skill set and coverage skills are always in demand. Davis shows nice technique to jam receivers and use his length to cover them. He has the potential to rise for the 2018 NFL Draft.
24. Billy Price, C, Ohio State. Previously: 24 Avg. 25.6 per 5
12/27/17: The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Price has impressed NFL evaluators, both with his work in fall training camp and in the games of the 2017 season. They say that Price plays within himself. They like his awareness and call him an above-average athlete. He isn't overly fast or twitchy like the Pouncey brothers, but Price has movement skills and is better than average in space. The sources also like that Price handles big nose tackles well, which can be difficult for centers and is a hard-to-find talent. As a result of his well-balanced play, Price is being viewed as a prospect who could go in the early rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. One team source thought that if Josh Garnett and Laken Tomlinson were worthy first-round picks, then Price could be as well because they feel Price is a better prospect than either of Garnett or Tomlinson. Teams are projecting Price to be a starting center in the NFL.
25. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford. Previously: 25 Avg. 28.3 per 7
12/27/17: Team sources say that Love is better than other smaller backs who have gone in the first round, like David Wilson or Jahvid Best. They think that Love is more on a par with Chris Johnson coming out of East Carolina, except Love isn't as straight-line fast as Johnson, but possesses more elusiveness and moves in the open field.
While Love is extremely fast, he is a tougher running back than one would think given his size. He has excellent balance and is able to pick up yards after contact. Scouts have told me that they rate Love higher than Christian McCaffrey for the ability to run between the tackles in the NFL. Love has great vision that, combined with his speed, makes him deadly. One college director told me, "If the other nine guys do their job for a few seconds, this guy is gone."
In 2017, Love is averaging 8.3 yards per carry for 1,973 yards with 17 touchdowns. He has six receptions for 33 yards as well. Sources say Love has more receiving potential for the NFL than the numbers illustrate
I feel the exact same way. And more like we're brake boosting, next year that turbo could bounce off that rev limiter all it wants
