Ranking the top 75 players in the 2017 NFL Draft

We are less than a week away from the 2017 NFL Draft. It’s exciting and after watching hundreds of players, teams and analysts are ready to see all their work come to fruition. This class is awesome and a vertical board really does not due the depth of this class justice. Even in a Top 75 ranking, there are players who are not listed who I think are second round level talents. This class is insanely deep and it will be exciting to see how the Eagles walk away from this draft.

This board is purely a reflection of my evaluation and opinion. I do not pretend to know how the NFL feels nor does that really factor into how I look at a player. There will be guys I am higher on and lower on than the big media draft guys and that is OK. Also, with a deep class, realize a guy being ranked 75th is still someone I think should be a second round pick. “Lower guys” on this ranking are still very good, exciting prospects.

1) Myles Garrett, Edge Defender, Texas A&M: Well built, super athletic and incredibly productive defender who is a very good pass rusher and an even better run defender. Game changing defensive talent.

2) Reuben Foster, Linebacker, Alabama: Questions linger about his shoulder and positional value will push Foster down in the draft. On tape, however, he is one of the better linebackers to come out of college in the last few years.

3) Marshon Lattimore, Cornerback, Ohio State: Prototypical athlete at the cornerback position with incredible footwork in man coverage. Health checks are a question.

4) Cam Robinson, Tackle, Alabama: Seasoned veteran of the offensive line, Cam Robinson has all the tools you want from a 20 year old prospect who started three years for Alabama. Can he become more consistent?

5) Corey Davis, Wide Receiver, Western Michigan: Corey Davis probably hurt his NFL stock by missing the Senior Bowl and the Combine and questions about his health will not go away. What we do know is that Davis was dominant his entire career at Western Michigan and can win as a wide receiver in multiple ways.

6) OJ Howard, Tight End, Alabama: Despite being underused at Alabama, OJ Howard can be a game changer in the NFL. He has NFL size at tight end, receiver speed and can block like a lineman. Yes please.

7) Solomon Thomas, Edge Defender, Stanford: Solomon Thomas may be more of a project, but his peaks as a player are as high as anyone in this class. He is a freak athlete who can rush off the edge and kick inside occasionally. If he can put it together, watch out.

8) Forrest Lamp, Offensive Lineman, Western Kentucky: One of the draft’s safer players, Lamp could be an outstanding NFL guard or a very good tackle, just like he was in college. He is experienced, a very good athlete and a consistent technician. Only thing holding him back could be his size.

9) Dalvin Cook, Running Back, Florida State: Cook has had a rough offseason, but it is hard to completely write off his game changing ability because of the combine. He is a home run threat with the ball in his hands and is a weapon on third down as well.

10) John Ross, Wide Receiver, Washington: John Ross was an exciting prospect before the combine where he ran a record breaking 4.22 40. Ross was scoring touchdowns at an incredible rate his past season at Washington and, if he can stay healthy, he should be a seriously dangerous playmaker in the NFL.

11) Sidney Jones, Cornerback, Washington: Jones went down with an injury during draft workouts, but on tape he is an incredibly well rounded defender. With rumor that he could still play towards the end of his rookie year, teams should consider him in the second round.

12) Budda Baker, Safety, Washington: While there are flashier safeties in this draft, Baker is a the most well rounded and consistent of all of them. He will be an impact free safety in the NFL who can cover the slot.

13) Gareon Conley, Cornerback, Ohio State: Gareon Conley is considered by some to be the best cornerback in this class and he can certainly cover like it. He just needs to learn how to tackle now.

14) Malik Hooker, Safety, Ohio State: A one year starter and former basketball player, Malik Hooker is a game changing ball hawk. There are areas in his game that need to improve, but as a younger more inexperienced prospect, there is certainly an ability to grow.

15) Evan Engram, Tight End, Ole Miss: It’s amazing how little a tight end gets talked about despite having sub 4.45 speed and having an incredibly productive college career. Engram may be more of a “move” tight end than a traditional player, but he is a dangerous mismatch for a defense.

16) Curtis Samuel, Offensive Player, Ohio State: I will unabashedly be higher on Samuel than most of draft media. He is a polished wide receiver who is also deadly with the ball in his hands. Give him 10-15 total touches in an NFL game and he will make returns with big plays.

17) Ryan Ramczyk, Tackle, Wisconsin: Another one of this class’ more safe players. Ramczyk has great size, technique and strength. His biggest concern is proving he can be healthy for the NFL.

18) David Njoku, Tight End, Miami: A freak at the tight end position, Njoku may be a bit raw, but he also has among the highest ceilings in this class.

19) Deshaun Watson, Quarterback, Clemson: A career winner, Deshaun Watson has been overthought during this draft process. He is a tough, intelligent player who is not afraid of any moment or throw.

20) Leonard Fournette, Running Back, Louisiana State: Fournette is a gifted downhill runner who can take over a game with his size and speed. He is schematically limited and needs to grow as a third down option, but he is the type of player to go 1000 yards his rookie season.

21) Pat Elflein, Offensive Lineman, Ohio State: A solid, well built lineman who can play multiple positions. Elflein is tough, athletic and intelligent. Exactly what you want from a center.

22) Malik McDowell, Defensive Lineman, Michigan State: Malik McDowell has the potential to be one of the best players in this class. He also has the inconsistency to frustrate coaches and fans alike. Can the gifted defensive lineman turn it on for the NFL?

23) Jamal Adams, Safety, Louisiana Sate: A true intimidator at the safety position. While Adams has the athletic ability to play downfield, he is at his best closer to the line of scrimmage where he can cover the shallow middle and come up against the run.

24) Christian McCaffrey, Running Back, Stanford: McCaffrey is being woefully overthought in terms of who he is in the NFL. He can be a lead back as he showed he could at Stanford and is no smaller than Lesean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Chris Johnson and several other good backs when they came out for the draft. McCaffrey has the savvy and athletic ability to affect every down for an offense. That is valuable.

25) Haason Reddick, Linebacker, Temple: Reddick will likely be moving off ball in the NFL after being a destroyer of worlds at Temple off the edge. He is a super athletic and smart player whose transition to linebacker should be seamless.

26) Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Texas Tech: Patrick Mahomes is a smart, gutsy passer with the physical tools to be a top tier quarterback in the NFL. The learning curve of Texas Tech’s offense to the NFL may be a bit steep, but Mahomes has what it takes to rise to the challenge.

27) Dan Feeney, Guard, Indiana: Feeney started over 40 games during his college career and can plug in all over the offensive line. He is just a damn solid player. His biggest question will come down to his concussion history.

28) Derek Rivers, Edge Defender, Youngstown State: When smaller school guys come out, they need to be dominant to garner attention. Not only was Rivers absolutely impossible to block while at YSU, he had a great combine as well. Underrated player who could end up being a steal on draft weekend.

29) Jordan Willis, Edge Defender, Kansas State: Despite being a more raw player, Willis’ combination of size, athletic ability and relentless motor will make a team very happy on draft day.

30) Tre’Davious White, Cornerback, Louisiana State: White is a bit skinnier and that affects his tackling, but he is a very polished and consistent coverage defender who may not be a huge playmaker, but will rarely give up a big play either.

31) Deshone Kizer, Quarterback, Notre Dame: Marred by coaching staff woes, Kizer took a step back in his second year starting at Notre Dame. If he can regain form, he is an immensely talented and game changing passer.

32) JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver, Southern California: An incredibly physical receiver with strong hands and ability to pick up tough yards after the catch. Don’t let the helmet on this 20-year-old prospect fool you into thinking he’s just another USC receiver.

33) Jaleel Johnson, Defensive Tackle, Iowa: While he may not overwhelm with athletic ability, Johnson’s combination of consistency and physicality make him an affective interior presence for a defense.

34) Carl Lawson, Edge Defender, Auburn: Lawson is a polished, physical pass rusher with a high motor. If he is healthy, Lawson will be a very solid contributor in the NFL.

35) Tim Williams, Edge Defender, Alabama: Off field issues and bad combine testing will hurt Williams on draft day, but he has been one of the most efficient pass rushers in college football so it is hard to completely write him off.

36) Derek Barnett, Edge Defender, Tennessee: Barnett might not be a great athlete, but he is an incredibly physical and consistent defender who will provide a high motor player who can finish for a defensive line.

37) Zach Cunningham, Linebacker, Vanderbilt: Cunningham was the only star on the Vandy defense but still made his presence felt as an intelligent player who is an incredibly good run defender and solid coverage linebacker.

38) Cordrea Tankersley, Cornerback, Clemson: A pure man cover corner who, even as an older prospect, should go earlier in this draft due to his size and athletic ability.

39) Marlon Humphrey, Cornerback, Alabama: Humphrey is a player whose ranking doesn’t reflect how much I like him. He is very inconsistent as a coverage guy now, but his flashes, athletic ability and incredible run defense get me excited about where this younger prospect is heading.

40) Marcus Williams, Safety, Utah: A pure centerfielder, Williams makes up for poor tackling with great range over the top and awesome, game changing ball skills.

41) Raekwon McMillan, Linebacker, Ohio State: Solid in every regard, Raekwon McMillan is not a flashy player, but will be living in the middle of an NFL defense for the next decade.

42) Obi Melifonwu, Safety, Connecticut: Hyper athletic and massive safety who has the range to cover over the top and the size to play in the box. He is a bit raw, but his ceiling is impossible to see.

43) Taywan Taylor, Wide Receiver, Western Kentucky: Incredibly productive and athletic wide receiver who can be a deep threat or make plays after the catch in the short game.

44) Mike Williams, Wide Receiver, Clemson: Williams is a huge, physical receiver who can dominate the catch point. Questions about health, speed and consistency catching the ball keep him lower on this ranking.

45) Mitch Trubisky, Quarterback, North Carolina: In his one year starting, Trubisky flashed impressive accuracy and poise in big moments. However, he is still a work in progress and his lack of experience historically is not good for top quarterback prospects.

46) Carlos Henderson, Wide Receiver, Louisiana Tech: An exciting player with the ball in his hands, Henderson can take games over with his YAC ability and is also incredibly physical for a smaller receiver.

47) Taylor Moton, Tackle, Western Michigan: Moton is a well sized lineman who dominated the MAC, dominated the Senior Bowl and yet some people do not think he is an NFL tackle. Not sure why.

48) Garett Bolles, Tackle, Utah: Bolles has incredibly impressive tape and athletic testing, but the history of sub 300 tackles to come into the NFL AND players who are 25 before their rookie season is not good.

49) Jonathan Allen, Defensive Lineman, Alabama: Allen is a solid football player who can move all around a defense. I have doubts about a smaller player who is also a middling athlete making a massive impact in the NFL There is no doubt the league is much higher on him than me.

50) Caleb Brantley, Defensive Tackle, Florida: A tough, stout defender who is an awesome run defender and can be a problem on passing downs, especially if he develops more moves. The question remains why he was not on the field much for Florida.

51) Adoree Jackson, Cornerback, Southern California: Jackson is a freakish athlete who is electric with the ball in his hands but he is also a very good cornerback. Jackson is a playmaking cornerback who has gotten better every season at USC. If he continues his improvement, he could be a very good NFL player.

52) Jarrad Davis, Linebacker, Florida: Davis is a human cruise missile who will wreck a play if he fires in the right direction. The issue is tempering his aggressiveness in coverage and against the run so he does not become a liability.

53) Tyus Bowser, Linebacker, Houston: Bowser is an athletic player who can play off ball or on the edge of a defense. He has a high ceiling at either position.

54) Teez Tabor, Cornerback, Florida: Tabor’s offseason has been tumultuous to say the least for his stock. Incredibly bad testing at his pro day and the combine may scare teams away from a guy who already has off field questions. For me, I have a hard time giving up completely on one of my favorite cornerbacks from the season. Tabor is still the heady, physical cornerback who dominated at Florida.

55) Fabian Moreau, Cornerback, UCLA: Moreau is a solid man cover cornerback who may not be a playmaker but is very dependable on every down. Hopefully he can be healthy come time for the season.

56) Tedric Thompson, Safety, Colorado: Another intelligent, ball hawking center fielding safety in this class. Thompson will be a good consolation prize for the teams that miss out on Hooker, Baker or Williams to play free safety.

57) Isaiah Ford, Wide Receiver, Virginia Tech: Ford is not a flashy receiver, but he does everything so well and so consistently it is hard to not see him making an impact on Sundays.

58) Ahkello Witherspoon, Cornerback, Colorado: Long, ball hawking athletes usually don’t last very long on draft day. Witherspoon has all the tools to be a star in the NFL. Can he put them together.

59) Samaje Perine, Running Back, Oklahoma: Another guy I am admittedly much higher on than the league is. Perine produced consistently for three years at Oklahoma and his low, powerful running style is conducive to dependable yardage on every play. Perine will probably go lower than his running mate on draft day, but he will make a team very happy with their decision.

60) Alvin Kamara, Running Back, Tennessee: Kamara is incredibly physically gifted and his tape when he gets the ball is incredibly impressive. However, lack of college touches and high fumble rate could make teams a bit wary.

61) Michael Roberts, Tight End, Toledo: Roberts is a huge tight end with great hands and a sneaky ability to pick up YAC. He was a touchdown machine at Toledo and could be a steal on draft weekend.

62) Isaac Asiata, Guard, Utah: Nasty, powerful run blocker who can help boost any offensive line’s physicality. Sign me up.

63) Joe Mixon, Running Back, Oklahoma: One of the most polarizing players in the class, Mixon is no doubt a talented running back. The questions, besides the obvious off field ones, come for him as to whether or not he can consistently run in-between the tackles and not create so many negative plays as a runner. He should impact immediately as a receiver out of the backfield, but he has work to do as a pure running back.

64) Quincy Wilson, Cornerback, Florida: An impressive cover cornerback with good size but Wilson’s lack of physicality hurts him in a very deep cornerback class.

65) Chidobe Awuzie, Cornerback, Colorado: An athletic, physical and feisty cornerback who could play inside, outside or even safety with his skill set. Could be a very nice defensive role player.

66) Josh Jones, Safety, NC State: Incredibly aggressive, physical and athletic safety who will punish offensive players. His aggressiveness can hurt and help him, so he will need to become more consistent in the NFL.

67) Chris Wormley, Defensive Lineman, Michigan: An athletic specimen, Wormley could play various spots on the offensive line and likely will be a better pro than college player.

68) Eddie Jackson, Safety, Alabama: A broken arm shortened his season, but Jackson is a very savvy safety who has very good ball skills over the top of a defense. If he is healthy, the coverted cornerback could offer great value on draft day.

69) Jabrill Peppers, Safety, Michigan: A man with no position in college, the very athletic Peppers will likely improve massively when he gets to spend more than a season at one spot on defense. He has safety size and his experience at linebacker could make him a better run defender going forward.

70) Bucky Hodges, Tight End, Virginia Tech: A massive target, the former quarterback is still very raw as a pass catcher and blocker. However, his flashes are Jimmy Graham-ish and are easy to fall for.

71) Jalen Robinette, Wide Receiver, Air Force: Coming from a run heavy offense, it is amazing how productive Robinette was able to be as an explosive deep threat. He is a bit raw coming from such a simple passing game, but his size and tools will be tantalizing in the NFL.

72) Ryan Switzer, Wide Receiver, North Carolina: More of an “on the ground” receiver, Ryan Switzer is a tremendous route runner with great YAC ability, dependable hands in space and returner skills.

73) Marcus Maye, Safety, Florida: A solid all around player who may not be flashy, but if healthy he will be a dependable contributor on an NFL defense.

74) Dalvin Tomlinson, Defensive Tackle, Alabama: A stout, nasty run defender who can also push the pocket a bit in the passing game. Tomlinson is not a dynamic player but he is a major badass.

75) George Kittle, Tight End, Iowa: Super athletic tight end with great blocking ability; Kittle’s best football is still ahead of him.

Top 75 Fun Facts

Players I am higher on: Curtis Samuel, Evan Engram, Michael Roberts, Taywan Taylor and Samaje Perine are all guys who will go later than I think their talent warrants but they could reward the teams that take a chance on them.

Players I am lower on: Mike Williams, Joe Mixon, Quincy Wilson, Taco Charlton (Not in Top 75), Charles Harris (Not in Top 75), Jabrill Peppers and Jonathan Allen are guys I consistently see being mocked high and I would not be surprised if they went high, I just think that they are not the prospects some make them out to be. They are good players, no doubt, but expectations should be tempered.

42 Players I think are worthy of a first round pick. Insanely deep class. 12 cornerbacks in the Top 75 is a good sign for the cornerback needy Eagles.

22 offensive skill players in the top 75 (WR/TE/RB). Eagles have a great chance to add talent to the offense to help Carson Wentz. Four quarterbacks with second round grades or higher. This is a bad class?