Updated Prospect Rankings

I have not watched every player in college football, so this list will be updated as the season goes along. Draft-eligible players are at least three years out of high school. Enjoy, and feel free to comment below or to me on Twitter. These rankings will be kept to front seven players until I am comfortable discussing more defensive backs. The snap count percentages are available thanks to PFF College.

Edge Rusher

To simplify it, there are two ways to win as an edge rusher: Speed to bend/turn the corner, and explosion to power. Very few can do both, but recognizing where an edge rusher wins is critical. And make sure he’s not just running around heavy footed college offensive tackles… Joey Bosa is outstanding. He is explosive and presses blockers back or uses strength to shed. I bet he is a #ForcePlayer by qualifying with jumps. Do not expect a bendy, speed rusher… Shaq Lawson has the potential to win in both areas, explosion and speed. He gave Ronnie Stanley a tough matchup and has flashed in plenty of other games… Noah Spence might have been dismissed from Ohio State, but he is displaying a ton of talent at EKU. He is dominating, with plenty of explosion. Who knows how the NFL will perceive his previous transgressions, I can’t answer that, but the talent is absolutely there to warrant an early selection… Carl Lawson looked solid against Ole Miss. He mainly lines up over the right tackle but also sees time inside. He dealt with a hip injury this season and a torn ACL last year… It is astonishing that Rutgers is only using Turay on 30 percent of the school’s defensive snaps. He is arguably their top defensive player. But hey, it is Rutgers… I know everyone is kind of hopping off the Shawn Oakman wagon. I’m not, when realistic expectations are applied. He can be a productive power rusher in the NFL… Shilique Calhoun playing 95 percent of Michigan State’s snaps this season is utterly ridiculous… Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib are kind of opposites on the prospect spectrum. Ogbah is considered “upside” with flashes, and Nassib mainly wins with effort. I’ll be more intrigued based on his athletic testing… Jordan Jenkins is very aggressive on the edge, overpowering hesitant offensive linemen. He was recently invited to the Senior Bowl.

Defensive Line

This is a very talented group of interior defensive lineman, and we haven’t even seen how well they test... Robert Nkemdiche fits an upfield, explosive style of interior defensive linemen. He would have to move further away from the center if he gets drafted to a two gapping team, but his skills would be maximized in a one gap scheme. Nkemdiche can be highly disruptive… Andrew Billings is a monster on the interior. Do not pigeonhole him solely as a run stuffer. Billings plays in the opponent's’ backfield and can move for a big interior lineman… Jonathan Allen has played in the backfield more than any other Alabama DL this season (maybe not statistically, but from what I’ve watched.) However, he’s only playing around a third of the snaps. A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed will attract any team looking for run stopping two gappers… I know everyone is saying DeForest Buckner is a better prospect than Arik Armstead. I’m not sure about that. Buckner is very stout against the run but has a ways to go as a pass rusher. He wins with power and length in that area… Kenny Clark can be unblockable at times, with Pac-12 offensive linemen unable to handle his power for an entire game. Playing on 80 percent of the school’s snaps is also impressive for an interior lineman… Get to know Vernon Butler from LaTech. He plays with the control and awareness that many players from bigger programs do not. He knows how to win with his hands… I’ve been told that NFL scouts really like Illinois’ Jihad Ward, who plays on the edge a lot for Illinois. He likely fits best in an odd man front in the NFL… Sheldon Rankins will be viewed as undersized, but at the very least he can be a pass rushing or disruptive role player. That’s a very solid floor… The Penn State duo of Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel is intriguing. Johnson has had an outstanding season, mainly playing close to the center. Zettel has not been as impactful, but I still like what I’ve seen, especially last season… I keep seeing Sheldon Day listed among the top interior players. I like parts of his game, but think he is a lesser version of “heavy” Will Sutton.

Linebacker

It is no coincidence that Linebacker and Running Back are the most talented positions in college football. The two overlap in terms of frame and athleticism. There are so many quality linebacker prospects, here are a few… Myles Jack is injured and already entering the 2016 NFL Draft. I’m not the person to answer injury questions. Jack is so fluid and moves with ease. In fact, UCLA asked him to cover in the slot or out wide in some matchups… Don’t get worked up about Jaylon Smith not being No. 1. The difference is minimal. Smith is more aggressive and violent when attacking ball carriers and blockers this season. We already know how athletic he is… Talking about athletic, Darron Lee will have that listed as a strength. It would not surprise me if Lee ends up as the best pro of these linebackers… Reggie Ragland is a crucial piece in the middle of Alabama’s defensive front seven. He flashes the skills of an all around linebacker… Leonard Floyd is a unique player on this list. Floyd previously saw snaps as a rush linebacker, but is now more of a base linebacker and impressing in that area. He could be the drop linebacker in an odd man front, a position that can be difficult to fill… Anthony Walker and Jalen Reeves-Maybin have been surprise standouts for me this season, knowing nothing about them prior to 2015 kicking off… Montese Overton is an athletic freak, and we have seen those types emerge as legitimate prospects after the Combine… Reuben Foster is a hammer in the middle and a focal member of Alabama’s special teams. He’ll be drafted for the latter at the very least. I could keep going on and on about this linebacker group. There is a lot of talent.

I have not watched every player in college football, so this list will be updated as the season goes along. Draft-eligible players are at least three years out of high school. Enjoy, and feel free to comment below or to me on Twitter. These rankings will be kept to front seven players until I am comfortable discussing more defensive backs. The snap count percentages are available thanks to PFF College.

Quarterback

He might be listed as the top quarterback, but I am not sold on Paxton Lynch as an immediate starter. Nor Jared Goff, or any other quarterback on this list. That is very different from the feelings  Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston gave off last year. Lynch still reminds me of Ryan Nassib, albeit a stretched out version. He is taking care of the football much more this season and can absolutely create space with his feet… Jared Goff’s worst two performances have come against Utah and Oregon. 65 percent of his attempts are thrown in the middle of the field, a huge percentage. Part of that could be due to Cal’s tendency to cut block on run/pass reads, forcing Goff to get the ball out of his hands or face plenty of pressure… To be honest, no one in the top 5 is locked in. Jacoby Brissett seems destined to be a long term backup. He is efficient and is mobile enough to buy himself time and space. In the last week I watched almost every Carson Wentz game this season. He has improved and I was impressed. Wentz has always tested vertically with effectiveness but seems more comfortable in the short and intermediate area with proper placement to set up yards after the catch. Don’t overlook his mobility. It is similar to Blake Bortles’. Connor Cook is a peaks and valleys quarterback. Sometimes he stands tall in the face of a pass rush, sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes Cook places the ball perfectly on the back shoulder, then misfires on a simple second read… Christian Hackenberg might have put together his best performance since his freshman year in the school’s win over Illinois.

Running Back

Ezekiel Elliott is so good. He creates yards by making tacklers miss in the open field or running through them and then running away from defenders. His eyes and feet are so connected, he can seamlessly read a blocker’s position at the line of scrimmage and change his angle without hesitation… The Derrick Henry  - Brandon Jacobs comparison makes a lot of sense. Henry can go down on first contact when hit low at or behind the line of scrimmage, but when given a crease he is so difficult to slow down… Kareem Hunt has not played many snaps this year due to injury and suspension. When on the field is explosive in his cuts and wins inside and outside of the tackles… Get to know Kenneth Dixon. He is a focal point of that offense and is a very aggressive runner… Kenyan Drake and C.J. Prosise fill the same void. Both can be one cut, slashing types who also have receiving skills… It has been a lost season for Corey Clement and James Conner. I was excited to see Conner play after losing weight this past offseason. Clement has returned to the field, and Conner might for the bowl game… Devontae Booker is maximizing the space given to him by Pac-12 defenses. He is also 23, so some could suggest he should be dominating 19 and 20 year olds. Booker will be 24 before he takes a snap in the NFL.

Wide Receiver

Surprised to see Corey Coleman top the list? He has the skills to win in both the “big” and “small” receiver games. The Baylor receiver has 10 catches of 40-plus yards this season and 20 touchdowns. If there is still room on the Coleman wagon, there won’t be after the NFL Combine… Laquon Treadwell’s production might not match other top receivers, but he remains physically dominant… Josh Doctson is the best contested catch receiver in this class. He floats and is acrobatic in the end zone and along the sideline… Mike Williams is recovering from a fracture in his neck. He’s an extremely talented vertical receiver who threatens downfield and then turns his routes back to create plenty of separation… William Fuller could be a very nice role player in the NFL as a vertical receiver. Drops are a part of his game, but he can make plays downfield. Fuller told reporters on Wednesday that he plans to return to Notre Dame in 2016… Aaron Burbridge is limited after the catch and might be “slow” in comparison to others, but he can win in contested situations.

Tight End

I bet some team will view OJ Howard as a complete tight end. His opportunities have been limited at Alabama, but that is true for almost every collegiate tight ends. Athleticism seems to be an important facet to early tight end selections… Speaking of tight ends who need more opportunities, Evan Engram was barely used to start the season. He reminds me a lot of Jordan Reed out of Florida… Gerald Everett is a UAB transfer and exudes athleticism. He’s used as a ball carrier and hybrid receiver.

Offensive Line

I continue to rank Ronnie Stanley as the top offensive lineman eligible for the draft. Clemson edge rusher Shaq Lawson got the better of him on a number of snaps, but Lawson is a good player. Stanley was quite effective for much of the game. His game is built on length and athleticism, with size and reach advantage helping with strength… Laremy Tunsil has looked great since returning to the field. He and Stanley are neck and neck. Tunsil displays more obvious power… Jack Conklin and Jack Allen have both been injured. Neither is flashy, but they can play in the NFL. Allen consistently accomplishes his assignment on the interior… Max Tuerk will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Teams will have to decide if he is Wesley Johnson or an actual piece of an NFL roster. Teams want utility linemen as backups, and at the very least Tuerk should be able to do that.

~

I have not watched every player in college football, so this list will be updated as the season goes along. Draft-eligible players are at least three years out of high school. Enjoy, and feel free to comment below or to me on Twitter. These rankings will be kept to front seven players until I am comfortable discussing more defensive backs. The snap count percentages are available thanks to PFF College.

Edge Rusher

To simplify it, there are two ways to win as an edge rusher: Speed to bend/turn the corner, and explosion to power. Very few can do both, but recognizing where an edge rusher wins is critical. And make sure he’s not just running around heavy footed college offensive tackles… Joey Bosa is outstanding. He is explosive and presses blockers back or uses strength to shed. I bet he is a #ForcePlayer by qualifying with jumps. Do not expect a bendy, speed rusher… Shaq Lawson has the potential to win in both areas, explosion and speed. He gave Ronnie Stanley a tough matchup and has flashed in plenty of other games… Noah Spence might have been dismissed from Ohio State, but he is displaying a ton of talent at EKU. He is dominating, with plenty of explosion. Who knows how the NFL will perceive his previous transgressions, I can’t answer that, but the talent is absolutely there to warrant an early selection… Carl Lawson looked solid against Ole Miss. He mainly lines up over the right tackle but also sees time inside. He dealt with a hip injury this season and a torn ACL last year… It is astonishing that Rutgers is only using Turay on 30 percent of the school’s defensive snaps. He is arguably their top defensive player. But hey, it is Rutgers… I know everyone is kind of hopping off the Shawn Oakman wagon. I’m not, when realistic expectations are applied. He can be a productive power rusher in the NFL… Shilique Calhoun playing 95 percent of Michigan State’s snaps this season is utterly ridiculous… Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib are kind of opposites on the prospect spectrum. Ogbah is considered “upside” with flashes, and Nassib mainly wins with effort. I’ll be more intrigued based on his athletic testing… Jordan Jenkins is very aggressive on the edge, overpowering hesitant offensive linemen. He was recently invited to the Senior Bowl.

Defensive Line

This is a very talented group of interior defensive lineman, and we haven’t even seen how well they test... Robert Nkemdiche fits an upfield, explosive style of interior defensive linemen. He would have to move further away from the center if he gets drafted to a two gapping team, but his skills would be maximized in a one gap scheme. Nkemdiche can be highly disruptive… Andrew Billings is a monster on the interior. Do not pigeonhole him solely as a run stuffer. Billings plays in the opponent's’ backfield and can move for a big interior lineman… Jonathan Allen has played in the backfield more than any other Alabama DL this season (maybe not statistically, but from what I’ve watched.) However, he’s only playing around a third of the snaps. A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed will attract any team looking for run stopping two gappers… I know everyone is saying DeForest Buckner is a better prospect than Arik Armstead. I’m not sure about that. Buckner is very stout against the run but has a ways to go as a pass rusher. He wins with power and length in that area… Kenny Clark can be unblockable at times, with Pac-12 offensive linemen unable to handle his power for an entire game. Playing on 80 percent of the school’s snaps is also impressive for an interior lineman… Get to know Vernon Butler from LaTech. He plays with the control and awareness that many players from bigger programs do not. He knows how to win with his hands… I’ve been told that NFL scouts really like Illinois’ Jihad Ward, who plays on the edge a lot for Illinois. He likely fits best in an odd man front in the NFL… Sheldon Rankins will be viewed as undersized, but at the very least he can be a pass rushing or disruptive role player. That’s a very solid floor… The Penn State duo of Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel is intriguing. Johnson has had an outstanding season, mainly playing close to the center. Zettel has not been as impactful, but I still like what I’ve seen, especially last season… I keep seeing Sheldon Day listed among the top interior players. I like parts of his game, but think he is a lesser version of “heavy” Will Sutton.

Linebacker

It is no coincidence that Linebacker and Running Back are the most talented positions in college football. The two overlap in terms of frame and athleticism. There are so many quality linebacker prospects, here are a few… Myles Jack is injured and already entering the 2016 NFL Draft. I’m not the person to answer injury questions. Jack is so fluid and moves with ease. In fact, UCLA asked him to cover in the slot or out wide in some matchups… Don’t get worked up about Jaylon Smith not being No. 1. The difference is minimal. Smith is more aggressive and violent when attacking ball carriers and blockers this season. We already know how athletic he is… Talking about athletic, Darron Lee will have that listed as a strength. It would not surprise me if Lee ends up as the best pro of these linebackers… Reggie Ragland is a crucial piece in the middle of Alabama’s defensive front seven. He flashes the skills of an all around linebacker… Leonard Floyd is a unique player on this list. Floyd previously saw snaps as a rush linebacker, but is now more of a base linebacker and impressing in that area. He could be the drop linebacker in an odd man front, a position that can be difficult to fill… Anthony Walker and Jalen Reeves-Maybin have been surprise standouts for me this season, knowing nothing about them prior to 2015 kicking off… Montese Overton is an athletic freak, and we have seen those types emerge as legitimate prospects after the Combine… Reuben Foster is a hammer in the middle and a focal member of Alabama’s special teams. He’ll be drafted for the latter at the very least. I could keep going on and on about this linebacker group. There is a lot of talent.