2016-17 CFB SEASON / '17 NFL DRAFT

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Leonard Fournette - RB - Tigers

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranked LSU junior RB Leonard Fournette No. 3 on his 2017 Big Board.

"Big, bruising, fast ... but let's keep an eye on the mileage," he wrote. "Fournette is a dynamic talent, that rare running back who generates excitement for teams drafting in Round 1. But he carried 300 times last season and is at 487 carries in two years. Will LSU use him up?" Rotoworld's Josh Norris ranks Florida State RB Dalvin Cook slightly ahead of Fournette as the top RB in the class.
Source: ESPN.com

May 11 - 3:31 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Tim Williams - LB - Crimson Tide

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranked Alabama senior edge rusher Tim Williams No. 2 on his 2017 Big Board.

"On a per-snap basis, Williams is as disruptive as any player in America, and I think he would have easily been a first-rounder in the 2016 draft," Kiper wrote. "The question is whether he can be as dominant when he's playing more snaps." Alabama's defensive depth chart was so loaded last season that Williams appeared in only 20 percent of the team's defensive snaps. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder with 4.75 wheels recorded 10.5 sacks last season despite not starting any games.
Source: ESPN.com

May 11 - 2:11 PM

[NinerSickness]

The one QB in this next draft class (the only QB really) whom I watched and actually had a couple of "wow" moments is Chad Kelly from Ole Miss. Nephew of Jim Kelly.

He's a known head case w/ off-field problems (even got arrested for fighting outside a bar and getting kicked off of Clemson). And I hesitate to say he's the reason Ole Miss had such a good offense considering their WR / OT situation was better than that of some NFL teams...

That said, it's usually the QB who makes others look better & not the other way around (it is sometimes). Also, he's the only QB to beat Alabama last year. He also seems like he knows exactly what he wants to do with the football and makes it happen really quickly, which is something I liked about Connor Cook.

He's good recognizing blitzes quickly, which is something you can't teach. He's also got the best arm of any of the top QB prospects IMO. He seems like he doesn't panic & throws well under pressure.

I'd like to believe this video both for his sake and for the sake of teams looking for QBs. Hope he's being genuine. I have my doubts.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bco299OXirU[/youtube]

[NinerSickness]

Jarrad Davis, LB Florida.

Want. Early draft crush here.

Best forward handspring of any LB in the draft. Almost stuck the landing:

[NinerSickness]

Add Devonte Fields to my list of players I think might be overrated. Pretty good prospect, but I don't think he's anywhere near the level of the elite pass rushers in this upcoming draft. He didn't really dominate lower competition like I'd expect an elite NFL pass rusher would IMO, but he was coming off a foot injury. Not as fleet of foot as Garrett, Harris, Lawson & Tim Williams IMO. He kind of lumbers around a bit and isn't that quick off the snap or extremely fast when he gets going. Don't see great balance or lower body strength.

Look how Jordan Swindle, LT from Kentucky just manhandles him on this run:



I've never seen Garrett, Harris, Lawson or Williams make that embarrassingly bad of a a play. Also, he doesn't seem extremely flexible or coordinated. Look at his attempt at a spin move (falls over):



At this point, he looks like a poor man's Ogbah. This Auburn fullback was giving him fits when they were going one on one. I saw made that observation multiple times (left side of the D; #92, not the highlighted player):



I'm not seeing an elite OLB prospect here.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Peyton Manning - QB - Volunteers

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman keeps "hearing ... over and over ... from NFL people I trust" that Tennessee legend Peyton Manning wants to coach his alma mater.

"I don't know if it's accurate," Freeman notes. But the analyst goes on to point out that Manning doesn't seem interested in a position as a television analyst or in an NFL front office, at least yet. "He's not the type of dude who sits and relaxes," Freeman wrote. "At least not for long." With Butch Jones' program having come under intense fire over the past year, this is a report to file in the back of your mind.
Source: Bleacher Report

May 13 - 4:13 PM

[NinerSickness]

Seeing a tiny bit of hype for Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes as possibly the best QB in the draft class.

Yikes. No. Not even close.

This guy has Colt McCoy written all over him. If that. The talent is simply not there.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Seeing a tiny bit of hype for Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes as possibly the best QB in the draft class.

Yikes. No. Not even close.

This guy has Colt McCoy written all over him. If that. The talent is simply not there.

He's playing sandlot football instead of organized football.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Derek Barnett - DL - Volunteers

Rivals analyst Adam Gorney wrote that Tennessee junior DE Derek Barnett is "an athletic playmaker who will be taken early [in the draft]."

Gorney noted that Barnett is "incredibly active against the pass and the run and in a strong group of defensive ends he’s going to stand out the most." The 6-foot-3, 267-pound junior stomped through the SEC to the tune of 69 tackles (12.5 for loss), 10 sacks and a forced fumble in 2015. Per Pro Football Focus metrics, the only edge rusher to earn a higher overall grade than Barnett last season was Ohio State DE Joey Bosa. If the Volunteers are to truly challenge for an SEC crown, as some analysts have suggested, Barnett figures to be a key crampon in their ascent up the CFB mountain.
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 8:22 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Tim Williams - LB - Crimson Tide

In ranking his favorite draft prospects for 2017, Rivals recruiting director Mike Farrell checked Alabama senior edge rusher Tim Williams onto his list at No. 6.

"This may be a bit high for Williams, especially ahead of his own defensive line teammate in Jonathan Allen," Farrell admitted, "but situational pass rushers can go top 10 and even as high as top three as we’ve seen." ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has called the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder "as disruptive as any player in America," slotting him onto the 2017 Big Board at No. 2. Williams wasn't an every-down player last season (he took part in 20% of the defensive snaps), but still managed to record 9.5 sacks.
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 7:10 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Jalen Reeves-Maybin - LB - Volunteers

Tennessee senior LB Jalen Reeves Maybin said, "I don’t think anyone has any idea at all about how much goes into the academic side of things."

Reeves-Maybin is an absolute terror on the football field and made 105 tackles (14.0 for loss) and six sacks last season, but he spoke earnestly to the other side of the student-athlete hyphenate. "[Taking three African-American history courses] really opened my eyes a lot, helped me to notice a lot of things about society that I’d never really paid attention to. It was fun to put my brain on that, things I’d never thought about," said the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder. He thought about declaring for the 2016 draft, but decided in mid-January that that wasn't the right path for him at this juncture in his career. In October, ESPN's Todd McShay praised his "instincts, toughness and range."
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 5:09 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Dalvin Cook - RB - Seminoles

Rivals analyst Adam Gorney wrote that "In many ways, [FSU junior RB Dalvin] Cook is just more dynamic [than LSU junior RB Leonard Fournette] and it could intrigue NFL teams."

"My guess is Cook has a phenomenal season," Gorney predicted, "maybe even better than Fournette, and then tests better at the NFL Combine." Fournette is generally viewed as being the better professional prospect, but not in all corners. Not even in the corner in which you are currently reading this blurb. Rotoworld's Josh Norris views Cook as the best running back in college for the 2016 season. Meanwhile, back in March, Sports Illustrated's Zac Ellis noted that the 6-foot, 200-pound speedster "might have been the most underappreciated player in the country in 2015." Last season, Cook rushed for 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns. Offseason shoulder surgery prevented him from taking part in spring practice, but HC Jimbo Fisher believes he will be ready for August camp.
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 4:55 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Christian McCaffrey - RB - Cardinal

Rivals recruiting director Mike Farrell believes that Stanford junior RB Christian McCaffrey is a "top five NFL Draft talent."

Farrell loves McCaffrey's video game-esque versatility, but does raise a few questions as to his general perception, writing, "McCaffrey is a rare athlete, but will he be downgraded because of his position? Will some NFL team try to make him a gadget guy?" The 6-foot, 197-pound junior could have won the Heisman in 2015 without anybody blinking. He lost out to Alabama RB Derrick Henry, of course, but put on a show in the Rose Bowl Game to close out Stanford's season, gouging Iowa for 368 total yards.
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 3:07 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Chad Kelly - QB - Rebels

CBS Sports' Rob Rang pegged Ole Miss redshirt senior QB Chad Kelly as the No. 2 overall pick in an early 2017 mock draft.

Rang ran his mock order using Vegas Super Bowl odds for the coming season. That No. 2 pick where he slots Kelly would belong to the 49ers using the Vegas metric. "Kelly -- the nephew of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and not related to 49ers coach Chip Kelly -- possesses the arm and athleticism to be an ideal match in Chip's offense," the analyst wrote. "He comes with questions on and off the field, but he is an undeniable talent that could soar up draft boards with a big 2016 season." The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is one of just three gunslingers Rang sees coming off the board in round one, at least at this juncture. The other two gentlemen in question are Clemson's Deshaun Watson (whom he slots to the Browns at No. 1) and Miami's Brad Kaaya (whom he slots to the Vikings at No. 23). This is all tentative and will undoubtedly shift over the coming months.
Source: CBS Sports

May 14 - 2:54 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2639917-2017-nfl-draft-how-many-running-backs-could-crash-the-1st-round

[I_am_1z]

Chad Kelly - QB - Rebels

CBS Sports' Rob Rang pegged Ole Miss redshirt senior QB Chad Kelly as the No. 2 overall pick in an early 2017 mock draft.

Rang ran his mock order using Vegas Super Bowl odds for the coming season. That No. 2 pick where he slots Kelly would belong to the 49ers using the Vegas metric. "Kelly -- the nephew of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and not related to 49ers coach Chip Kelly -- possesses the arm and athleticism to be an ideal match in Chip's offense," the analyst wrote. "He comes with questions on and off the field, but he is an undeniable talent that could soar up draft boards with a big 2016 season." The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is one of just three gunslingers Rang sees coming off the board in round one, at least at this juncture. The other two gentlemen in question are Clemson's Deshaun Watson (whom he slots to the Browns at No. 1) and Miami's Brad Kaaya (whom he slots to the Vikings at No. 23). This is all tentative and will undoubtedly shift over the coming months.
Source: CBS Sports

May 14 - 2:54 PM

Chad Kelly is considered a 1st rounder? That's crazy.

[NinerSickness]

Derek Barnett - DL - Volunteers

Rivals analyst Adam Gorney wrote that Tennessee junior DE Derek Barnett is "an athletic playmaker who will be taken early [in the draft]."

Gorney noted that Barnett is "incredibly active against the pass and the run and in a strong group of defensive ends he’s going to stand out the most." The 6-foot-3, 267-pound junior stomped through the SEC to the tune of 69 tackles (12.5 for loss), 10 sacks and a forced fumble in 2015. Per Pro Football Focus metrics, the only edge rusher to earn a higher overall grade than Barnett last season was Ohio State DE Joey Bosa. If the Volunteers are to truly challenge for an SEC crown, as some analysts have suggested, Barnett figures to be a key crampon in their ascent up the CFB mountain.
Source: Rivals

May 14 - 8:22 PM

I liken him to a slightly-richer man's Kony Ealy at this point. He belongs in a 4-3 IMO.

[NinerSickness]

Chad Kelly - QB - Rebels

CBS Sports' Rob Rang pegged Ole Miss redshirt senior QB Chad Kelly as the No. 2 overall pick in an early 2017 mock draft.

Rang ran his mock order using Vegas Super Bowl odds for the coming season. That No. 2 pick where he slots Kelly would belong to the 49ers using the Vegas metric. "Kelly -- the nephew of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and not related to 49ers coach Chip Kelly -- possesses the arm and athleticism to be an ideal match in Chip's offense," the analyst wrote. "He comes with questions on and off the field, but he is an undeniable talent that could soar up draft boards with a big 2016 season." The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is one of just three gunslingers Rang sees coming off the board in round one, at least at this juncture. The other two gentlemen in question are Clemson's Deshaun Watson (whom he slots to the Browns at No. 1) and Miami's Brad Kaaya (whom he slots to the Vikings at No. 23). This is all tentative and will undoubtedly shift over the coming months.
Source: CBS Sports

May 14 - 2:54 PM

Chad Kelly is considered a 1st rounder? That's crazy.

Why is that crazy? Because of his character issues?

[I_am_1z]

Chad Kelly - QB - Rebels

CBS Sports' Rob Rang pegged Ole Miss redshirt senior QB Chad Kelly as the No. 2 overall pick in an early 2017 mock draft.

Rang ran his mock order using Vegas Super Bowl odds for the coming season. That No. 2 pick where he slots Kelly would belong to the 49ers using the Vegas metric. "Kelly -- the nephew of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and not related to 49ers coach Chip Kelly -- possesses the arm and athleticism to be an ideal match in Chip's offense," the analyst wrote. "He comes with questions on and off the field, but he is an undeniable talent that could soar up draft boards with a big 2016 season." The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is one of just three gunslingers Rang sees coming off the board in round one, at least at this juncture. The other two gentlemen in question are Clemson's Deshaun Watson (whom he slots to the Browns at No. 1) and Miami's Brad Kaaya (whom he slots to the Vikings at No. 23). This is all tentative and will undoubtedly shift over the coming months.
Source: CBS Sports

May 14 - 2:54 PM

Chad Kelly is considered a 1st rounder? That's crazy.

Why is that crazy? Because of his character issues?

Even without character issues, he's been a liability to the Rebels. Don't care if he's athletic and has a golden arm, he's not a QB.

[NinerSickness]

Even without character issues, he's been a liability to the Rebels. Don't care if he's athletic and has a golden arm, he's not a QB.

Could you be more specific than "liability?"

He seems pretty raw, but I'm trying to see what you think he's missing.