# Is for a player with with reported character or maturity concerns.
** Is for a player with reported injury concerns.
BLUE CHIP TALENTS
These are the kind of players that I would be willing to trade into the expensive top 10 to get, These guys all have shown consistent growth over their college careers, have at least 2 back to back years of good tape, have strong motors, and are without significant injury or character concerns. As always franchise quarterback trumps all, but I don't have one in this group.
1.MYLES GARRETT -OLB/DE - TEXAS A&M- 6"4", 272
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - JULIUS PEPPERS - PANTHERS
STRENGTHS - Elite , burst, tools and frame. Productive from day 1 in college. Still productive when playing hurt & facing constant double teams. Dominates weaker tackles. Has improved against the run, Scheme diverse. Can win with speed or power, has a wide array of effective pass rush moves . Violent hands. Team captain and good character. Dominant combine. High ceiling and floor.
WEAKNESSES - Needs to improve aiwareness , to consistently stay home, and set the edge when it's his responsibility. Needs to get better and consistently staying low ,stacking & shedding, and at keeping his motor up against the run. Needs work on his counters when his first move is stopped.
2.JONATHAN ALLEN - ALABAMA - 6"3", 286
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - JUSTIN SMITH - retired
STRENGTHS - Team captain and great character. Clear cut best 3 & 5 technique in the draft, and could also be a stud 4-3 strong side end who can kick inside in sub packages. 3 year starter at an elite school who constantly improved throughout. Extremely strong for his size. Violent but tactical hand use. A smart technician who rarely makes a mistake, and he makes plays all along the line of scrimmage. Explosive first step. Great hand placement controls , stacks ,and sheds like a veteran NFL PRO BOWLER. After mostly being a pass rush specialist in 2015 that could have been a top 10 pick last year, he returned to school , got bigger & stronger, and also became a dominant run defender. The only non QB who had a chance to challenge Myles Garrett for the #1 pick coming into the year ( the other 2 were Malik McDowell and Tim Williams) who actually did what he needed top fulfill his potential. Elite motor. Best tape and my favorite player in the draft. High floor.
WEAKNESSES - Not the biggest guy inside and will occasionally get overwhelmed by bigger stronger blockers or double teams. Not an elite athlete, which is rare for a potential top 5 pick on defense .
3.SOLOMON THOMAS - DE - STANFORD - 6"2" , 273WEAKNESSES - Not the biggest guy inside and will occasionally get overwhelmed by bigger stronger blockers or double teams. Not an elite athlete, which is rare for a potential top 5 pick on defense .
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - MICHAEL BENNETT - SEAHAWKS
STRENGTHS - High football IQ film junkie with great character . Really athletic for such thick squatty looking guy. 2 year starter who is only 21 and who's best football should be ahead of him. Extremely strong for his size, and it's shocking how much havoc he wreaked inside against the run at while weighing in the 270's. Had a good 2015 and you could clearly see how much he improved on tape to have an even better 2016. Explosive burst off the ball and he jars defenders off the snap with his hands, and a good bull rush. Was a productive pass rusher with little diversity in his moves, and could be elite with a wider arsenal. Played 3-4 nose and some 5 technique at a light weight an was consistently disruptive. Could add 10-15 pound and be a full time 3 or 5 technique , or a 4-3 4-3 strong side end who can kick inside in sub packages. Good combine . Elite motor. High ceiling and floor.
WEAKNESSES - Some teams will see him as a tweener. Needs to learn how to play outside in a 4-3. Don't think he would hold up in the NFL like he did in college if played predominantly inside at his current weight, as he already struggles with double teams in college . Needs a lot of work adding pass rush moves and learning how to use his hands.
4.JAMAL ADAMS - S - LSU - 6 foot , 214
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - ERIC BERRY - CHIEFS
STRENGTHS - Team captain , elite vocal leader, and great character. Complete safety. Can play high or low, and cover the slot. Comes downhill with a will and made a lot of key stops. A lot of range in coverage or against the run. I truly believe he could play corner at an above average level in the NFL. Physical tackler. NFL bloodlines. Improved every year in college. Elite motor. Good combine , and even significantly improved his 40 at his pro day. High ceiling and floor.
WEAKNESSES - Sometimes over aggressive, and either comes in hot and misses the tackle or bites on the fake. While he missed less tackles this year , he still misses too many to be the last line of the defense, and that's why some teams see him as a box safety only.
COULD HAVE BEEN BLUE CHIPPERS
These players all have blue chip talent, but have either injury, off the field or football character concerns, or their motor isn't always on . They could also have limited tape , play a devalued position , or some combination of any of the questions already mentioned.
5.**MALIK HOOKER - S - OHIO ST. - 6"1" , 206
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - EARL THOMAS - SEAHAWKS
STRENGTHS - Elite , range, instincts, burst, tools and frame for a free safety. Has makeup speed. Times jumps and high points the ball like a receiver. The ball hawk every teams wants to play single high safety. Fluid hips. High ceiling .
WEAKNESSES - Sometimes over aggressive. Either comes in hot and misses the tackle or bites on the fake. Also misses tackles due to poor technique, and while I'm not calling him a pile inspector, he isn't always the guy you want to go heads up in short yardage against a powerful runner. Not interchangeable ,not a blitzer, and would be a liability in the box. Back pedal needs work. One year wonder. Sports hernia and labrum surgery prevented him from working out before the draft.
6.**MARSHON LATTIMORE - CB - OHIO ST. - 6 foot , 193
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - CHAMP BAILEY - retired
STRENGTHS - Solid NFL corner size. Mirrors his man better than any corner in the draft. Very physical and won't back down from anyone. Fluid hips and quick twitch athlete. Makeup speed. Good ball skills. Confident and a short and doesn't let getting beat put him on tilt. Good timing and reads his man to get his hands up to defend the ball. Solid in run support and a solid tackler. Clearly the best corner, and best chance at being a shutdown corner in a deep corner draft. Good combine . High ceiling .
WEAKNESSES - Sometimes too physical and grabby, and he won't get away with all that contact in the NFL. Not yet an inside guy or a guy who can follow the opposing teams number one receiver all game. Only a one year starter. Chronic hamstring injuries are the only reason I think he's not a lock for the top 5.
7.**RYAN RAMCZYK - OT - WISCONSIN - 6"6" , 314
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - JORDAN GROSS - retired
STRENGTHS- Solid NFL frame with just enough arm length. Fires off the ball low in the run game with good hip snap most of the time, and keeps his feet moving.Good athlete who is proficient inline and at the second level . Quick pass set, well balanced, and good feet. Good Awareness on stunts and blitzes. Good hand placement and punch . Strong anchor and rarely gets tall or wide in pass set. Has a mean streak and plays to the whistle.
WEAKNESSES -