The top underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft
Thursday was the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft. We will go over the top players to declare.
Thursday was the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft. These players decided that they had enough training for the NFL — they feel they are ready for the big time.
The decision for an underclassman to declare for the NFL draft is a difficult one. They might have had success on the field against collegiate competition, but are they really ready to get into the field of battle against grown men?
That question may seem easy for a lot of players in their mind. For their entire lives, they’ve been told they are great, so when the NFL is at their fingertips they will reach out and grab it much like they grab the football for a catch.
For some, however, the decision is a wrong one. Last year, 36 underclassmen thought they were ready for the NFL, but they went undrafted. Another year at college could have done them some good. Of course, some became undrafted free agents, but the money that they thought they’d have is a lot different as an undrafted player than one who did get drafted.
It is not surprising, then, that this year the number of underclassmen declaring dropped for the first time in five years. As of a few hours before the midnight deadline, 78 underclassmen declared, compared to 98 last year. That is a 20.5 percent drop.
Perhaps this is a good thing. It is best to keep the number of ill-equipped players to be thrown to the wolves. another year of grooming would do them good.
That was the thinking of Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who was being pushed by many to go pro after only three games (even though they were three of the biggest games of the year). He did not feel ready and thus stayed in school.
Here is a list of some of the top names to declare for the NFL draft:
Marcus Mariota, QB
Mariota did not have much to prove in college. He was this season’s Heisman Trophy winner and he led his Oregon Ducks to the National Championship game. He could not finish the job, but there will be plenty more challenges waiting for him in the NFL.
Mariota has not played in a pro style offense, but he has the tools and the work ethic to learn quickly. He may experience some growing pains on his way to being a solid NFL quarterback.
Even with his deficiencies, Mariota will be the first or second quarterback taken in the draft.
Jameis Winston, QB
In every draft there is the one player who gets an inordinate amount of attention. This year it will be Jameis Winston.
Winston has had a few off-the-field troubles, and he was suspended for a game this season. He will be the most scrutinized player in the draft.
No one can deny the great run Winston and his Florida State teammates went on. He was last year’s Heisman winner, and the loss against Mariota’s Ducks ended a 29-game winning streak.
In spite of his off-field troubles, Winston, along with Mariota, will be the first or second quarterback chosen. Both look to be the top two picks, as both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans should be looking for quarterbacks.
Amari Cooper, WR
Amari Cooper dominated college football this season. He had 16 touchdown receptions, which led the SEC. It was the most by any SEC player since Reidel Anthony set the conference record with 18 in 1996.
Cooper is ranked third overall on ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s big board. Says Kiper of Cooper, “There’s nothing Cooper doesn’t do really well, and he’s probably more explosive than he looks because his movement is so precise. He separates with ease, has a good sense of how to find space against a zone and will make contested catches. His work rate is legendary and will be a big selling point.”
Teams tried to hit Cooper off the line to keep him from hitting his route, but he has moves and is strong enough to fight through and make some great catches. He will be a joy to watch on Sundays.
Landon Collins, Safety
While Amari Cooper is the top rated wide receiver, his teammate at
Alabama, Landon Collins, is the top rated safety in the NFL draft.
At 6’4″, 249 pounds, Cooper is a massive safety. He has good athleticism, which allows him to get to ball carriers quickly. He led Alabama with 103 tackles and was second in pass defended with 10.
He also has great power, which allows him to cover tight ends, something that will come in handy in the NFL. He is shaky on other types of pass coverages, however.
Collins is projected to be a top-10 pick. The Chicago Bears have been looking for a safety for decades it seems, may be a fit for Collins.
T.J. Yeldon, RB
Yeldon is yet another Crimson Tide player that will leave the program for the big time (Nick Saban just churns out those top players year in and year out).
Yeldon had 932 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He just missed out on eclipsing the 1,000-yard plateau for the third straight season.
Yeldon is a versatile back who could run (his 3,322 yards ranked fourth in Alabama history), make catches out of the backfield (he caught 46 passes for 494 yards) and block effectively.
Yeldon is projected to go in the second round. He has battled a number of injuries this season (hamstring and ankle), and that may be a concern. At 6’2″, 221 pounds, he may need to bulk up a little. He will be a solid pro, though.
Bernardrick McKinney, ILB
The 6’5″, 249 pound middle linebacker is a strong hitter who can go sideline to sideline. He reminds me of a Brian Urlacher-type player. He led Mississippi State in tackles the last two seasons. For his career, he played in 39 games (36 starts) and recorded 244 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
This past season, he was named First Team All America Linebacker. He was the first player to do that for the Bulldogs since 1999. He started all 13 games, and led the team with 71 tackles. He was a semifinalist for the Bednarik, Butkus and Lombardi Awards.
McKinney has great instincts, and gets to the ball quickly. He has good burst off the snap and has great agility. He can play both the pass and run well.
Ereck Flowers, OT
The massive 6’6″, 324 pound lineman told South Florida High School Sports that he did all he could as a college football player and felt he could take the next step.
Flowers is one of those players who could use another year of grooming before going pro. He is graded as a second round pick, but could easily be in the high first round next season.
With that being said, Flowers has good feet, is very tough and very strong, and he uses all that very effectively in the running game.
Flowers has trouble with speed rushers. He has a small base and finds himself off-balanced too many times. He may get help with that at the higher level, but he feels confident enough to do the work before the combine and draft to get himself into the first round. We will see how that works out.
Duke Johnson, RB
Duke Johnson was teammates with Ereck Flowers since high school, and both players are going pro together.
Johnson is Miami’s all-time leading rusher, which is saying a lot with the rich history of running backs at the school. He finished his career with 3,519 yards (1,652 this season). He also had 14 100-yard games, tying him with Edgerrin James and Clinton Portis for the most in school history.
At 5’9″, 206 pounds, Johnson is undersized. What could separate him from the other backs, though, is his pass catching. He had 38 catches this past season, and 69 in his career.
Johnson is a slashing back with excellent cutting ability. He has great vision, which allows him to find holes quickly and get big runs. He has a nice burst, but doesn’t have the elite speed one would expect.
Because of his size, he has trouble pass-blocking, and cannot be used in short yardage situations.
Johnson would be great in a running back committee system. He would be an excellent change of pace back. He is projected to go in the mid-to-late second round.
Even with fewer underclassmen in the draft, expect most of the top ten picks, and a huge chunk of the first round, to be filled with them. There is a great class of underclassmen in the NFL draft this year. The problem is that a lot of those underclassmen think They are a big part of that, when in reality they aren’t.