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Top 20 NFL breakout candidates in 2017

By John Buhler

Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) is introduced prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) is introduced prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Seemingly every year, a few players in the NFL go from good to great out of nowhere. Here are the top 20 NFL players primed for breakout seasons in 2017.

Not every great player in the NFL figures it out right away. Even some of the best collegiate players will need a year or two…or three to carve out their best role in the NFL. It’s all about the process of maturity, going from a punk college kid to a young, hard-working professional.

Every year, a handful of players come out of the woodwork and become overnight sensations in the NFL. The meteoric rise of a few star players can’t be predicted. However, there are some players that have laid a strong foundation in their early professional years to take off by their mid-20s.

Here are the 20 NFL players primed to have breakout seasons in 2017.

20

Jimmie Ward

Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers may unfortunately have the weakest roster heading into the 2017 NFL Draft. However, they aren’t completely devoid of talent. One guy poised to have a breakout season for the 49ers this fall is defensive back Jimmie Ward.

San Francisco took him No. 30 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Northern Illinois. He has bounced around in the 49ers secondary playing both cornerback and free safety. With new head coach Kyle Shanahan coming in, it looks like Ward will be asked to play a huge role in 2017 49ers defense: free safety.

While Shanahan specializes on the offensive side of the ball as a former offensive coordinator, he does plan to use the Cover 3 defense he learned from Dan Quinn these last two years with the Atlanta Falcons. Given that new 49ers general manager John Lynch is a borderline Hall of Fame safety in his own right, San Francisco is going to make sure Ward is in a position to succeed in 2017.

Playing free safety in a Cover 3 scheme is huge undertaking for an adept defensive back. Ward will be asked to cover the middle third of the field, forcing turnovers with great ballhawking ability. He may not gel in this role right away, but Ward is too talented of a player to not get more than a fair shake at that opportunity.

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