Kiper's 2017 Big Board: Movers, shakers after bowl season
— -- The college football season is over -- how about that great title game? -- and it's time for my first Big Board since before bowl season. Much has changed: A Pac-12 defender has moved into the top 10, another running back has moved into the top five and teammates from an SEC school not named Alabama joined the top 25.
With the Jan. 16 deadline looming for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft, some of the prospects in my Big Board and on my position rankings are still undecided. I'm leaving them in for now until they make their decisions one way or the other.
One more thing: Prepare yourself for Mock 1.0, which will be out next week.
One asterisk denotes a junior, and two asterisks denote a redshirt sophomore for the 2016 season.
1. * Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
Garrett had a frustrating season, hampered by a high ankle sprain he suffered in late September, and his sack numbers (8.5) were down from his freshman (11.5) and sophomore (12.5) seasons. The injury took away some of the explosiveness that makes him such a promising talent. But when he's on, as he was when he had 4.5 sacks against UTSA in mid-November, he's?a brilliant, natural pass-rusher.?The injury shouldn't affect Garrett's draft status. At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, he has the length, strength and ability to bend the edge. I think he's a top-five lock.
2.? Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
Allen was one of the top two or three defenders in the country this season. He had 10.5 sacks, including one in the national title game loss, after having 12 sacks in 2015. I? wrote in October about Allen's performance?against Texas A&M, in which he had a signature sack and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Defensive end, defensive tackle -- the 6-3, 264-pound Allen?can play anywhere on the line, and coach Nick Saban loves him. He's in the mix to go No. 1 overall.
3. * Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Fournette struggled with a gimpy ankle this season, missing four games. Don't worry about him, though. He is really special when he's healthy. He has?an incredible combination of size (6-1, 235), speed and power that can make him look like a varsity player hanging with the JV. Mileage was a concern heading into the season, but that's less of an issue now. He had a whopping 300 carries in 2015 -- for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns -- and he had only 129 in 2016.
4.? Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
Foster is?a big-time inside linebacker, and he might have been Alabama's best linebacker in 2015. Yes, better than Reggie Ragland, who went in the second round to the Bills in the 2016 draft and whom I had as the No. 24-ranked prospect. Foster (6-1, 240) has more range, runs sideline to sideline and is a more complete player. He's a terrific blitzer, too, and recorded five sacks this season. Expect him?to follow in the footsteps of inside?linebackers from Alabama who have gone in the first round, such as Rolando McClain,? Dont'a Hightower and? C.J. Mosley.
5. * Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook (5-11, 213) is a?home run hitter?who?can turn small creases into massive gains. He finished the season with 100-yard?rushing performances in nine of his last 10 games, including 145 rushing yards and 62 receiving yards in the Orange Bowl win over Michigan. He averaged 6.1?yards per carry this season -- after averaging 7.4 in 2015 -- and had 33?receptions for 488 yards.?With good hands and the ability to find and pick up blitzes, he's versatile. He had a whopping 40 total touchdowns in the past two seasons.
6. * Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Adams (6-1, 213) was a huge part of LSU's defensive success, even if it doesn't show on the stat sheet (one interception, one sack, one forced fumble). He has great bloodlines -- his dad, George Adams, was the No. 19 overall pick in the 1985 NFL draft. He is built for today's NFL as a versatile safety who can play in the box effectively, make tackles against the run and move to the edges and track slot receivers.
7. ** Solomon Thomas, DE,?Stanford
Thomas, only a third-year sophomore, was one of the best defenders in the Pac-12 in 2016, and he's the biggest riser on this edition of the Big Board. He plays like a veteran, causing disruptions in both the running and passing games. He had eight?sacks this season while playing end, but at 6-3, 270 pounds, he could move inside and play tackle, too. The versatility is what stands out. And he has some speed -- check out this fumble return.
8. ** Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
Peppers, who finished fifth in the Heisman voting, was the best prospect on one of the best defenses in the country. At 6-0, 210 pounds, he is a tweener without a set position in the NFL, as I wrote in December. His potential is as an in-the-box safety or linebacker who helps in run support and goes out and covers receivers and tight ends, but he's not for everybody; not every team will give him a high grade. I expect him to test off the charts at the NFL combine. He's a special athlete.
9.?* Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Williams, my No. 1 receiver,?has great burst and speed for his size (6-2, 225). He?made some fantastic catches in the national title game, finishing with eight receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. He put behind the? scary neck injury?that prematurely ended his 2015 season, and he was? Deshaun Watson's go-to target this season. He had?98 catches for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2016. He also had more than 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore in 2014 while averaging a whopping 18.1 yards per catch.
10. ** Marshon Lattimore, CB,?Ohio State
At 6-1, 190, Lattimore was a first-year starter who struggled because of a hamstring injury during his first two years in Columbus. He was?fantastic in 2016, standing out in a group of talented defenders and posting four interceptions. He tackles well and has locked down receivers. The 2017 cornerback class could be special, and Lattimore is in the top tier.
11.? Takkarist McKinley, DE,?UCLA
Pac-12 offensive tackles had nightmares this season about McKinley, who is a dominant speed rusher. At 6-2, 240, he's not huge, but his explosion off the line is suited for today's NFL. A former junior college player, McKinley really came on as a senior, recording 10?sacks?and?three forced fumbles. McKinley impressed me with his motor too, even while dealing with multiple injuries.
12. * Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
This isn't a great class for top-tier blindside protectors, and some of that has to do with the lack of seniors. The first senior in my list of the top 10 offensive tackles comes in at No. 4. Robinson, a junior,?was a starter from day one at Alabama, and he is?already a known commodity around the NFL.?At 6-6, 327, he's battle-tested and extremely consistent. I think he'd be better as a right tackle in the NFL -- he's a better run-blocker than he is a pass-blocker -- but he's probably going to get a shot on the left side. He has the talent to be a top-10 pick and the first tackle off the board.
13.? Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama
Williams, the top-ranked prospect in my? preseason Big Board, does one thing incredibly well: rush the passer. And that's what NFL teams are looking for. He's a?fantastic pass-rushing talent who can be unblockable at times.?Williams (6-4, 250) has improved with the other parts of his game -- he can?adequately take on blockers and play the run. After 10.5 sacks in 2015, when he played only about 20 percent of Alabama's defensive snaps, Williams had?nine sacks in 2016. He's likely an outside linebacker in a 3-4 in the NFL.
14. ** Malik Hooker, S,?Ohio State
Hooker is another third-year sophomore. The first-year starter was the best center-field-type safety I?saw this season -- he has incredible range. He had seven interceptions and returned three of them for touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hooker is dynamic; he was all over the field for the Buckeyes.
15. * Christian McCaffrey, RB,?Stanford
The Stanford offense was built around McCaffrey for the past two years. He runs, catches passes, blocks and returns kicks and punts.?With 590 carries for 3,622 yards and 82 catches for 955 yards the past two seasons, he has shown that he can carry the load. McCaffrey (6-0, 200) has incredible balance and could be an every-down back in the NFL. And it helps that he played in a pro-style offense at Stanford. His father, Ed, had a long NFL career as a wide receiver, and his brother, Max, was a good receiver at Duke.
16. * Mitch Trubisky, QB,?North Carolina
I've been vocal about how Trubisky would benefit from another year in college, but he's entering the draft, and he's my top-ranked signal-caller. I don't see a potential top-five talent at quarterback in this draft. In his first year as the full-time starter, Trubisky (6-3, 220) completed 68.2 percent of his passes and had 30?touchdown passes and only six interceptions. He throws a nice ball, has some touch and velocity and is mobile too. He had five rushing touchdowns.
17. * Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Tabor just makes plays. He shows up in big moments every time I turn on the tape, breaking up passes and locking down receivers.?He returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 2015. He was all over the field this season, too. You could argue that Tabor (6-0, 201) was the most consistently effective Florida cornerback last season, and? Vernon Hargreaves III?went No. 11 overall to the Bucs. Tabor had four interceptions this season, including a pick-six. He also had a sack.
18.?* Taco Charlton, DE,?Michigan
Charlton was the best defensive player on the field in Michigan's loss to Ohio State in late November. The 6-5, 270-pound defensive end had 2.5 sacks and nine total tackles, showing off a full arsenal of pass-rushing moves. He finished the season with 9.5 sacks despite missing two games earlier in the year because of an ankle injury. Charlton plays with good leverage for his height, has active hands and takes great angles when rushing. And he's helped by an incredible wingspan. Charlton can play on his feet, which means he could fit in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
19. Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Injuries to both ankles caused Davis (6-2, 226) to miss a few games late in the season, but he is a steady and reliable linebacker who has a nose for the football. He could play inside or outside linebacker in the NFL, but he's not a pass-rusher, though he did have 5.5 sacks the past two seasons. Davis is an every-down linebacker at the next level -- he can cover tight ends and backs in the passing game -- and fits what teams are looking for these days. He could play all three positions in a 4-3 defense or the inside in a 3-4. I love his?intangibles too; he has tremendous character.
20. * Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
McDowell suffered an ankle injury in the Spartans' loss to Illinois in early November and missed the last three games of the season. He had? some growing pains, but the talent is there. McDowell is?a fantastic athlete with a 6-6, 290-pound frame. Production has been his issue -- McDowell?had 1.5 sacks this season and only 7.5 in his career. He's an elite-level prospect, though, and could?be a top-15 pick.
21. * Derek Barnett, DE,?Tennessee
Barnett was? stellar after a slow start to the season just had hip surgery and should be fine long term, but he won't be working out at the combine.
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