Top 10 prospects at each position for 2017 NFL draft

— -- Time for another edition of my position rankings for the 2017 NFL draft. One thing to note: With the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft still a month away, I'm including prospects here who might still return to school. Until they officially announce that they're returning to school, I'm not taking them off my rankings.?

One asterisk denotes a junior, and two asterisks denote a redshirt sophomore for the 2016 season.

Quarterbacks

1. * Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
2. ** DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
3. * Deshaun Watson, Clemson
4. * Luke Falk, Washington State
5. * Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
6. * Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
7. * Brad Kaaya, Miami (Fla.)
8. * Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
9. Antonio Pipkin, Tiffin
10. Davis Webb, California

This isn't a strong quarterback class. I thought Kizer (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) could have used another year in school, but he's intriguing, and he's absolutely one of the most talented signal-callers in this draft. The question is whether he'll reach his potential.

Running backs

1. * Leonard Fournette, LSU
2. * Dalvin Cook, Florida State
3. * D'Onta Foreman, Texas
4. * Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
5. Matthew Dayes, NC State
6. * Akrum Wadley, Iowa
7. * Royce Freeman, Oregon
8. * Wayne Gallman, Clemson
9. * James Conner, Pittsburgh
10. Corey Clement, Wisconsin

Dayes (5-9, 203), who has rushed for 1,119 yards and has 31 catches this season, is one of the most underappreciated players in college football. I think he could be a third- or fourth-round pick.

Fullbacks

1. * Jaylen Samuels, NC State
2. Sam Rogers, Virginia Tech
3. * Khalid Hill, Michigan
4. Nate Iese, UCLA
5. * Dimitri Flowers, Oklahoma
6. * Austin Ramesh, Wisconsin
7. Anthony Firkser, Harvard
8. Chris Herndon, Miami (Fla.)
9. * Christian Payne, Georgia
10. * Daniel Marx, Stanford

No changes here from my last update.

Wide receivers

1. * Mike Williams, Clemson
2. * John Ross, Washington
3. Corey Davis, Western Michigan
4. * JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
5. * Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
6. * Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech
7. Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma
8. Stacy Coley, Miami (Fla.)
9. Amara Darboh, Michigan
10. Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington

Samuel (5-11, 197) is an interesting prospect. He's a speedster who lines up all over the field for the Buckeyes and plays some running back, too. He will probably end up in the slot in the NFL.

Tight ends

1. O.J. Howard, Alabama
2. * Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
3. Jake Butt, Michigan
4. Jordan Leggett, Clemson
5. Cole Hikutini, Louisville
6. Evan Engram, Mississippi
7. Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas
8. Pharaoh Brown, Oregon
9. Gerald Everett, South Alabama
10. Michael Roberts, Toledo

Howard (6-6, 251) has only six touchdowns in four seasons at Alabama. He has potential to eclipse that in one season in the NFL.

Offensive tackles

1. * Cam Robinson, Alabama
2. * Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
3. * Garett Bolles, Utah
4. * Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
5. ** Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
6. Dion Dawkins, Temple
7. * Roderick Johnson, Florida State
8. Taylor Moton, Western Michigan
9. Zach Banner, USC
10. Dan Skipper, Arkansas

This offensive tackle class is very young, and there isn't a surefire top-five pick in the group. Bolles (6-5, 300) is a first-year starter for the Utes after transferring from junior college. He can move defenders.

Offensive guards

1. ** Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
2. * Billy Price, Ohio State
3. Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
4. Dan Feeney, Indiana
5. Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh
6. * Braden Smith, Auburn
7. Nico Siragusa, San Diego State
8. * Damien Mama, USC
9. Greg Pyke, Georgia
10. Josh Boutte, LSU

No changes here from my last update. Nelson (6-5, 325) could still return to school.?

Centers

1. Ethan Pocic, LSU
2. Pat Elflein, Ohio State
3. * Mason Cole, Michigan
4. Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia
5. * Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
6. Jon Toth, Kentucky
7. Cameron Tom, Southern Mississippi
8. * Bradley Bozeman, Alabama
9. Chase Roullier, Wyoming
10. Kyle Fuller, Baylor

Roullier (6-4, 313) has the versatility to play center or guard at the next level.?

Defensive ends

1. * Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
2. Jonathan Allen, Alabama
3. * Derek Barnett, Tennessee
4. Takkarist McKinley, UCLA
5. * Charles Harris, Missouri
6. Taco Charlton, Michigan
7. Jordan Willis, Kansas State
8. * Carl Lawson, Auburn
9. ** Solomon Thomas, Stanford
10. DeMarcus Walker, Florida State

I think Willis (6-5, 250) is on the fringes of being a first-round pick. That's how loaded this class is for pass-rushers.

Defensive tackles

1. * Malik McDowell, Michigan State
2. * Caleb Brantley, Florida
3. * Elijah Qualls, Washington
4. * Charles Walker, Oklahoma
5. Ryan Glasgow, Michigan
6. Dalvin Tomlinson, Alabama
7. Montravius Adams, Auburn
8. Chris Wormley, Michigan
9. Carlos Watkins, Clemson
10. * Davon Godchaux, LSU

Glasgow (6-4, 300) is a valuable, underpublicized defender for the Wolverines. He's as good as any college defensive tackle, and he'll find a role as a plugger in the NFL.?

Inside linebackers

1. Reuben Foster, Alabama
2. * Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
3. * Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
4. Kendell Beckwith, LSU
5. * Azeem Victor, Washington
6. * Anthony Walker Jr., Northwestern
7. Ben Gedeon, Michigan
8. * Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama
9. Keith Kelsey, Louisville
10. Hardy Nickerson, Illinois

Foster (6-1, 236) is one of my favorite players in this class. He's a legitimate top-three possibility.?

Outside linebackers

1. Tim Williams, Alabama
2. Ryan Anderson, Alabama
3. Jarrad Davis, Florida
4. Steven Taylor, Houston
5. Haason Reddick, Temple
6. Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
7. Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee
8. Devonte Fields, Louisville
9. * Marquis Haynes, Mississippi
10. * T.J. Watt, Wisconsin

Williams (6-4, 252) has 19 sacks in two seasons for the Tide, despite playing limited snaps in 2015. He's a superb pass-rusher.

Cornerbacks

1. ** Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
2. * Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
3. ** Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
4. * Quincy Wilson, Florida
5. Tre'Davious White, LSU
6. Desmond King, Iowa
7. Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
8. Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson
9. * Sidney Jones, Washington
10. * Adoree' Jackson, USC

Florida could have a corner go in the first round in back-to-back years (Vernon Hargreaves in 2015). Tabor (6-0, 201) and Wilson (6-1, 213) will be in the mix.

Safeties

1. ** Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
2. * Jamal Adams, LSU
3. * Budda Baker, Washington
4. ** Malik Hooker, Ohio State
5. Marcus Maye, Florida
6. Eddie Jackson, Alabama
7. * Marcus Williams, Utah
8. Chidobe Awuzie, Colorado
9. Justin Evans, Texas A&M
10. Johnathan Ford, Auburn

If Peppers (6-0, 210) and Hooker (6-2, 205), two third-year sophomores, declare for the draft, the top end of this safety class will be really good.?

Kickers and punters

1. * Daniel Carlson, Auburn (Kicker)
2. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State (Kicker)
3, * JK Scott, Alabama (Punter)
4. * Johnny Townsend, Florida (Punter)
5. * Trevor Daniel, Tennessee (Punter)
6. Jake Elliott, Memphis (Kicker)
7. Cameron Johnston, Ohio State (Punter)
8. * Jonathan Barnes, Louisiana Tech (Kicker)
9. Justin Vogel, Miami (Fla.) (Punter)
10. Austin Rehkow, Idaho (Kicker and Punter)

Carlson and Gonzalez stay 1-2.?