Successful NFL teams and scouts trust their eyes. NFL combine testing, pro days, workouts and visits are all important when researching a draft pick. Still, the most important portion of draft evaluation is the tape.
I’ve looked at a lot of tape in preparing draft previews. Here is a list of my favorite players in the 2017 draft class culminating in what I call my baller squad – 17 draft prospects who stood out on tape. Everyone knows the first-round talents. The players on my list, for the most part, are underrated prospects who will be selected on Day 2 or Day 3.
It’s a subjective group of ballers, guys who may not test well, have great size or limitless potential, but they can flat-out play. These are dudes I’d take on my team. This isn’t every prospect I like that isn’t highly rated but it is a good snapshot, organized by position groups.
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee: Watch his and tapes to be wowed. Elusive, explosive, versatile. He’s the best of the second-tier running backs and could end up being the best overall in three years.
Projected selection: Second round
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo: Great vision, elusiveness and open-field cuts from a back with good size? Sign me up. Huntap 98 total missed tackles forced were second-most in the nation in 2016, per Pro Football Focus.
Projected selection: Third-fourth round
Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State: He won’t be a lead back at 178 pounds, but he will be an effective weapon as a third-down and receiving back. Being a mini-Darren Sproles is a great compliment.
Projected selection: Fifth-sixth round
Brandon Wilson, RB/DB/RET, Houston: Running back, defensive back or returner? Heck, let him do a little of all three. He’s an electric playmaker who will fill multiple roles on game day.
Projected selection: Fifth-sixth round
Zay Zones, WR, East Carolina: He catches everything, finds a way to get open and has a swag about him. He’s the NCAA’s all-time leading receiver. I think he’s going to be a star.
Projected selection: Second round
Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina: Switzer may never be more than a high-volume slot receiver, but there’s a good chance he’ll be a real good one. Reliable, quick and a polished route runner.
Projected selection: Third-fourth round
O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama: The lone sure-fire first round pick on this baller squad earned his way here. He’ll add a playmaking dimension to his team’s offense quickly.
Projected selection: Top 12
Dion Dawkins, T/G, Temple: A true ‘buckle-your-chin strap’ linemen. Dawkins could be as good as Alabama’s Cam Robinson, but will be picked a round or two later.
Projected selection: Second-third round
Dorian Johnson, G, Pittsburgh: Most of the players are on the baller squad because they flash. Johnson is here because the players who face him don’t. Ten-year starter.
Projected selection: Second round
Issac Asiata, G, Utah: The Utes’ offensive line was dominant last year, but Asiata epitomizes the group’s nastiness and physicality. Day 1 starter in a power scheme.
Projected selection: Third-fourth round
Dalvin Tomlinson, DL, Alabama: Hidden among a defense of NFL players, Tomlinson did the dirty work inside. Strong run stuffer with sneaky athleticism.
Projected selection: Second-third round
Jordan Willis, DE/OLB, Kansas State: Has a NFL flavor to his game amongst a draft of raw pass rushers. Balanced enough to be a three-down productive pass rusher and run defender.
Projected selection: Late first-second round
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee: It’s rare to find a three-down linebacker who is always around the ball, can cover and play the run well on Day 3. Reeves-Maybin’s injuries will make him a team’s high-risk, high-reward pick.
Projected selection: Fifth-sixth round
Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado: His teammate, Chidobe Awuzie, could go round one but Witherspoon may have a higher ceiling. He flashes CB1 ability with his length, ball skills and physicality.
Projected selection: Second-third round
Cam Sutton, CB, Tennessee: Injuries derailed the latter part of his career, but Sutton, a four-year starter, has locked down SEC receivers since his freshman season. He can return punts, too.
Projected selection: Third round
Channing Stribling, CB, Michigan: I didn’t intend to watch Stribling’s tape, but he was the player who flashed with every look at a Michigan’s defender. He has the ball skills, instincts and physicality to be a late-round starter.
Projected selection: Fifth-sixth round
Desmond King, CB/S, Iowa: King doesn’t fit in the NFL’s size and speed preferences. On tape, he was one of the most effective cornerbacks in college football. At safety or corner, that’s a guy I want.
Projected selection: Third round
