VIP League - Top Ten Draft Prospects

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This season is over the half way point and as teams start to come to terms with the fact that they are either in playoff contention or have already eliminated themselves from contention, it is that time to start looking forward to the future and figure out team needs and what players could potentially be added to lift a franchise to the next level - Let's take a look at some of the Top Ten players that will be talked about in almost every team's War Room come draft day!

1 - DE Myles Garrett - TEXAS A&M - JR 6'5 262
Garrett's size and length stands out immediately along with his explosiveness from the edge - He violently attacks his opponents and puts much strain and pressure on the QB - At this point he is a known pass rusher and needs to build upon his run stopping abilities to ensure himself a spot in the NFL as an 'every down' player - Most experts expect him to forgo his junior year and that continues to look like the direction he will take as he continues to dominate offensive linemen in the college ranks - This was evident last night vs Arkansas in which Myles displayed his playmaking abilities on a consistent basis - Look for his stock to continue rising as the season progresses


2 - QB Deshaun Watson - CLEMSON - JR 6'3 215
A pure athlete with an ability to extend plays and scramble when necessary - Has an NFL arm that is currently unmatched in college football - Watson draws many comparisons to NFL MVP Cam Newton in the form of his footwork, ability to escape a collapsed pocket, and also an inconsistent passing game mainly due to the fact he rarely has to read through his progressions in the college passing game - This could potentially hinder his development this year - Deshaun has again played consistently this year yet hasn't exactly impressed scouts up to this point - The talking heads have even started to move Deshone Kizer past Watson as the #1 QB prospect on the board - A big game looms this week vs #5 Louisville and early Heisman candidate Lamar Jackson which could determine which way the arrow will move for Watson and his draft stock


3 - S/LB Jabrill Peppers - MICHIGAN - rSO 6'0 208
Jabrill will be all over the field this year as you cannot contain his explosiveness or athleticism - From the Safety position, Peppers attacks the run game and can shut down opponents simply off his known reputation of hard hitting tackles - Brian Griese even went as far to say "He is the defensive Christian McCaffrey". Jabrill also matches up well in one on one situations with college TEs which will be highly sought after in the NFL - However his coverage skills seem to diminish vs skilled receivers which could eventually push NFL teams to move Peppers to a permanent LB position - Peppers also poses as an electrifying kick / punt returner which will add value to his draft stock throughout the season and has been known to line up as a RB and WR from time to time on offense


4 - RB Leonard Fournette - LSU - JR 6'1 230
Fournette poses the ability to move the pile and break tackles with his size and the speed to breakaway from defenders once he hits the second level, both of which makes him a very attractive commodity to NFL teams - Leonard has shown he can improve his game during the offseason and did just that last year as he was able to display more agility and cut back ability - He will need to build upon that by developing his pass catching and pass protection skills - That alone would make him a very attractive, all around back, and would prevent teams from pulling him on 3rd down or passing situations - This season has been more of a grind for Fournette as teams are stacking the box vs LSU due to their lack of passing attack - His avg has dropped from 6.5 last year to 5.8 this year - This could change with the recent LSU QB swap but regardless look for Leonard to be a top 10 or top 15 selection
 
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5 - DT Malik McDowell - MICHIGAN STATE- JR 6'5 282
He is in the top ten right now because he is just too good however as the NFL landscape plays out during the season, it could determine whether McDowell makes himself eligible for the draft - Back in August Malik stated that he would not forgo his JR year unless he was a top 3 pick - Aside from that, McDowell plays at an extremely high level and continues to develop his football knowledge - His hand placement, pursuit, and reaction to blocking schemes is what sets him apart and makes him the highest rated DT this year - For now, Malik needs to develop his ability to handle double teams, which he will get plenty of opportunities this year playing in the Big Ten - If he can learn to breakthrough these double teams and prevent himself from being moved off the ball, then this could equate to a rather large pay day and a possible top 3 selection


6 - S Jamal Adams - LSU - JR 6'0 211
Jamal Adams comes to us in the mold of former Tiger alum Tyrann Mathieu by which some have even called him Honeybadger 2.0 - Adams has that 'IT' factor and will consistently jump off the screen when watching highlight videos as he is all over the field - He can set the edge like a LB and will take on tackles and finish - Unlike Peppers, he tends to have better coverage skills but the one knock is that he doesn't take the best angles while in pursuit and at times has shown his play recognition to be a step slow - After 4 games into the season there is not much to report on Adams however the game to circle, which could help or hurt his stock, will be Nov 5th vs might Alabama


7 - OLB Tim Williams - ALABAMA - SR 6'4 237
Explosive, great first step read, violent, plays well with his hands are all attributes that Williams does extremely well - Quick off the edge which will give tackles fits for days - Equipped with an NFL type spin move and will win most of the one on one battles he faces - Tim will need to develop his play recognition and pass coverage skills in zone coverage - Tends to take himself out of plays and doesn't always drop to his respective zone - This has caused Saban to limit his snaps so hopefully the offseason has allowed him to develop his deficiencies - Williams has been hampered with a lower leg injury early on this season but he has clocked in with 1.5 sacks through 4 games


8 - CB Jalen Tabor - FLORIDA - JR 6'0 199
A very gifted CB that poses versatility and ball skills - Known to line up where ever he is needed (outside, slot, and occasionally over TE) - Has possibly the best 'read and react' skills in this class - Quickly breaks on the ball and will make opposing QBs pay for their mistakes - Can press or play off coverage effectively with his quick burst - In order to be successful in the NFL, Tabor will need to be more physical and help with run support - This has been an area of concern - Needs to consistently wrap up and/or tackle low to shut down run plays - Tabor is also know for being a bit braggadocious and somewhat of a hot head - He was suspended for the UMass game this year for getting in a fight with a fellow teammate during practice and taking a swing at him with his helmet - Through 3 games, Tabor has collected 2 picks
 
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9 - DT Jonathan Allen - ALABAMA - SR 6'3 292
One of the nation's best pass rushers last year could have easily went in the mid 1st round - Was more of a rotational player last year so this should give scouts plenty of opportunities to see more of what Allen can do - Outstanding awareness and strength that can generate some knock back at the line - Quick to locate the ball and dump his blocker - Will struggle playing the edge in the NFL due to his lack of burst - Don't expect him to chase players down from behind as he lacks the speed and quickness when the ball goes away from him - Thus far this year, Allen has been extremely disruptive - Versus USC he tallied 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 pass deflections - More recently vs Ole Miss, Allen ran an interception back 75 yds for a TD leaving some to question his speed


10 - CB Desmond King - IOWA - SR 5'10 203
Last year's Jim Thorpe award winner returns to Iowa to lead the defensive charge - Some scouts even graded him as the top CB last year had he made himself draft eligible however a promise to his mother to finish his education led him back to Iowa City - Arguably the best zone coverage cornerback in the nation - Has a nose to find the ball and offers excellent run support - Does not shy away from contact and can be counted on to make the tackle - Great awareness and play recognition - Fluid athlete that can mirror his opponents breaks - Iowa runs a lot of zone coverage so prospective NFL teams need to see what King can do in man to man, press type situations - Returns kicks and punts for Iowa which could turn into an NFL responsibility as well as Desmond consistently puts the Iowa offense in great field position - So far in 2017 it has been very quiet for King - Teams are throwing away from Desmond, to the complete opposite side of the field. Due to Iowa's zone coverage, King will always play the strong side of the field - King has recorded 19 tackles and 2 pass break ups on the year - Target the Michigan game as a possible preview at what King can do vs top WR talent


Outside the Top Ten
11 - RB Christian McCaffrey - STANFORD - JR 6'0 202
12 - RB Dalvin Cook - FLORIDA STATE - JR 5'11 206
13 - OT Cam Robinson - ALABAMA - JR 6'5 327
14 - DE/OLB Charles Harris - MIZZOU - JR 6'3 260
15 - WR JuJu Smith-Schuster - USC - JR 6'2 220
16 - QB Deshone Kizer - NOTRE DAME - JR 6'4 230
17 - ILB Raekwon McMillan - OHIO STATE - JR 6'2 240
18 - CB Jourdan Lewis - MICHIGAN - SR 5'11 186
19 - WR Mike Williams - CLEMSON - JR 6'3 225
20 - CB Marlon Humphrey - ALABAMA - rSO 6'1 196
 
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woodsmall12

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Items of note:

3 Louisville vs 5 Clemson
Big matchup w possibly the #1 QB this year in Deshaun Watson and the leading QB prospect for 2018 in Lamar Jackson who already leads the Heisman race - this game could change everything for one QB or possibly both depending how this clash turns out ... a legend could be born and draft statuses could sky rocket

8 Wisconsin vs 4 Michigan
An opportunity for Peppers to again showcase his skills vs a top ten opponent - look for lots of smash mouth football in this one and expect plenty of big hits from Jabrill - And look for team mate Jourdan Lewis develop more run game support as there will be plenty of opportunities to do that with a very run oriented offense

#7 prospect Tim Williams from Bama was arrrested today for possession of a fire arm ... will this result in a suspension? Could a poor decision cause prospective NFL teams to pass over him?
 
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