I'm going to rank and give a quick analysis of some of the top talents per position in this year's draft. I am going to make a new thread for each position and will keep old threads listed in each new thread.

Keep in mind, this is purely my opinions. I am not saying this will be the order, this will be how players turn out or anything along those lines, it's just simply my own personal thoughts.

If you'd like a specific position to be done next, feel free to post, I don't mind jumping around. If not, I'll go in order (QB, WR, RB, TE, OT, etc...)

If you ever notice a player not in my list, it's either because I have them at a different position and/or they have not declared yet. I am trying not to put anyone in these lists who has not declared for the draft yet.

Anyway, as always, rate, hate and critique your hearts out.



Side note, I've got some real life shit going on at the moment, busy and what not so might not get these out daily but I'll try.



Cornerback

1) Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
Gilbert has a great combination of size, speed and strength. He has good instincts and natural ball skills. Gilbert is also a very dangerous weapon in the return game. I can see him being an immediate impact on defense but an even more dramatic impact on special teams. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though, Gilbert was beat a few times this season, pretty badly once or twice too. This entire CB class is loaded with potential but not a lot of elite talent right off the bat as in past years (Peterson, Claiborne, Hayden, Milliner, Trufant, Gilmore, Prince, Smith, etc [all I could think of off the top of my head, don’t get made if I left yout your recent studly corner lol])

2) Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
Dennard is physical and solid in coverage. He’s not the fastest corner out there but his instincts and physicality help to make up for any short comings he may have in speed. His biggest fault is that he will need to be more careful in the NFL otherwise he’ll be penalized quite a bit.

3) E.J. Gains, CB, Missouri
Gains is my biggest sleeper this year at corner. He’s shown good coverage skills and an ability to make plays on the ball. He’s got solid speed and strength to handle different receivers. Like all corners he was beat a few times on occasion but overall he was very solid. I’d be willing to go as far as saying that I can see Gains rising to the very top of this corner class and being the first one taken (it won’t happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did).

4) Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida
Roberson is a top notch man coverage guy. He’s got the size and speed to handle pretty much any receiver he’d line up against. He’s coming off of a down year due to recovering from injury otherwise, he’d probably be my #1.

5) Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida
Purifoy is my painful pick. I want to rank him even higher than this but he served a suspension for violating team rules and had a few injuries this year. That really cost him some but if you overlook that, he’s got the size, strength and freakish speed to go with that size and strength to be an elite corner in the NFL. Honestly, he reminds me of Patrick Peterson some (not at that level yet obviously, he’d be the clear cut #1 if he was but you know what I mean).

6) Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
Verrett is pretty small but has nice speed. He’s solid in coverage, not allowing separation and able to make plays on the ball. While all that’s nice, he looks shorter than his listed 5’10’’ and if that ends up being the case, it’s really going to hurt his draft stock.

7) Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
While Kyle Fuller has played well, he has yet to live up to his expectations. He has all the physical tools needed, plays tight coverage and is above average in run support but he hasn’t broken out and become the elite corner than many have expected him to be. He has a lot of potential but just hasn’t played to it yet. The question NFL teams will have to ask is will he ever?

8) Lamarcus Joyner, CB/S, Florida State
Joyner is really small and will probably end up going to way of Mathieu and making the full time move to safety. Listed at 5’8’’, 195 he may be short but he’s a banger, great strength and speed so that helps make up for his height. If he plays corner it’ll be in the slot but I think the move to safety full time could really help him strive in the NFL.

9) Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State
Reynolds has decent size and speed but he’s not overwhelmingly strong or fast. He’s got good instincts and is tough, willing to do whatever it takes but I don’t think he has the coverage skills to be a #1 corner.

10) Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
Roby had some red flag character concerns so he needed to have a really big senior season. He didn’t. He was absolutely abused by Jared Abbrederis throughout the entire game and it showed a lot of Roby’s weaknesses. He has a lot of talent, he showed it 2 seasons ago, but he needs to regain that form. He could be this year’s Mathieu or Janoris Jenkins, guy with off the field concerns, didn’t play up to expectations the year before the draft but goes in the mid-rounds and shines with a proper mentor/NFL level guys whipping his ass into shape.

11) Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt
Hal is a consistent and reliable corner. He’s not going to wow you right away but he has potential to grow into something special. As for now he’s going to be a guy who isn’t going to give up too many plays and will contribute on special teams but with the proper grooming could be a major steal.

12) Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida
Watkins is an athletic and fast corner. He’s got solid size and decent coverage skills. He’s going to provide great value for a team looking for a corner in the mid rounds. Fun fact that I didn’t know until I wrote this, he’s the brother of Sammy Watkins (Clemson WR).

13) Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas
Byndom is another one of those guys who had a solid year but didn’t reach anywhere near the level of play many expected. If you want more information, talk to draino.

14) Antone Exum, S/CB, Virginia Tech
Exum falls into that same category as Tre Boston, can play corner or safety effectively and will be in both of my rankings for the two positions (except I lied here and Boston isn’t in my corner rankings now lol). Difference is, with Boston I say play him at safety, Exum, play him at corner. We didn’t get to see much of Exum this past season because of an ankle injury so until he shows what he can do at the combine, he’ll be lower on most lists. He does have a lot of talent though, can cover, help in run defense, tackle, make a play with the ball in his hands and is a solid combination of size and speed.

15) Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
Colvin has good speed and quickness and is a good athlete. Good coverage skills and is able to turn and run with faster wide receivers. He’s got good height and length but he could stand to add on a little muscle for the NFL.

16) Dontae Johnson, CB, N.C. State
Johnson might need to move to safety in a lot of people’s eyes but honestly I like him as a big corner. He’s listed at 6’2’’ 195lbs which is big (as you probably know) for a corner. I’m curious to see what he runs at the combine because if he can show some solid speed to go with that big frame, he could be a nice project pick in the mid rounds for his size alone.

17) Keith McGill, CB, Utah
McGill follows the same path as Johnson does. Big guy (6’3’’, 205lbs) who shows some speed and if he can show that speed at the combine could be an incredible mid round project pick.

18) Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue
Allen is a bit small with good speed. He showed some ball skills and decent coverage skills. The thing I like is that he was a 4 year starter so he has plenty of experience and that’s something you can’t teach.

19) Eric Gordon, CB, Tennssee
Gordon is another small but fast corner. He has some potential but isn’t a full time starter. He’ll be a solid situational guy who can contribute on special teams and be a return man.

20) Chris Davis, CB, Auburn
Davis has shown that he is very dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands (you may remember him from his 109 yard field goal return against Bama) but he hasn’t shown the ability to actually get the ball in his hands lol. He has some potential, good size and speed but whoever drafts him will most likely use him as a return man.

21) Ciante Evans, CB, Nebraska
Evans has shown flashes but never the consistency to be an every down corner in the NFL. He’ll likely be drafted as a situational guy.

22) Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame
Jackson played decent but never lived up to his potential. He has good size and length but needs to run a really good 40 to get drafted.



This Year's Mocks:

2014 v1.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=68890136&f=204
2014 v2.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=68924563&f=204
2014 v3.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=68967249&f=204
2014 v4.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69010879&f=204
2014 v5.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69056177&f=204
2014 v6.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69101987&f=204
2014 v7.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69165845&f=204
2014 v8.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69235121&f=204
2014 v9.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69285391&f=204
2014 v10.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69468393&f=204
2014 v11.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69541086&f=204
2014 v12.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69649564&f=204
2014 v13.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69715922&f=204
2014 v14.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69804282&f=204
2014 v15.0: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69884204&f=204


2014 Mid-Season Big Board: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69198359&f=204


2014 Position Rankings Pre-Combine:

QB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69847793&f=204
HB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69861320&f=204
FB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69913671&f=204
WR: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69871600&f=204
TE: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69931929&f=204
OT: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69949549&f=204
OG: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69967274&f=204
C: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69891036&f=204

4-3 DE: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69974520&f=204
3-4 DE: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69985919&f=204
DT/NT: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69919859&f=204
4-3 OLB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=70004254&f=204
3-4 OLB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=70009927&f=204
ILB: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69882592&f=204
CB: Coming to you soon!!!
S: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=69902916&f=204
K/P: Coming to you soon!!!


Previous Year Mocks:

2013 Final Mock: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=67113792&f=204
2013 Draft Analysis: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=67228920&f=204

2012 Draft Analysis: http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=62247355&f=204

Joyner should be a S imo; Exum at CB. Really like Joyner as a FS, guy is always near the ball. He's probably my 3rd favorite safety, just behind Calvin Pryor.

I also like Fuller as a good value pick later, since VT has a pedigree for pumping out NFL-ready CBs, as does Florida.

Darqueze >

How many CBs do you see taken in the first round? How many do you think will make it to the 3rd round?

Round 1 - Gilbert, Dennard and maybe 1 or 2 more, those 1 or 2 being Roberson, Purifoy and/or Verrett.

Rounds 2 and 3 - Roberson, Purifoy, Verrett, Fuller, Joyner, Reynolds, Roby, Watkins, Exum and possibly Colvin, Hal and Gains.

As everything stands right now.

Awesome, thanks. Good to know we'd still have a shot at some good CBs if we don't get one round 1 (and the only way we'd really get one round 1 is if we traded down).

You're forgetting Nebraska's Jean-Baptiste, who I thought looked pretty good in the Senior Bowl. He's a big CB, and he made a pretty decent interception in the senior bowl. He will at least be a good depth player, maybe more...

*his floor, imo, will be playing like Cary Williams, who will give up receptions all day, but can tackle solidly. His ceiling is much higher than that, especially if he gets to press and play man coverage.

and fyi: Colvin tore his ACL a few weeks ago in practice for the senior bowl, didn't see that posted

This post was edited by Terps on Jan 28 2014 01:46am