This year’s draft took a number of unexpected twists and turns. The surprises started early and the top part of the draft shook out in a way that few expected. Now, we want to know who you think the best player to come out of the top 10 will be. Here’s a refresher on each pick, followed by a poll. We also encourage you to back up your selection in the comments.
- Browns – Myles Garrett, DE (Texas A&M, No. 1 overall): Heading into the draft, Garrett seemed to be everyone’s consensus No. 1 talent. Despite some rumblings that the Browns could take a certain quarterback at the top of the draft, Cleveland went with convention and took the Texas A&M star. In three seasons in College Station, Garrett recorded 31 sacks and 47 tackles for loss. He also graded as a top-three edge defender during all three of his collegiate campaigns, per the advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus. Unfortunately, Garrett sprained his left foot during practice and that’s a bit worrisome since he had left ankle trouble last season. The good news is that he has been able to play through the pain before and doctors say he should be ready to go in time for training camp.
- Bears – Mitch Trubisky, QB (North Carolina, No. 2 overall): Few people saw this one coming. Not only did the Bears take Trubisky without warning, but they moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in order to secure him. The pick also took free agent addition Mike Glennon by surprise since his $45MM deal led him to believe that he would be the man in Chicago for at least a couple of years. Some say that Trubisky has the potential to blossom into a star. Others say that Trubisky was merely the best signal caller in a class full of unimpressive QBs.
- 49ers – Solomon Thomas, DT (Stanford, No. 3 overall): Thomas was among the top-ranked players on the 49ers’ board and they received extra draft compensation for taking him. You can’t argue with the value that San Francisco got in the draft night swap, but you’ll have to overlook the size concerns in order to vote for him as the best player to be drafted in the top 10. “Tweener” talk aside, Thomas had 61 total tackles last season – including 14 tackles for a loss – and 8.5 sacks. He now joins an up-and-coming defensive line in SF and the potential is there for him to do great things.
- Jaguars – Leonard Fournette, RB (LSU, No. 4 overall): Fournette was widely regarded as the best running back in this year’s class and he silenced doubters at the combine with his faster-than-expected 40-yard-dash time. The 6’1″, 230-pound running back averaged an eye-popping 6.5 yards per carry in his final two seasons on campus, making evaluators around the league salivate at his potential.
- Titans – Corey Davis, WR (Western Michigan, No. 5 overall): The buzz around Davis grew in the weeks leading up to the draft, but this pick still caught some by surprise. The Titans went with the Western Michigan standout with their top selection, even though he had ankle surgery in February. They believe that the 6’3″, 213-pounder will produce at the next level and it’s not hard to see why they have faith in him. Last year, he finished with personal highs in receptions (97), yards (1,500), and scores (19).
- Jets – Jamal Adams, S (LSU, No. 6 overall): Early on in draft season, it seemed like a coin flip between Adams and Ohio State’s Malik Hooker for the mantle of best safety in the draft. As late April approaches, more and more people in the football world went into Adams’ camp. The Jets had tons of needs on both sides of the ball, but they used the draft as an opportunity to revamp the safety position. Some say that it doesn’t make sense to take a safety early in the draft, but it seems like analysts everywhere are on board with the Jets’ pick.
- Chargers – Mike Williams, WR (Clemson, No. 7 overall): The NFL now has another wide receiver named Mike Williams. The Bolts could have gone with a defensive upgrade with guys like Hooker and cornerback Marshon Lattimore still on the board, but they chose instead to get Philip Rivers a big target to throw to on the outside. Williams has all the physical tools to succeed, but there are some concerns about his tendency to drop the occasional ball.
- Panthers – Christian McCaffrey, RB (Stanford, No. 8 overall): Many saw the Panthers taking Fournette with this pick, but once he was off the board, they went to McCaffrey. McCaffrey battled through injury in his final year and still finished out with 1,639 rushing yards. The running back has the ability to make defenders miss and the field vision to break off big runs, but there are some concerns about whether he’ll be able to be an every-down back given his lack of size.
- Bengals – John Ross, WR (Washington, No. 9 overall): Speed kills and it also pushes you up draft boards. Many expected Ross to be a first round pick, but his selection within the top 10 caught some by surprise. He can torch just about any defender you put in front of him, but it remains to be seen whether he can stay healthy. Ross has suffered a torn ACL and torn meniscus in the past. He also underwent labrum surgery after the combine. If those kinds of ailments are behind him, however, Ross could be a star as he lines up opposite of A.J. Green.
- Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes, QB (Texas Tech, No. 10 overall): The Chiefs gave up quite a bit to get the No. 10 pick, so they obviously believe Mahomes can blossom into a top-tier quarterback. The former baseball pitcher has a naturally strong arm and also has the wheels to gain yards on the ground when needed.
When all is said and done, who do you think will be the best player out of this year’s top 10? Vote below and defend your pick in the comment section.
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