[Dynasty] 2015 Draft Prospects (1 Viewer)

[MAC_32]

Fwiw, Funchess is not a top ten nfl pick, too thin. First rounder if he learns to catch, but later...but in our game his ceiling is so much higher than Ebron.

Howard is the next type that could compete with Ebron for top ten.

Williams looked alright vs Michigan. Nothing special though. He's on my watch list. Definitely not a first rounder though. Not unless he practiced miracles this offseason ,

 

[EBF]

Yea, I'm with you on all that. Funchess is a TE in the same sense that Ladarius Green is a TE. Maybe even less so. I don't know which position will be his "official" position when he gets to the NFL, but he has no strength whatsoever and will only be used to catch passes. Ebron is not exactly a road grader, but he does have the capability and potential to block if necessary.

 

[mcintyre1]

Rotoworld:

Ameer Abdullah - RB - CornhuskersCBS Sports' Dane Brugler listed five "undervalued" prospects in the class of 2015, including Nebraska senior-to-be RB Ameer Abdullah.

Arizona State WR Jaelen Strong, Michigan DE Frank Clark, Washington DE Hauoli Kikaha and Michigan State FS Kurtis Drummond are the other four prospects. Next year's class will be loaded with running backs, many from the southern conferences, but Abdullah is definitely a name to watch.

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

May 27 - 10:29 AM

People are definitely sleeping on Ameer. He's not at all your ideal RB frame at about 5'7"-8" (listed 5'9") and 195 lbs (though I'd argue that the 'ideal' RB frame is changing as the NFL transforms more and more into a passing league). But despite his lack of size, he is very good at working through contact to gain the most yards he can. He runs with a very low center of gravity and has very good balance. Changes direction very very well, and has great quickness. He also has very capable hands and natural catching ability, though Nebraska almost never throws to him due to scheme. Hell, I could even see him transitioning to slot receiver in the NFL (though I think that wastes his immense ability to fight through chop at the line for good yardage). What he lacks, mostly, is straight line speed. He's not slow by any means, but he's not going to outrun DBs in the NFL.

On the plus side, we'll get to see him a ton his senior year with Nebraska continuing to break in a young new QB.

2013 highlight video

 

[Xue]

Is there a consensus on the 2014 vs 2015 classes? Probably wandering too close to a WDIS question, but have to make a compensatory pick decision- I pick the year.

2014:

- much better at WR

- better at TE

2015:

- better at QB

- much better at RB

2015 can be just as good at TE. Ultimately hinges on the underclassmen declaring.

Is there a Ebron level TE who is draft eligible next year?

Yes, in talent. Maybe not in potential draft slot. Ebron was not a projected Top 10 pick at this time a year ago. Personally, I think he was overdrafted. All it took was a team to fall in love with him.

 

[Xue]

Fwiw, Funchess is not a top ten nfl pick, too thin. First rounder if he learns to catch, but later...but in our game his ceiling is so much higher than Ebron.

Howard is the next type that could compete with Ebron for top ten.

Williams looked alright vs Michigan. Nothing special though. He's on my watch list. Definitely not a first rounder though. Not unless he practiced miracles this offseason ,

Yea, I'm with you on all that. Funchess is a TE in the same sense that Ladarius Green is a TE. Maybe even less so. I don't know which position will be his "official" position when he gets to the NFL, but he has no strength whatsoever and will only be used to catch passes. Ebron is not exactly a road grader, but he does have the capability and potential to block if necessary.

Ladarius Green has actually developed into a really good blocker. Funchess is going to be too light for TE if he stays at 230lbs. He moves better than Kelvin Benjamin so I'm projecting him to stay at WR in the NFL. He's not a Vincent Jackson, but at worst is close to Brandon Marshall.

Funchess won't be a a top 10 pick at TE, but he could be one at WR, depending on the kind of year he has and how he measures.

 

[werdnoynek]

Fwiw, Funchess is not a top ten nfl pick, too thin. First rounder if he learns to catch, but later...but in our game his ceiling is so much higher than Ebron.

Howard is the next type that could compete with Ebron for top ten.

Williams looked alright vs Michigan. Nothing special though. He's on my watch list. Definitely not a first rounder though. Not unless he practiced miracles this offseason ,

Yea, I'm with you on all that. Funchess is a TE in the same sense that Ladarius Green is a TE. Maybe even less so. I don't know which position will be his "official" position when he gets to the NFL, but he has no strength whatsoever and will only be used to catch passes. Ebron is not exactly a road grader, but he does have the capability and potential to block if necessary.

Ladarius Green has actually developed into a really good blocker. Funchess is going to be too light for TE if he stays at 230lbs. He moves better than Kelvin Benjamin so I'm projecting him to stay at WR in the NFL. He's not a Vincent Jackson, but at worst is close to Brandon Marshall.

Funchess won't be a a top 10 pick at TE, but he could be one at WR, depending on the kind of year he has and how he measures.

talk about about rosy colored glasses.At worst he's Ramses Barden. At his absolute ceiling is Marshall as a receiver.

 

[Xue]

Fwiw, Funchess is not a top ten nfl pick, too thin. First rounder if he learns to catch, but later...but in our game his ceiling is so much higher than Ebron.

Howard is the next type that could compete with Ebron for top ten.

Williams looked alright vs Michigan. Nothing special though. He's on my watch list. Definitely not a first rounder though. Not unless he practiced miracles this offseason ,

Yea, I'm with you on all that. Funchess is a TE in the same sense that Ladarius Green is a TE. Maybe even less so. I don't know which position will be his "official" position when he gets to the NFL, but he has no strength whatsoever and will only be used to catch passes. Ebron is not exactly a road grader, but he does have the capability and potential to block if necessary.

Ladarius Green has actually developed into a really good blocker. Funchess is going to be too light for TE if he stays at 230lbs. He moves better than Kelvin Benjamin so I'm projecting him to stay at WR in the NFL. He's not a Vincent Jackson, but at worst is close to Brandon Marshall.

Funchess won't be a a top 10 pick at TE, but he could be one at WR, depending on the kind of year he has and how he measures.

talk about about rosy colored glasses.At worst he's Ramses Barden. At his absolute ceiling is Marshall as a receiver.

Uh....comparing at them AS PROSPECTS AND AS ATHLETES as if it wasn't already obvious.

 

[werdnoynek]

Fwiw, Funchess is not a top ten nfl pick, too thin. First rounder if he learns to catch, but later...but in our game his ceiling is so much higher than Ebron.

Howard is the next type that could compete with Ebron for top ten.

Williams looked alright vs Michigan. Nothing special though. He's on my watch list. Definitely not a first rounder though. Not unless he practiced miracles this offseason ,

Yea, I'm with you on all that. Funchess is a TE in the same sense that Ladarius Green is a TE. Maybe even less so. I don't know which position will be his "official" position when he gets to the NFL, but he has no strength whatsoever and will only be used to catch passes. Ebron is not exactly a road grader, but he does have the capability and potential to block if necessary.

Ladarius Green has actually developed into a really good blocker. Funchess is going to be too light for TE if he stays at 230lbs. He moves better than Kelvin Benjamin so I'm projecting him to stay at WR in the NFL. He's not a Vincent Jackson, but at worst is close to Brandon Marshall.

Funchess won't be a a top 10 pick at TE, but he could be one at WR, depending on the kind of year he has and how he measures.

talk about about rosy colored glasses.At worst he's Ramses Barden. At his absolute ceiling is Marshall as a receiver.

Uh....comparing at them AS PROSPECTS AND AS ATHLETES as if it wasn't already obvious.

I stand by my statement. What is so impressive about him?

DGB can do everything he can do better as a WR. Even puff tuff.

 

[Xue]

Ladarius Green has actually developed into a really good blocker. Funchess is going to be too light for TE if he stays at 230lbs. He moves better than Kelvin Benjamin so I'm projecting him to stay at WR in the NFL. He's not a Vincent Jackson, but at worst is close to Brandon Marshall.

Funchess won't be a a top 10 pick at TE, but he could be one at WR, depending on the kind of year he has and how he measures.

talk about about rosy colored glasses.At worst he's Ramses Barden. At his absolute ceiling is Marshall as a receiver.

Uh....comparing at them AS PROSPECTS AND AS ATHLETES as if it wasn't already obvious.

I stand by my statement. What is so impressive about him?

DGB can do everything he can do better as a WR. Even puff tuff.

Barden is 6'6". Not many true 6'6" WRs having long-term success. If you're saying Funchess will bust like Barden, sure it "could" happen. Any prospect can bust for a number of reasons. Tell me why did Barden bust. And you'd use that reason for why Funchess will bust? Are you comparing them as prospects or comparing Funchess to the current Barden?

He's got very good speed after the catch and doesn't lumber and play as upright as someone like Kelvin Benjamin (who's actually probably closer to Barden athletically than Funchess is). His hips are also not as stiff as Benjamin's. He'll also be 2 years younger than Benjamin in his final season if he declares. If Benjamin can go in the late 1st, then Funchess can easily go there or higher.

 

[MAC_32]

I stand by my statement. What is so impressive about him?

Funchess?

No one can cover him.

 

[lbouchard]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

 

[DexterDew]

i thought DLF did a nice job with their Devy 100 Countdown series that concluded today

 

[EBF]

i thought DLF did a nice job with their Devy 100 Countdown series that concluded today

I've been reading it as well. I think it's a good list in the sense that it pretty accurately captures current perceived market value. On the other hand, that means they're also guilty of pumping up a lot of the guys who seem like they might be WAY overrated to me. Henry, North, Cooper, and Treadwell are all rated as elite options. Not to say those guys don't have talent, but are they THAT good? To me, it's still up for debate.

I think if you copy + paste that list and store it away for 5 years, it may look borderline insane when you look at it next. To be fair though, that kinda comes with the territory in devy rankings where you're trying to account for guys who have played sparingly, if at all, in college.

 

[LususV]

i thought DLF did a nice job with their Devy 100 Countdown series that concluded today

I've been reading it as well. I think it's a good list in the sense that it pretty accurately captures current perceived market value. On the other hand, that means they're also guilty of pumping up a lot of the guys who seem like they might be WAY overrated to me. Henry, North, Cooper, and Treadwell are all rated as elite options. Not to say those guys don't have talent, but are they THAT good? To me, it's still up for debate.

I think if you copy + paste that list and store it away for 5 years, it may look borderline insane when you look at it next. To be fair though, that kinda comes with the territory in devy rankings where you're trying to account for guys who have played sparingly, if at all, in college.

I understand your POV, but I think we could also look back in 5 years after Henry, North, and Treadwell are perennial top-10 startup candidates and say they nailed it ;-)

Those guys have those 'you can't teach that' qualities that all truly elite players have. Sure, they could bust, as many 'star' prospects have before. But I'll take a chance at a superstar over a higher floor/lower ceiling guy.

 

[Xue]

i thought DLF did a nice job with their Devy 100 Countdown series that concluded today

I've been reading it as well. I think it's a good list in the sense that it pretty accurately captures current perceived market value. On the other hand, that means they're also guilty of pumping up a lot of the guys who seem like they might be WAY overrated to me. Henry, North, Cooper, and Treadwell are all rated as elite options. Not to say those guys don't have talent, but are they THAT good? To me, it's still up for debate.

I think if you copy + paste that list and store it away for 5 years, it may look borderline insane when you look at it next. To be fair though, that kinda comes with the territory in devy rankings where you're trying to account for guys who have played sparingly, if at all, in college.

You fail to mention Tyner as overrated.

 

[EBF]

I understand your POV, but I think we could also look back in 5 years after Henry, North, and Treadwell are perennial top-10 startup candidates and say they nailed it ;-)
Those guys have those 'you can't teach that' qualities that all truly elite players have. Sure, they could bust, as many 'star' prospects have before. But I'll take a chance at a superstar over a higher floor/lower ceiling guy.

Do they though? Or are they just highly-recruited players who showed flashes and became overrated because of high visibility and the SEC factor? If North has an identical season at Oregon State and Treadwell has an identical season at Wisconsin, is anyone talking about them right now? Same with Cooper. Nice player. Great player though? Ehhh. Still in question. He's just on a high platform because anything you do at Bama is magnified.

I'm not opposed to drafting for upside. Anyone who knows me knows that. Ironically, I actually took Thomas Tyner in both of my all-class devy leagues last season far higher than his expected draft slot. Even so, I think #3 is a very optimistic ranking right now. Not saying he won't be that good, but basically he has become massively hyped without necessarily showing anything beyond what he showed in high school.

If you want to talk about risk and upside, where are all the freshmen? Personally, I would take Fournette and Chubb over anyone from the Henry, North, and Treadwell group. Maybe that is a bit hard on Treadwell, be he was just a grunt last season. North made a splash with a few highlight reel type grabs. He has the right kind of body for the NFL. Can he run? Can he separate? Still very much in doubt. Probably 60-75% of Henry's hype came from that bowl game when he scored on fairly simple plays. It's not that he doesn't have potential, but lots of players have potential. I'm not sure his prospects are any brighter than the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, Fournette, and Chubb.

I think what happens in the devy community is that a small collection of high-visibility players dominate the spotlight and soak up most of the hype. Sometimes it is justified, but many times their talent is grossly exaggerated compared to the field of players as a whole. It's why I recommend looking at a list like this as a rough starting point rather than taking it as gospel.

 

[Xue]

I understand your POV, but I think we could also look back in 5 years after Henry, North, and Treadwell are perennial top-10 startup candidates and say they nailed it ;-)
Those guys have those 'you can't teach that' qualities that all truly elite players have. Sure, they could bust, as many 'star' prospects have before. But I'll take a chance at a superstar over a higher floor/lower ceiling guy.

Do they though? Or are they just highly-recruited players who showed flashes and became overrated because of high visibility and the SEC factor? If North has an identical season at Oregon State and Treadwell has an identical season at Wisconsin, is anyone talking about them right now? Same with Cooper. Nice player. Great player though? Ehhh. Still in question. He's just on a high platform because anything you do at Bama is magnified.

I'm not opposed to drafting for upside. Anyone who knows me knows that. Ironically, I actually took Thomas Tyner in both of my all-class devy leagues last season far higher than his expected draft slot. Even so, I think #3 is a very optimistic ranking right now. Not saying he won't be that good, but basically he has become massively hyped without necessarily showing anything beyond what he showed in high school.

If you want to talk about risk and upside, where are all the freshmen? Personally, I would take Fournette and Chubb over anyone from the Henry, North, and Treadwell group. Maybe that is a bit hard on Treadwell, be he was just a grunt last season. North made a splash with a few highlight reel type grabs. He has the right kind of body for the NFL. Can he run? Can he separate? Still very much in doubt. Probably 60-75% of Henry's hype came from that bowl game when he scored on fairly simple plays. It's not that he doesn't have potential, but lots of players have potential. I'm not sure his prospects are any brighter than the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, Fournette, and Chubb.

I think what happens in the devy community is that a small collection of high-visibility players dominate the spotlight and soak up most of the hype. Sometimes it is justified, but many times their talent is grossly exaggerated compared to the field of players as a whole. It's why I recommend looking at a list like this as a rough starting point rather than taking it as gospel.

Henry verticaled 41.9" and ran a 4.52 40 at 243 lbs in 2012: http://espn.go.com/high-school/football/events/nike-sparq-combines/2012/test/results/_/id/113

Yeah, he's overrated, yet you like Nick Chubb who wasn't even as impressive in highlights as Henry was.

Fournette only put up a 29.9" vertical at 226 lbs: http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2013/7/1/4484646/full-nike-sparq-combine-results-the-opening-2013

Henry's hype has come all the way from his high school days. He was more hyped than Todd Gurley.

 

[EBF]

i thought DLF did a nice job with their Devy 100 Countdown series that concluded today

I've been reading it as well. I think it's a good list in the sense that it pretty accurately captures current perceived market value. On the other hand, that means they're also guilty of pumping up a lot of the guys who seem like they might be WAY overrated to me. Henry, North, Cooper, and Treadwell are all rated as elite options. Not to say those guys don't have talent, but are they THAT good? To me, it's still up for debate.

I think if you copy + paste that list and store it away for 5 years, it may look borderline insane when you look at it next. To be fair though, that kinda comes with the territory in devy rankings where you're trying to account for guys who have played sparingly, if at all, in college.

You fail to mention Tyner as overrated.

You said Tyner was overrated last year. That was right before he rushed for 711 yards at 6.2 YPC, won numerous Freshman All-America honors, and vaulted all the way into the top 6-8 picks on most consensus all-class devy rankings. I could sell him right now for more than I paid to get him. In my view, that makes him a successful pick. I think you have a pretty strong and well-known tendency to latch onto high-profile prospects and dog them in favor of one of your hipster picks (i.e. "I listen to bands that don't even exist yet"). I don't pay it much mind since it's like the boy who cried bust with you.

Putting that aside, I don't totally disagree. I watched virtually all of Tyner's touches last year. If you want a totally honest assessment, I thought he showed dynamic speed with good power and surprising inside running ability. For a guy who's essentially speed back, he can do a lot of the dirty work between the tackles and that's rare. He also catches the ball well and could provide a unique dimension as a downfield receiver out of the backfield. On the other hand, his elusiveness leaves something to be desired. He did not show much "make-you-miss" ability in the open field. There were times when they would get him into space on screen passes and he simply couldn't make the first man miss. He does a decent job of protecting himself at the point of impact when running with the ball, but he does not seem to have great avoidance skills. He is not going to make a lot of "wow" phone booth cuts ala Ameer Abdullah.

Is he overrated? Maybe if people are treating him like a slam dunk elite prospect, but certainly the potential is there to become that. He has a combination of size and speed that you just don't see very often and could very well run a 4.3 time in the 40 at 220+ pounds when it's all said and done. Add legitimate inside running ability to that package and he becomes an interesting weapon, even if he has limitations in terms of creating his own yards with elusiveness. I have him in two devy leagues and he's strictly a hold for me. He was just getting his feet wet last year, but this next season should be his chance to really define himself. I will reevaluate after that and act accordingly.

 

[DexterDew]

this is the inherent problem with lists: subjective. I agree there is an echo chamber effect in the Devy community since information [re: video] is scarce

to try and rank 18-21 year old athletes with 0, 1 or 2 seasons of D1 football is a something I couldn't do.

a Freshman like Treadwell played in the SEC at 18, has only 12 or 13 games of experience, and has a handful or really nice highlights, maybe there is some confirmation bias on where they were in their recruiting class or maybe we are trying to project an 18 year old at the next level so we see 6'3" 215 and a sub 4.5 40 (or whatever it is)...

point being, there is not a lot of info to base these lists on, so I find them kind of useful.. another data point of what current market valuation is.

ymmv

 

[Xue]

You fail to mention Tyner as overrated.

You said Tyner was overrated last year. That was right before he rushed for 711 yards at 6.2 YPC, won numerous Freshman All-America honors, and vaulted all the way into the top 6-8 picks on most consensus all-class devy rankings. I could sell him right now for more than I paid to get him. In my view, that makes him a successful pick. I think you have a pretty strong and well-known tendency to latch onto high-profile prospects and dog them in favor of one of your hipster picks (i.e. "I listen to bands that don't even exist yet"). I don't pay it much mind since it's like the boy who cried bust with you.

As if you didn't just do that above with Henry and Treadwell. I actually like a lot of the high-profile prospects as well.

Yeah, Odell Beckham, Troy Niklas, Richard Rodgers were "hipster" picks. Oh, how about DeVante Parker and Sammie Coates?

This time last year, Ebron and Amaro were probably hipster picks as well.

You don't pay it much mind because your leagues probably aren't deep enough.

 

[Xue]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

Considering it's a 1-round Devy draft, looks about right.

 

[MAC_32]

When you spend as much time researching as we do talking about the premier guys is not productive. It gets boring. It's only natural to then spend your time and energy trying to uncover gems.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

 

[Xue]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

 

[jurb26]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

Seems about right to me as well. The only thing that I would change is ranking Gurley #1. Super flex and all, Gurley just looks like a total beast who will destroy the NFL. I have far more certainty he will be a great player in the NFL than Winston right now.

 

[BigTex]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

Seems about right to me as well. The only thing that I would change is ranking Gurley #1. Super flex and all, Gurley just looks like a total beast who will destroy the NFL. I have far more certainty he will be a great player in the NFL than Winston right now.

My thoughts exactly.

Tex

 

[nirad3]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

Seems about right to me as well. The only thing that I would change is ranking Gurley #1. Super flex and all, Gurley just looks like a total beast who will destroy the NFL. I have far more certainty he will be a great player in the NFL than Winston right now.

My thoughts exactly.

Tex

'nother nod for Gurley absolutely killing it in the NFL. Dude is a mega-beast.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

Fair enough on the QBs then; never played in such a league so I'll assume those high QB picks are rational. In standard-ish scoring leagues I'd personally rank Gurley/Karlos Williams/Mike Davis 1,2,3 overall in some order or another.

 

[tdmills]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

I think that draft would be better if the picks were reversed.

Why? It's a Superflex where QBs are more highly valued.

Fair enough on the QBs then; never played in such a league so I'll assume those high QB picks are rational. In standard-ish scoring leagues I'd personally rank Gurley/Karlos Williams/Mike Davis 1,2,3 overall in some order or another.

I'd go:

1-gurley

2-Gordon

3-Davis

4-yeldon

5-ajayi

6-karlos

7-the Duke

 

[JohnnyU]

My league just had it's 2015 only devy draft. It's superflex and our lineups/scoring kind of devalue RB, but here it is:

1.01- Jameis Winston

1.02- Todd Gurley

1.03- Amari Cooper

1.04- Marcus Mariota

1.05- Devin Funchess

1.06- Melvin Gordon

1.07- Brett Hundley

1.08- Dorial Green-Beckham

1.09- Stefon Diggs

1.10- Jaelen Strong

1.11- Mike Davis

1.12- Karlos Williams

Winston has a high bust factor. Not only because he's a QB, but his off the field actions doesn't bode well for his future. No way in hell I rank him high, even in superflex.

 

[Faust]

2015 NFL Draft: Kansas Preview 2015 NFL Draft: Kansas State Preview 2015 NFL Draft: Iowa State Preview 2015 NFL Draft: Oklahoma Preview 2015 NFL Draft: Oklahoma State Preview

 

[Faust]

2015 NFL Draft: TCU Preview

 

[Faust]

Karlos Williams among top ACC breakout players for 2014

 

[Zyphros]

Can't wait to grab Gurley. I will gladly overpay for him to be on any of my teams.

 

[EBF]

The hype will be so huge that you'll probably have to pay top 5 dynasty RB prices to get him from day one ala T-Rich.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

The hype will be so huge that you'll probably have to pay top 5 dynasty RB prices to get him from day one ala T-Rich.

I've been loading up on 1st round picks in preparation, hoping to get up to 4. Ideally one of them would be a surprise 1.01 but if not I think it would be very hard for a team that was bad enough to get the 1.01 to reject an offer for ~3 first rounders even if they're all mid/late.

 

[Zyphros]

The hype will be so huge that you'll probably have to pay top 5 dynasty RB prices to get him from day one ala T-Rich.

I've been loading up on 1st round picks in preparation, hoping to get up to 4. Ideally one of them would be a surprise 1.01 but if not I think it would be very hard for a team that was bad enough to get the 1.01 to reject an offer for ~3 first rounders even if they're all mid/late.

I've done the same in 1 of my leagues where I have 3 right now as well (1 likely top3). In my other league I have depth up the wazoo so I'm taking a different approach there, but I will get him. I won't mind paying the premium.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Did the same thing in DLF's staff league. Took over a team and burned to the ground -- drafting QBs, TEs and WRs this year and landing four 2015 firsts to line up Gurley and other quality RBs next year.

2015 is a great year for a rebuild IMO. At least in leagues that start two+ RBs.

 

[WagesOfZin]

also sitting on 3 1sts next year with the intent on rebuilding/fortifying at RB and QB.

 

[jurb26]

Did the same thing in DLF's staff league. Took over a team and burned to the ground -- drafting QBs, TEs and WRs this year and landing four 2015 firsts to line up Gurley and other quality RBs next year.

2015 is a great year for a rebuild IMO. At least in leagues that start two+ RBs.

I totally agree. Unfortunately none of my teams are in a rebuild mode right now. If I didn't think my dynasty teams were good bets for the playoffs this year I'd be trading away pieces for 1s in hopes of landing Gurley or a couple of the other great backs in next years class.

 

[Milkman]

I have two 2015 1sts right now. Attempting to acquire one or two more. Drafting WR this year. RB next year.

 

[Faust]

2015 NFL Draft: Texas Tech Preview

2015 NFL Draft: Texas Preview

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Alabama junior WR Amari Cooper ranks as Mel Kiper's top underclassmen WR.
"There probably isn't a better receiver in the country at adjusting to a ball in the air and making a contested catch," Kiper wrote. "But Cooper isn't just a down-the-field guy; he's an explosive (and underrated) runner after the catch, and does a good job setting up defenders as well." Cooper must stay healthy this year after hobbling through 2013 and putting up only 43 catches, 736 yards and four touchdowns, but he's arguably the most talented WR in college, a player NFL.com's Bucky Brooks last month called a "prototypical No. 1 receiver" in the NFL. "[Cooper] eats up space as a route runner and is both smooth and explosive in his breaks, with little wasted motion," Kiper wrote. "That lack of wasted motion is part of the reason he so consistently beats people over the top."

Source: ESPN Insider

FSU's Rashad Greene ranks as Mel Kiper's top senior WR.
"Nobody who watched most of FSU's games last year would say Benjamin was the team's best receiver. That was Greene..." Kiper writes. Stanford's Ty Montgomery, Louisville's DeVante Parker, Baylor's Antwan Goodley and UNLV's Devante Davis round out the top five at the position.

Source: ESPN

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Nebraska senior RB Karlos Williams as his No.2 senior RB.
"Teammate Devonta Freeman was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but nobody on the Florida State roster was as impressive on a per-carry basis as Williams last year -- he piled up 8.0 yards per carry and at over 220 pounds, is a great blend of speed and power. The former defensive back could push to be the top back in the 2015 draft," Kiper wrote. The 6-1, 223-pounder had 731 rushing yards on 91 carries and 11 touchdowns in his junior year. The FSU prospect averaged a touchdown every 8.2 times he touched the rock, averaging 8 yards per run. If Williams can get as many carries as Devonta Freeman did last season (173), Williams could rack up 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Williams is a perfect blend of speed and power, and with his workhorse type of ability, he should have a monster season for the Seminoles.

Source: ESPN Insider

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah as his No.1 senior RB.
"Nebraska hasn't churned out running backs the way it did in the Tom Osborne era, but Abdullah is as productive a back as they've seen in Lincoln since Ahman Green. He leads all FBS players in career yards from scrimmage, and offers value not merely as an explosive runner, but as a pass-catcher, with 50 catches over the past two seasons," Kiper wrote. The Nebraska prospect heads into his senior season as a leading contender for All-America and other national awards. Last season Abdullah finished with 1,690 rushing yards, which is the highest yardage total since Ahman Green in 1997. The 5-9, 195-pound Abdullah has a great opportunity to rewrite the record books in his last season with the Cornhuskers.

Source: ESPN Insider

ony Pauline reports that during spring meetings Arizona redshirt senior WR Austin Hill "was stamped as a second day pick by scouts."

"I was informed earlier today Austin Hill/WR/Arizona was stamped as a second day pick by scouts during spring meetings," Pauline tweeted. Hill recently returned to regular duty this spring after suffering a torn ACL in the spring of 2013. Before Hill's injury, he led all receivers on the team in 2012 with 1,364 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Arizona prospect was also a Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist and earned All-Pac-12 Second-Team honors. If completely healthy, Hill has a great opportunity to showcase his talents to evaluators this upcoming season.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

Stanford redshirt junior QB Kevin Hogan "has a long windup on his release and needs to clean up some things mechanically," according to ESPN's Mel Kiper.
The venerable analyst graded Hogan tied for fifth in his rankings of underclassmen quarterbacks, writing that the Cardinal star "should take a step forward this season with another good O-line and several outstanding weapons in the passing game." Kiper isn't as high on Hogan as some -- CBS' Rob Rang ranks him as the No. 10 overall prospect -- but perceives the upside nonetheless. "[Hogan is] a very good athlete and should continue to improve," Kiper wrote.

Source: ESPN Insider

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Georgia QB Hutson Mason as the No. 5 senior signal-calling prospect.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pounder from Marietta completed 67 of 110 attempts for 968 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions filling in for Aaron Murray last year. Mason will be handed the keys to a Maserati offense this year: With Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall demanding attention, Mason will be able to throw against seven- and eight-man fronts.

Source: ESPN Insider

Purdue senior RB Raheem Mostert is ranked by NFL.com as the fastest football player in the NCAA.
If the Boilermakers figure out a way to get the ball in the senior's hands in space this fall, watch out. Mostert qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay earlier this year. Purdue hasn't gotten him involved in the offense over the past three years, but we've seen flashes of Mostert's speed as a standout returner.

Source: NFL.com

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Baylor's Bryce Petty as the top senior QB for the 2015 NFL Draft.
"He put up exceptional totals last season and should be in line for a big senior year with plenty of offensive talent still on hand around him," Kiper writes. "The Baylor offense is always going to create numbers as long as coach Art Briles is around, but Petty has skills that go beyond a good offense." We think Petty has some positive traits, but evaluators will likely be more critical once spotlighting his play. Oregon State's Sean Mannion, Ohio State's Braxton Miller, Arizona State's Taylor Kelly and Georgia's Hutson Mason round out the top five seniors.

Source: ESPN

Baylor redshirt senior QB Bryce Petty did not seek advice from the NFL Draft Advisory Board after last season.
It's a surprising and interesting factoid, seeing as though it pertains to a player who would have found out that he was in line to make a few million dollars as a potential late first- or early second-round pick. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, an early Heisman candidate, had zero intention of declaring for the draft early. Big 12 defensive coordinators wish he would have: After slapping down 4,200 yards and a 32-to-3 TD-to-INT ratio last year, Petty now has a better understanding of Art Briles' offensive philosophy. Briles believes redshirt senior QB Bryce Petty will have a better season in 2014 than he did in 2013.

Source: NFL.com

 

[Faust]

Alabama's Derrick Henry among SEC breakout players for 2014

 

[Faust]

Jimbo Fisher sees Jacob Coker as QB upgrade for Alabama

 

[Faust]

Christian Hackenberg among Big Ten breakout players for 2014

 

[EBF]

Kevin Hogan is so bad. It's amazing that he continues to get ink in these previews. Stanford practically built its entire offense in 2013 around not letting him throw the ball. Montgomery and, to a lesser extent, Cajuste (if he switches to TE) are the players to know from that offense.

 

[Hankmoody]

The hype will be so huge that you'll probably have to pay top 5 dynasty RB prices to get him from day one ala T-Rich.

I've been loading up on 1st round picks in preparation, hoping to get up to 4. Ideally one of them would be a surprise 1.01 but if not I think it would be very hard for a team that was bad enough to get the 1.01 to reject an offer for ~3 first rounders even if they're all mid/late.

I've done the same in 1 of my leagues where I have 3 right now as well (1 likely top3). In my other league I have depth up the wazoo so I'm taking a different approach there, but I will get him. I won't mind paying the premium.

Yep 5 first 3 second and 3 third rounders in '15, should have a lot of flexibility to move up, down, and out as needed.

 

[Bronx Bomber]

Ok Gurley vs. Gordon

Who do you have and if its Gurley hands down how small is the gap between them. Do we see both as slam dunks at the next level?

 

[EBF]

I think the consensus has definitely calcified around Gurley as the #1 RB in the class, to the point where you'd have to add something decent to Gordon to get Todd. Whether or not he's a slam dunk, we'll see. I'm optimistic because he has a pretty complete skill set. Power. Size. Speed. Receiving ability. I don't think he consistently plays with great suddenness, but maybe some of that was the nagging injury last season. I'd say he sure looks likely for the 1st round. If you're looking for an NFL comparison, Steven Jackson seems like the closest thing.

After seeing T-Rich struggle through two years though I'm maybe just a little bit more reluctant to break out the anointing oils. Becoming a 1st round pick is one thing, but becoming the player everyone hopes you'll become in the NFL can be a different matter.