It's been over a month since my "too-early" Big Board for the 2016 NFL draft, a ranking that includes 2015 underclassmen. For this I'll go a little deeper into each position group, so you'll get an idea of well over 100 of the top NFL prospects for 2016. That said, it goes without saying that these rankings are preliminary, as I have hundreds of hours of evaluation ahead for the 2016 class.
A couple of important notes about the rankings below:
• I've split them into seniors and underclassmen; it's important to have a baseline number of seniors because those players are certain to be a part of the 2016 NFL draft process (if they choose to be).
• I won't go too heavy into actual scouting reports, as those are still a work in progress.
With those parameters in mind, here's an early look at the top defensive end prospects in the 2016 draft class. A reminder: Scheme dictates a lot when it comes to positional labels with these guys, so, for example, someone listed as a defensive end here could end up playing outside linebacker or defensive tackle depending on where he lands.
Top 5 senior defensive ends
1. Shawn Oakman, Baylor Bears: While the raw ability is ahead of the refinement and technique with Oakman's game, don't pretend the production hasn't been there. He had 19.5 TFL and 11.0 sacks last season. At 6-foot-9, 280 pounds, his frame is truly incredible, in that he's both long and powerful, and if he can continue to improve his leverage and counter a little better when he gets blocked initially, he's going to have star potential going into the 2016 draft. (It should be noted that Oakman also came to Baylor via Penn State, as did its most recent top D-line prospect, Phil Taylor.)