It's time to dive into another season of college football and prospect-watching. Since my first 2017 Big Board after the draft, there are several new additions. One common theme, though? S-E-C. College football's most storied conference leads the way with almost half of my top 25. Alabama, last year's national champion, has a huge presence, and several of their biggest names are seniors, a rarity in today's evaluation process. Clemson, last year's runners-up, has a presence, too. Let's get to it.
A reminder: General scouting reports on these players won't change week to week, unless my overall evaluation changes. I'll simply be updating performance notes and providing updates on key matchups to come.
One asterisk denotes a junior, and two asterisks denote redshirt sophomore for the 2016 season.
1. Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama
Outside of quarterback, there is no greater premium position in the modern NFL than a premium pass-rusher, and Williams can be simply unblockable. He had 10.5 sacks even though he played only about 20 percent of defensive snaps. And that's just the challenge: Does he play the run well, and will he be dominant when he stays on the field more? If not, he'll drop.
2. *Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
A brilliant, natural pass-rushing talent who, at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, has the length, strength and ability to bend the edge. Like Williams, he needs to get better against the run. Garrett has production, with 23.0 sacks in two years, and looks like a top-five lock if he stays healthy. He comes from an athletic family -- both his brother and sister are great athletes.
3. *Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
I usually devalue running backs at the top, but a healthy Fournette is really special. He has an incredible combination of size, speed and power that can make him look like a varsity player hanging with the JV. The question, of course, is whether he stays healthy. His 300 carries last year, if repeated, could drop his value for some teams even if he arrives healthy. Mileage is mileage.
4. *Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
A home run hitter, Cook can turn small creases into massive gains and has a versatile game, with good hands and the ability to find and pick up blitzes. The thing you like about Cook is he can flat-out run away from defenses but still packs a punch at 210-plus pounds.
5. *Jamal Adams, S, LSU
He has the great bloodlines -- his dad was the No. 19 overall pick in the 1985 NFL draft -- and Adams is built for today's NFL, as a versatile safety who can play in the box effectively and make tackles against the run and also move to the edges and track slot receivers. There is a premium on these Monsterbacks.
6. *Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
I was tempted to put McDowell No. 1 or No. 2 on potential, but he needs more production. That said, it's going to come, because he's a fantastic athlete with a huge frame (6-6, 290), and he can overwhelm blockers one on one. What happens when it's all double-teams is a question. He could be the top pick when it's all said and done.
7. *Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
At 6-2, 210 pounds, he might not have ideal size, but he's not small. He combines arm strength and touch and has tremendous ability with the ball in his hands, which doesn't just mean running; he also throws well on the move. He needs to get stronger, but as the nation saw in the national title game, Nick Saban's defense couldn't stop him.
8. Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
Allen was brilliant in 2015, leading the Crimson Tide in sacks (12) and tackles for loss (14.5). Defensive end, defensive tackle -- he can play anywhere on the line. He could be in the mix for the top pick by April.
9. *JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Smith-Schuster is an elite and prolific wide receiver, with 143 catches over two years at USC. He has a coveted combination of size and speed, and he isn't shy when it comes to delivering a blow or playing through contact. I'm excited to see his matchup against Alabama's Marlon Humphrey, who I have later on this list, in the opening weekend of the season.
10. Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
I thought Foster was Alabama's best linebacker last season. Yes, better than Reggie Ragland, who went in the second round to the Bills in this year's draft and whom I had as the No. 24-ranked player. Foster has more range and is more complete. Expect Foster to follow in the footsteps of inside linebackers from Alabama who have gone in the first round, such as Rolando McClain, Dont'a Hightower and C.J. Mosley.
11. **Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
Coach Jim Harbaugh raves about Peppers, who might be the most versatile player in college football. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, he plays safety, corner and outside linebacker and is even a dynamic returner. Not having a defined position could hurt him in scouts' eyes, though. He needs to settle in. Could he become a Deone Bucannon at the next level? I expect him to test off the charts when he comes to the NFL combine.
12. *Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
A 6-6, 327-pound tackle, Robinson was a Day 1 starter at Alabama, and he's already a known commodity around the NFL. With 29 starts over two years in the rugged SEC, he's battle-tested and extremely consistent. Robinson is pretty close to the range of "prototype" at the position and could move into the top 10 with another solid season.
13. *Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
The 6-3, 255-pound Harris is a pure pass-rusher. You also could make a case for him as the most disruptive defender in the SEC last season. He led the conference with 18.5 tackles for loss. He could play with his hand on the ground in a 4-3 defense or as a stand-up rusher in a 3-4.
14. *Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (Fla)
Kaaya is one of the toughest quarterbacks I've ever graded. He has a big arm, touch and growing poise as he reads the whole field. But he does force some throws and take some chances, and he needs to be more aware of coverages. He has 42 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions in his career. I think he'll continue to get better, and he's in store for a big year.
15. **Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
Nelson is entertaining to watch. How many times do you say that about a guard? And that was his first year of playing college football; he didn't play as a freshman. At 6-5, 325 pounds, he's incredibly powerful. It's rare for me to rate a redshirt sophomore this high, but Nelson is a mauler. The Notre Dame offensive line is loaded again.
16. *Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Tabor just makes big plays. He showed up in big moments every time I turned on the tape, breaking up passes and locking down defenders. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 2015. You can argue that Tabor was the most consistently effective Florida cornerback last season -- and Vernon Hargreaves III went No. 11 overall to the Bucs. Tabor is suspended for the Gators' first game of the season.
17. *Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
A scary neck injury in the first game ended his 2015 season, but he'll be Watson's go-to target in the Tigers' offense in 2016. Williams has great burst and speed for his size (6-2, 225 pounds) and put up more than 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore in 2014. If he shows he's healthy this season, he could be the first wideout off the board in April.
18. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
The senior hasn't been a prolific pass-catcher at Alabama, but he has all the tools scouts look for in an NFL tight end. At 6-6, 250 pounds, Howard is going to light up the NFL combine. He can stretch the deep middle of the field and become a more dynamic weapon. The Crimson Tide needs to get him more involved in that offense. He had only 38 catches last season, but he lit up the national title game with 208 receiving yards and two touchdowns. I could see a team taking him in the top 12.
19. *Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
This kid does it all for the Cardinal. He runs, catches passes, blocks and returns kicks and punts. McCaffrey has incredible balance and could be an every-down back in the NFL. It helps that he plays in a pro-style offense at Stanford. He put up huge numbers last season and finished second in the Heisman voting. His father, Ed, had a long NFL career as a wide receiver, and his brother, Max, was a good receiver at Duke.
20. *Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State
At 6-7, Johnson is a natural left tackle with tremendous feet and good balance. After getting starts at left tackle as a true freshman, he was superb as a true sophomore and could rise up the board with another solid season. I moved him down from my post-draft Big Board because I'd like to see him dominate more, but there's no question he could be a top-10 pick.
21. *Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Injury issues have hurt Lawson, but he could soar up the board. He didn't play at all in 2014 because of a torn ACL, and he missed several games last season because of a hip injury. This is a big season for Lawson. At his best, he's as good as any defensive end in this class. The pass-rush potential is there, but so far, he's better at pushing with power and controlling the blocker.
22. *Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
McGlinchey is a massive (6-7, 310) athlete who looks like a tight end with pads on. He could probably play tight end in a pinch. He played right tackle last season while Ronnie Stanley, who was the first tackle picked in the 2016 draft, played on the left. Now McGlinchey is moving to the left side. Remember that Stanley made the same transition.
23. Devonte Fields, OLB, Louisville
Fields has had a strange path, but on the field all he does is wreak havoc in the backfield. As a freshman at TCU in 2013, he had 10 sacks and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was then dismissed from TCU in 2014 and had to go to a junior college before landing at Louisville. He finished on a tear last season, posting 8.5 sacks in his last four games. NFL teams covet pass-rushers, and Fields is one of the best in this draft.
24. **Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Humphrey is a big lockdown corner at 6-foot-1, but he's very young. He had three interceptions as a redshirt freshman last season, and he was a key playmaker for the national champs. Humphrey could end up being better than Tabor. And he has great bloodlines: His father, Bobby, was a big-time running back at Alabama who was picked in the first round of the 1989 supplemental draft by the Broncos.
25. Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois
Illinois had two outstanding pass-rushers last season, and Smoot played like a first-round pick with Jihad Ward, who went to the Raiders in the second round, on the other side. I had Ward as the No. 27 player on my final Big Board, but Smoot was more productive in 2015. He had 8.0 sacks to Ward's 3.0. At 6-3, 255, Smoot plays the run well, too, and has a high motor.