Time for another edition of my position rankings for the 2017 NFL draft. With the Jan. 16 deadline looming for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft, some of the prospects in my Big Board and on my position rankings are still undecided. I'm leaving them in for now until they make their decisions one way or the other.
One asterisk denotes a junior, and two asterisks denote a redshirt sophomore for the 2016 season.
Quarterbacks
1. *Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
2. **DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
3. *Deshaun Watson, Clemson
4. *Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
5. *Brad Kaaya, Miami (Fla.)
6.*Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech
7. Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh
8. Chad Kelly, Mississippi
9. C.J. Beathard, Iowa
10. Antonio Pipkin, Tiffin
Underclassmen dominate this list. Watson (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) was spectacular in the second half of the national title game, but I think he's a Day 2 pick.
Running backs
1. *Leonard Fournette, LSU
2. *Dalvin Cook, Florida State
3. *Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
4. *D'Onta Foreman, Texas
5. **Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
6. Matthew Dayes, NC State
7. *Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
8. Jamaal Williams, BYU
9. *James Conner, Pittsburgh
10. Corey Clement, Wisconsin
Mixon (6-1, 226) is a phenomenal talent with major character concerns. His teammate Perine (5-10, 235) is a different kind of runner with a different kind of build -- he'll punish defenders downhill.
Fullbacks
1. Sam Rogers, Virginia Tech
2. Shane Smith, San Jose State
3. Nate Iese, UCLA
4. Anthony Firkser, Harvard
5. Freddie Stevenson, Florida State
6. Tyler McCloskey, Houston
7. Joe Bacci, Central Michigan
8. Prescott Line, Michigan State
9. Algernon Brown, BYU
10. Jaymar Parrish, Pitt
You'll notice all of these guys are seniors -- you don't see many fullbacks entering the draft as underclassmen. My last update included underclassmen, so this list is completely different.
Wide receivers
1. *Mike Williams, Clemson
2. Corey Davis, Western Michigan
3. *John Ross, Washington
4. *Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
5. *JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
6. *ArDarius Stewart, Alabama
7. *Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech
8. *Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech
9. Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma
10. Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
Henderson (5-11, 185) led the country in receiving touchdowns with 19. He had a game with 326 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Tight ends
1. O.J. Howard, Alabama
2. *Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
3. Jake Butt, Michigan
4. **David Njoku, Miami (Fla.)
5. Jordan Leggett, Clemson
6. Cole Hikutini, Louisville
7. Gerald Everett, South Alabama
8. Pharaoh Brown, Oregon
9. Evan Engram, Mississippi
10. Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas
Njoku is another third-year sophomore. At 6-4, 244, he's an incredible athlete. He had 43 catches for 898 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Offensive tackles
1. *Cam Robinson, Alabama
2. *Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
3. *Garett Bolles, Utah
4. Dion Dawkins, Temple
5. *Roderick Johnson, Florida State
6. Taylor Moton, Western Michigan
7. Antonio Garcia, Troy
8. Zach Banner, USC
9. Conor McDermott, UCLA
10. Justin Senior, Mississippi State
Garcia (6-6, 290) will be at the Senior Bowl. I'm excited to see how he does against better competition.
Offensive guards
1. Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
2. Dan Feeney, Indiana
3. Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh
4. Nico Siragusa, San Diego State
5. *Damien Mama, USC
6. Danny Isidora, Miami (Fla.)
7. Isaac Asiata, Utah
8. Greg Pyke, Georgia
9. Jessamen Dunker, Tennessee State
10. Jordan Morgan, Kutztown
Lamp (6-4, 296) moves up after my top two guards decided to remain in school. Morgan (6-2, 320), who played left tackle at Division II Kutztown, will be at the Senior Bowl.
Centers
1. Ethan Pocic, LSU
2. Pat Elflein, Ohio State
3. Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia
4. Jon Toth, Kentucky
5. Cameron Tom, Southern Mississippi
6. Chase Roullier, Wyoming
7. Kyle Fuller, Baylor
8. Jay Guillermo, Clemson
9. Lucas Crowley, North Carolina
10. Riley Sorenson, Washington State
At 6-7, 301, Pocic doesn't look like a typical center. He could slide out to guard.
Defensive ends
1. *Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
2. Jonathan Allen, Alabama
3. **Solomon Thomas, Stanford
4. Taco Charlton, Michigan
5. *Derek Barnett, Tennessee
6. *Charles Harris, Missouri
7. Jordan Willis, Kansas State
8. *Carl Lawson, Auburn
9. Chris Wormley, Michigan
10. DeMarcus Walker, Florida State
Six of these guys made my latest Big Board. It's a loaded class for pass-rushers.
Defensive tackles
1. *Malik McDowell, Michigan State
2. *Caleb Brantley, Florida
3. Carlos Watkins, Clemson
4. *Elijah Qualls, Washington
5. *Nazair Jones, North Carolina
6. Jaleel Johnson, Iowa
7. *Charles Walker, Oklahoma
8. Dalvin Tomlinson, Alabama
9. Ryan Glasgow, Michigan
10. *Davon Godchaux, LSU
Watkins (6-3, 305) had 10.5 sacks for the national champs after limited production the rest of his career.
Inside linebackers
1. Reuben Foster, Alabama
2. *Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
3. *Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
4. *Anthony Walker, Northwestern
5. Kendell Beckwith, LSU
6. Duke Riley, LSU
7. Marquel Lee, Wake Forest
8. Ben Gedeon, Michigan
9. Keith Kelsey, Louisville
10. Hardy Nickerson, Illinois
Not many changes here. Foster (6-1, 236) is in a league of his own at the top.
Outside linebackers
1. Takkarist McKinley, UCLA
2. Tim Williams, Alabama
3. Jarrad Davis, Florida
4. Ryan Anderson, Alabama
5. Haason Reddick, Temple
6.*T.J. Watt, Wisconsin
7. Tyus Bowser, Houston
8. Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
9. Ejuan Price, Pittsburgh
10. Devonte Fields, Louisville
Davis (6-2, 226) is an every-down linebacker at the next level who can cover tight ends and backs in the passing game.
Cornerbacks
1. **Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
2. *Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
3. *Quincy Wilson, Florida
4. **Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
5. Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson
6. *Sidney Jones, Washington
7. Tre'Davious White, LSU
8. Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
9. Desmond King, Iowa
10. *Gareon Conley, Ohio State
Florida and Ohio State both have two corners here. Tabor (6-0, 201), Wilson (6-1, 213) and Humphrey (6-1, 192) are neck and neck for the No. 2 spot. Humphrey has yet to declare his draft intentions, however.
Safeties
1. *Jamal Adams, LSU
2. **Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
3. **Malik Hooker, Ohio State
4. *Budda Baker, Washington
5. *Marcus Williams, Utah
6. *Josh Jones, NC State
7. Marcus Maye, Florida
8. Eddie Jackson, Alabama
9. Justin Evans, Texas A&M
10. Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut
There are six underclassmen at the top. Baker (5-10, 173) isn't very big, but he's fast and isn't afraid to hit.
Kickers and punters
1. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State (kicker)
2. Austin Rehkow, Idaho (kicker and punter)
3. Jake Elliott, Memphis (kicker)
4. Justin Vogel, Miami (Fla.) (punter)
5. Toby Baker, Arkansas (punter)
6. Cameron Johnston, Ohio State (punter)
7. Younghoe Koo, Georgia Southern (kicker)
8. Kenny Allen, Michigan (kicker and punter)
9. Hayden Hunt, Colorado State (punter)
10. Harrison Butker, Georgia Tech (kicker)
Gonzalez (6-1, 160) led the country in field goals made from 40-plus and 50-plus yards.