We've seen some terrific early returns from the 2017 NFL draft class. Many of the top draft picks -- Leonard Fournette, Jamal Adams, Marshon Lattimore, Christian McCaffrey -- had big rookie seasons. The list below excludes the top selections and instead gives seven players who presented the greatest value relative to their draft slot and how we graded them before the draft.
Here are the best value picks of the 2017 NFL draft.
Ryan Ramczyk, OT, New Orleans Saints
Pre-draft ranking: No. 30 | Drafted: No. 32 (first round)
The Saints had the offensive and defensive rookies of the year -- and solidified their right tackle position. What a draft. Ramczyk was a juco transfer with only one year of starting experience at Wisconsin, but we thought he was above average in most areas. Offseason hip surgery probably pushed his stock down a bit, but he started every game last season at right tackle for one of the NFL's best offenses.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pre-draft ranking: No. 51 | Drafted: No. 62 (second round)
We were higher on JuJu than most, but clearly not high enough. He was the most advanced route runner in the class, which more often than not translates to early success at the NFL level. On 78 targets, Smith had 58 catches and a 15.3 yards-per-catch average, along with six catches of 40-plus yards (fourth most in the NFL). A heck of a rookie season, especially considering all the options in that Pittsburgh offense.
Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Pre-draft ranking: No. 40 | Drafted: No. 67 (third round)
We knew that character and durability concerns would lead to Kamara falling a bit, but I was still shocked that he wasn't a top-50 pick; based purely on tape, he was a top-20 prospect. I was arguing that his grade should've been closer to Fournette's -- if not for the red flags. Kamara is now part of arguably the best RB duo in the NFL, and the Offensive Rookie of the Year is downright scary as a receiver out of the backfield. He was the third-leading receiver among all rookies with 826 yards.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Pre-draft ranking: No. 64 | Drafted: No. 69 (third round)
Like Smith-Schuster, Kupp was a very advanced route runner coming out of Eastern Washington and had some of the softest hands in the class. His stock dropped because of a 4.62-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but it didn't change his playing speed. Kupp was a vital cog in a revamped Rams offense and led all rookies with 42 first-down receptions.
Dan Feeney, OG, Los Angeles Chargers
Pre-draft ranking: No. 57 | Drafted: No. 71 (third round)
He played guard his first three seasons before coaches asked him to move to right tackle as a senior. Guard was clearly his more natural position, but it was good experience for the four-year starter and team captain. We had a second-round grade on him, and he wound up going early in the third. Feeney was inserted into the lineup in Week 8 for an injured Matt Slauson and gave up only one sack. He excelled in run-blocking, and Los Angeles went 6-3 with him in the lineup.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Pre-draft ranking: No. 86 | Drafted: No. 86 (third round)
Yes, that's not a typo -- we had Hunt ranked in the exact spot he was drafted. We really liked him coming out of Toledo but didn't quite expect him to produce the way he did this season. Hunt had the best "contact balance" among the running back class and showed it off in Week 1 in his breakout performance against New England. A perfect fit for Kansas City because of his run style and versatility, he hit a bit of a rookie wall but bounced back late in the season. Any rookie RB who leads the entire NFL in rushing (1,327 yards) and goes in the third round is a definite value pick.
Desmond King, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Pre-draft ranking: No. 77 | Drafted: No. 151 (fifth round)
Another four-year starter, King was the definition of a ball hawk at Iowa (33 passes broken up and 13 interceptions). At 5-foot-10, he tested well at the combine in agility drills but lacked top-end speed. Still, I was stunned that he was still on the board when we got to Round 5. He played all 16 games for the Chargers, primarily in the slot, and provided a ton of value with 61 tackles and one interception (returned 90 yards for a TD). King brings a ton of energy to the field.