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PFF final draft board in 2016...

April 24, 2017 12:45PM
Top 50 best players in order....

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After months of grading every player on every snap in college football, re-watching the film and taking in all of the offseason workouts, the final PFF Draft Board is finally here.

Our rankings rely heavily on our grading system that accounts for down-to-down production, but we’ve used all available information to shape the board whether that be workouts, projections, or off-field issues if they are clear.

Here is the final PFF Draft Board for the 2016 NFL draft:

[Editor’s note: While the order of the draft board has shifted and the list expands to 250, our evaluations remain largely the same within the first 150. For more in-depth breakdowns on every top prospect, check out our PFF scouting reports and our 2016 NFL draft guide.]

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Bosa is a dominant run defender (top grade against the run each of last two seasons) and he has the quick, powerful hands to create pressure off the edge.

DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
Whether rushing the passer or making plays in the running game, Buckner is a force on the interior that is a perfect fit for a 3-4 scheme.

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
Ramsey is an outstanding zone corner and he has the size and athleticism to develop into one of the league’s best man corners as well. He brings a versatile dimension to any defense as he can also play the run like a linebacker (top run grade among cornerbacks in 2015).

Jared Goff, QB, Cal
The best QB in the draft Goff ticks all of the boxes with regard to accuracy at all levels, poise under pressure, and quick decision-making.


Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
With six strong games under his belt in 2015, we’d like to see a larger sample size of dominant play, but Tunsil is an explosive run blocker and he handled an impressive slate of edge rushers to allow only five pressures on the year.

Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
Our top coverage linebacker in 2014, Jack attacked blockers with power early in 2015, showing that he can develop into one of the league’s best all-around defensive weapons.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
The best all-around running back in the draft and perhaps the nation, Elliott boasted the top run grade in the class in 2014 and then led the nation as a blocker in 2015. His ability to run, catch, and block will put him on the field early and often.

Sheldon Rankins, Defensive Interior, Louisville
With two straight years of dominant play, Rankins can play a number of positions along the defensive front, attacking blockers in the run game while providing a strong pass rush. He has only two negatively-graded games in our two seasons of data.

Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
Whether creating separation before the catch or yards after it, Coleman’s athleticism stands out on the field. He has the ability to make plays at all levels of the field.

Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
Our top-graded WR before going down to injury last season, Doctson routinely makes incredible catches, turning off-target throws into big plays. That downfield ability makes him one of the most exciting playmakers in the draft.

Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
The second-best all around edge behind Bosa, Lawson is strong on the edge in the run game while posting the number eight pass rushing grade in the class.

Chris Jones, Defensive Interior, Mississippi State
The power is the first thing that stands out, and it was put to good use as Jones ranked fourth in the nation among interior defensive linemen at +54.2. He can move blockers at the point of attack and push the pocket, and he still has room to grow as a player.

Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
A power scheme is ideal for Conklin who moves defenders at the point of attack while holding up well in pass protection. His two-year body of work is right up there with any offensive tackle in the nation on a snap-for-snap basis.

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
There’s some projection to Wentz’s game, but the raw tools are impressive. While his timing isn’t always on point in the passing game, he has the big arm and athleticism to mask that inexperience as he grows.

William Jackson III, CB, Houston
The second-best coverage grade in the draft class, Jackson is an aggressive, good-sized corner who will contest a lot of catches and make plays on the defensive side. He has the size and deep speed to develop into a number one corner.

Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
One of the most consistent pass protecting tackles in the nation, Stanley should carry that to the next level while his run-blocking is sufficient in the right scheme.

Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas State
After ranking fourth in the nation among offensive tackles in 2014 and first in 2015, Whitehair is projected to move to guard at the next level, something we saw during Senior Bowl week. He acquitted himself well, and he has the potential to be the next successful tackle to guard convert in the NFL.

Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
In 2014 Hargreaves posted the best coverage grade we have seen from this draft class across two seasons of college tape. Didn’t repeat it in 2015 but still shows a lot of impressive tape and ball skills. Only negative is size.

Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
Floyd could dabble as an outside linebacker in the NFL just as he did last year in college, but his size and athleticism are best used rushing off the edge where his +28.9 pass rushing grade ranked fifth among the edge rushers in the class.

Jarran Reed, Defensive Interior, Alabama
With our second-best grade against the run in 2015, Reed is rarely moved at the point of attack and he knows how to shed in make plays, as indicated by his nation-leading run stop percentage of 13.4 percent. He can play nose tackle, but also looks the part of a 3-4 defensive end if needed.

Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Trapped in a Clemson defensive scheme that hung him out to dry with a lot of soft, off-coverage, Alexander may be a far better pro player than he was in college. Has all the traits of a top, shutdown corner.

Andrew Billings, Defensive Interior, Baylor
One of the strongest players in the draft, Billings is stout at the point of attack and perhaps the best nose tackle option in the draft. He was also got after the quarterback among the best in the country the past two seasons.23.

Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
Our top-graded wide receiver in 2015, Shepard combines nifty route running with underrated downfield ball skills. Even though most of his work is done from the slot, he has the quickness to produce and validate his standing at the top of the draft.

Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Production took a hit due to inconsistent quarterback play, but Thomas knows how to get open and he was a big-play threat when targeted.

Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
Injury aside, Smith’s athleticism stands out and it often shows when in coverage and as a pass rusher. He’s not bad in the run game, though he’s not as strong at the point of attack as other linebackers in the class. If healthy, Smith has a chance to be a three-down playmaker at the next level.

Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
While some of the other linebackers are stronger in certain areas, Ragland is solid across the board. He can work downhill in the running game, and his ability to hold up in coverage and create pressure should make him a third-down chess piece at the next level.

Jonathan Bullard, Defensive Interior, Florida
Our top-graded run defender on the interior in 2015, Bullard is excellent at recognizing blocks, disrupting schemes and making plays. He doesn’t have a clean positional home, but has the versatility to play all along the defensive line.

Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
While he doesn’t create the same kind of separation you’d like to see from a top wide receiver prospect, Treadwell is strong, though inconsistent, at the catch point and good with the ball in his hands after the catch.

Shilique Calhoun, Edge defender, Michigan State
No edge rusher had a better pass rushing grade than Calhoun in 2015, and he was strong in that department in 2014 as well. He’s not nearly as stout against the run, but did show that he can be productive in the run game in 2014.

Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia
Before going down to injury after only 240 snaps in 2015, Joseph had the fifth-highest grade in the country as he showed off his playmaking skills while playing multiple coverages in West Virginia’s defense. He’s a versatile safety that is just as comfortable playing in the box as he is in deep center field.

Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
A press man corner who made need a compass to find the football, Apple can stick with receivers as well as anyone in the class, though zone-heavy teams may not be interested.

Vernon Butler, Defensive Interior, Louisiana Tech
Butler has put together two straight years of strong work against the run while improving his pass rush grade to 15th in the class on the strength of a bull rush that made up 40 percent of his pressures.

Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
Few tight ends can work the middle of the field like Henry who has averaged 14.3 yards/reception over the last two years. He’s only dropped two of his 90 catchable targets during that time.

Sheldon Day, Defensive Interior, Notre Dame
Disruption is the name of the game for Day who excels at shooting gaps, though he could stand to finish better. His overall grade ranked second behind only Buckner among interior defensive linemen in 2015.

Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
A good combination of speed and separation skills, Carroo was incredibly productive on only 363 snaps last season averaging 4.11 yards per route to lead all FBS receivers.

Noah Spence, edge defender, Eastern Kentucky
We have little information about Spence, but the upside was evident at the Senior Bowl when he dominated practice and carried it into the game. Even though he may not do much as a run defender, Spence’s burst off the edge and pass rush potential is the best in the class

Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
A one-dimensional player in 2015, Ogbah boasted the No. 3 pass rush grade among all edge rushers, though he settled in around average against the run. The potential is there to improve in that department but it may limit his usage early on.

Michael Thomas, WR, Southern Miss
Playing bigger than his 6-foot-1 frame, Thomas caught a higher percentage of contested catches than the other top receivers in the class while ranking ninth in the nation with 2.98 yards/route.

Austin Johnson, Defensive Interior, Penn State
Boasting the No. 3 run-stopping grade in the nation in 2015, Johnson beats blockers with quick hands to disrupt the backfield and that bodes well for his upside as a pass rusher. His skills were on display with a strong week at the Senior Bowl.

Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
Higgins posted a huge grade (+32.0) in 2014, and while that dropped to +22.7 this year, there’s still a lot to like about the Colorado State playmaker. He dropped just three of the 78 catchable passes thrown his way in 2015 and he may be the best route runner in the draft class.

A’Shawn Robinson, Defensive Interior, Alabama
Rarely moved in the run game, Robinson played well within Alabama’s scheme and he projects as a similar, run-stopping 3-4 defensive end at the next level. The question is whether or not he can provide enough pass rush to warrant a high pick after two pedestrian seasons in that department.

Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
Kelly posted good, not great, grades over the last two years, but he projects as a starting NFL center on the strength of a powerful run-blocking base that should work in any scheme. The NFL offensive line coaches we’ve spoken too all love his game.

Adolphus Washington, Defensive Interior, Ohio State
Another strong all-around player, Washington is stout at the point of attack, but strong and quick enough to blow up plays as well. His +32.0 pass rush grade ranked third in the nation and he was strong in the run game.

Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive Interior, Ole Miss
Perhaps the most disruptive interior pass rusher in the draft, Nkemdiche has some questions about his ideal fit, but he’s gotten after the quarterback the last two seasons and he improved greatly against the run in 2015.

Nick Martin, C, Notre Dame
Similar to Kelly, Martin has a strong all-around game and projects to be a future starter with scheme diversity. His +22.7 overall grade ranked fifth in the nation.

Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
Perhaps more of an athlete than a great football player at this point, Spriggs graded well in 2015 (+16.7), but his strong NFL combine has teams looking at him as a first-round project. He needs to tie up a few technique issues and show more of that athleticism on the field to warrant more than a Day 2 pick.

Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
One of the most exciting running backs in the draft, Dixon is a clever runner, capable of cutting on a dime and making overaggressive defenses pay with big plays. He’s also very good in the passing game, particularly when split out wide.

Su’a Cravens, S/LB, USC
A safety/linebacker hybrid, Cravens attacks blocks in the running game and makes plays in the passing game. The NFL will find a spot for him as the difference between linebackers and strong safeties shrinks every year.

Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
The only running back in the draft class to force more missed tackles was Alabama’s Derrick Henry (76 to 73), but it took Henry and extra 160 carries to do so. Perkins posted the top run grade and elusive rating (114.7) in the class.

Joshua Garnett, G, Stanford
Our top run-blocking guard in 2015, Garnett is a scheme-specific power guard that is best fit for a man-blocking scheme similar to Stanford’s. He struggled at times in pass pro and posted his worst games against his best competition (Buckner and Day).



~ max ~
“The consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity.” - Alexander Hamilton



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2017 12:46PM by max.
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