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2015 NFL Draft Top 32: Williams is No. 1, and a running back makes top 10
April 29, 2015 9:01 am ET
Most years, I would put a quarterback in the No. 1 spot of my top 32 players in the NFL Draft.
This isn't one of those years.
As much as I like Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, I think USC defensive tackle/end Leonard Williams is the best player. Williams is only 20 years old, has the hands of a veteran player, and should become a dominant inside force.
That's why Williams gets the top spot, one spot ahead of Winston, who in my mind clearly is the top quarterback. If you are looking for Oregon's Marcus Mariota, scan down some to No 13. To me, he's a project. That's tough to evaluate.
The big shock with my rankings is that I have a back in the top 10. Georgia's Todd Gurley, coming off an ACL injury, is No. 7. I wouldn't draft him in the top 10, only because of the value of the position, but he is a talent. Watching his tape was impressive.
If a team in the second half of the first round were to take him, it would be getting a heck of a back. The first half is too early for any back in a league where the position has been de-valued.
So here are the 32. Have at it.
1. USC DL Leonard Williams: Don't let all the draftnik talk fool you: He is the best player in this draft, according to most personnel people I spoke with the past two weeks. And I agree. Some have said he will be like Richard Seymour. I think the ceiling is even higher.
2. Florida State QB Jameis Winston: Is he in the same class as Andrew Luck? No. But he is clearly the best quarterback in this class and has a chance to be a 10- to 15-year starter with multiple Pro Bowls. There are some concerns, but he can mature.
3. Florida OLB Dante Fowler Jr.: He is a big, tough kid who plays much better than his stats indicate. He can hold the point against the run and he's better as a pass rusher than his 14 1/2 career sacks lead one to believe.
4. West Virginia WR Kevin White: He is a big, raw receiver who had his breakout season in 2014. He has the speed and size teams love, which is why he could end up going ahead of Amari Cooper. He's been compared to Atlanta's Julio Jones.
5. Alabama WR Amari Cooper: A polished route runner who is plenty fast, I think he's plug-and-play as a rookie and will catch 75 passes for 1,000 yards or more.
6. Kentucky OLB/DE Bud Dupree: The more I watched, the more I liked. He is a power player who can put his hand on the ground and stand up. It wouldn't be a shock to see him in the top eight.
7. Georgia RB Todd Gurley: He is coming off a torn ACL, but he checked out well last week at the post-combine exam. That's huge. He should be ready to open the season. His tape is impressive. He is strong and fast.
8. Nebraska OLB Randy Gregory: I know there are off-the-field concerns that could drop him way down, but from a talent standpoint he's a heck of player. I know he didn't play as well last season as he did in 2013, but this is a talented edge rusher. There is great value in that. I don't buy the boom-or-bust talk. He will be a playmaker.
9. LSU T La'el Collins: On the advice of scouts I respect, I went back and watched more of his tape. He is a mauler who will be a Pro Bowl player on the next level. He played tackle at LSU, but could end up being a dominant guard.
10. Stanford T Andrus Peat: He has all the tools. He's big, athletic and can do a lot of things most tackles can't. But does he love the game? That's the concern I heard from some personnel people. If he does, he can be a good left tackle.
11. Washington CB Marcus Peters: This is another player with off-field issues. He was kicked of the Huskies team last season, but he has the cover skills teams love. Teams have to do their work on him, but he could be worth the risk. He has Pro Bowl talent.
12. Iowa OL Brandon Scherff: A college tackle, he almost certainly will have to move inside to guard. He is a brawler who won't back down, but I just don't think he's a tackle.
13. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota: He's a perfect quarterback in the right system. But what happens if he has to play in a conventional system? I wonder if he can. He has good size and a good arm, but it's going to take time.
14. Michigan State CB Trae Waynes: This player has taken a lot of hits from draft evaluators, but scouts don't agree. He is clearly the top corner, a player who has the skills to be a good man cover player.
15. Oregon DE Arik Armstead: He is a tall defensive end who has the tools to become a big-time player. He has really good athletic skills for a player his size. You see him spinning away from tackles like a man much smaller on tape.
16. Florida T D.J. Humphries: Here's another athletic offensive tackle who has the skills to be a long-time starter. His game wasn't always great at Florida, but with a little seasoning he can be a good one.
17. Louisville WR DeVante Parker: Don't think this is only a two-receiver draft. This kid can play. He was injured last season, but bounced back for a nice finish. Scouts I talked with love his game.
18. Clemson OLB Vic Beasley: I worry about his ability to hold up in the run game, but has speed off the edge. The question is whether he is a one-trick pony with a just speed game. It might be enough, which tells you how fast he comes off the corner.
19. Missouri OLB Shane Ray: He has some edge-rush ability and might be one of the fastest coming around the corner. Scouts differ a bunch on him. His foot injury is concerning and his arrest Monday won't help. But talent-wise, he is still a mid-first-round pick.
20. Washington DT Danny Shelton: For a team in need of power player inside, this is the guy. He is strong and will be really good against the run. The question is whether he can become an effective inside pass rusher. I think he can.
21. Miami (Fla.) T Ereck Flowers: He is an athletic player who can play right tackle, left tackle or guard. I think he's another who might project to the right side. He plays with a nasty streak, which is good.
22. Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon: He reminds me of Jamaal Charles. I know he wasn't blazing in the 40, but he plays faster than his time. He is outstanding at scooting through holes and turning runs into big plays. He will be a big-time back. Needs to work as a receiver.
23. Alabama S Landon Collins: He is good in the run game, but might struggle some in the passing game. That's always a concern. Teams are looking for safeties, which is why he will go higher than expected. I wonder if he can play in space on the next level.
24. Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson: He is a lean corner who does a really nice job in man coverage. He is also a willing tackler for a guy who is thinly built. As scouts I talked with took a closer look, they liked him more and more.
25. Miami (Fla.) WR Philip Dorsett: Speed, speed and more speed. You can't teach that. With so many teams looking for a slot receiver, I think he could step in and play right away. Some have compared him to T.Y. Hilton of the Colts. He might play faster.
26. Oklahoma WR Dorial Green-Beckham: He is a tall, raw receiver with plenty of baggage. But those tools are outstanding. He was kicked of the Missouri football team for off-field issues, and then surfaced at Oklahoma. The Sooners coaches told the scouts they love the kid. Maybe he's matured. If so, he will be a steal.
27. Arizona State S Damarious Randall: He is a rangy safety, and teams love that. They crave them now with the way the game's played. He will get over-drafted, but he will be a good starter in the middle of the field. A willing tackler, though he tends to miss at times when he dips his head.
28. Pittsburgh T T.J. Clemmings: This former defensive lineman is new to the position, so he is still growing. He has unreal athletic ability for a guy his size. Put on the Iowa tape from last year and get wowed. But he does have some injury concerns. That could drop him down.
29. Utah DB Eric Rowe: At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds he is a big corner if that's the position he plays. Scouts love him as a corner. I think he could be a heck of a free safety, a position he played much of his time at Utah. Either way, he would add great value to a secondary.
30. Connecticut CB Byron Jones: He wowed scouts with his unreal combine workout, but he's not only a workout warrior. He has started at safety and corner and at nearly 6-1, has the size teams love. The fact he played safety shows he will throw his body around.
31. Clemson DT Grady Jarrett: If he were two inches taller, he'd be a top-15 pick. At just over 6-feet tall, he will likely go in the second round. That will be a steal if it plays out that way. This former wrestler knows how to use his leverage to shed offensive lineman. He will be a lot like Cincinnati's Geno Atkins.
32. South Carolina G A.J. Cann: He is a mauler who has the look of a 10-year starter with at least three Pro Bowls. He locks onto a defender and rides him out of the play.