We have entered the two minute drill portion of the NFL draft season. You’ve seen Jayson Braddock and Dory LeBlanc‘s top 10 players by position and their two round mock draft, but, how do these prospects stack up against each other and more importantly, who are the 100 best prospects entering the NFL?
Before reading the top 100, it may help to understand how this list comes to pass. The players are gauged from a scale of 1-100. We place the value on each player based on their on-film talent. If a player has “character issues” or plays a position that doesn’t have the same value in the draft as others, it will NOT be factored into these rankings.
If you’re looking for where the players may fall due to playing a lesser competition, a position of less draft value, or off-field issues, then all of that is taken into account in our mock draft. Once again, this is based solely on NFL caliber talent and who would grade the highest from a scale of 1-100 at their position. Quarterbacks don’t receive more value than running backs, offensive tackles don’t receive more value than guards, when you’re grading the player.
TOP 100 NFL Draft Prospects
1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford – A clean prospect that has few weaknesses. His football intelligence exceeds his on-field talent, which is quite the compliment.
1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford – A clean prospect that has few weaknesses. His football intelligence exceeds his on-field talent, which is quite the compliment.
2. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama – He will step into the league as one of the most complete NFL backs.
3. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor – RG3 just slightly grades out lower than Richardson and Luck. He will obviously have more draft value due to being a franchise quarterback.
4. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford – It’s important to keep in mind that these rankings factor in the player and not the position. While guards aren’t valued as high as most positions, if you place a grade on DeCastro based on talent along, he may actually belong higher on this list.
5. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama – We’ve said for months that Janoris Jenkins is a top 5 talent and the best corner in this draft. Obviously, when you’re able to take off-field issues out of the equation, his true grade, based on talent alone, sends him flying up the boards.
6. Luke Kuechly, M/ILB, Boston College – He has limited weaknesses and has added value due to being so talented at a position lacking depth in this draft.
7. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU – The reason teams can pass on Janoris Jenkins in the early picks with such ease, is due to having a talented corner like Claiborne to fill the void.
8. Matt Kalil, OT, Southern Cal – He should go in the top 5 and is clearly the best offensive tackle in this class but that doesn’t make him an elite talent.
9. Michael Brockers, DT, LSU – The most exciting part of Michael Brockers’ game is the fact that you realize that he hasn’t even reached 50% of his potential. He’ll be a better pro than collegiate athlete.
10. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State – Explosive and athletically gifted. When we saw him at the college all-star skills challenge, we couldn’t believe how easy he moved at 300 pounds. We only hoped the film would match his skills in the event…it did!
11. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State – He doesn’t grade out as a top 10 talent but he will go rather early due to being a game changer for some offense.
12. Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame – Floyd is a completely different receiver than Blackmon. He’s a better route runner and more reliable but what Blackmon does after the catch gives him the separation.
13. Mark Barron, S, Alabama – Barron can do it all. A team can draft him early and sleep well at night knowing that they have security in the box and on the back end.
14. Melvin Ingram, DT, South Carolina – Ingram is an impact player but only as a defensive tackle. We can only hope that front offices actually notice that he’s most disruptive when he’s playing the 3 technique. If he adds 15-20 pounds, he could be the next Warren Sapp.
15. Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia – Think Jason Peters. Most are scared off by his 350 pound frame and want to put him back in the interior of the offense. He’s a franchise left tackle.
16. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB/S, Alabama – One of the best zone corners in this draft. His instincts and the way he recognizes any action around him and punishes defenders would also make him a great safety.
17. Quinton Coples, DT/E, North Carolina – Too inconsistent to be ranked above the 16 prospects ahead of him. He would be best suited with an NFL team that can motivate him and would be willing to move around.
18. Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin – Konz grades out as the top center in this class and one of the most talented offensive linemen overall.
19. Nick Perry, DE, Southern Cal – Perry could easily be ranked higher up this list but like Coples, he had a tendency to quit on plays. With more drive and urgency, he could be a top prospect.
20. Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State – He had a lot of distractions at Ohio State and with NFL coaching he should be able to step in and take over the left side of an offensive line.
21. Doug Martin, RB, Boise State – Another complete back like Richardson. He’s a talented back but teams could pass if they see Richardson as a special back and Martin as a fall off. Teams may then decide to wait for a back in the third and cause a slide on Martin.
22. Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama – Upshaw may be the most puzzling player in this draft to us. He has great closing speed and plays with power and leverage. He’s not going to beat anybody with overall speed and lacks decent change of direction.
23. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford – Grades out higher due to being able to add value as a receiver and as a tight end. Fleener is a match up problem and may have earlier success than 90% of the receiver prospects in this class.
24. Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State – Any other year Worthy would probably be a top 15 talent. There’s so much depth at defensive tackle but Worthy will be a successful, early starter.
25. Whitney Mercilus, OLB/DE, Illinois – He didn’t grade out as high as his production should indicate but he will have increased worth to a team that values work ethic and motor.
26. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor – He’s a talented slot receiver at worst but could become a team’s number one receiver.
27. Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech – Ability to cover more space than most corners in this draft but grades lower due to inconsistency in coverage. He plays for the ball and not the breakup.
28. Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa – Questions surrounding arm length. He has the technique and will be a starter on the line for the next 10+ years.
29. Andre Branch, OLB/DE, Clemson – Has more experience standing than most of the pass rush specialists ahead of him but doesn’t have the work ethic of Mercilus, the techniques of Perry, or the power of Upshaw. He does have better speed off the edge than any of them.
30. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona – He doesn’t get the praise of the other quarterbacks and has too improve his footwork drastically. Highly successful three year starter without a lot of weapons around him. He will be successful early.
31. Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin – I could copy and paste anything from the last few years on Wisconsin offensive linemen. He has that pro-ready skill set like many of his fellow alum.
32. David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech – A talented back that should be ranked higher. He loses value due to the tendency to always look for a cut back when the hole is closed. He’ll have to adapt to taken what he can get in the NFL.
33. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M – Capable of being a franchise guy but lacks experience. He’s just now getting accustomed to the college game. He never proved effective when the pressure was on. He routinely blew big leads at Texas A&M.
34. Stephon Gilmore, S, South Carolina – One of the best corners when it comes to playing off man or zone. He doesn’t have great hips and gets loss on come backs. Plays better with everything in front of him and would be a premier safety.
35. Shea McClellin, OLB/ILB, Boise State – One of the most versatile players in this draft. He can play inside linebacker, outside linebacker, and defensive end. He will be successful in any system.
36. Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State – Great skills set, NFL ready, mature, and proven to handle the professional lifestyle. Steps in year one.
37. Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson – Similar to Jerel Worthy. Capable of shooting the gap and also holding up multiple players.
38. Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt – The fear is that he doesn’t have elite speed but he was more successful against SEC comp than most of the cornerbacks ranked higher than him. He can play well in zone, press man, or off man.
39. Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State – Grades out high. Some teams may have questions about who he played while at Midwestern State but he’s aggressive and moves well.
40. Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska – David may be one of the best 4-3 outside linebackers in this class. A team may reach on him towards the end of the first round.
41. Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford – More questions surrounding Martin than answers. He’s a risky player that scares us, especially if drafted in the first as is expected.
42. Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama – He will be over drafted by a team hoping to get the same production that he had at Alabama. That’s not who he is. His role should be in a 3-4, slamming into all of the trash and allowing others to make plays.
43. Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati – Think Arian Foster. His runs are effortless and he could have the best stats as a rookie if he gets the playing time and goes to a zone running scheme.
44. Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame – He has the ability to play higher than this ranking but on film he seemed to play too conservative at times.
45. Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson – Allen doesn’t have blazing speed but he’s reliable and will be a weapon in the red zone for an NFL offense.
46. Marvin Jones, WR, California – One of our favorite receivers in this draft. He has the ability to play in multiple roles in an offense. Jones manipulates the boundaries and catches everything in the area.
47. Devon Still, DT, Penn State – At times he shows speed, explosiveness, and power. The flashes are too spread out though.
48. Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida – Great coverage skills to go with insane athleticism. Another cornerback that will benefit from NFL coaching.
49. Ben Jones, C, Georgia – One of the best classes of interior offensive linemen. Jones could be drafted as late as the 3rd and would be great value for a team that could use him as a starter in 2012.
50. Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California – One of those players that we instantly fell in love with his film as soon as we put it on.
51. Ronnell Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma – Physically gifted and seemed capable of dropping in space if asked to do so at the next level.
52. Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn – Once again, this just speaks to the depth of defensive tackles in this year’s draft.
53. Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (OH) – Will fit the mold of the huge interior linemen that several teams prefer.
54. Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina – Impressed us in several games, like when he held Orson Charles to zero catches. Lengthy safety that plays well in the box.
55. Juron Criner, WR, Arizona – Huge hands that catch everything and immediately gets up field.
56. Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia – Well built, physical pass rusher that lacks great change of direction.
57. Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall – Amazing dip move that gets the edge but less than ideal speed.
58. Nate Potter, OT, Boise State – Zone teams will love Potter and could go higher due to being a specific fit.
59. Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse – He’ll draw comparisons to JPP due to the length and awkward attacks. We don’t necessarily buy into him adapting because JPP was able to.
60. Brandon Washington, OG, Miami (FL) – Less than appealing film when he was asked to play left tackle but should be an ideal fit back at guard in the NFL.
61. Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M – Many love the speed of Lamar Miller and LaMichael James but neither are that much faster than Gray or have the complete game he displays.
62. Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech – High risk / reward player. Limited production and most of it came against lesser competition.
63. Alameda Ta’amu, DT, Washington – Big body nose tackle that should be able to man the front of a team’s 3-4. Several teams need the foundation of a 3-4 NT and Ta’amu is the best in another weak class.
64. Philip Blake, C, Baylor – Amazingly, here’s another Canadian offensive lineman from Baylor. Just like Danny Watkins from last year, Blake isn’t a novelty.
65. Trumaine Johnson, S, Montana – Great size and speed. We saw a quality safety on film.
66. Bobby Wagner, OLB, Utah State – There are holes in Wagner’s game that come from playing at Utah State. Another prospect that will greatly benefit from NFL coaching.
67. Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis – Based on film, this is where we rate Poe. A creative defensive coordinator may be able to get stellar play out of Poe but we would bet against it.
68. TY Hilton, WR, Florida International – Hilton adds value to the return game and as a receiver. He would be an upgrade for most teams slot receivers.
69. Rueben Randle, WR, LSU – This is one we really struggled with. How much did the quarterback play hold Randle back? Our two experts were torn on this player.
70. Kelechi Osemele, OT, Iowa State – Much like Brandon Washington, Osemele was asked to move to left tackle in college but doesn’t stand a chance there in the NFL. Good for him, he will be able to move back inside in the NFL.
71. Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia – Irvin has possibly the most insane change of direction. He will get the angle on most tackles and have them tripping over their own feet.
72. Orson Charles, TE, Georgia – He’s not a complete tight end but in a league with increasing value to receiving threats, Charles will grade out higher than years past.
73. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon – Years ago, his stock would have been much lower but due to most of the league being a running back by committee, James is worth more now. He will be a home run threat on runs and as a receiver out of the backfield.
74. Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State – Some team will fall in love with how great he looks during workouts. He will struggle with NFL pressure.
75. James-Michael Johnson, M/ILB, Nevada – JMJ is capable of fighting through blocks while constantly keeping focus on ball location.
76. Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina – Ball hawk! We haven’t seen many prospects attack and go aerial assault after a ball like Norman does.
77. Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois – Allen holds up well to physical attackers. The key will be how he handles NFL speed.
78. Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina – Athletic? Yes! Liability in space? Hell yes! If he could become a more sure tackler, his value would skyrocket.
79. Chase Minnefield, CB, Virginia – The next in line of Virginia corners, following Ras-I Dowling and Chris Cook. Chase shows good coverage ability but gets a little grabby.
80. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina – Alshon doesn’t get great separation but has the ability to go up for the ball and consistently catch in traffic. We fear he will eat himself out of the league.
81. Josh Chapman, NT, Alabama – Possible first round talent that grades much lower due to fear of if he will ever be the same player after he played for months on an ACL injury.
82. Billy Winn, DE, Boise State – Physical and disruptive. Willing to battle down after down in the trenches.
83. James Brown, G, Troy – Gave Clemson’s Andre Branch fits when they played.
84. George Iloka, S, Boise State – Iloka has ideal size in a secondary that constantly battles the trend of bigger, faster NFL receivers.
85. Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State – He has the talent to be ranked higher but doesn’t play to his potential often enough.
86. Adrian Hamilton, OLB/DE, Prairie View – A pass rusher that confuses with multiple moves. He has the power of Upshaw, the spin of Perry, the work ethic of Mercilus, and short area burst.
87. Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi – A little awkward but effective nonetheless.
88. Malik Jackson, DE, Tennessee – Best suited as a 3-4 defensive end. Physical and battles into the body of the offense.
89. Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas – Talented return man that will man the slot. Capable of being a Dante Hall type.
90. Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State – Game film was impressive but he disappeared against top competition in the all-star games.
91. Dwight Bentley, CB, LA-Lafayette – He’s active in coverage and can flip around on the breaks. Punishes receivers.
92. Brandon Mosley, OT, LSU – We love these athletic tackles that use to play tight end.
93. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona – An under the radar talent that could come in and contribute early to an NFL roster.
94. Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri – One of Blaine Gabbert’s former, favorite targets. There’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t do the same in the pro as he did in college.
95. Tauren Poole, RB, Tennessee – Due to changes in college, he wasn’t always put in the best situation. He’ll have a better pro career than college.
96. Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati – Violent and makes a ton of sense at the 5 technique.
97. Keenan Robinson, OLB, Texas – Robinson may be a better fit on the inside for some teams.
98. Sean Spence, OLB, Miami (FL) – A tackling machine that plays off his instincts.
99. Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska – Physical corner that tends to get lost in space.
100. Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest – Stuck in the middle ground of talented receivers. Several receivers are similar in skill sets and could cause the group to be devalued.
[And make sure to check out our OV Mock Draft]
Jayson Braddock is an NFL Scout / NFL Writer & On-Air Personality. Jayson is also a football insider for the Dylan Gwinn show on 790 AM in Houston, TX - Listeners NOT in the Houston metropolitan area can hear Jayson on iheart radio or sports790.com. You can also catch Jayson on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio with Scott Engel and the morning crew every Thursday at 10:30am ET. You may email Jayson directly @ jayson.braddock@rotoexperts.com or follow him on Twitter @JaysonBraddock