With Draft Boards starting to look like the finished
article. It’s time for teams to look at value. What are guy’s worth to the organisation?
One of the questions going round the scouting rooms is, ‘What can this guy give
us Week 1?’
Personally, I don’t like this question. I come from the
‘best guy available’ school of thought. I don’t care what he can give me straight,
what I want to know is who he can be going forward. With that being said, a lot
of teams go into the draft hamstrung by needs with little choice but to draft
players to fill them. So let’s get to it, the Top 5 Guys who you could see in a
starting line-up Week 1.
1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
This is a no brainer. The Running back position is one of
those positions where football instinct can get you a long way. If
Elliott can show a coaching staff he has it, he could leap frog any pencilled
in starter. The tape is great, the combine was good enough. He just needs to
show he can do it all at the NFL level and not become the Trent Richardson.
2. Jack Cronklin, OT, Michigan State
Cronklin has a great advantage in my eyes over the other top
tackles in this Draft. That some teams might project him as a Right Tackle
early in his career. This is what could make him one of the better rookie
starters next year. He should be too good for Right Tackle but if he ends up on
a Roster with an established Left Tackle, it would be very hard to keep him out
of the other Tackle spot.
3. Keanu Neal, Safety, Florida
Neal is one of the best Safeties in the draft. And his
number 1 advantage to beating out a veteran, Versatility. Can play Centre Field
as a Free Safety, best when playing the Down Safety in a Cover 3 style defence.
Has the coverage skills to match up in the slot or on TEs, and is the Hammer
not the Nail in the run game. With the Nickle Defence taking a bigger role in
the modern game, Neal looks to see plenty snaps weather he is named a starter
or not.
4. Nick Martin, OG/C, Notre Dame
Anyone starting to see the pattern here? Another versatile
guy on my list. Martin can play either Guard or Center. With Pre-Season being
what it is, and Martins ability to play anywhere in the middle of the line,
Martin could easily find himself starting in Week 1 either winning the job
outright or being the 5th guy that makes the best unit.
5. Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
This might surprise some of you but if the draft goes Cook’s
way, he could find himself starting Week 1 for one of 3 teams. The guy knows
how to look after a game and keep his team in it by limiting the mistakes. By
no stretch is this a slam dunk, but I see him possibly being another Teddy
Bridgewater. The problem is, only 3 teams are really searching for a QB, out of
32. And there is every chance that another team takes him to stash away for a
rainy day.
Honourable
Mentions
Jeremy Tunsil, OT,
Ole Miss
Best player in the draft in my opinion, but playing at that
Left Tackle spot can be very hard for a rookie and I don’t see him at the Right
tackle spot. It all about holding up for him in his rookie year.
Jalen Ramsey,
Safety, Florida State
You’ll see I’ve listed him at Safety and not Corner. I think
that’s where the problem will lie for Ramsey in his rookie year. He could find
himself playing out of position and really struggling. If he does find his way
to Safety for a Week 1 start, he could open a few eyes. Lack of picks at the
NCAA level might be a sign of things to come…
Andrew Billings,
Nose Tackle, Baylor
There aren’t too many true Nose Tackles knocking around.
Billings is one. A bit short, a bit raw and struggle a bit getting after the
passer. But if he ends up at the right team, he will turn heads in the middle
of a 3-4 DL.
Ryan Kelly,
Center, Alabama
Best Center in the Draft. Normally these guys don’t start
straight out the bat, but I see Kelly getting the nod over an average starter
in camp before a possible make or break Pre-season.
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