There are a lot of articles that have been written about the 2017 NFL Draft.
There are too many, really. They are almost like grains of sand in the desert. No one has enough time to read them all. Life gets in the way, you know? Darn it.
And understanding that, then, if you’re looking for a good piece that’s well worth your time, let me refer you to one by Chris Burke on Sports Illustrated’s website, si.com.
Entitled “2017 NFL Draft Big Board: SI’s top 40 prospects,” it not only evaluates those players, but also likens them to a known NFL player, giving you a clearer picture of what – or who — they may become down the road.
Here are some players of note on that list, along with Burke’s ranking of them, for Browns fans:
*No. 36 — quarterback Mitchell Trubisky – North Carolina (and Mentor High School) – NFL player to whom he is compared: Ryan Tannehill.
*No. 32 – quarterback DeShone Kizer – Notre Dame – NFL player to whom he is compared: Ben Roethlisberger.
*No. 29 – tight end David Njoku — Miami (Fla.) – NFL player to whom he is compared: Antonio Gates.
*No. 26 – quarterback Patrick Mahomes – Texas Tech – NFL player to whom he is compared: Matthew Stafford.
*No. 22 – safety Jabrill Peppers – Michigan – NFL player to whom he is compared: Malcolm Jenkins.
*No. 16 – quarterback Deshaun Watson – Clemson – NFL player(s) to whom he is compared: “Somewhere between Marcus Mariota and Tyrod Taylor.”
*No. 11 – tight end O.J. Howard – Alabama – NFL player to whom he is compared: Travis Kelce.
*No. 9 – safety Malik Hooker – Ohio State – NFL player to whom he is compared: “Devin McCourty, two inches taller.”
*No. 7. – cornerback Marshon Lattimore – Ohio State (and Cleveland Glenville High School) – NFL player to whom he is compared: Stephon Gilmore.
*No. 6. – defensive end Solomon Thomas – Stanford – NFL player to whom he is compared: Michael Bennett.
*No. 4 – wide receiver Corey Davis – Western Michigan – NFL player to whom he is compared: A.J. Green.
*No. 3 – safety Jamal Adams – LSU – NFL player to whom he is compared: Eric Berry.
*No. 2 – linebacker Reuben Foster – Alabama – NFL player(s) to whom he is compared: “Ryan Shazier with NaVorro Bowman upside.”
*No. 1 – defensive end Myles Garrett – Texas A&M – NFL player to whom he is compared: Julius Peppers.
The Browns, of course, have a bunch of picks – Nos. 1, 12 and 33 and five overall in the top 65 – so they will most likely draft some of the prospects Burke has listed.
As such, how many of these guys interest – really interest — you?
