The 2016 NFL Draft is in the books but it’s never too early to look ahead to next year’s draft crop. Here’s a very early look at five former Rivals.com three-stars, in order, who could end up being top picks in the 2017 NFL Draft.
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The skinny: Davis was originally committed to Auburn before flipping to Florida after a December official visit to Gainesville. After starting only two games during his first two seasons with the Gators, Davis burst onto the scene as a junior. Starting 12 games, he finished with 94 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.
Farrell’s take: Davis had good size and was a kid who covered a lot of ground and could tackle but needed work at the point of attack and shedding blocks. He was overlooked in the Florida linebacker class by bigger names like Alex Anzalone, Matt Rolin and Daniel McMillian, but his instincts and work ethic put him on top. Now he’s one of the top outside linebackers early on for the 2017 draft and his ability to drop and cover is excellent.
The skinny: Wormley grew up a Michigan fan, so the Wolverines were always seen as the favorite. After naming them his favorite at the beginning of the summer after his junior season, Wormely committed to the Wolverines in August. After redshirting as a freshman, Wormley became a productive member of the Michigan defense in 2013 and 2014. He truly hit his stride last fall, when he finished with 43 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
Farrell’s take: High school prospects don’t get much better looking than Wormley off the hoof, but this kid was all potential and little else out of high school. This is an example of a prospect who needed a redshirt year and some time to learn how to use his physical skills and it all clicked last year. Now with Don Brown as the defensive coordinator, Wormley could take the next step and if he gets upfield a bit better after the passer, watch out because NFL teams could fall in love. I can’t stress how raw Wormley was out of high school, a 6-foot-6, 270-pounder who could be put on skates and at times be invisible, but he was too physically gifted to rank any lower.
The skinny: Sutton committed to the Vols in late August after taking a visit to Knoxville with his family. Despite taking a late official visit to Ole Miss and receiving a heavy push from Auburn, Sutton stayed true to his word and signed with the Vols. In Knoxville, he finished his junior season with 28 tackles, three tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, one interception and six passes defended, while also proving his athleticism on special teams, where he led the country with 467 punt return yards.
Farrell’s take: For some reason, Sutton seems to have been forgotten or at least downgraded a bit by some draft experts, but I love physical corners who can impact on special teams and can show lockdown ability at the SEC level. He was a bit stiff out of high school and was not a sure tackler, but he has worked hard to improve upon those weaknesses as a college player.
The skinny: Elflein named a top three of Northwestern, Purdue and Cincinnati after believing that his childhood favorite, Ohio State, would not be offering. Eventually, the Buckeyes did offer and Elflein quickly ended his process with a commitment. In Columbus, Elflein redshirted as a freshman and saw limited action as a sophomore before starting all 15 games during the 2014 national championship season. He continued his impressive play in 2015, when he was named first-team all-Big Ten.
Farrell’s take: I like brawlers and physical kids who can play on the interior and pass block as well as they run block and that’s Elflein at Ohio State. He was moderately recruited out of high school and he was the kind of kid I knew would need some time to develop, so his first two years in Columbus were key for him to improve his athleticism and footwork and add bulk. Now he’s arguably the top guard prospect in the 2017 class.
The skinny: Clemson, who offered Tankersley as a sophomore, picked up a commitment from the in-state defensive back during the summer leading up to his senior season. In Death Valley, Tankersley redshirted as a freshman and then saw limited playing time in 2013 and 2014. Finally earning more playing time in 2015, he responded with 48 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and nine passes defended.
Farrell’s take: Tankersley needed an extra year at Hargrave Military to get ready for college and that scenario played out well for teammates Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd. He’s a long kid who saw a ton of action last year opposite Mackensie Alexander, so I like that he’s battle-tested, has been picked on and has flourished –- and he’s only going to get better. The question out of high school and prep school was always – corner or safety? He’s proven he’s a cornerback and will be on the radar early for NFL teams.
