Two weeks ago, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen headlined a new mock draft with his name attached to the Chicago Bears at No. 3 overall. That move made some ripples through the draft community, with more than one scout asking me what I was thinking and others affirming the talent of the redshirt sophomore passer.
We'll have to wait until next year to talk more about Allen, though, as sources close to the quarterback told me late Wednesday night that he would return to school for the 2017 season.
That's one more hit to a quarterback class that still lacks a consensus No. 1 player—even after Deshaun Watson's play in the national title game—and makes the 2018 class look even better from afar.
Allen is out, but a trio of Clemson stars (Watson, Mike Williams and Wayne Gallman) are in the draft. So too is the trio of defensive backs from Ohio State—Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley—that each carry a first-round grade.
The deadline to enter (Jan. 16) is getting closer, while the head coaching market is starting to reach conclusions on the NFL side of things. We'll get to all that, and more, in this week's Scouting Notebook. Here's what you can find below:
Updated Round 2 Mock Draft
A 2017 linebacker with a perfect grade
Injury concerns for a top-ranked DL
3 Questions with LSU running back Leonard Fournette
...and five players to keep an eye on over the next four months
The Scout's Report
—The national title game featured a ton of future NFL talent. On the Alabama side, no one impressed more than linebacker Reuben Foster. Said one NFC scout, "He has a perfect grade on my board." Foster's range, instincts and tackling skills make him an easy prospect to like.
—Another top-tier Alabama prospect, Jonathan Allen, looks like a top-five player. But as one AFC personnel director told me, Allen's shoulder injuries will be an issue. He's had two shoulder surgeries at Alabama, and the director says there "may have been another that wasn't reported. We'll see."
—"Best player on the field. Period." That's what I got back from a scouting director during the game when I texted over some colorful praise of Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams. He's a big, tough, physical wide receiver with gliding speed. My comparison for him is A.J. Green. Williams should be a top-seven selection.
—Four months away from the draft, a lot can change, but rival scouts I spoke to feel the Chicago Bears are looking hard at quarterbacks. "Every quarterback on the list, the Bears went to see multiple games this year. They're doing their homework."
—"Get the [Garett] Bolles kid up on your board. He's going to shoot up boards. Better than the Alabama [Cam Robinson] kid." That's what an NFC offensive line coach told me about the fast-rising Utah left tackle.
—Michigan star Jabrill Peppers announced to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel that he would forgo his final two years of college to declare for the NFL draft. No player in college football receives more hype than Peppers, but he ranks at No. 29 on my big board. The next four months are crucial, as teams generally draft on potential and athleticism over production, but the feeling I get from scouts is that the media has seriously overrated the multiposition Heisman candidate.
—Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans was a surprise entry into the 2017 draft class. Before starting my own evaluation, I texted a few scouts for which games to begin with. "I haven't studied the kid" is what one replied, explaining they didn't expect he would declare. "The traits look good, I'll tell you that much" is what another replied. Evans' tools will make the evaluation interesting, but after two quick games of study, I wasn't impressed with his touch or decision-making.
—While not draft-related, the coaching searches going on in the NFL right now do affect the draft. While getting background information on some of the new candidates, one person kept getting excellent reviews from scouts, agents, coaches and general managers: Sean McVay. The new head coach of the Los Angeles Rams is just 30 years old, but everyone I spoke to had positive things to say about his current abilities and his future as a head coach.
5 Names to Know
5. RB Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
The 2017 running back class was billed all season long as this elite, rare group. Now that the names are known, the class looks good, but not all-time. That's caused by players like Nick Chubb and Royce Freeman going back to school, but also because players like Jalen Hurd didn't reach the levels expected of them.
One player at running back who exceeded expectations was Kamara. He's an explosive, dynamic back with true three-down ability. It was Kamara, not Hurd, who looked like the best NFL prospect on the Volunteers offense these last two seasons. He has a great shot to be drafted in the top 50.
4. WR Shelton Gibson, West Virginia
A speedy wide receiver with good-enough size (5'11", 195 lbs), Shelton Gibson was a surprise entry into the draft. Coming out of West Virginia, the biggest concern is his route tree and the offensive system projecting him to the NFL. Leaving early is questionable, but perhaps Gibson got a favorable grade (I haven't heard either way) and wants to test the waters in a wide receiver class that has room for him to slide into Day 3.
3. S Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut
A true sleeper at safety, Obi Melifonwu has the intelligence, range, tackling skills and leadership to be a starter in the NFL right out of the gate. He's gaining steam on my board (Round 3) and only rising with each viewing.
The Senior Bowl is a great chance for Melifonwu to showcase his ability to track the ball and play in true deep zones. An athletic freak, he has a great stage to shine in Mobile, Alabama, with all 32 teams watching his practices and play. With a big week there, look for Melifonwu to move into my top 75 or higher.
2. T Roderick Johnson, Florida State
In the last few drafts, an offensive tackle has gone much earlier than where you'll see them on my rankings. Ereck Flowers went top 10 in 2015 with a Round 3 grade. That same year, Donovan Smith went with pick No. 34 to Tampa Bay despite a ranking in the 60s. Could Roderick Johnson be this year's riser?
It's possible. He's a good athlete coming from an offense that routinely puts linemen into the NFL. The play on the field doesn't back it up, though. I see Johnson as too stiff and robotic to play in the fast-and-loose NFL as a left tackle. As a declared junior, Johnson will be going under the microscope for a more detailed look soon, but the early reviews aren't of a first-rounder.
1. QB DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
Remember this guy? He was the top-ranked quarterback for many coming into the season and following a heartbreaking loss to Texas in overtime. Kizer didn't put up highlights on a bad Notre Dame team this year, but he's still very much in play as a top-10 player and pick.
With excellent size, mobility, arm strength and pinpoint ball placement, he has all the tools you'd want from a prospect. The biggest knocks will come from Kizer's lack of playing time, his benching by Brian Kelly during a poor performance against Stanford and footwork that needs to be improved when he doesn't have loads of time in the pocket.
3 Questions with: Leonard Fournette
Each week, I'll pose three questions to an NFL draft prospect, current player, agent or current scout. This week, I spoke with top-ranked running back Leonard Fournette.
Bleacher Report: The biggest question on everyone’s mind is the ankle. How are you feeling, and is it affecting your training at all?
Leonard Fournette: My ankle is doing fine. It’s not affecting my training. I had a high- and low-ankle sprain and a bone bruise in the fall during training, before the season, and like the doctor said, if I would have stayed out a couple more weeks following the beginning of the season, my ankle would have been healed properly in time. All it needed was time. The doc's rehab has been good, and I’m doing fine.
B/R: You’ve been in the spotlight since high school as a top prospect. How do you stay hungry with everyone projecting you as a Round 1 player for the last four years?
LF: It started with my mother and father by keeping me in church. Always telling me to remain humble and not let everything get to me. Where I’m from, my 'hood—the 7th Ward—I can see all my cousins and friends who are in jail and who look up to me. Every phone call I get from them, they’re telling me, "Never change who you are. Stay humble."
B/R: Your running style has been compared to Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley. Which NFL backs have you seen that you’d compare your game to?
LF: I don’t watch any running backs at all and compare myself to them. The only reason I watch NFL games is to watch the LSU players who I played with or who I know, to see what they’re doing. To watch them ball out. At the end of the day, those were the guys I grinded with in college, and I get to see who’s balling in the NFL and see those guys inspire us to continue being great.
The Big Board
We're days away from knowing the final list of players to be eligible for the 2017 draft, while at the same time coaching holes are being filled all over the league. With a new top 300 board just released, now is a great chance to update the mock draft.
Parting Shots
10. Two NFL head coaching jobs remain open, and one of those teams—the San Francisco 49ers—is also looking for a new general manager. With the aid of NFL.com's coaching tracker, here's an updated list of interviews on the jobs that remain open:
Buffalo Bills HC: Hired Sean McDermott (Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator). Interviewed: Anthony Lynn (interim HC), Harold Goodwin (Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator), McDermott, Vance Joseph (Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator)
Denver Broncos HC: Hired Vance Joseph. Interviewed: Kyle Shanahan (Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator), Dave Toub (Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator), Joseph
Jacksonville Jaguars HC: Hired Doug Marrone (interim HC). Interviewed: Josh McDaniels (New England Patriots offensive coordinator), Kyle Shanahan, Mike Smith (Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator), Anthony Lynn
Los Angeles Rams HC: Hired Sean McVay. Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, Harold Goodwin, Vance Joseph, Matt Patricia (New England Patriots defensive coordinator), Anthony Lynn, Mike Vrabel (Houston Texans linebacker coach), Teryl Austin (Detroit Lions defensive coordinator), Steve Wilks (Carolina Panthers secondary coach)
Los Angeles Chargers HC: Dave Toub, Teryl Austin, Sean McDermott, Matt Patricia, Mike Smith, Anthony Lynn
San Francisco 49ers HC: Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Vance Joseph, Sean McDermott, Anthony Lynn, Tom Cable (Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach)
San Francisco 49ers GM: Eliot Wolf (Green Bay Packers), George Paton (Minnesota Vikings), Jimmy Raye III (Indianapolis Colts), Trent Kirchner (Seattle Seahawks), Scott Fitterer (Seattle Seahawks), Louis Riddick (ESPN), Nick Caserio (New England Patriots), Brandon Beane (Carolina Panthers)
9. Another round of players accepted invitations from the Senior Bowl this week with the game nearly here. Here's a look at the updated rosters—which are, of course, subject to change:
8. Why should players attend the Senior Bowl? Followers on Twitter peppered me with questions on Thursday about why Deshaun Watson should attend or why it's OK to skip a bowl game but players are pressured to attend the Senior Bowl. It's not an easy answer.
The Senior Bowl is a chance to make a statement in front of all 32 teams. Every team in the NFL sends a large group of scouts and coaches to Mobile for the week. The assembled NFL personnel watch practices, interview players, watch weigh-ins and do spend some time evaluating the game, but the most important part is what happens Tuesday through Thursday at those interviews and practices.
Teams want to see how well players respond to challenges and how they interact with NFL coaches. Teams want to see players improve throughout the week with pro coaching. And for quarterbacks, like Watson, teams want to see you perform outside the scope of your college offense.
There is a risk for injury, of course, but those are rare in a controlled practice setting like the Senior Bowl. And if you need tangible reasons to go, look at what the Senior Bowl did in improving the draft stock of Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, Dak Prescott and even E.J. Manuel.
7. At 30 years old, can Sean McVay be successful? Yes, and so much will depend on the staff he puts together. A well-connected coach (his grandfather was general manager of the 49ers during the team's historic run), McVay will surround himself with veteran coaches who can handle their side of the ball while he handles the offensive play-calling and CEO role of the team.
The other side of the coin depends on personnel. The Rams are not a talented roster, and that blame falls on fired head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead, whom the team is retaining.
Snead must give McVay the tools to work with. In his last stop, with Washington, McVay had a competent quarterback, a strong offensive line and veteran pass-catchers who could make plays. In Los Angeles, he inherits the NFL's worst offensive line, zero game-changing wide receivers and two young building blocks (Jared Goff and Todd Gurley) who looked flat-out awful in 2016.
Oh, and the team's two best secondary players (Trumaine Johnson, T.J. McDonald) are free agents. Good luck rebuilding that roster without a first-rounder in this draft.
The simple fact is that Snead did a bad job building this team. That comment won't do me any favors in getting inside information about the Rams moving forward, but it's true. This is a bad roster, notably on offense, and there isn't a direct path to improvement.
Can McVay be the quarterback whisperer that Goff needs? I have no doubt he'll be capable of scheming up an offense to suit the former No. 1 overall pick, but until the targets and protection improve, X's and O's can only take you so far.
The success of the Rams, and McVay, are in Snead's hands. And that's a scary place to be.
6. Last week's 140-character scouting reports on quarterbacks were well-received, so they're back. Up first, Ohio State offensive weapon Curtis Samuel:
5. Tight end David Njoku is a special athlete with a stock that's rising way up the board:
4. Marshon Lattimore is one of three defensive backs Ohio State lost to the 2017 NFL draft. He has a shot to be the first one drafted:
3. Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson had hype, but does he have Round 1 skills?:
2. Budda Baker is one of the most exciting players in the draft class. In a single-high safety role, he can dominate:
1. The January 16 deadline for players to declare for the 2017 NFL draft seems far away, but some are already announcing their intentions. The following players have confirmed they'll enter the draft:
QB Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech
QB Brad Kaaya, Miami (Fla.)
QB DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
RB James Conner, Pitt
RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
RB D'Onta Foreman, Texas
RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
RB Wayne Gallman, Clemson
RB Brian Hill, Wyoming
RB Elijah Hood, North Carolina
RB Aaron Jones, UTEP
RB Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
RB Marlon Mack, USF
RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
RB Jeremy McNichols, Boise State
RB Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
RB Devine Redding, Indiana
RB Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
RB Stanley Williams, Kentucky
RB Joe Yearby, Miami (Fla.)
WR Noah Brown, Ohio State
WR KD Cannon, Baylor
WR Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech
WR Shelton Gibson, West Virginia
WR Chris Godwin, Penn State
WR Derrick Griffin, Texas Southern
WR Chad Hansen, California
WR Carlos Henderson, La. Tech
WR Jerome Lane, Akron
WR Josh Malone, Tennessee
WR Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia
WR Deon-Tay McManus, Marshall
WR Speedy Noil, Texas A&M
WR John Ross, Washington
WR Ricky Seals-Jones, Texas A&M
WR Artavis Scott, Clemson
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
WR Damore'ea Stringfellow, Ole Miss
WR Mike Williams, Clemson
TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
TE David Njoku, Miami (Fla.)
TE Adam Shaheen, Ashland
OT Garett Bolles, Utah
OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
OG Damien Mama, USC
DL Caleb Brantley, Florida
DL Davon Godchaux, LSU
DL Nazair Jones, North Carolina
DL Malik McDowell, Michigan State
DL Elijah Qualls, Washington
DL Vincent Taylor, Oklahoma State
DL Solomon Thomas, Stanford
DL Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA
DL Charles Walker, Oklahoma
EDGE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
EDGE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
EDGE Charles Harris, Missouri
EDGE Carl Lawson, Auburn
EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad, Miami (Fla.)
EDGE Garrett Sickels, Penn State
LB Alex Anzalone, Florida
LB Ukeme Eligwe, Georgia Southern
LB Jermaine Grace, Miami (Fla.)
LB Elijah Lee, Kansas State
LB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
LB Marcus Oliver, Indiana
LB Anthony Walker, Northwestern
LB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin
CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State
CB Sidney Jones, Washington
CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
CB Teez Tabor, Florida
CB Howard Wilson, Houston
CB Quincy Wilson, Florida
S Jamal Adams, LSU
S Budda Baker, Washington
S Malik Hooker, Ohio State
S Montae Nicholson, Michigan State
S Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
S Marcus Williams, Utah
Matt Miller covers the NFL and NFL draft for Bleacher Report.