Lotta good questions and points. Here are my responses:
(1) Frank Ragnow tested as the best athlete of all the interior offensive lineman. His combination of numbers from the 40 yard dash, vertical jump, and bench press were freaky for a player his size. His film was also outstanding. Athletic testing isn't always perfect but one position where it seems to correlate more than others is the offensive line.
(2) If you love Saquon Barkley, I don't know how you can't like Mark Walton. They are basically the same player. Mark Walton is just a mini-version of Saquon with some durability concerns. As long as he can stay healthy, I don't see why Mark Walton can't be one of the 10 best RBs in football.
(3) Rashaad Penny tested extremely well at the combine and his college production was outstanding. He just played at San Diego St. so people are sleeping on him. If he played at a major school like Alabama, people would be saying he's a surefire first round pick. I really like his tape. I think he can be a great RB in the NFL. He might not be a Hall of Famer like Curtis Martin but his running style and skill set reminds me a lot of Curtis Martin.
(4) Marcus Davenport is a freakishly talented player. He's taller, longer, and more athletic than Chubb. Its very close between the two players as you can see in the overall rankings, I just like Davenport's upside more. And when guys are close, I'll always take the guy with more upside. I think Chubb makes the earlier impact but 5 years down the road, I can see Davenport making it on 1st team All-Pro ahead Chubb.
(5) The main reason I have Rashaan Evans and Micah Kiser ahead of Roquan Smith is their tape not the measurables. Unlike most, I was not impressed by Roquan Smith's college tape. He didn't do a good job shedding blockers. Most of his tackles came when his lineman kept guys off him and he had a free run at the ball carrier. Rashaan Evans shows much better on tape when it comes to shedding blocks. And I just love Micah Kiser's insticts.
(6) I have both Kahlil McKenzie and Trenton Thompson rated as 3rd round prospects. That means I have them as legit NFL backups with the chance to develop into reliable starters. This is a loaded draft so they won't go that high. And I wouldn't draft them that high because of how much talent is ahead of them. But in an average draft they are easy choices to take in the 3rd round. They have NFL measureables and athleticism. Its all about coaching them up to play up to their potential.
(7) John Kelly played behind a terrible offensive line and for a horrible head coach. Don't fall for the same thing that made so many NFL teams pass on Alvin Kamara until the 3rd round. John Kelly proved how good he was in 2016. Alongside Josh Dobbs and Alvin Kamara, he proved he could be just as productive. Those other RBs you think are better than him just had better lines and coaching staffs that made them look good. John Kelly didn't have that benefit. Just look back to last year and how much high Christian McCaffrey went than Alvin Kamara. McCaffrey in the NFL couldn't even rush for 4.0 YPC while Alvin Kamara led the NFL with 6.1 YPC. That's after averaging only 6.0 YPC at Tennessee. Averaging more YPC in the NFL than you did in college is unheard of. That shoes just how bad Tennessee's offensive line was in 2016. Now imagine how much worse they became in 2017 with no Josh Dobbs threatening teams with the read option? John Kelly will be a star in the NFL. He's the second coming of Priest Holmes.
(8) I have questions about Calvin Ridley's age (will be 24 years old before the end of his rookie season). He's only 6 months younger than Amari Cooper who is headed into his 4th season in the NFL. Its possible he's already maxed out his potential as a player. Calvin Ridley is also only 189 lbs. That's incredibly skinny for a receiver his height. I question his ability to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage. And finally he tested poorly at the combine in terms of the vertical and broad jump tests. That's not good for a player whose explosiveness was supposed to be a strong selling point. With regard to Christian Kirk, I actually like him a lot better than Calvin Ridley. That's why I rated him as a 2nd round prospect while only gave Ridley a 3rd round grade. I do believe he has a chance to be a really good player in the NFL. He will be a weapon on special teams and in the slot. I just like the guys rated ahead of him better. This is a very underrated WR class. I think a lot of guys who get drafted in Day 2 and Day 3 will turn into stars.
