Best Players Still Available For Day 2 Of NFL Draft
Ryan Mayer
A wild first round of the NFL Draft is behind us, but there's still plenty of action to come. After an opening night which featured numerous trades and some surprising picks, the eyes of fan bases across the nation now turn to Day 2, which opens tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern time when the Cleveland Browns are back on the clock to begin Round 2. As always, there will be plenty of guys picked today that make a name for themselves in the league and there's some big names still on the board. Let's go position by position with a quick overview of the top guys still available at each spot.
Quarterback
Five of the big name guys went off the board in the first round which leaves one more QB considered to be part of that top tier still on the board. Behind him, there are several guys who can be solid back-ups to potential future starters still left.
Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State- Rudolph was prolific at Oklahoma State, piling up over 13,000 yards passing and 92 TDs with just 26 INTs in his time with the Cowboys.
Kyle Lauletta, Richmond- Don't let the FCS-school fool you into thinking Lauletta doesn't belong here. He threw for over 10,000 yards in his time with the Spiders and he enters the league with a chip on his shoulder ready to prove himself.
Luke Falk, Washington State- Operated Mike Leach's "Air Raid" offense with lethal efficiency, completing over 68 percent of his passes for more than 14,000 yards with the Cougars.
Mike White, Western Kentucky- White put up really flashy numbers in his two years with the Hilltoppers in a similar spread-style offense to Falk. Like Brandon Doughty before him, he's got a chance to stick with an NFL roster.
Logan Woodside, Toledo- Three-year starter for the Rockets who completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing for over 10,000 yards and 90 TDs in his career.
Running Back
With just two backs off the board in the first round, there's a LOT of talent still available.
Derrius Guice, LSU- Leonard Fournette's former backfield mate shined in his starring role this year averaging over five yards per carry while running for over 1,200 yards and 11 TDs. Physical, downhill runner.
Nick Chubb, Georgia- 4-year starter for the Bulldogs (really 3-and-a-half due to injury), rushed for over 4,700 yards and 44 TDs with the 'Dawgs.
Ronald Jones II, USC- Averaged six yards per carry in his career with the Trojans, surpassing 3,600 yards with 39 TDs.
Kerryon Johnson, Auburn- The workhorse back for Auburn last season, Johnson toted the ball 285 times for 1,391 yards and 18 TDs as a junior.
Royce Freeman, Oregon- The most prolific back on this list, amassed 5,621 yards in his four seasons with the Ducks while reaching the end zone 60 times on the ground.
Wide Receiver
With D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley both coming off the board late in the 1st round, it wasn't a big day for wideouts on Day 1. But, on Day 2, there are several guys expected to be selected quickly once the festivities get underway.
Courtland Sutton, SMU- The 6'3" 218-pound Sutton looks the part of a prototypical No. 1 option. With a 4.54 time in the 40 and a 35.5-inch vertical at the combine, he impressed.
Christian Kirk, Texas A&M- A speed demon who was a do-it-all weapon for Kevin Sumlin's Aggies, he caught 26 passes for touchdowns while adding seven more in the return game in his three seasons at College Station.
Anthony Miller, Memphis- Another speedster, Miller averaged 15 yards per catch in his sophomore and junior seasons with the Tigers while hauling in 191 catches for 2,896 yards and 32 touchdowns.
D.J. Chark, LSU- The theme here is speed, as Chark's another vertical threat, posting a 4.34 in the 40 at the combine. His college stats don't jump off the page, largely because LSU isn't exactly a high-octane passing offense.
James Washington, Oklahoma State- Rudolph's main passing target, Washington averaged just under 20 yards per grab in his four years in Stillwater with over 4,400 yards receiving and 39 TDs.
Tight End
We're only going to mention three guys here, because this is a lighter tight end class. But, the Top 3 guys are all still available, all of which are big-time threats.
Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State- Goedert has been the darling of draft season, shooting up boards after the Senior Bowl and combine process. He dominated FCS with 92 receptions for 1,293 yards and 11 TDs.
Mike Gesicki, Penn State- Freak athlete. Posted a 4.54 40-time and a 41.5-inch vertical at the combine. At 6'6" and nearly 250 pounds, Gesicki is a massive red-zone target, hauling in nine touchdowns for the Nittany Lions last season.
Mark Andrews, Oklahoma- Andrews enjoyed a breakout season this year, doubling his catch total (31 to 62) and nearly doubling his yardage (489 to 958) while catching eight touchdowns.
Offensive Line
We're combining the line spots here and there are plenty of options available for teams looking to bolster their front.
James Daniels, C, Iowa- Daniels was a three-year starter for the Hawkeyes and was expected to be gone by now. Whoever picks him up is getting good value in the 2nd round.
Connor Williams, T/G, Texas- Started immediately for the Longhorns as a freshman and sophomore, but was slowed this past season by injuries.
Will Hernandez, G, UTEP- Hernandez is another guy that got some first round buzz but ultimately is available Day 2. Four-year starter for the Miners and, like the two guys above him, he should be able to make an immediate impact on a team.
Austin Corbett, G, Nevada- Corbett was a three-year starter at tackle for the Wolfpack, but most expect him to move inside in the NFL. Earned All-Mountain West 2nd team honors this past season.
Tyrell Crosby, T, Oregon- Struggled with various injuries this past season, but showed well in his first two seasons with the Ducks.
Defensive Tackle
Splitting up the D-line prospects, while combining the ends with EDGE rushers. Below are five guys who can dominate in the interior of the line.
Harrison Phillips, Stanford- Racked up 27 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in the last two seasons as a starter in the interior for the Cardinal.
B.J. Hill, N.C. State- Hill was a big part of the rotation for N.C. State over the last four years, posting career totals of 23.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Maurice Hurst Jr., Michigan- Hurst consistently blew up opponents offensive game plans with the Wolverines, posting 32 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks.
DE/EDGE
Pass rusher has become one of the most valuable positions in the league with teams passing more than ever and teams looking to bolster their group have a few solid options available.
Harold Landry, Boston College- Landry was getting plenty of first-round buzz throughout the draft process, so you know he'll be snapped up quickly here. With 48 tackles for loss and 25 sacks in college, it's easy to understand why.
Uchenna Nwosu, USC- Nwosu shined for the Trojans this season, piling up 11.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks while also deflecting 13 passes.
Sam Hubbard, Ohio State- Another year, another Buckeyes defensive line prospect. Hubbard isn't on the same level as Joey Bosa but he did rack up 30 tackles for loss and 17 sacks in three years in the Buckeyes deep rotation of pass rushers.
Rasheem Green, USC- Another Trojan, Green also posted big numbers this year with 12.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
Josh Sweat, Florida State- At 6'5" 250, Sweat has prototypical size and posted great numbers at the combine. But, he didn't flash as much on the field for the Seminoles. So, there are questions about why that was the case.
ILB
Josey Jewell, Iowa- Jewell's combine numbers don't stand out, but if you watched the Hawkeyes, you couldn't miss him. He was everywhere, posting 132 tackles (13.5 for loss) and four and a half sacks this season. Extremely productive linebacker who always seems to be around the ball.
Corner/Defensive Back
The secondary positions in this draft have plenty of options for teams, much like the running backs on the offensive side of the ball. Look for these guys to come off the board quickly tonight.
Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa- After converting from wide receiver following his freshman season, Jackson quickly picked up the corner spot, picking off eight passes this past season.
Donte Jackson, CB, LSU- Jackson tied for the fastest time in the 40 at the combine (4.32) and a 10'4" broad jump, Jackson's athleticism has people intrigued. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares him to Leodis McKelvin.
Justin Reid, S, Stanford- The brother of current free agent Eric Reid, Justin has made a name for himself in his own right. He earned second team All-American status posting 99 tackles (6.5 for loss) and five interceptions this past season.
Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama- Harrison isn't as heralded as Minkah Fitzpatrick, but he shined in his own right. A 2nd-team All-SEC selection, Harrison had 74 tackles, 4.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado- Oliver bided his time behind Ahkello Witherspoon for the Buffaloes before breaking out this year with 27 tackles, 2 picks and 13 pass breakups.