Sports Illustrated’s Doug Farrar and Chris Burke came away from the NFL combine with rave reviews for the Washington Huskies’ Danny Shelton, Shaq Thompson and Marcus Peters.
Farrar rates Shelton the third-best prospect in the draft, sandwiching the run-stuffing defensive tackle between quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Farrar, like Burke, gave his No. 1 ranking to defensive tackle Leonard Williams from USC.
Burke tabs Thompson, a linebacker, at No. 14. Farrar has Thompson pegged 22nd. Burke and Farrar both list Peters, a cornerback, 17th.
The SI rankings are based solely on pro potential, not where players will be drafted. ESPN draft guru Todd McShay released his latest first-round predictions Thursday, and he has Shelton going seventh to Chicago and Peters headed to Baltimore as the 26th pick.
McShay does not have Thompson in the first round. McShay predicts Seattle will draft Georgia running back Todd Gurley 31st.
Winston will go No. 1 to Tampa Bay, McShay projects, with Tennessee taking Williams second and the New York Jets landing Mariota with the No. 6 pick.
10 Comments
Isn’t Gurley from Georgia?
Yes. Tore an ACL in November and wouldn’t let doctors examine his knee at the combine.
That will change as he gets healthier.
Fixed. Thanks.
I’m surprised that Hauoli Kikaha’s stock has slipped. Now projected as late 2nd round/early 3rd round.
His size and power are not top-tier by NFL standards, 3rd round is hardly a failure.
Bleacher Report did not give a good review of the Huskies performances at the combine. None of them stood out and even slipped up in a few areas. Not sure just how much of an impact the combine has in this instance. They’ll have another chance at Husky Stadium for their Pro Day workout.
Regarding BR, consider the source.
I’m sure we’re all breathlessly awaiting what Mel Kiper Jr. thinks of all this. Remember Mel excoriating the Chargers for picking Marshall Faulk instead of Heath Shuler or Trent Dilfer, calling Wes Welker a “wasted” second-round pick or comparing Jamarcus Russell to John Elway?
As usual, I’ll let the Kipers, McShays and Rangs have their annual day in the sun without paying any attention to them. The Seahawks have a roster full of players who were downgraded by “draft experts” and they’ve done all right.
The only more futile exercise in sports than pre-draft analysis is high school recruiting. Empty calories.