clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
SBNation.com homepage

Filed under:

The 100 best players in the 2015 NFL Draft

Southern California defensive lineman Leonard Williams is the best prospect in what looks like an ordinary draft class. And where do the most recognizable quarterbacks, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, rank compared to the rest of the group?

By Dan Kadar
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

How is the quality of an NFL Draft class judged before any prospect steps foot in the NFL? Is it by how many "franchise" quarterbacks there are? Is it by the number of franchise-changing players at the top of the draft? Is it by the overall depth?

Update: Read our NFL Draft 2015 positional rankings.

If it’s the first two, the 2015 NFL Draft is not a good one. However you judge a franchise quarterback, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, right now, look like the only two who could be in contention for reaching such a lofty level. In fact, in the rankings below, they’re the only quarterbacks in the top 45. In the entire top 100, there’s only four quarterbacks total.

The last time the quarterback class was this poor was 2011. That year was buoyed by a group of defensive players like Patrick Peterson, Aldon Smith, J.J. Watt and others who can be franchise cornerstones. This class may have those players, but it’s no sure thing.

The overall depth is what may keep this class afloat. Of the top 50, half are offensive players and the other half are on defense. This class may lack in quarterbacks, but on offense it makes up for it in running backs, wide receivers and tackles. It’s also heavy in pass rushers. This list features 20 players who are college defensive ends.

This is just the first of a few versions of a top 100 big board leading up to the draft. The next update will be after bowls are completed and the Jan. 15 underclassmen deadlines passes. Then there will all-star game evaluation and, of course, more review of players. The draft process is just starting.

The most highly regarded player not included in this list is probably Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley. I don’t put a lot of time into redshirt sophomore offensive linemen until they declare. Stanley, according to reports, has submitted paperwork to the NFL Draft Advisory Committee to gauge his draft placement. Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams, another redshirt sophomore, isn’t listed yet.

* denotes junior, ** denotes redshirt sophomore

2015 NFL Draft top 100:

1. Leonard Williams | 6'5, 300 pounds | DT/DE | Southern California *
2. Randy Gregory | 6’6, 240 pounds | DE | Nebraska *
3. Marcus Mariota | 6’4, 219 pounds | QB | Oregon *
4. Amari Cooper | 6'1, 210 pounds | WR | Alabama *
5. Todd Gurley | 6’1, 226 pounds | RB | Georgia *
6. Brandon Scherff | 6’5, 320 pounds | OT | Iowa
7. Eddie Goldman | 6'4, 320 pounds | DT | Florida State *
8. Vic Beasley | 6'3, 235 pounds | DE/OLB | Clemson
9. Shawn Oakman | 6’9, 280 pounds | DE | Baylor
10. Jameis Winston | 6’4, 230 pounds | QB | Florida State **
11. Shaq Thompson | 6'1, 228 pounds | OLB | Washington *
12. La’el Collins | 6’5, 321 pounds | OT | LSU *
13. Eric Kendricks | 6'0, 230 pounds | ILB | UCLA
14. Shane Ray | 6'3, 245 pounds | DE/OLB | Missouri *
15. Kevin White | 6'3, 210 pounds | WR | West Virginia
16. Cedric Ogbuehi | 6’5, 305 pounds | OT | Texas A&M
17. Melvin Gordon | 6’1, 213 pounds | RB | Wisconsin *
18. DeVante Parker | 6'3, 211 pounds| WR | Louisville
19. Landon Collins | 6’0, 222 pounds | S | Alabama *
20. Bud Dupree | 6'4, 264 pounds | DE/OLB | Kentucky
21. Owamagbe Odighizuwa | 6’3, 270 pounds | DE | UCLA
22. Marcus Peters | 6’0, 190 pounds | CB | Washington *
23. Danny Shelton | 6'2, 339 pounds | DT | Washington
24. T.J. Clemmings | 6’6, 315 pounds | OT | Pittsburgh
25. Andrus Peat | 6’7, 316 pounds | OT | Stanford *
26. Trae Waynes | 6’1, 182 pounds | CB | Michigan State
27. Markus Golden | 6’3, 260 pounds | DE | Missouri
28. Dorial Green-Beckham | 6’6, 225 pounds | WR | Oklahoma *
29. Dante Fowler | 6’3, 260 pounds | DE | Florida *
30. Benardick McKinney | 6'5, 249 pounds | ILB | Mississippi State
31. Spencer Drango | 6’6, 305 pounds | OT | Baylor *
32. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu | 5’10, 195 pounds | CB | Oregon
33. Shilique Calhoun | 6’5, 256 pounds | DE | Michigan State *
34. Devin Funchess 6’5, 230 pounds | WR | Michigan *
35. Jaelen Strong | 6'3, 212 pounds | WR | Arizona State *
36. Jordan Phillips | 6'6, 334 pounds | DT | Oklahoma **
37. Ereck Flowers | 6’6, 324 pounds | OT | Miami *
38. Michael Bennett | 6'2, 288 pounds | DT | Ohio State
39. DeForest Buckner | 6'7, 290 pounds | DE | Oregon *
40. Mario Edwards | 6’3, 294 pounds | DE | Florida State *
41. Rashad Greene | 6'0, 180 pounds | WR | Florida State
42. P.J. Williams | 6’0, 196 pounds | CB | Florida State *
43. Nate Orchard | 6'4, 255 pounds | DE/OLB | Utah
44. Duke Williams | 6'2, 216 pounds | WR | Auburn *
45. Sammie Coates | 6'2, 201 pounds | WR | Auburn *
46. Lorenzo Mauldin | 6'4, 252 pounds DE/OLB | Louisville
47. Preston Smith | 6’6, 270 pounds | DE | Mississippi State
48. A.J. Cann | 6’4, 311 pounds | G | South Carolina
49. Connor Cook | 6’4, 218 pounds | QB | Michigan State *
50. Ameer Abdullah | 5’9, 195 pounds | RB | Nebraska
51. Kevin Johnson | 6’1, 175 pounds | CB | Wake Forest
52. Duke Johnson | 5’9, 206 pounds | RB | Miami *
53. Arik Armstead | 6’8, 290 pounds | DE | Oregon *
54. Trey Flowers | 6’4, 268 pounds | DE | Arkansas
55. Hau'oli Kikaha | 6'3, 246 pounds | DE/OLB | Washington
56. Eli Harold | 6'4, 250 pounds | DE/OLB | Virginia *
57. Denzel Perryman | 6'0, 242 pounds | ILB | Miami
58. T.J. Yeldon | 6'2, 221 pounds | RB | Alabama
59. Malcom Brown | 6'2, 320 pounds | DT | Texas
60. Daryl Williams | 6’6, 329 pounds | OT | Oklahoma
61. Tevin Coleman | 6’1, 210 pounds | RB | Indiana *
62. Nelson Agholor | 6'1, 190 pounds | WR | Southern California *
63. Ty Sambrailo | 6’5, 315 pounds | OT | Colorado State
64. Jarvis Harrison | 6’4, 330 pounds | G | Texas A&M
65. Cody Prewitt | 6’2, 217 pounds | S | Ole Miss
66. Ronald Darby | 5’11, 195 pounds | CB | Florida State *
67. Brett Hundley | 6’3, 227 pounds | QB | UCLA *
68. David Cobb | 5’11, 220 pounds | RB | Minnesota
69. Justin Hardy | 6'0, 188 pounds | WR | East Carolina
70. Clive Walford | 6’4, 258 pounds | TE | Miami
71. Jay Ajayi | 6’0, 216 pounds | RB | Boise State *
72. Grady Jarrett | 6'0, 290 pounds | DT | Clemson
73. Danielle Hunter | 6’6, 240 pounds | DE | LSU *
74. Tyrus Thompson | 6’5, 336 pounds | OT | Oklahoma
75. Reese Dismukes | 6’3, 295 pounds | C | Auburn
76. Sean Hickey | 6’6, 306 pounds | OT | Syracuse
77. Jake Fisher | 6’6, 300 pounds | OT | Oregon
78. Ellis McCarthy | 6’5, 325 pounds | DT | UCLA *
79. Alex Carter | 6’0, 202 pounds | CB | Stanford *
80. Hroniss Grasu | 6’3, 297 pounds | C | Oregon
81. DeAndre Smelter | 6’3, 222 pounds | WR | Georgia Tech
82. Cameron Erving | 6’6, 308 pounds | OT | Florida State
83. Za'Darius Smith | 6’6, 263 pounds | DE | Kentucky
84. Ty Montgomery | 6'2, 220 pounds | WR | Stanford
85. Carl Davis | 6'5, 315 pounds | DT | Iowa
86. Josue Matias | 6’6, 325 pounds | G | Florida State
87 Henry Anderson | 6’6, 287 pounds | DE | Stanford
88. Jalen Collins | 6’2, 198 pounds | CB | LSU *
89. Reggie Ragland | 6'2, 254 pounds | ILB | Alabama *
90. Tre Jackson | 6’4, 330 pounds | G | Florida State
91. Mike Jones | 6’2, 235 pounds | RB | Florida *
92. Phillip Dorsett | 5’10, 195 pounds | WR | Miami
93. Laken Tomlinson | 6’3, 330 pounds | G | Duke
94. Hayes Pullard | 6'1, 235 pounds | ILB | Southern California
95. Jesse James | 6’7, 254 pounds | TE | Penn State *
96. Jordan Jenkins | 6’3, 252 pounds | OLB | Georgia *
97. Gerod Holliman | 6’2, 213 pounds | S | Louisville **
98. Leonard Floyd | 6’4, 230 pounds | OLB | Georgia **
99. Mike Davis | 5’9, 223 pounds | RB | South Carolina *
100. Paul Dawson | 6'2, 230 pounds | OLB | TCU

Next Up In NFL