Detroit Lions 2017 NFL Draft Watchlist: Georgia at Ole Miss
By Erik Schlitt
Each week in college football there’s an opportunity to see plenty of future NFL talent. These players should be on the Detroit Lions radar for the 2017 NFL Draft.
It’s never too early to be looking ahead to next year’s NFL draft. In this weekly piece, I’ll examine players from a marquee game, who could be potential draft targets of the Detroit Lions.
This week’s feature game will be Georgia at Ole Miss, Saturday September 24th at 12:00 on ESPN. This game will feature several players that will be in the NFL one day. But these players have skills that would fill a need for the Detroit Lions in 2017.
Georgia Prospects
Nick Chubb
Junior
#27
Running Back
5’10”, 228
Early draft projection: Top 50
Chubb found his way onto the field as a Freshman, after starter Todd Gurley tore his ACL, and rattled off 13 straight games of 100 or more yards rushing. Then on October 10th, 2015, on the first play of the game, Chubb suffered a significant knee injury. It was later revealed that he tore his PCL and two other ligaments, that would require season ending surgery.
By August, Chubb practiced without restrictions, and returned to the field for the 2016 opening game. Chubb would carry the ball 32 times for 222 rush yard and two touchdowns, proving he had returned to form.
Biggest Strengths:
- Excellent vision
- Balance
- Power to run through tackles
Biggest Weaknesses:
- Will he regain the explosion he had pre-injury?
- Can he stay healthy?
With Ameer Abdullah going on injured reserve, the Detroit Lions will definitely be scouting running backs this season. Nick Chubb would have a lot of appeal for the Lions because of his style of running. A complete back, Chubb could assume the “lead back” duties and allow Abdullah and Theo Riddick to thrive in complimentary roles. Additionally, Chubb would also be positional insurance if Abdullah needs time to fully recover.
Nick Chubb is universally ranked among the top four running backs eligible for the 2017 NFL draft. Look no further than his “Biggest weaknesses” above to figure out why. If he can prove he’s fully healed, with a complete season, Chubb could arguably be the first running back off the board.
Dominick Sanders
Junior
#24
Free Safety
6’0″, 190
Early draft projection: Day 3
Sanders enters his junior season as a third year starter and established leader on defense. A Ballhawk, Sanders had nine interceptions in his first two seasons and another in the 2016 opening game.
Biggest Strengths:
- Above-average anticipation
- Range
- Closing speed
Biggest Weaknesses:
- Can get washed in run support
- Strength
- Tackling production
Safety is going to be another position heavily scouted by the Lions. Sanders isn’t a day one starter, but he could be a quality depth addition on day three of the draft. A center fielder with range, his leadership and character are assets both on and off the field. If he can improve his tackling, he has a chance to be a productive NFL player. Depending on how he improves this season, will determine if he declares for the 2017 draft.
Other Bulldogs to Consider
Georgia’s 34 scheme produced two linebackers drafted in 2016. They are replaced by Davin Bellamy (#17, redshirt junior) and Lorenzo Carter (#7, junior), who both have NFL futures.
Bellamy (6’4″, 242), has the potential to be a top 100 pick in the upcoming draft. He is relentless in pursuit and uses his length to keep distance from blockers. He covers the running back out of the backfield as well as he pass rushes. Bellamy has a chance to prove his lack of starting experience is a non-issue with a productive junior season.
Carter (6’5″ 242), made an impact as a freshman in a reserve role, but took a step back as a sophomore. Seen more as a 34 linebacker at the next level, Carter may not appeal to the Lions. But, he has the frame to put on muscle/weight and some 43 teams will be interested in him playing defensive end. He’s still raw, but he has the most upside of any player on this defense.
Senior offensive lineman Greg Pyke (right tackle, #73) and Brandon Kublanow (center, #54) are both day three prospects to keep an eye on. Pyke (6’5″, 320) projects inside to guard in the NFL, but he can also play right tackle in a pinch. Kublanow is undersized (6’2″, 290), but is solid enough to be invited to an NFL camp.
Looking to the Bulldogs future
Running back Sony Michel (junior, #1) showed he has a future in the NFL, after taking over starting duties during Nick Chubb’s absence last season. While he has returned to a complimentary role, the Georgia coaches have said they want to increase his role as the year progresses. If he returns for his senior season, he will have a chance to impress NFL scouts in a starting role.
Ole Miss Prospects
Marques Haynes
Junior
#10
Edge rusher
6’2″, 222
Early draft projection = Top 50
Don’t let his weight (222 pounds) fool you, Haynes is an NFL player. At Ole Miss he’s played both right and left defensive end, but a switch to linebacker in the NFL is likely necessary.
Fun fact: he switched his number this season from 27 to 10 this year, as a reminder that he wanted to surpass his total of 10 sacks from last season.
Biggest Strengths:
- Explosion
- Can get off blocks
- Change-of-direction ability
Biggest Weaknesses:
- Lacks natural NFL size
- Will have a learning curve at a new position at next level
- Run defense
At 23 years of age, and as a potential top 50 pick, Haynes seems destined to enter this draft class. While ideally suited to a 34 outside linebacker role, he doesn’t seem like a fit in Detroit. But, the Lions have successfully converted linebackers with this skill set into their Sam linebacker role in that past (i.e. Kyle Van Noy and Tahir Whitehead).
Converting Haynes to an Sam linebacking role would be a undertaking that the Lions wouldn’t invest a first round pick in. However, depending on when they are slotted to pick, he would have some appeal in the second or third round. His natural athleticism and ability to be molded, will be appealing for an attacking defense.
Evan Engram
Senior
#17
Tight end
6’3 1/4″, 227
Early draft projection = Top 100
Ole Miss’s all-time leader in tight end receptions and receiving yards, Engram passed up and opportunity in the NFL last season to polish his skill set.
Biggest Strengths:
- Match-up nightmare
- Above-average athlete
- Natural ball skills
Biggest Weaknesses:
- In-line blocking
- Limited route tree
- Won’t have a role on every NFL team
Engram is more of a big slot than a traditional tight end, but he’s as close to an Eric Ebron-type as there is in this draft class. Adding a player like Engram to the Lions doesn’t seem like a fit on the surface, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Remember: Bob Quinn has shown that he is willing to double up on positions in the past and he came from a system in New England that recently featured two athletic tight ends.
With other more pressing needs on the Lions roster, making a play for Engram seems unlikely. But, Bob Quinn may be willing to gamble on Engram’s versatility to make this offense even more dynamic.
The Senior Quarterback
Chad Kelly (#10) is a player many are familiar with being the nephew of Hall-of-Fame quarterback, Jim Kelly. His strong arm has earned him comparisons to Jay Cutler and several scouting services consider him the top senior quarterback in the class.
Projecting quarterbacks value to NFL teams of often a fruitless task, as their market value is often much higher than their actual value. I could easily see a team enamored by his “upside talent” and target him in the first round. However, it’s my opinion, that any team drafting him prior to day three is overvaluing him because of the position he plays.
Kelly started his career at Clemson before being dismissed in 2014 for multiple off-the-field infractions. He then transferred to East Mississippi and went on to win a Junior College National Championship. This led to a scholarship offer from Ole Miss. However, he was arrested once again while being recruited. Ole Miss overlooked the incident and he was starting for them nine months later.
So, if a team is willing to overlook a lengthy history of conduct issues dating back to high school (here’s a: breakdown of his incidents), they will still have to correct his on-field bad habits. Kelly doesn’t responded well when the pocket collapses and often improvises, using his athleticism to escape. This will be an issue at the next level.
While Kelly does have an NFL level arm, his lack of pocket awareness, and multitude of off-the-field issues, will keep him off Detroit’s radar.
Other Rebels to Consider
Ole Miss lost two wide receivers to the NFL in Laquon Treadwell and Cody Core, yet have two more NFL quality players ready to step up this season: Damore’ea Stringfellow and Quincy Adeboyejo.
Redshirt Junior Damore’ea Stringfellow (#3, 6’2″, 212) has a chance to be a top 100 draft pick if he declares for the draft in 2017. He has NFL size, and attacks the ball with body control and timing. Here’s an example of those skills from last week’s game against Alabama:
While Stringfellow still needs to improve elements to his game (route running, pace), he has off-the field concerns as well. Dismissed from Washington after assault charges, Stringfellow will need to prove to teams that that incident is behind him.
Senior Quincy Adeboyejo has struggled this season. Adeboyejo is capable of playing all over the field and is comfortable in space. His 6’3″ frame is skinnier than most other wide receivers his size, and he will need to add mass at the next level. He has a chance to hear his name called late on day three but he’ll need to turn this around quickly.
D.J. Jones (6’0″, 321) is a true nose tackle, who uses his core strength and stocky frame to shut down running lanes. solid foot quickness allows him to move laterally along the line-of-scrimmage effectively. Lack of pass rush and flaws in his technique has his draft stock in the mid-to-late day three range.
Hybrid safety/linebacker Tony Conner (6’0″ 225), is a physical athlete, who is going to be name rising up most draft boards. Coming off a meniscus tear that didn’t require surgery, but ended his 2015 season prematurely, Conner is considered a day three prospect. He hits with power and regularly covers tight ends with ease. If he can improve his discipline and show he’s recovered from his injury, Conner is a name to watch.
Next: NFL Draft 2017 Top Prospects From Michigan
Bob Quinn has proved that when it comes to the draft process, he is extremely thorough. He spent last offseason installing his approach to the draft and has set his expectations high. Because this is such a high-profile game, you can bet he will be assigning scouts to watch these players closely.
Previous Watchlists:
Alabama vs USC
Tennessee vs Virginia Tech
Ohio State vs Oklahoma