With the 2017 NFL Draft in the books, the Pro Football Focus analysis team is offering a look at the top remaining players on our draft board for the very important UDFAs. Edge defender Joe Mathis and linebacker Kenneth Olugbode are among the highest-ranked prospects headed for teams to lure to rookie minicamp.
1. Joe Mathis, Edge, Washington
Big Board Rank: 46
Position Rank: 11
Mathis is the wild card of this edge class. His games against Oregon and Stanford were of first-rounder quality, but a foot injury suffered in that Oregon game cost him the majority of his senior year. In those two games, Mathis racked up 14 QB pressures, which is more than he averaged in his previous two full seasons at Washington. — Mike Renner, @PFF_Mike
2. Kenneth Olugbode, LB, Colorado
Big Board Rank: 128
Position Rank: 6
Olugbode broke out in 2016 to finish sixth overall among the nation’s linebackers with an 88.1 overall grade. He flies to the ball in the run game and shows good range in zone coverage, and he should at least compete for snaps in sub-package sets at the next level. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
3. Robert Leff, OT, Auburn
Big Board Rank: 130
Position Rank: 8
Leff put up solid grades in Auburn’s scheme, particularly in the run game, where his 81.9 grade ranked 12th in the nation. There’s a natural learning curve coming from Auburn’s offense into the NFL, but Leff can make a roster on the back of his run-blocking potential as he develops in pass protection. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
4. Jon Toth, C, Kentucky
Big Board Rank: 132
Position Rank: 4
Toth brings good size to the position, and he ran Kentucky’s offense well, grading among the nation’s top centers for three straight years. He took a slight step back in 2016, allowing 10 pressures and ranking 30th in the draft class in pass-blocking efficiency, but he’s a solid option in a downhill run scheme. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
5. Jacob Hollister, TE, Wyoming
Big Board Rank: 134
Position Rank: 8
Hollister showed continued improvement in college, putting together a strong 2016 that showed off his playmaking ability. He’s a nifty route runner who can go up and make plays in traffic, and he did a fine job after the catch, averaging 7.1 YAC/completion in 2016. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
6. DeAngelo Brown, DI, Louisville
Big Board Rank: 135
Position Rank: 15
A surprise Senior Bowl and combine omission, Brown could legitimately start in a base package as a rookie. He is one of the best prospects in this class against double-teams. Brown displays tremendous technique against multiple blockers, sinking his powerful lower body to deny lineman vertical movement. Even when initially unbalanced, he displays a consistent capacity to re-anchor and earn a draw at worst. Admittedly, Brown is unlikely to emerge as a nickel pass-rusher, yet an investment is almost certainly worthwhile for a valuable member of any defensive line rotation. — John Breitenbach, @PFF_John
7. Austin Carr, WR, Northwestern
Big Board Rank: 137
Position Rank: 17
Carr was incredibly productive last season, finishing as our highest-graded receiver at 89.5 overall. He runs smart routes out of the slot and has good hands to finish with. He could develop into a reliable security blanket for an NFL QB much like he was with Northwestern last year. QB Clayton Thorson had a rating of 118.6 when targeting Carr and 77.6 when targeting any other receiver. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
8. Channing Stribling, CB, Michigan
Big Board Rank: 139
Position Rank: 21
Stribling doesn’t have great athleticism, but had a strong 2016, allowing a passer rating of only 22.7 into his coverage, good for second-best in the nation. He got his hands on 15 passes (11 pass breakups, four interceptions) while allowing only 19 receptions into his coverage. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
9. KD Cannon, WR, Baylor
Big Board Rank: 145
Position Rank: 18
Cannon is another Baylor receiver who is more athlete than finished receiving product at this point. His speed and acceleration are very impressive, but his lack of a route tree may hold him back a bit. He’s very good at what he does run, though, as evidenced by his 2.72 yards per route run last season, 22nd-most among all FBS receivers. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
10. Ishmael Zamora, WR, Baylor
Big Board Rank: 149
Position Rank: 19
Zamora is essentially a Josh Gordon clone, with nearly identical size, athleticism, and ability. Whether he can reach his potential, though, remains to be seen. Zamora has very inconsistent hands and doesn’t run many routes, but his size, speed, and strength make him one of the highest-ceiling receivers in the class. Baylor QBs had a rating of 106.6 when targeting him last year. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
11. Mikal Myers, Defensive Interior, Connecticut
Big Board Rank: 154
Position Rank: 19
At 325 pounds, Myers is rarely moved off the ball, and he has a good feel in the run game, allowing him to rank 12th in the draft class in run-stop percentage, at 10.1 percent. He has little chance of creating pressure, as he notched only three QB pressures on 313 rushes in 2016, but Myers can hold the point and play the run on early downs at nose tackle. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
12. Fred Zerblis, G, Colorado State
Big Board Rank: 157
Position Rank: 8
Zerblis has been outstanding the last two seasons, finishing 2016 with the nation’s No. 5 overall grade among guards, at 85.9. He is scheme-diverse, but may excel in a gap scheme as he can locate defenders on the move as a puller. Zerblis has surrendered only 10 QB pressures on 831 attempts over the last two seasons. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
13. Eric Smith, OT, Virginia
Big Board Rank: 158
Position Rank: 10
Smith progressed nicely at Virginia, topping out with an 81.2 overall grade in 2016 that ranked 17th in the nation. He showed the footwork to pass protect, and his pass-blocking efficiency on five-step drops ranked eighth in the draft class, at 97.8. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
14. Dylan Cole, LB, Missouri State
Big Board Rank: 160
Position Rank: 9
Cole’s athleticism — in particular, his change of direction and acceleration — is impressive, but his lack of physicality and tendency to want to retreat or run around blocks is scary. At his pro day, he recorded a vertical jump of 39 inches, ran his 40 in the 4.55 range, and put up 32 reps on the bench. If he learns how to translate that strength to his football game, he clearly has the goods to start in any scheme. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
15. Omarius Bryant, Defensive Interior, Western Kentucky
Big Board Rank: 163
Position Rank: 20
Although he fails to stand out in any area, Bryant’s complete skill-set makes him an attractive proposition in the mid to late rounds. He generated 63 combined QB pressures in 2016 to go with 23 stops. — John Breitenbach, @PFF_John
16. Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia
Big Board Rank: 164
Position Rank: 5
Orlosky is one of the most accomplished pass-protecting centers in college football. He allowed all of 10 QB pressures in 968 pass-blocking snaps over the past two seasons combined. Unfortunately for him, center isn’t a position where pass protecting is at a premium, and his power and athleticism is lacking as a run-blocker. — Mike Renner, @PFF_Mike
17. Leo Koloamatangi, C, Hawai’i
Big Board Rank: 167
Position Rank: 6
A favorite of PFF offensive line analyst Taylor Wright, Koloamatangi has potential at both guard and center after allowing only six pressures on 463 attempts in 2016. He brings power to the run game where his 78.9 grade ranked fifth among the nation’s centers last season. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
18. Charles Walker, DI, Oklahoma
Big Board Rank: 170
Position Rank: 23
Walker was excellent in limited opportunities back in 2015, but suffered multiple concussions in his final season at Oklahoma. The redshirt junior took a huge gamble opting for early entry to the NFL, considering that he managed only 144 snaps last year. Walker has too many negative plays on tape, and fails to dominate for extended stretches. For a man of his size and length, Walker allowed himself to be reach-blocked alarmingly regularly. His gap discipline is also poor, and he missed too many tackles. Although the negatives are numerous, Walker does possess the raw tools to emerge as an NFL-caliber defensive tackle. — John Breitenbach, @PFF_John
19. Hunter Dimick, Edge, Utah
Big Board Rank: 172
Position Rank: 25
Dimick has some of the best straight-line explosiveness of anyone in this class. He led all of FBS with 83 pressures last season. Dimick can be a bull-rush/edge setter at the next level, but may not offer much else. — Mike Renner, @PFF_Mike
20. Tanner Gentry, WR, Wyoming
Big Board Rank: 177
Position Rank: 25
Gentry is an underrated prospect who had some very impressive tape at Wyoming. He has a very large catch radius and hands strong enough to make some circus catches. He’s very physical at the catch point, which will help at the next level. He can be a deep threat out of the gate, as his 49 deep targets last year were the most among all FBS receivers. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
21. Daniel Brunskill, OT, San Diego State
Big Board Rank: 182
Position Rank: 11
A tight end turned tackle, Brunskill is undersized for an NFL offensive tackle, but he could fill the role as a tight end/tackle hybrid as he continues to put on weight. He had a strong career at San Diego State, moving well in space on his way to an 81.4 run-blocking grade that ranked ninth in the nation in 2016, and he could get a long look from zone-heavy rushing teams. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
22. Arthur Maulet, CB, Memphis
Big Board Rank: 183
Position Rank: 25
Maulet had a breakout 2016 season, finishing third in the nation with an 89.6 overall grade. He tied for fourth in the nation with 11 pass breakups, though he lacked consistency on a weekly basis, and his height (5-foot-9 1/2) and a lack of athleticism will challenge him at the next level. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
23. Jordan Sterns, S, Oklahoma State
Big Board Rank: 184
Position Rank: 15
Sterns burst onto the scene in 2016, earning an 84.5 overall grade that ranked seventh in the nation. He has box safety potential, as he works downhill in the running game while showing the skills to excel in short coverage. Sterns must improve his tackling, as he missed 39 of his 328 attempts over the last three seasons. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
24. Najee Murray, CB, Kent State
Big Board Rank: 186
Position Rank: 26
Murray’s 86.0 overall grade ranked 15th among cornerbacks in 2016 as he broke up nine passes and intercepted two more while allowing a passer rating of only 38.4 into his coverage, good for seventh in the nation among cornerbacks with at least 40 targets. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
25. Damien Mama, G, USC
Big Board Rank: 192
Position Rank: 10
Mama has limited scheme fits at the next level, but can create movement on the ground when he locks onto defenders. He improved greatly in pass protection in 2016, allowing only eight QB pressures after surrendering 18 in 2015 on a similar number of attempts. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
26. Woody Baron, DI, Virginia Tech
Big Board Rank: 193
Position Rank: 24
Baron lacked consistency during his career with the Hokies, but made a string of marvelous plays as a senior. He is particularly lethal collapsing the pocket, finishing with seven sacks in 2016. — John Breitenbach, @PFF_John
27. Casey Sayles, DI, Ohio
Big Board Rank: 195
Position Rank: 25
Sayles is undersized for a defensive tackle, but has graded solidly as a run-defender for three straight seasons. In 2016, Sayles improved his pass-rush to the tune of six sacks, four QB hits, 27 hurries, and two batted passes on 359 pass-rushing snaps.
28. Arian Penton, CB, Missouri
Big Board Rank: 198
Position Rank: 28
While he had the propensity to give up the big play (in 2016 he gave up six receptions of over 30 yards), Penton yielded just a 50.3 completion percentage against on 171 throws into his coverage between 2014 and 2016. He had six break-ups and five interceptions in 2016, one of them coming in a stellar performance against Arkansas that saw him surrender just three receptions for 9 total yards on eight throws into his coverage. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
29. Tim Patrick, WR, Utah
Big Board Rank: 202
Position Rank: 29
Patrick is an extremely raw route runner and will need to improve if he wants to succeed at the next level. He can still offer vertical-threat ability for an NFL team, though, as he’s got the speed to get behind defenders and a huge catch radius that allows him to make receptions even if he doesn’t separate. Over a third of his targets last season (34.1 percent) came on deep passes. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
30. Gabe Marks, WR, Washington State
Big Board Rank: 204
Position Rank: 30
Marks had fantastic production at Washington State, but he is more than just a product of that system. He’s a great route-runner who knows how to attack at all levels of the field. He’s likely not fast or strong enough to play outside consistently, but his quick footwork and strong hands should do well in the slot. Over the past two seasons, Washington State QBs have a rating of 119.8 when targeting Marks. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
31. Travin Dural, WR, LSU
Big Board Rank: 205
Position Rank: 31
Although Dural showed off his athletic ability at LSU, he was never able to put up big numbers due to the Tigers’ inept passing game. However, he became a reliable target last season, as he did not drop any of his 28 catchable targets in 2016. — Zoltán Buday, @PFF_Zoltan
32. Darius Hamilton, DI, Rutgers
Big Board Rank: 206
Position Rank: 26
Hamilton posted an overall grade of 86.3 in 2016, making him the second-highest-graded defensive interior prospect out of the Big 10 this season. While unable to get back to the pass-rushing form he showed in 2014 when he amassed eight sacks and 46 total pressures, he did put up 26 run stops last year. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
33. Garrett Sickels, Edge, Penn State
Big Board Rank: 209
Position Rank: 28
Sickels has some of the most relentless hands in this class, but they don’t do much to make up for a complete lack of athleticism. His production wasn’t anything special, either, as he had the 39th-highest pass-rushing grade at the edge position last year. — Mike Renner, @PFF_Mike
34. Calvin Munson, LB, San Diego State
Big Board Rank: 210
Position Rank: 15
He can time blitzes well and work off stunts effectively, which led to him posting 24 sacks over the past three seasons at San Diego State. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
35. Jake Eldrenkamp, G, Washington
Big Board Rank: 214
Position Rank: 12
With some highlight-reel blocks as a puller, Eldrenkamp can have success in a gap scheme, and his work as a puller was a big part of his 82.6 run grade that ranked 18th in the nation in 2016. He made strides in pass protection last season, but still had his issues against better defensive fronts. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
36. Damore’ea Stringfellow, WR, Mississippi
Big Board Rank: 218
Position Rank: 33
Stringfellow will have NFL teams taking a look at him late due to his size and ability to use it. He’s got a large catch radius and can win at the catch point with his physicality. He’ll need to improve inconsistent hands, as he dropped 10 of 56 catchable balls last season. That said, he could turn himself into a nice red-zone threat for an NFL offense. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
37. Devonte Fields, Edge, Louisville
Big Board Rank: 220
Position Rank: 29
Fields is frustrating as a pass-rusher, as he was extremely inconsistent in college. He flashes exceptional quickness at times and then disappears for whole games at others. If he can recapture his four-game stretch to finish his junior season where he racked up nine sacks, he’ll find a roster spot. — Mike Renner, @PFF_Mike
38. Pharaoh Brown, TE, Oregon
Big Board Rank: 221
Position Rank: 12
Brown’s 75.2 run-blocking grade, along with his average of 1.89 yards per route run out of the slot, both ranked within the top 10 of draft-eligible tight ends. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
39. Fred Ross, WR, Mississippi State
Big Board Rank: 222
Position Rank: 34
Ross has a lot of work to do to make it in the NFL, as he really struggles to beat press coverage and doesn’t have the speed or route running to separate consistently. But if he can improve there, he has impressively effortless hands and can make tough catches in traffic. His 2.32 yards per route run last year were 12th-most among SEC receivers with 50-plus targets. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
40. DeAndre Scott, CB, Akron
Big Board Rank: 223
Position Rank: 31
Scott had a nice career at Akron, allowing a passer rating of only 51.7 into his coverage over the last three years while allowing only two touchdowns over the last two years. He had an outstanding 2015 season, as he picked up six interceptions and broke up seven other passes. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
41. Josh Boutte, G, LSU
Big Board Rank: 224
Position Rank: 13
Boutte had a strong season, particularly a dominant game against Missouri, as he took good angles in LSU’s zone-blocking scheme. He doesn’t create a lot of movement in the run game, but has a chance to succeed as a guy who doesn’t lose often at the next level. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
42. Jarron Jones, DI, Notre Dame
Big Board Rank: 226
Position Rank: 30
Jones has incredible size for the position but was often injured at Notre Dame. His run-stop percentage of 10.4 ranks No. 9 in the draft class, so he can be productive when healthy. — Jordan Plocher, @PFF_Jordan
43. Adam Butler, DI, Vanderbilt
Big Board Rank: 228
Position Rank: 31
Butler recorded four sacks, no hits, and 28 hurries on 377 pass-rush snaps in 2016. Butler has an array of pass-rush moves and can line up and produce both at DT and DE. He should be able to provide a team with valuable reserve snaps. — Jordan Plocher, @PFF_Jordan
44. Keith Brown, LB, Western Kentucky
Big Board Rank: 229
Position Rank: 16
Brown was a run-stopping specialist for the Hilltoppers, as he ranked third in FBS in run-stop percentage in 2016. While a better fit inside for a 3-4 team where he has less room to operate, he still posted solid coverage grades last season thanks, in part due to two interceptions and four pass breakups. — Josh Liskiewitz, @PFF_Josh
45. Josh Tupou, DI, Colorado
Big Board Rank: 230
Position Rank: 32
Tupou is a massive human being and run-down nose tackle with better athleticism than his size would indicate. He provided 21 run stops on 342 run-defense snaps in 2016. — Jordan Plocher, @PFF_Jordan
46. Daikiel Shorts, Jr., WR, West Virginia
Big Board Rank: 233
Position Rank: 35
Shorts has some of the strongest, most impressive hands among any receiver in this class. He doesn’t run a ton of routes besides crossing the field, and isn’t quite as quick as you’d hope for a slot receiver. Still, his 82.3 overall grade last season ranked 20th in FBS, and shows that he could develop into a security-blanket slot receiver down the line. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
47. Dylan Bradley, Edge, Southern Miss
Big Board Rank: 235
Position Rank: 34
Bradley will be forced to make the switch from DT to DE at the NFL level. Bradley can win with quickness or with power when he is lined up inside, but his best fit is to provide rotational snaps at defensive end. He generated 37 QB pressures on 350 pass-rushing snaps in 2016. — Jordan Plocher, @PFF_Jordan
48. Keon Hatcher, WR, Arkansas
Big Board Rank: 236
Position Rank: 37
Hatcher has the tools that NFL teams look for in a receiver, with strong hands and the ability to beat press coverage. His biggest problem is his lack of route adjustments mid-route, which lead to a lot of collisions and failed routes if defenders are in his way. But he averaged 2.56 yards per route run last year, third in the SEC, so he can still be an effective receiver. — Bryson Vesnaver, @PFF_Bryson
49. Nick Mullens, QB, Southern Mississippi
Big Board Rank: 237
Position Rank: 11
Mullens lacks the ideal size of an NFL quarterback, but he has good accuracy to the short and intermediate area of the field. His adjusted completion percentage of 82.1 in the 6- to 10-yard range ranked third in the draft class. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
50. Alex Barrett, Edge, San Diego State
Big Board Rank: 238
Position Rank: 30
While he played a number of snaps on the interior at only 255 pounds at San Diego State, Barrett projects as more of an edge player at the next level. He picked up seven sacks, six QB hits, and 31 hurries on only 388 rushes in 2016 on his way to the No. 19 overall grade among interior defensive linemen, at 85.8. — Steve Palazzolo, @PFF_Steve
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