Sure, the 2015 draft still hasn't happened, but we all know that VT doesn't have any high profile draft prospects this year. So I decided to look up where our possible 2016 players rank in their respected positions for next year's draft.
The rankings are from www.nfldraftscout.com. Unfortunately, they rank each player within their class, so someone like Fuller may be a little lower (or not) if they leave early.
The following are most seniors (2016) and other draft eligible players that are highly ranked (top 30 of their class):
www.nfldraftscout.com/VirginiaTechPlayers
2016:
QB - Brewer - 27th
RB - Coleman - 32nd
WR - Knowles - 20th
TE - Malleck - 10th
DE - Nicolas - 5th
DE - Marshall - 41st
DT - Maddy - 7th
ILB - Clarke - 23rd
OLB - Vandyke - 31st
CB - Riley - 29th
P - Hughes - 7th
2017:
RB - Trey Edmunds - 19th
FB - Rogers - 11th (I put his rank in bold out of fear that he'd hunt me down, if I didn't)
OT - McLaughlin - 15th
TE - Kline - 17th
DE - Ekanem - 7th
DT - Williams - 28th
CB - Fuller - 2nd
2018:
WR - Ford - 28th
TE - Hodges - 3rd
OT - Teller - 5th
DE - Dooley - 21st
ILB - Motuapuaka - 15th
For some reason, Cam Phillips doesn't appear on their list at all but Chris Mangus and Mark Leal are. So take these rankings with a grain of salt.
Comments
I'm curious as to when these rankings were done. Walterfootball had Facyson as a top 10 corner after his great freshman season. Obviously his stock fell with the injury, but I'm surprised he isnt listed at all.
Dadi also might as well be listed as an OLB since there's no way he'd be a down lineman at his weight
Fuller a 2017 pick? I hope that happens (assuming he stays healthy)
If Temuchin Hodges (friends call him Bucky) is rated 3rd, who is in front of him?!?
Austin Hooper of Stanford and Jeb Blazevich of UGA. Both good prospects, especially Hooper, but not better than Bucky.
Teller as 5th best in his class after switching to OL just last year is incredible. I also remember a certain Tech QB predicted to be #1 in his class, so I hope this holds up better than it has in the past.
FWIW, Teller played some OL in high school. He was a beast then, so his transition and growth doesnt really surprise me at all
Looks about right, although Maddy should be a tad higher (above Adam Gotsis at least) and Bucky should be #1 in his class. Would put Maddy, Ekanem, and Dadi in the 2nd round, Fuller in the 1st, and Teller in the 3rd. A couple of guys will emerge as good prospects down the road as well.
Teller would be a STEAL in the third round.
Nobody picks Wyatt Teller.
He shows up in the green room and goes out to meet Goodell when they announce the first pick.
Huh? #5 OT in the 3rd round? More like low 1st to mid 2nd...assuming he's even a Tackle.
EDIT: Oh, I see...these are your projections. So if you have Bucky #1, do you anything know about the 2 guys currently ranked ahead of him or are you just spitballing?
I see Dadi in a Mingo/Irvin type pass rush specialist role.
If Kendall was eligible this year, he would be the first corner off the board.
Kline will move up considerably from the #17 TE if he stays uninjured.
Ditto. Especially if you consider that the last time he played we had a different OC that didn't focus on using the TE and he still had good numbers as a true freshman.
Do we have 3 pro tight ends on the roster now? Quite possibly.
This must be heaven for Loeffler......and the HokieNation of course.
Very quite possibly. I'd say Malleck has the lowest ceiling -- if only because of his injury history -- but could make a club somewhere.
Same OC, Cline's Freshman season was Loeffler's first season as OC.
And Kline balled out, in spite of having very little experience. He's a very impressive young man. I'm really pulling for him to have a big year.