Mike Mayock’s Big Board Release

Well, it’s that time where we know the draft is officially fast approaching as Mike Mayock has stopped teasing us with his top five by position and puts out his top 32 players.

Mayock is not always right. No one is, but he’s knowledgeable and does good work and is one of the best draft analysts out there (right behind us at NFLmocks…I kid, I kid).

Mayock’s explanations are here.

Mayock’s Big board:

1. Dareus

2. Miller

3. Green

4. Peterson

5. Gabbert

6. Quinn

7. Jones

8. Fairley

9. Amukamara

10. Bowers

11. Castanzo

12. Watt

13. Tyron Smith

14. Aldon Smith

15. Jordan

16. Ingram

17. Kerrigan

18. Wilkerson

19. Carimi

20. Locker

21. Newton

22. Clayborn

23. Liuget

24. Ayers

25. Solder

26. Williams

27. Heyward

28. Pouncey

29. Taylor

30. Smith

31. Paea

32. Rudolph

Well, here are my thoughts.

We’ve had Dareus ahead of Fairley on our big board since Sayre and I got here at the beginning of February, but I am a bit surprised to see him at first overall.

Mayock has Locker ahead of Newton, which is interesting, people have been hating on Locker lately, but I still think he has a good chance of going in the first round. I think he’s more talented than QB who have gone in the first round recently.

Aaron Williams is his #3 CB, not Jimmy Smith and not Brandon Harris. We’ve been slow to update our big board since the combine because we prefer to really consider any changes based on the combine because we like to trust our film, and I love Brandon Harris I’m surprised to see he’s not in the top 32, I thought he would be.

Mayock is clearly not worried about the Von Miller to Vernon Gholston comparisons because he has Miller at #2 overall.

I’ve been reading/hearing for awhile that Castanzo is the scout’s favorite prospect, but have been reluctant to admit it. Watching him play more though I think he’s one of the few who’s going to make a big jump in our final big board rankings. He’s a real good player.

Wilkerson is very high on his big board. I’ve been openly honest that I haven’t seen Wilkerson play enough to trust putting him that high, but there’s one more analysts who has Wilkerson solidly in the first round.

Bowers is at #10, which is odd to me (especially given his explanation because he says the same thing about Quinn). Bowers has the goods.

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