2017 NFL Draft: Week 1 Prospect Stock Report
Stock Up: Defense
Adoree’ Jackson (CB – USC): Despite giving up 52 points, there was actually a USC defender who played well Saturday night in Dallas. He didn’t get a lot of help from his teammates, but Adoree’ Jackson improved his 2017 NFL Draft stock against Alabama.
Throughout the game, and especially in the second half, Jackson was the only Trojans player who looked like he belonged on the same field as the reigning national champions. The junior cornerback, who also contributes as a wide receiver and return man, chased down two long Alabama runs to prevent touchdowns. His non-stop motor also showed up on special teams as he showed off very good speed and elusiveness with the ball in his hands. Most importantly however, was his ability to shutdown WR Calvin Ridley.
The sophomore receiver was held to just two catches for nine yards; both career-lows. Jackson was giving up about three inches to Ridley, but his ability to mirror routes and close on the ball prevented any of the three Crimson Tide quarterbacks from testing him. Whether Jackson declares for the 2017 NFL Draft, or waits until 2018, he’s expected to be a first-round pick.
Crimson Tide Defenders (DEF – Alabama): After the way the Alabama defense played against USC, there’s no way to single out just one member of the defense. It didn’t matter which 11 players were on the field, the unit played extremely well as they prevented the Trojans from getting the ball into the end zone.
Whether it was Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick (Fitzpatrick not eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft) shutting down the receivers, or Jonathan Allen, Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson creating havoc in the backfield, or Reuben Foster punishing anyone who got in his way, each and every prominent Alabama defender helped their 2017 NFL Draft stock.
Myles Garrett (DE – Texas A&M): Widely believed at this point to be the first non-QB selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, Myles Garrett had a chance to help his stock as he went one-on-one with 6-foot-8 Conor McDermott of UCLA. The massive left tackle didn’t stand a chance as Garrett passed his first test of the season with flying colors.
Garrett was only credited with one sack and two hits in the game, but his constant pressure forced UCLA QB Josh Rosen to rush his decision-making, leading to poorly thrown balls. While Garrett being able to utilize his speed against McDermott was no surprise, his bull rush looked much improved from a year ago. There were multiple times throughout the game when he got his hands inside McDermott’s pads and lifted the left tackle out of his way. That’s one area Garrett needed to improve upon, and he’s already done so.
Where Garrett winds up being selected in the 2017 NFL Draft will basically come down to which teams hold the top spots. Similar to how the past two drafts have played out, quarterbacks could very well go first and second overall. If Garrett continues to play like he has over his entire career, his floor should be third overall.
Eddie Vanderdoes (DT – UCLA): Although overshadowed by Myles Garrett, Eddie Vanderdoes also played well in the UCLA versus Texas A&M game. After making 19 starts in his first two seasons, Vanderdoes was hurt in the 2015 opener and missed the remainder of the season. Saturday afternooon, he returned and made an immediate impact.
A year after tearing his ACL, Vanderdoes took the field once again for the Bruins. He made five tackles from his defensive tackle position, but his impact was much greater than a stat line can show.
He did a good job winning one-on-one battles in the middle as well as holding his ground against double teams. Texas A&M ran for over 200 yards on the ground, but that number could have been a lot higher if Vanderdoes hadn’t prevented offensive linemen from reaching the second level of the defense on a consistent basis. If he continues to play well throughout the season, Vanderdoes could be a second-day selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Next: Stock Down: Offense