Who are Your Elite Members of the Class of '015?

TexasAg1969

On D besides Williams & Shelton I'd add Fowler, Gregory and Beasley. Since none are likely to be there at 12 I like Dupree for the Browns.

O- the obvious WR's in Cooper and White. I'd add Peat, Collins and maybe Humphries.

I think the only reason the QB's go early is sheer need. Both have some question marks that keep them from being "elite".

One RB-Gordon would be a great addition to a run oriented team like the Browns, but if we are sticking to D on the first two, he'll be gone by 2nd round. I think he is an elite runner though. A player like that takes a lot of pressure off the QB.

Tour2ma

Williams looks like an elite slam dunk.

I think the RB choices, Gordon and Gurley, are interesting. Even if neither goes before late in the first, arguments cans still be made for both being elite. Personally I think if either turns out to be, it will be Gurley. He's as close to AP, including the knee, as I have seen.

tiamat63

By position.

QB - Winston

RB - Gordon, Gurley, Abdullah

TE - n/a

WR - Cooper, White, Green Beckham

OT - Peat, Clemmings

OG - n/a

C - Erving

DT - Shelton, Williams, Brown, Bennett

DE/OLB - Rey, Beasley, Orchard, Thompson

ILB - Dawson

CB - Wayne's

FS - n/ a

SS - Collins

Mudfly

Elite can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.......so, for me, an Elite prospect isn't just the best at his position, but is a stand out talent period.......usually the draft holds less than 10 of these types and this year feels about the same......I have 7 or 8 that I like at the 12th pick, then feel like the talent really levels out and the next 30-40 players are really just who you like.....my top 7 are...

Leonard Williams

Dante Fowler

Kevin White

Danny Shelton

Jameis Winston

Vic Beasley

Randy Gregory

And Id take Mariota at 12, but dont really believe he's the 12th best player or an elite QB.....but I would still try.....

And at #19, I'd consider nabbing some of the better position players like...

Gurley-RB

Waynes-CB

Collins-SS

TexasAg1969

Mud-I think Waynes is gone by 19.

gftChris

And collins!

Mudfly

@texasag1969 said:
Mud-I think Waynes is gone by 19.

@gftchris said:
And collins!

Yeah....Im not saying they'll still be there(though its very possible)...or even that WE should pick em if they are......just saying that they are the best at their position, but not what I consider elite(or top 10ish).......though at #19, they really look good

The Gipper

Doesn't someone put a numerical rating on draft prospects?

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/nfp-prospect-grading-system/

secondwave

@mudfly said:

Elite can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.......so, for me, an Elite prospect isn't just the best at his position, but is a stand out talent period.......usually the draft holds less than 10 of these types and this year feels about the same......I have 7 or 8 that I like at the 12th pick, then feel like the talent really levels out and the next 30-40 players are really just who you like.....my top 7 are...

Leonard Williams

Dante Fowler

Kevin White

Danny Shelton

Jameis Winston

Vic Beasley

Randy Gregory

And Id take Mariota at 12, but dont really believe he's the 12th best player or an elite QB.....but I would still try.....

And at #19, I'd consider nabbing some of the better position players like...

Gurley-RB

Waynes-CB

Collins-SS

yeah, elite is very 'open to interpretation', especially when dealing with college players, but i'll give it a shot.

Todd Gurley

Amari Cooper

Kevin White

Leonard Williams

Danny Shelton

Vic Beasley

thenew23

To me, "elite" means there aren't noticeable flaws in a players game and you would feel safe taking them at the top of the draft even if the position they play isn't a need. Id say there are maybe 5 "elite" players in this draft:

Jameis Winston

Leonard Williams

Amari Cooper

Danny Shelton

Dante Fowler

And a few close-to-elite:

Mariota

White

Gordon

Peat

Waynes

Ray

jrb12711

I choose to take elite as players who will be good, solid pros in the the NFL. With that being said, here's my short list in no particular order.

Jameis Winston

Danny Shelton

Tyler Lockette

Leonard Williams

Amari Cooper

Shaq Thompson

Melvin Gordon

David Cobb

cdl15

Wake Forrest CB Kevin Johnson.

Georgia Tech Wr Darren Wallen.

Ohio State Wr Cory Smith.

miktoxic

what list?

top 5, 10, 25...first round?

i needs to get more specific.

Tour2ma

Didn't think it was that hard of a question...

Elite (adjective): representing the most choice or select; best: "an elite group of authors."

As intimated in my earlier posts, Shelton and Williams lead my list.. and are my list on the D-side. There are a couple more DL that are close and a couple LBs that are close, but probable position changes (Fowler) raise issues. I do not see any elite secondary.

On the O-side I'll add:

Winston... because on-field, I do not think there are any questions;
Gurley;
Kevin White.

No O-line or TE this year.

So for me it's five players total. I thought when the thread started I'd have more, but no... "Gun to my head" to add a sixth and I'd add Beasley.

A RB is the odd inclusion I found myself making as I would pass on Gurley at 12 (and 19) without a second thought. Just speaks to the total devaluation of the position in today's game.

The Gipper

It is difficult to say who is elite......I think "elite" can only be determined a few years down the road....and often the elite players will not be those taken highly. Here are probably the 6 top players...."elite" from the last few drafts...and where they were taken:

2014

Zack Martin 1st

CJ Mosley 1st

ODell Beckham 1st

Aaron Donald 1st

Cory Linsly 6th round

Jeremy Hill 2d

2013

Eddy Lacy 2d

Leveon Bell 2d

Kyle Long 1st

Travis Frederick 1st

David Bakhtari 4th round

DJ Fluker 1st

2012

Russell Wilson 3rd round

Andrew Luck 1st

Ryan Tannehill 1st

Bobby Wagner 2d

Dontari Poe 1st

TY Hilton 3rd round

2011

JJ Watt 1st

Cam Newton 1st

Richard Sherman 5th round

Patrick Peterson 1st

Von Miller 1st

AJ Green 1st

So, while, yes, more likely an elite player will be a first rounder, not all elite players will be.

In the Browns case, unfortunately, they have drafted what can be considered an "elite" player.....a person that performed amongst the Top Ten of their draft class just one time: that being Joe Thomas.

Joe Haden doesn't make the top 20 of his draft class. As good as he is, his year also saw the likes of Suh, Earl Thomas, Maurkice Pouncey, Navarro Bowman, Dez Bryant, Mike Iupati, Demaryius Thomas, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Jason Paul-Piere, Daryl Washington drafted as well.

gftChris

I'd add Kuechly to the 2012 list, off the top of my head.

Tour2ma

History merely confirms or corrects impressions of the time... and we can still argue years later whether a player is elite or not, e.g., Newton, Tannehill, Hilton, Lacy, and Linsley(?).

The Gipper

@gftchris said:
I'd add Kuechly to the 2012 list, off the top of my head.

Yes, he was in there. I just forgot to type his name when going down my list. Oops.

The Gipper

@tour2ma said:
History merely confirms or corrects impressions of the time.

And is written by the victors.