The top 25 players in the 2017 NFL draft, period
Our NFL Insider ranks the NFL draft's top 25 players, regardless of position, team or projection.
April 25, 2017 at 2:37AM
DE Texas A&M
Craig's take: Consensus No. 1 player, but … beware of the combine "freak" who gets the draftniks droolin' over 40 times, bench presses and three-cone results. Garrett's sacks vs. Power 5 teams: 16½ in 26 games. Sacks vs. non-Power 5: 16 in nine games.
2Jonathan Allen
DT Alabama
Craig's take: On the flip side, I don't fret about below-average underwear workouts when the prospect produces the way this guy did on Saturdays for Nick Saban. Run-stopper who can rush.
3Jamal Adams
S Louisiana State
Craig's take: From Hall of Fame selections down to the draft, it's good to see that safeties continue to get their due respect. The best of the bunch is right here.
4Marshon Lattimore
CB Ohio State
Craig's take: Could be a great with all the tools and demeanor. But he's an injury risk and doesn't have a lot of film on his résumé.
5Deshaun Watson
QB Clemson
Craig's take: Went 35-3 with a title. A leader, clutch player, mobile, instinctive. I'll put him this high because QBs are so much more valuable. Trust him, take him and teach him.
6Leonard Fournette
RB Louisiana State
Craig's take: This guy looks incredible. He could be the next Bo Jackson. Of course, he's also a running back. And know this about Bo: He lasted only 38 NFL games.
7Solomon Thomas
DE Stanford
Craig's take: Considered the second-best edge rusher behind Garrett. These guys don't last long.
8O.J. Howard
TE Alabama
Craig's take: A quality Crimson Tide guy with 57 games played. And, oh yeah, great hands, 250 pounds and runs a 4.5.
9Reuben Foster
LB Alabama
Craig's take: Can we just make Alabama the 33rd NFL team? Foster can blast people, make plays sideline to sideline and cover.
10Mitchell Trubisky
QB North Carolina
Craig's take: He's raw, this is too high and, well, so what? As we saw in 2011, teams that need QBs take QBs. Potential is high.
11Mike Williams
WR Clemson
Craig's take: Looks like a legit No. 1 receiver in skills and size (6-4, 218). Fractured neck in '15 appears to be no problem.
12Malik Hooker
S Ohio State
Craig's take: Like Lattimore, film is limited. Great NFL potential. Surgery (labrum) in January shouldn't hurt stock.
13Forrest Lamp
G Western Kentucky
Craig's take: As free agency proved again, guards are valued people, too. Considered a dominant run blocker.
14Cam Robinson
OT Alabama
Craig's take: Yes, there actually are some worthy tackles. Robinson has ideal size and experience vs. SEC rushers.
15Patrick Mahomes II
QB Texas Tech
Craig's take: Spread QBs from Texas Tech can be fool's gold. He needs work, obviously, but the talent is there.
16Corey Davis
WR Western Michigan
Craig's take: Decent size, staggering stats and known for knowing where to be and when to be there. The latter is key.
17Christian McCaffrey
RB Stanford
Craig's take: He could be an evolutionary-type of running back. Or he could get squashed like a relatively little bug.
18Gareon Conley
CB Ohio State
Craig's take: Another big (6-0, 195) OSU corner who can fit into a variety of NFL schemes.
19Dalvin Cook
RB Florida State
Craig's take: Three-time 1,000-yard rusher who can catch the ball. But three shoulder surgeries for a RB is concerning.
20Derek Barnett
DE-OLB Tennessee
Craig's take: SEC edge rusher with double-digit sacks the past three seasons.
21Takkarist McKinley
DE-OLB UCLA
Craig's take: Considered raw, but had 18 TFLs, 10 sacks and broke up six passes in 2016. That's raw you can work with.
22Malik McDowell
DT Michigan State
Craig's take: Could be an elite interior rusher with the size (6-6, 295) to move along the front line.
23Joe Mixon
RB Oklahoma
Craig's take: Grabbing this hot potato requires due diligence, strong leadership and a costly exit plan if Joe's deplorable behavior resurfaces.
24Garrett Bolles
OT Utah
Craig's take: Needs to add size and polish after only one year at the FBS level. But considered to be best athlete of the OTs.
25John Ross
WR Washington
Craig's take: Seventeen TDs in '16 and a record 4.22 40 at the combine overshadow slight build. Should they? At least he was productive before we learned that he's also crazy fast.
Mark Craig is an NFL and Vikings Insider. • Twitter: @MarkCraigNFL • E-mail: mcraig@startribune.com
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
