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Right after every NFL Draft, an avalanche of way-too-early mock drafts are published, educated shot-in-the-dark predictions of the first round of the following year's draft, and their accuracy is perpetually brutal.
This article is a small step toward combating the widespread imprecision by providing essentially off-the-radar potential first-rounders well before they could jump into the Round 1 conversation.
After all, no one had Baker Mayfield being picked within the first 32 selections a year out, much less going No. 1 overall. The same is true for Kyler Murray.
1. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
After Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has helped two shorter, initially overlooked quarterbacks win the Heisman and then go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, the latest Sooners quarterback deserves to be mentioned here. And he's a fascinating case. The No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the country in the 2016 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, Hurts started at Alabama as a freshman in 2016, won SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and the Crimson Tide lost in the national title game to Deshaun Watson and Clemson.
The next season, he was the starter on a 13-1 Alabama team before getting benched at halftime in the national title game against Georgia in January 2018 for Tua Tagovailoa, who's never relinquished the first-string gig at Alabama. Hurts' 2016 and 2017 film showed an ultra-conservative passer who didn't turn it over much but wasn't making tight-window or anticipatory passes. He didn't have good pocket presence either. After completing 62.8% and 60.4% of his throws in 2016 and 2017 at a combined 7.63 yards per attempt, when he got on the field as a junior for the Crimson Tide, he looked much more comfortable as a passer. Hurts completed 72.9% of his throws at 10.9 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns and two picks.
And now he's in Riley's offense, the most glamorous in college football, a scheme that produced three of the four highest passer efficiency rating seasons (Murray in 2018 and Mayfield in 2016 and 2017) in history. Hurts will throw to CeeDee Lamb, a future early pick who's coming off a 1,158-yard, 17.8-yards-per-reception, 11-touchdown season, along with a variety of super-talented skill-position players in Oklahoma's souped up Air Raid scheme. Following his brilliant transfer decision, Hurts absolutely has a prime opportunity to go in the first round of the 2020 Draft.
www.cbssports.com
This article is a small step toward combating the widespread imprecision by providing essentially off-the-radar potential first-rounders well before they could jump into the Round 1 conversation.
After all, no one had Baker Mayfield being picked within the first 32 selections a year out, much less going No. 1 overall. The same is true for Kyler Murray.
1. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
After Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has helped two shorter, initially overlooked quarterbacks win the Heisman and then go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, the latest Sooners quarterback deserves to be mentioned here. And he's a fascinating case. The No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the country in the 2016 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, Hurts started at Alabama as a freshman in 2016, won SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and the Crimson Tide lost in the national title game to Deshaun Watson and Clemson.
The next season, he was the starter on a 13-1 Alabama team before getting benched at halftime in the national title game against Georgia in January 2018 for Tua Tagovailoa, who's never relinquished the first-string gig at Alabama. Hurts' 2016 and 2017 film showed an ultra-conservative passer who didn't turn it over much but wasn't making tight-window or anticipatory passes. He didn't have good pocket presence either. After completing 62.8% and 60.4% of his throws in 2016 and 2017 at a combined 7.63 yards per attempt, when he got on the field as a junior for the Crimson Tide, he looked much more comfortable as a passer. Hurts completed 72.9% of his throws at 10.9 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns and two picks.
And now he's in Riley's offense, the most glamorous in college football, a scheme that produced three of the four highest passer efficiency rating seasons (Murray in 2018 and Mayfield in 2016 and 2017) in history. Hurts will throw to CeeDee Lamb, a future early pick who's coming off a 1,158-yard, 17.8-yards-per-reception, 11-touchdown season, along with a variety of super-talented skill-position players in Oklahoma's souped up Air Raid scheme. Following his brilliant transfer decision, Hurts absolutely has a prime opportunity to go in the first round of the 2020 Draft.
2020 NFL Draft: These seven prospects have what it takes to be surprise first-round picks
Of course, quarterbacks are highlighted, but a few defenders and a running back also made the list
www.cbssports.com
