With the college football regular season wrapped up, NFL.com draft expert Bucky Brooks is rolling out his top 10 college players by position. The schedule is as follows:
Tuesday -- offensive linemen and defensive linemen
Wednesday -- running backs and linebackers
Thursday -- wide receivers and defensive backs
Friday -- quarterbacks
(Denotes underclassmen; only players three years removed from high school considered)*
1. Justin Blackmon*, Oklahoma State WR (6-1, 215): The most explosive receiver in college football has a game that is eerily similar to Terrell Owens'. His combination of size, strength and athleticism overwhelms defenders, and his penchant for playmaking makes him a potential anchor for a sophisticated passing game. Throw in the fact that Oklahoma State's coaches frequently have suggested Blackmon's skills are more advanced than Dez Bryant's at a similar stage, it's easy to place Blackmon at the top of the list.
2. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame, WR (6-3, 224): Floyd might rank as the best pass catcher in college football since Larry Fitzgerald. He displays unbelievable ball skills and has a knack for making the acrobatic catch look routine. Although there are questions about his top-end speed, he rarely is tracked from behind in the open field and plays with reckless abandon with the ball in his hands. If he is able to properly address his character issues, Floyd might make the race for the No. 1 spot closer than anyone anticipates.
3. Kendall Wright, Baylor, WR (5-10, 190): Wright has scouts drooling over his extraordinary combination of speed, athleticism and burst. He routinely blows past defenders on vertical routes but also flashes the ability to wreak havoc on "catch-and-run" plays on the outside. While he still remains unpolished as a route runner, the potential for Wright to make a Mike Wallace-like impact on the NFL has sent his stock soaring in war rooms across the league.
4. Alshon Jeffrey*, South Carolina, WR (6-4, 229): Jeffrey is a jump ball specialist with the size and athleticism that scouts covet in a No. 1 receiver. He excels at coming down with contested balls in traffic and is an indefensible target in the red area. Although he remains unrefined as a route runner and lacks top end speed, Jeffrey's size, strength and movement skills could prompt a team to envision him blossoming into a Plaxico Burress-type playmaker in the passing game.
5. Dwayne Allen*, Clemson, TE (6-4, 255): Scouts looking for the next tight end capable of creating mismatches should closely examine Allen's game. He displays the speed and athleticism to run away from linebackers, while possessing the size and strength to overpower defenders in tight quarters. The combination of skills makes him impossible to guard in passing situations, a quality that makes him a coveted prospect in many war rooms across the league. He could be the next hybrid tight end to take the league by storm.
6. Orson Charles*, Georgia, TE (6-3, 242): Charles has all of the physical tools to become a matchup nightmare as a pro. He runs like a receiver but has the size and strength to maul small defenders in isolated matchups. He is capable of stretching the field down the middle, while also acting as the primary target between the hashes. Although he must continue to develop as a blocker, his ability to impact the passing game as a vertical threat makes him a hot commodity in draft rooms.
7. Nick Toon, Wisconsin, WR (6-2, 220): Toon has been a bit of a disappointment this season, but his combination of size, strength and ball skills entices scouts. He flashes the ability to make plays between the hashes, while also acting as a sneaky deep threat in the Badgers' passing game. Toon has struggled gaining separation from defenders in tight coverage, but he could improve in that area with more reps and experience. With more teams looking for big, physical receivers to anchor their passing games, Toon's value remains high throughout the league.
8. Coby Fleener, Stanford, TE (6-6, 245): It's hard to find a tight end prospect with experience playing from a traditional alignment, but Fleener has been well groomed from his time at Stanford. He thrived in the Pac-12 running pro-style routes over the middle of the field, but he also acted as the Cardinal's lone deep threat the past two seasons. He led FBS with 10 touchdown receptions and posted an impressive 20.3 yards per catch average that is uncommon for the position. In addition, he displayed a gritty disposition as a blocker that makes it easy to envision him blossoming into an every down player as a pro. With few tight ends rivaling his overall game, it is quite possible that Fleener emerges as the top tight end on this list by draft day.
9. Dwight Jones, North Carolina, WR (6-4, 225): From a production standpoint, it is hard to dispute Jones' inclusion on this list after scoring 11 touchdowns and surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in 2011. He has the combination of size, speed and athleticism to emerge as a No. 1 receiver as a pro, and scouts are excited about his dramatic improvement as a senior. If he can continue to dazzle during the college all-star game circuit, Jones might climb higher on charts around the league.
10. Tommy Streeter*, Miami, WR, (6-5, 215): Streeter might be a surprising inclusion on this list, but a close look at his game reveals a big, athletic playmaker with speed to burn. He excels at blowing past defenders on vertical routes and is also a crafty route over the middle. His size and athleticism makes an ideal target as a potential No. 1 receiver. He needs to display better consistency with his hands.
Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
