NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock released his top five NFL draft prospects at each position, entering the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine next week, on Wednesday. Some of the rankings aren't surprising, but a few were bold. Here are five interesting takeaways from Mayock's release:
1. UW's Thompson at safety
Shaq Thompson, the Washington Huskies' two-way star, declared himself a linebacker rather than a running back earlier this week, but Mayock sees neither. Instead, Mayock lists the versatile athlete as the No. 2 safety available, just behind Alabama's Landon Collins. At 230 pounds, he probably couldn't get much bigger and be effective in an NFL secondary. But don't put it past him -- Thompson actually played a bit of defensive back as a freshman at UW.
2. Scherff, Erving inside
Two college offensive tackles, Iowa's Brandon Scherff and FSU's Cameron Erving, project as interior offensive linemen for Mayock. Erving, of course, moved to center midseason for the Seminoles and performed well enough to give rise to speculation that he could excel inside at the pro level as well. Scherff, however, was strictly a left tackle for the Hawkeyes -- and a very effective one. Given that a premium position like offensive tackle draws higher draft picks than centers and guards, it won't do much for the draft stock of either player if too many clubs see them as interior prospects.
3. Dawson on top
Mayock's top linebacker isn't Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney or Miami's Denzel Perryman. It's Paul Dawson, a Texas Christian senior who was the heart and soul of the Horned Frogs' defense last year. His production certainly won't be in question for NFL scouts -- he piled up an incredible 136 tackles, 20 for losses, and six sacks.
4. Petty the No. 3 QB
While the consensus among draft experts is that Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota are the top two quarterbacks available in the draft, there is far less certainty about who belongs at No. 3 on the list. For Mayock, it's Petty -- the Baylor senior who posted dizzying statistics in a no-huddle, hurry-up offense. Petty competed at the Senior Bowl and struggled at times in operating a pro-style attack, but there is no question he is among the most talented passers in the draft.
5. Clemmings still top tackle
Despite some difficulties at the Senior Bowl, Pittsburgh's T.J. Clemmings still ranks as Mayock's top offensive tackle prospect. Mayock noted Clemmings had problems throughout the practice week in Mobile, Ala., particularly in the area of technique. But he called those issues "correctable." Although Clemmings might not have helped himself at the Senior Bowl, he showed enough for Mayock to rank him, at least initially, ahead of Stanford's Andrus Peat, LSU's La'el Collins, Miami's Ereck Flowers, Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi and Florida's D.J. Humphries.
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