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Can you feel it? There's finally light at the end of the tunnel from reading about seemingly endless mock drafts. In just one day, we'll be on the edge of our seats wondering what Bill O'Brien and Rick Smith will do with Houston's first round pick. We'll then react to their decision to move up, move down or pin the tail on one of the coveted players still on the board at pick 16, and then we'll spend the rest of the weekend hoping to stack the roster for a team that can take back the AFC South.
Brett's Big Board
Earlier today, our very own Brett Kollmann provided his top-40 draft board and position rankings.
Brett ranks DE Leonard Williams (USC) as the top graded player in this draft, followed by QB Jameis Winston (Florida State), OT T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh), CB Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) and CB Marcus Peters (Washington) to round out his overall top five players.
Mike Mayock of NFL Network published his final version of pre-draft player rankings today.
Mike Mayock and Brett Kollmann agree with Bud Dupree as the #2 edge rusher, but Brett has DE/OLB Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA) at the top of that list, while Mayock has held firm with DE/OLB Dante Fowler, Jr (Florida) through all of his published rankings. This will be interesting to review in a year or two once these players have some NFL game film to study.
Another area of departure between the two lists is CB Trae Waynes (Michigan State). Brett has him ranked fifth and Mayock kept him locked in at number one. You may notice that Mayock moved CB Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) up the list over time. Perhaps if there were one more publishing we'd see Johnson knock Waynes off that top position? It at least indicates that both Brett and Mayock see something special in Johnson. He'll be a player to keep an eye on early in this draft.
Mayock's Top 5 Rankings
The tables below show the current ranking in the left column (version 5.0), with the previous versions to the right to indicate how Mayock changed things over time in this run-up to the draft.
Quarterbacks
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | Jameis Winston, FSU | Jameis Winston, FSU |
| 2 | Jameis Winston, FSU | Jameis Winston, FSU | Jameis Winston, FSU | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | Marcus Mariota, Oregon |
| 3 | Bryce Petty, Baylor | Bryce Petty, Baylor | Bryce Petty, Baylor | Bryce Petty, Baylor | Bryce Petty, Baylor |
| 4 | Brett Hundley, UCLA | Garrett Grayson, Colorado St. | Garrett Grayson, Colorado St. | Brett Hundley, UCLA | Brett Hundley, UCLA |
| 5 | Sean Mannion, Oregon State | Brett Hundley, UCLA | Brett Hundley, UCLA | Garrett Grayson, Colorado St. | Garrett Grayson, Colorado St. |
Running Backs
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin | Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin | Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin | Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin | Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin |
| 2 | Todd Gurley, Georgia | Todd Gurley, Georgia | Todd Gurley, Georgia | Todd Gurley, Georgia | Todd Gurley, Georgia |
| 3 | Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska | Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska | Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska | Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska | Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska |
| 4 | Duke Johnson, Miami | Duke Johnson, Miami | Duke Johnson, Miami | Duke Johnson, Miami | Duke Johnson, Miami |
| 5 | Tevin Coleman, Indiana | Tevin Coleman, Indiana | Tevin Coleman, Indiana | Tevin Coleman, Indiana | Tevin Coleman, Indiana |
| 5(t) | T.J. Yeldon, Alabama |
Wide Receivers
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Kevin White, West Virginia | Kevin White, West Virginia | Kevin White, West Virginia | Kevin White, West Virginia | Kevin White, West Virginia |
| 2 | Amari Cooper, Alabama | Amari Cooper, Alabama | Amari Cooper, Alabama | Amari Cooper, Alabama | Amari Cooper, Alabama |
| 3 | DeVante Parker, Louisville | DeVante Parker, Louisville | DeVante Parker, Louisville | DeVante Parker, Louisville | DeVante Parker, Louisville |
| 4 | Breshad Perriman, Central Fla | Breshad Perriman, Central Fla | Breshad Perriman, Central Fla | Jaelen Strong, Arizona St. | Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri |
| 5 | Nelson Agholor, USC | Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri | Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri | Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri | Devin Funchess, Michigan |
| 5(t) | Nelson Agholor, USC | Nelson Agholor, USC | Breshad Perriman, Central Fla |
Tight Ends
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Maxx Williams, Minnesota | Maxx Williams, Minnesota | Maxx Williams, Minnesota | Maxx Williams, Minnesota | Maxx Williams, Minnesota |
| 2 | Clive Walford, Miami | Clive Walford, Miami | Clive Walford, Miami | Clive Walford, Miami | Clive Walford, Miami |
| 3 | Tyler Kroft, Rutgers | Blake Bell, Oklahoma | Blake Bell, Oklahoma | MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois | Nick O'Leary, FSU |
| 4 | Blake Bell, Oklahoma | Tyler Kroft, Rutgers | Nick O'Leary, FSU | Blake Bell, Oklahoma | Tyler Kroft, Rutgers |
| 5 | Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State | Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State | Tyler Kroft, Rutgers | Nick O'Leary, FSU | Ben Koyack, Notre Dame |
Interior Offensive Linemen
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Brandon Scherff, Iowa | Brandon Scherff, Iowa | Brandon Scherff, Iowa | Brandon Scherff, Iowa | Brandon Scherff, Iowa |
| 2 | Cameron Erving, FSU | Cameron Erving, FSU | Cameron Erving, FSU | Cameron Erving, FSU | Cameron Erving, FSU |
| 3 | Laken Tomlinson, Duke | Laken Tomlinson, Duke | Laken Tomlinson, Duke | Laken Tomlinson, Duke | Laken Tomlinson, Duke |
| 4 | A.J. Cann, South Carolina | A.J. Cann, South Carolina | A.J. Cann, South Carolina | A.J. Cann, South Carolina | A.J. Cann, South Carolina |
| 5 | Mitch Morse, Missouri | Tre' Jackson, FSU | Tre' Jackson, FSU | Tre' Jackson, FSU | Tre' Jackson, FSU |
Offensive Tackle
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | La'el Collins, LSU | La'el Collins, LSU | La'el Collins, LSU | La'el Collins, LSU | T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh |
| 2 | Ereck Flowers, Miami | Ereck Flowers, Miami | Ereck Flowers, Miami | T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh | Andrus Peat, Stanford |
| 3 | D.J. Humphries, Florida | D.J. Humphries, Florida | D.J. Humphries, Florida | Andrus Peat, Stanford | La'el Collins, LSU |
| 4 | Andrus Peat, Stanford | Andrus Peat, Stanford | Andrus Peat, Stanford | Ereck Flowers, Miami | Ereck Flowers, Miami |
| 5 | T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh | T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh | T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh | D.J. Humphries, Florida | Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M |
| 5(t) | Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M | Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M | Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M | D.J. Humphries, Florida |
Interior Defensive Linemen
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Leonard Williams, USC | Leonard Williams, USC | Leonard Williams, USC | Leonard Williams, USC | Leonard Williams, USC |
| 2 | Danny Shelton, Washington | Arik Armstead, Oregon | Arik Armstead, Oregon | Danny Shelton, Washington | Danny Shelton, Washington |
| 3 | Arik Armstead, Oregon | Malcom Brown, Texas | Malcom Brown, Texas | Malcom Brown, Texas | Malcom Brown, Texas |
| 4 | Malcom Brown, Texas | Danny Shelton, Washington | Danny Shelton, Washington | Arik Armstead, Oregon | Arik Armstead, Oregon |
| 5 | Eddie Goldman, FSU | Eddie Goldman, FSU | Eddie Goldman, FSU | Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma | Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma |
| 5(t) | Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma | Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma | Eddie Goldman, FSU | Eddie Goldman, FSU |
Edge Rushers
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida | Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida | Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida | Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida | Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida |
| 2 | Bud Dupree, Kentucky | Randy Gregory, Nebraska | Randy Gregory, Nebraska | Shane Ray, Missouri | Randy Gregory, Nebraska |
| 3 | Vic Beasley, Clemson | Vic Beasley, Clemson | Vic Beasley, Clemson | Vic Beasley, Clemson | Shane Ray, Missouri |
| 4 | Randy Gregory, Nebraska | Bud Dupree, Kentucky | Bud Dupree, Kentucky | Randy Gregory, Nebraska | Vic Beasley, Clemson |
| 5 | Shane Ray, Missouri | Shane Ray, Missouri | Shane Ray, Missouri | Bud Dupree, Kentucky | Bud Dupree, Kentucky |
Inside Linebackers
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Paul Dawson, TCU | Paul Dawson, TCU | Paul Dawson, TCU | Paul Dawson, TCU | Paul Dawson, TCU |
| 2 | Eric Kendricks, UCLA | Eric Kendricks, UCLA | Eric Kendricks, UCLA | Eric Kendricks, UCLA | Benardrick McKinney. Mississippi St. |
| 3 | Stephone Anthony, Clemson | Stephone Anthony, Clemson | Stephone Anthony, Clemson | Stephone Anthony, Clemson | Denzel Perryman, Miami |
| 4 | Denzel Perryman, Miami | Denzel Perryman, Miami | Denzel Perryman, Miami | Benardrick McKinney. Mississippi St. | Eric Kendricks, UCLA |
| 5 | Benardrick McKinney. Mississippi St. | Benardrick McKinney. Mississippi St. | Benardrick McKinney. Mississippi St. | Denzel Perryman, Miami | Stephone Anthony, Clemson |
Cornerbacks
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Trae Waynes, Michigan State | Trae Waynes, Michigan State | Trae Waynes, Michigan State | Trae Waynes, Michigan State | Trae Waynes, Michigan State |
| 2 | Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest | Jalen Collins, LSU | Jalen Collins, LSU | Jalen Collins, LSU | Marcus Peters, Washington |
| 3 | Marcus Peters, Washington | Marcus Peters, Washington | Marcus Peters, Washington | Marcus Peters, Washington | Jalen Collins, LSU |
| 4 | Jalen Collins, LSU | Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest | Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest | Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest | P.J. Williams, FSU |
| 5 | Byron Jones, Connecticut | Eric Rowe, Utah | Eric Rowe, Utah | Byron Jones, UConn | Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest |
| 5(t) | Byron Jones, UConn | P.J. Williams, FSU |
Safeties
| Rank | Rankings 5.0 | Rankings 4.0 | Rankings 3.0 | Rankings 2.0 | Rankings 1.0 |
| 1 | Damarious Randall, Arizona St. | Damarious Randall, Arizona St. | Landon Collins, Alabama | Landon Collins, Alabama | Landon Collins, Alabama |
| 2 | Landon Collins, Alabama | Landon Collins, Alabama | Shaq Thompson, Washington | Shaq Thompson, Washington | Shaq Thompson, Washington |
| 3 | Shaq Thompson, Washington | Shaq Thompson, Washington | Damarious Randall, Arizona St. | Derron Smith, Fresno State | Derron Smith, Fresno State |
| 4 | Quinten Rollins, Miami | Quinten Rollins, Miami | Quinten Rollins, Miami | Damarious Randall, Arizona St. | Jaquiski Tartt, Samford |
| 5 | Jaquiski Tartt, Samford | Alex Carter, Stanford | Alex Carter, Stanford | Jaquiski Tartt, Samford | Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern |
| 5(t) | Jaquiski Tartt, Samford |