EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. —There's still more than two months to go until the 2016 NFL Draft in April, but there is already plenty of buzz about the annual event.
With the Reese's Senior Bowl in the rearview mirror and the NFL Scouting Combine less than two weeks out, media experts and scouts are starting to sort out their top prospects.
NFL Media analysts Mike Mayock and Bucky Brooks recently published lists of their top five players at each position. The duo agrees on some college players and don't see eye to eye on others.
Quarterbacks - Mayock
- Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
- Jared Goff, California
- Paxton Lynch, Memphis
- Connor Cook, Michigan State
- Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Quarterbacks - Brooks
- Jared Goff, California
- Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
- Connor Cook, Michigan State
- Paxton Lynch, Memphis
- Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
*Mayock and Brooks differ right from the start as they have Wentz and Goff flip flopped in the top two spots. The same goes for Lynch and Cook in the third and fourth spots, as Mayock seems to favor the smaller school quarterbacks. *
Running backs - Mayock
- Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
- Derrick Henry, Alabama
- Devontae Booker, Utah
- Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech
- Jordan Howard, Indiana
Running backs - Brooks
- Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
- Derrick Henry, Alabama
- Alex Collins, Arkansas
- Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech
- Devontae Booker, Utah
Mayock and Brooks have a consensus at the top two spots in Elliott and Henry, both of whom come from top-tier programs. Both like Dixon as the fourth-best option and both have Booker on their list, but there's a difference of opinion on Collins.
Wide receivers - Mayock
**
**1. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
- Corey Coleman, Baylor
- Michael Thomas, Ohio State
- Josh Doctson, TCU
- Will Fuller, Notre Dame
Wide receivers - Brooks
- Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
- Corey Coleman, Baylor
- Josh Doctson, TCU
- Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh
- Michael Thomas, Ohio State
*The experts have no doubt on the top two receivers in Treadwell and Coleman. Mayock is higher on Thomas than Brooks, although the latter thinks Doctson is a better option. *
Tight ends - Mayock
- Hunter Henry, Arkansas
- Austin Hooper, Stanford
- Jerrell Adams, South Carolina
- Nick Vannett, Ohio State
- Henry Krieger-Coble, Iowa
Tight ends - Brooks
- Hunter Henry, Arkansas
- Nick Vannett, Ohio State
- Bryce Williams, East Carolina
- Jerrell Adams, South Carolina
- Tyler Higbee, Western Kentucky
Other than Henry as their clear top choice, the experts are all over the board at tight end. Both like Vannett in the top four, but Mayock's admiration of Hooper doesn't align with Brooks' board. They do agree on Adams as a mid-list option.
Offensive tackles - Mayock
- Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
- Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
- Jack Conklin, Michigan State
- Taylor Decker, Ohio State
- Willie Beavers, Western Michigan
Offensive tackles - Brooks
- Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
- Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
- Jack Conklin, Michigan State
- Taylor Decker, Ohio State
- Shon Coleman, Auburn
The pair nearly has an identical list. They start with Tunsil, who has been projected to be a top-10 pick. Stanley, Conklin and Decker all hail from well-known programs. Mayock and Brooks only differ in their fifth spot, as Mayock went with a player from a smaller school.
Guards - Mayock
- Cody Whitehair, Kansas State
- Vadal Alexander, LSU
- Joshua Garnett, Stanford
- Christian Westerman, Arizona State
- Graham Glasgow, Michigan
Centers - Mayock
- Ryan Kelly, Alabama
- Nick Martin, Notre Dame
- Max Tuerk, USC
- Evan Boehm, Missouri
- Jack Allen, Michigan State
Offensive guards/centers - Brooks
**
**1. Cody Whitehair, Kansas State (OG)
- Joshua Garnett, Stanford (OG)
- Vadal Alexander, LSU (OG)
- Ryan Kelly, Alabama (C)
- Nick Martin, Notre Dame (C)
Mayock put out a pair if lists on interior offensive linemen while Brooks just did one, but the pair have many of the same names. They agree that Whitehair is the best guard prospect and Kelly is the top option at center.
Interior defensive line - Mayock
- DeForest Buckner, Oregon
- Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
- Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
- Jarran Reed, Alabama
- A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
Edge rushers - Mayock
- Joey Bosa, Ohio State
- Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky
- Shaq Lawson, Clemson
- Leonard Floyd, Georgia
- Kevin Dodd, Clemson
Defensive ends - Brooks
**
**1. Joey Bosa, Ohio State
- Shaq Lawson, Clemson
- DeForest Buckner, Oregon
- Kevin Dodd, Clemson
5 (tie). Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State
5 (tie). Jonathan Bullard, Florida
Defensive tackles - Brooks
- A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
- Jarran Reed, Alabama
- Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
- Andrew Billings, Baylor
- Kenny Clark, UCLA
Hybrids - Brooks
- Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky
- Leonard Floyd, Georgia
- Kamalei Correa, Boise State
- Kyler Fackrell, Utah State
- Dadi Nicolas, Virginia Tech
Although Mayock and Brooks devised multiple lists for defensive linemen and edge rushers, there is a consensus on standouts such as Bosa, Spence and Buckner. Lawson, Nkemdiche, Floyd and Robinson are also ranked highly by each analyst.
Linebackers - Mayock
**
**1. Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
- Myles Jack, UCLA
- Reggie Ragland, Alabama
- Darron Lee, Ohio State
- Deion Jones, LSU
Linebackers - Brooks
- Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
- Myles Jack, UCLA
- Reggie Ragland, Alabama
- Darron Lee, Ohio State
- Su'a Cravens, USC
Once again, Mayock and Brooks nearly had an identical list. Smith and Jack, who are both coming off injuries, are the top two options. Ragland and Lee are next in line before the experts differ at the fifth spot.
Cornerbacks - Mayock
- Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
- Vernon Hargreaves, Florida
- Mackensie Alexander, Clemson
- Eli Apple, Ohio State
- Cyrus Jones, Alabama
Cornerbacks - Brooks
- Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
- Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
- Mackensie Alexander, Clemson
- Eli Apple, Ohio State
- Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech
Match, match, match, match, no match. It's another nearly identical list for Mayock and Brooks. They both like the Sunshine State cornerbacks at the top, followed by Alexander and Apple.* *
Safeties - Mayock
**
**1. Karl Joseph, West Virginia
- Vonn Bell, Ohio State
- Darien Thompson, Boise State
- Miles Killebrew, Southern Utah
- Jeremy Cash, Duke
Safeties - Brooks
- Jeremy Cash, Duke
- Vonn Bell, Ohio State
- Darien Thompson, Boise State
- Karl Joseph, West Virginia
- Miles Killebrew, Southern Utah
The final ranking offers differences in opinion. Mayock and Brooks each have the same five players, just in different order. Brooks thinks Cash is the best bet, but Mayock has him fifth, while Mayock's top choice of Joseph is fourth on Brooks' list. They both agree on Bell and Thompson at second and third, with Killebrew also in the mix.