Last week, I released the Way-Too-Early 2017 Big Board, but that short list was pulled from a huge number of players currently in the evaluation pool for next year's draft. We have a long way to go, but here's an early look at prospects for every position.
This is a mix of seniors and underclassmen, but early on, I separate the two so you see more senior players, as those are guys certain to be in the draft. By "underclassmen," I mean players who technically could return to school for another season. Those are true juniors and third-year sophomores. I've denoted the third-year sophomores with asterisks.
Quarterbacks
Seniors
1. Davis Webb, Cal
2. Mitch Leidner, Minnesota
3. Chad Kelly, Mississippi
4. C.J. Beathard, Iowa
5. Cooper Rush, Central Michigan
Underclassmen
1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson
2. Brad Kaaya, Miami (Fla.)
3. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
5. Pat Mahomes, Texas Tech
Watson and Kaaya are the top two names in this class, but don't bet against Webb and Leidner as first-round possibilities. Webb in particular has an NFL skill set and is a player NFL teams will watch closely. He could thrive in the draft process. (He also isn't officially committed for 2016 but should be this week.)