1. Dante Fowler Jr., Florida
In many other years Fowler likely wouldn’t be in the top 10, but with so many limited options at the skill positions and even on the offensive line, Fowler’s stock rises only by comparison. That isn’t to say he doesn’t have the talent to be a star though. Fowler has size, speed and quickness to beat the overwhelming majority of NFL tackles while pursuing the passer and could very well be the next Elvis Dumervil from that perspective. What he lacks though is the brute strength to take down the top NFL RBs – a trait that could hold him back if he over-pursues on the pass rush.
Fowler may be the textbook definition of a high-risk, high-reward player purely from a skill perspective. But he’s such an incredible specimen that teams in need of a great defender will struggle to let him fall past them (once Leonard Williams is off the board of course).
Projection: Top 5 Overall
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