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We're a few days away from the start of the NFL Scouting Combine, and one of our favorite talent evaluators has released his list of the top five players at each position.
Mike Mayock of the NFL Network has a reputation of seeing things a little differently than other talent evaluators, and his first Top 5 lists of this off-season show that hasn't changed. What does Mayock have at a couple of the positions that the Minnesota Vikings might be interested in?
Well, the interesting takes start at the position that seems to be the most widely mocked to the Vikings, the wide receiver position. Mayock's top receiver is neither Alabama star Amari Cooper nor Teddy Bridgewater's former Louisville teammate, DeVante Parker. No, the top receiver on Mayock's list is Kevin White out of West Virginia, which comes as a bit of a surprise. Cooper seems to be the consensus top receiver everywhere else, but not with Mayock. Cooper comes in at #2 on Mayock's list of receivers, with Parker coming in at #3.
Mayock has Missouri receiver Dorial Green-Beckham at #4. . .Green-Beckham might be the most physically gifted wide receiver in this class, but has some off-field issues that might scare some teams off. He had transferred to Oklahoma, but didn't play a snap for them, so he'll be listed as a Missouri product. The list is rounded out by Michigan's tight end-turned-wide receiver, Devin Funchess.
There are fewer surprises along the offensive line, where Iowa guard Brandon Scherff is Mayock's top interior lineman. He's followed on the list by Cameron Erving of Florida State, Duke guard Laken Tomlinson, A.J. Cann of South Carolina, and Tre' Jackson of Florida State. Among offensive tackles, the top spot goes to Pitt tackle T.J. Clemmings, with Andrus Peat (Stanford), La'el Collins (LSU), Ereck Flowers (Miami), Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M), and D.J. Humphries (Florida) following him. Ogbuehi and Humphries are tied for fifth on Mayock's list.
Another interesting look comes at the safety position. Mayock has Landon Collins of Alabama at #1 on his list, but the second name on his list is Washington safety/linebacker/running back/whatever else Shaq Thompson. Thompson has a real "tweener" vibe to him, and there has been some buzz going around that there are some teams that aren't sure where they'd play him. Mayock apparently sees him as a safety, which makes sense to me. The last three names on the list of safeties are Derron Smith of Fresno State, Jaquiski Tartt of Samford, and Ibrahiem Campbell of Northwestern.
You can see the full list of Mike Mayock's top fives at the link above. Do you agree or disagree with Mayock's thinking on his original charts?