Mel Kiper's 2017 preseason All-Rookie team

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Mel Kiper's 2017 preseason All-Rookie team
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ESPN INSIDER
9/2/17

Last year's preseason All-Rookie team was solid. I had a lot of hits (and, OK, some misses). For this year's team, let's see if I can get every pick right.

Of course, that's a fool's errand. There will be some injuries and disappointments and undrafted rookies who emerge.

So here are my predictions for rookies who will perform well, along with my picks for rookies of the year on both sides of the ball. One reminder: This is not just a talent survey. It's all about opportunity. Oh, and I'm not including specialists yet.

Check out my final Big Board 2017 Big Board here, and I've included rankings below for each rookie on my team.

Here we go:

OFFENSE

Quarterback


DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns

Final Big Board rank: 60

Who else am I going to go with here? Kizer is the only rookie QB who's going to start in Week 1. I still expect Deshaun Watson and Mitchell Trubisky to play at some point, but the Browns will likely stick with Kizer to see what they have before evaluating their options in the 2018 draft. I was critical of Kizer before the draft -- even his college coach said he should have returned to school, after all -- and said several times that I thought he needed to redshirt in the NFL. But Cleveland is throwing him in. It's not like it has better options. Now, I've never questioned Kizer's arm talent, but will he ever be consistent as a thrower? We're about to find out.


Running back


Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

Final Big Board rank: 35

Cook is my pick to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Vikings love what they've seen from the second-round pick, and he has taken virtually every first-team rep in camp. Cook will be a three-down back. He'll help in the passing game -- he had 79 career catches at Florida State -- and he's capable in pass protection. Cook might not get 20 touches per game, but he'll be close.



Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

Final Big Board rank: 7

Fournette is not going to be as productive as Ezekiel Elliott was in Dallas last season. But he is going to get a lot -- seriously, a lot -- of carries in Jacksonville. I don't think the Jaguars' offensive line is very good overall, and the Jags obviously have quarterback issues, but coach Doug Marrone has already said that the best way to help Blake Bortles is to get the ball out of his hands. That's good for Fournette.

All-purpose back



Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

Final Big Board rank: 6

It's well known how much I love McCaffrey. He can do it all. And I think the Panthers are going to get him the ball in many different ways. He'll line up in the slot some, and he'll even share the backfield with Jonathan Stewart at other times. If Cam Newton is fully healthy, the Carolina offense will be fun to watch. I'm excited to see how the coaches use McCaffrey and all of those weapons around the quarterback.

Wide receiver


Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

Final Big Board rank: 83

You'll notice I have no first-round picks among the wide receivers here. Mike Williams is hurt, so he's off the list. The Bengals have been cautious with John Ross; same with the Titans and Corey Davis. I don't feel great about putting them on my preseason team. Kupp, on the other hand, is going to get a lot of targets in the Rams' offense. The third-round pick had 428 catches and a whopping 73 receiving touchdowns in his college career at Eastern Washington. I wrote before the draft that Kupp was going to play immediately; he catches everything. Jared Goff will be better in Year 2, and Kupp is a reason why.


Zay Jones, Buffalo Bills

Final Big Board rank: 22

I really liked this pick in Round 2, and with Sammy Watkins off to the Rams, Jones might be the Bills' No. 1 wide receiver. Yes, seriously. His eight targets at Baltimore in the third preseason game led the team. Now, I don't think the Buffalo passing offense is going to light the league on fire, but Jones is going to get chances. And that's all he needs; he set an FBS single-season record with 158 catches at East Carolina in 2016. Since I went with McCaffrey as my all-purpose back, I'm only including two receivers. My third receiver would have been third-round pick Kenny Golladay, who has had a great camp for the Lions.

Tight end



O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Final Big Board rank: 5

This came down to Howard and Evan Engram, and I just think Howard will make a bigger overall impact on the offense in which he plays. Engram might put up better receiving numbers in New York, but Howard will play more snaps, and he'll consistently help open up holes for the Bucs' running backs. Tampa Bay got a steal on draft night; Howard is a complete tight end.


Cam Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Final Big Board rank: 28

The trade for Branden Albert didn't work out, which means Robinson stepped into the starting left tackle spot on Day 1 in Jacksonville. He's a phenomenal run-blocker who will have some ups and downs in pass protection.


Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos

Final Big Board rank: 42

Like Robinson, Bolles will be starting at left tackle to open the season. And Bolles wasn't gifted the job; he won it over other veterans. I said before the draft that Bolles was a mauler. His aggression shows on tape in the run game. But pass protection is where he'll need some time to find his footing. How will he fare against top pass-rushers Khalil Mack, Justin Houston and Joey Bosa in the AFC West?


Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans Saints

Final Big Board rank: 29

Terron Armstead's torn labrum means Ramczyk is the third rookie to start at left tackle in Week 1. He had hip surgery in January and missed a few training camp practices, so I hope he can stay healthy. What's his future when Armstead, who is signed through 2021, returns? Ramczyk could be the long-term replacement for Zach Strief at right tackle.



Taylor Moton, Carolina Panthers

Final Big Board rank: 61

So you've probably noticed by now, we've had three tackles and no guards yet. That's because I can't find a single rookie guard starter for Week 1. Seriously. The Chargers' Forrest Lamp, my top-ranked guard, is out for the season. Moton, whom I ranked as my No. 6 tackle before the draft, was tracking to be the starter at left guard for the Panthers before he hurt his shoulder in the third preseason game. He had a good camp, and he is expected to only miss a few weeks. So he makes the team, and we'll have to move one of my tackles inside.


Pat Elflein, Minnesota Vikings

Final Big Board rank: 62

I expect Elflein, a third-round pick and my top-ranked center, to start for the Vikings, though he's battling a few other players. Elflein started 40 career games at Ohio State and won the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center in 2016.

DEFENSE

Defensive end


Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Final Big Board rank: 1

This was an easy pick. I have Garrett winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Now, I don't think he's going to have numbers like Joey Bosa had last season (10.5 sacks in 12 games is on another level), but Garrett is going to get opportunities to rush the passer, and he's going to hold up against the run. I liked what the Browns did in the draft, but they're still in the early stages of their rebuild. It will take time.


Jonathan Allen, Washington Redskins

Final Big Board rank: 2

Washington got a steal with Allen at pick No. 19. He's going to have a long, productive career. Don't expect huge sack numbers, though, because he's not a pure edge rusher (though he did have 10.5 sacks at Alabama last season). Allen could play inside in the nickel and kick outside in the base defense. And he's going to be one of the hardest-working players on the team.

Defensive tackle



Eddie Vanderdoes, Oakland Raiders

Final Big Board rank: 159

Remember this third-rounder's name. Vanderdoes is going to play a lot in Oakland for a defense that badly needs to get to the quarterback. The Raiders had a league-low 26 sacks last season, even though Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack had 11. Vanderdoes will help. He ballooned to 340 pounds in 2016, but he looks slimmer now. He's very talented.



Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants

Final Big Board rank: 107

The 317-pound Tomlinson is going to start next to Damon "Snacks" Harrison for the Giants. Tomlinson is not going to have a lot of sacks, but he's more than a plugger. He can penetrate and help stop the run. That's where his wrestling background helps; Tomlinson was the first wrestler in Georgia high school history to win three heavyweight championships.

Outside linebacker


Reuben Foster, San Francisco 49ers

Final Big Board rank: 8

If he stays healthy, Foster will be in the running to be Defensive Rookie of the Year. Malcolm Smith is out for the season, which means Foster is going to have to play a lot of snaps. He was my top-ranked inside linebacker, but it looks like he'll play the weakside in San Francisco. After dropping to pick No. 31, he could end up being a steal. And he has all of the tools to be a future All-Pro.


T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Final Big Board rank: 48

Pittsburgh has a few other veteran pass-rushers -- including the still-productive James Harrison -- so Watt won't be an every-down player. But he can get to the quarterback. Now, Watt really only started one season at Wisconsin, so there's going to be an adjustment to the NFL. But I like his fit on the Steelers.

Inside linebacker


Jarrad Davis, Detroit Lions

Final Big Board rank: 17

I picked linebacker as the Lions' top need heading into the draft, and Davis has taken hold of the middle linebacker spot. He had some ankle injuries last season, but he looks healed up now. Davis' 4.56-second 40-yard dash and 38½-inch vertical at the Florida pro day moved him up my board. I think he could have a solid rookie year. Since I'm only going with one inside linebacker on this team, I also have to mention Arizona's Haason Reddick, who was No. 10 on my final Big Board. He's running with the 1s at middle linebacker, but he might lose his spot when Deone Bucannon gets back to full strength.

Cornerback


Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills

Final Big Board rank: 32

White became Buffalo's No. 1 corner after Ronald Darby was traded to the Eagles. That's what Buffalo thinks of its top pick. My fifth-ranked corner, White was a four-year starter at LSU who had six career interceptions.


Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints

Final Big Board rank: 9

A knee injury kept Lattimore out of the early part of camp, but he stood out in the Saints' third preseason game. He's an athletic marvel, but he's going to have some struggles. He only started one season at Ohio State. Still, I like what I've seen enough to put him on this team over Baltimore's Marlon Humphrey and Tennessee's Adoree' Jackson.

Safety



Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, New York Jets

Final Big Board rank: 3 (Adams) and 43 (Maye)

I'm ending this team with safeties from the same team because the Jets have turned over their secondary to rookies. Adams was my No. 1-ranked safety, and Maye was No. 6. Coach Todd Bowles loves what he has seen from both of them. The Jets aren't going to be very good, but that's mostly the offense. The defense will be intriguing, and these safeties are a big reason why.
 

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