2017 NFL draft first impressions: Corey Davis’s polished WR skill set

As we take an early look at the 2017 NFL draft’s intriguing prospects, meet Corey Davis, the Western Michigan wide receiver whose coach would have plugged him into the an NFL offense two years ago.

Chris Burke | Jun 1, 2016

2017 NFL draft first impressions: Corey Davis’s polished WR skill set /

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It is never too early to start preparing for the next NFL draft. From now through the start of the college football season, “First Impressions” will introduce (or reintroduce) you to a handful of notable prospects worth keeping an eye on this fall for amateur talent evaluators and NFL-conscious college fans alike.

Over the final six games of Western Michigan’s 2015 regular season, wide receiver Corey Davis averaged 133.7 yards and a touchdown. He capped his junior year by making eight catches for 183 yards on Middle Tennessee State during a Bahamas Bowl victory–the first bowl win in program history.

Had he turned pro right then, Davis likely would have landed among the top 100 selections in the 2016 draft. In fact his coach, P. J. Fleck, who arrived at Western Michigan off a one-year stop as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant in 2012, believes Davis was pretty darn close to being NFL-ready even earlier.

“I would have taken him in Tampa Bay after his sophomore year as our third receiver,” Fleck says.

Instead, Davis will be Fleck’s unquestioned WR1 back in Kalamazoo, and the 6' 3" pass-catcher could wind up as the top prospect at his position in the 2017 draft. Davis finished last year with 89 receptions for 1,429 yards and 12 touchdowns, pairing with Daniel Braverman (108 catches for 1,367 yards and 13) to form a dominant pairing.

Surprisingly it was Braverman, a slot receiver, who decided to test the NFL waters early while Davis stayed in school. Braverman was taken in the seventh round by the Bears. The bar for Davis is set much higher.

“Corey Davises don’t come along very often,” Fleck says. “If they have one talent, then they really lack something else. Corey's really the complete package.”

And he has room to get better. A major focus for Davis this off-season has been adding weight to his frame. He was listed at a rather lanky 205 pounds a year ago, and the lack of bulk showed up on occasion, particularly when he was asked to block. According to Fleck, Davis is already up to 215, with a full summer still to go. “He’s quicker, more explosive,” Fleck says. “He has spent a ton of time just working on his craft, to get him better. He’s our best player but also our hardest worker.”

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Should Davis’s added weight result in increased strength as a blocker, route runner vs. press coverage and in contested-catch situations, then the criticisms of his game might be reduced to nitpicking. His frame would be that of an outside receiver. That said, Davis has lined up just about everywhere for the Broncos, including inside. Fleck calls that versatility “extremely rare” for a player of Davis's size: “It’s the reason why he’s being talked about in the first two rounds. When you find one, you draft him. There might be guys that can do it, but to do it very well, that’s another thing.”

Fleck has put Davis in contact with Buccaneers veteran Vincent Jackson, whom Fleck calls “the greatest pro I’ve been around.” Jackson produced a career-best season (1,384 yards and a league-leading 19.2 yards per catch) during Fleck’s brief tenure as receivers coach in Tampa Bay.

Does Fleck see any similarities between his current and former star pupils?

“Corey’s got a little more quickness to him, but Vincent’s 6' 5 1/2". He’s got that rare, elite length. Corey’s got length but he doesn’t have that length,” Fleck says. “Vincent was huge and he could run like Corey. Vincent worked on his game to become more of a medium-range to vertical passing game threat. Corey's got even more of the underneath stuff very well.”

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Davis’s brother, Titus, racked up 3,700 yards receiving and 37 touchdowns during his impressive career at Central Michigan. He is now with the Jets on a reserve/futures contract.

Corey Davis is all but certain to finish with family bragging rights. He is sitting on 3,778 yards and 33 touchdowns, putting him within striking distance of the MAC all-time record in each category. Another former Western Michigan standout, Jordan White, holds the yardage mark at 4,187; Marshall's Darius Watts sits atop the TD list with 47.

Western Michigan opens with a trip to Northwestern and also visits Illinois before the MAC schedule begins, so there should be several opportunities to check out Davis this season. His name certainly will stay in the early-round draft discussion, if all goes according to plan.

Second Opinion: Corey Davis

Each First Impressions column will feature an additional take on the featured player from Sports Illustrated NFL producer Eric Single. Here are his thoughts on Davis:

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I get an Alshon Jeffery vibe from watching Davis, who shouldn’t be as elusive after the catch as he is and can burn smaller defenders in the open field. That split-second gear shift he takes at the moment of each reception, transitioning from a loping possession receiver creating space for himself into a fluid playmaker turning upfield and looking to juke would-be tacklers, is harder to believe every time it happens.

When lined up in the slot or targeted within the staple plays of Western Michigan’s quick-strike offense, his footwork is a huge matchup problem for defenses: His go-to move is a subtle, repeatable half-speed stutter step that only opponents’ top outside corners seem to be able to stay with. (Kudos to Eli Apple, who helped Ohio State limit Davis to six catches for 42 yards after the Broncos found some early success with back-shoulder throws to the sideline.) On the outside, he can leave you wondering why a guy his size doesn’t win more jump balls, but he has room to add some muscle. Even with his off-season gains he gives up at least 10 pounds to what Jeffery was listed at in his final year at South Carolina.

With Braverman now in Chicago, the Broncos’ passing game falls on Davis’s shoulders this year. His Big Ten showcases this fall won’t get quite the spotlight last year’s did—Northwestern and Illinois are a significant step down from last September’s dates with Michigan State and Ohio State—but putting up a few big afternoons in the face of increased defensive attention would still be an effective way to distinguish himself.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxdkKBlBN1Y]

2017 NFL Mock Draft

2017 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami

Since 2000, a quarterback has been the No. 1 pick 12 times, and in three of the past five drafts QBs have gone 1-2. So, just playing the percentages here. There is no question that Deshaun Watson will be a Heisman favorite this season, off his brilliant 2015. There’s also little question that, on paper, Kaaya—who is 6' 4" and plays in a pro-style scheme—better fits the NFL prototype.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

The 49ers can trim almost $15 million off their 2017 cap by cutting Colin Kaepernick next off-season, so let’s assume that marks the end of a frayed relationship. Watson probably will face similar questions asked of previous top prospects Jared Goff (No. 1 in 2016) and Marcus Mariota (No. 2 in 2015). He also undeniably enters his junior season atop the 2017 draft list.

3. San Diego Chargers: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama

The 6' 6" prospect struggled early last year but, like his title-winning team, found his mojo again late. He is entering his third season as the Crimson Tide’s starter at left tackle.

4. Tennessee Titans: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

“This year,” Garrett told SI’s Brian Hamilton, “I want to make sure I get out of here and I break the single-season record [for sacks], I break the career record—pretty much I want to break all the records I can possible for a defensive end." With 22.5 sacks and 32.0 tackles for loss already, he might pull it off.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

The latest player, through no fault of his own, to be swept into the “should he sit out a season” debate. Fournette arguably is the best RB prospect of the past three seasons, and that list includes Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn

Can he stay on the field? That’s the only mystery surrounding Lawson, who sat out the 2014 season with an ACL injury and missed several games to injury last year. If he can show some durability, there’s no question he has top-10 potential.

7. Cleveland Browns (via Eagles): Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State

Johnson inherited the Seminoles’ left tackle spot as a true freshman in 2014 after Cam Erving moved to center. The 6' 7", 307-pounder locked down that spot last year during a dominant campaign.

8. Detroit Lions: Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida

Tabor’s ex-teammate Vernon Hargreaves just missed the top 10 this draft. The 6' 1" standout will pair with Quincy Wilson to form one of college football’s top cornerback combos in 2016.

9. New Orleans Saints: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

What does McCaffrey have on tap for an encore after topping 2,000 yards on the ground (and nearly 4,000 total yards) last season? He would be so much fun in this offense.

10. Miami Dolphins: Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama

Allen, the Crimson Tide sacks leader last season with 12, told ESPN.com that he received a second-round grade ahead of this year’s draft. If he continues to progress as he has from 2013 to ’15, he should have no trouble surpassing that projection.

11. Tennessee Titans (via Rams): Desmond King, CB, Iowa

It was a bit of a surprise when King announced he would stay in school for his senior season. The 5' 11" DB has a chance to repeat as the Jim Thorpe Award winner.

12. Atlanta Falcons: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

Watson’s 2015 was made all the more impressive by excelling despite losing Williams to a neck fracture in the season opener after the 6' 4" receiver crashed into the goalpost after a TD catch. He is on track to be 100% for 2016, giving him ample time to reemerge as an elite prospect.

13. Buffalo Bills: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

Don’t want to overdo it on running backs, especially in the top 15, but Cook will be in the early first round discussion if he repeats his 2015 production: 1,935 rushing yards, 20 TDs. Pro Football Focus graded him out No. 2 in the nation in yards after contact per attempt.

14. Houston Texans: Jabrill Peppers, S/LB, Michigan

Jim Harbaugh said Peppers might be the “Willie Mays of football”, and his two-way contributions no doubt will lead to ample Charles Woodson comparisons this season. The rising junior is an athletically gifted safety who actually is set to play linebacker in new defensive coordinator Don Brown’s scheme.

15. Washington Redskins: Eddie Vanderdoes, DT, UCLA

Kenny Clark is the UCLA DT everyone got to know this spring, but Vanderdoes would have been right with him if he had’t torn his ACL last September.

16. Chicago Bears: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

Time to take a stab at the other QBs who could crack Round 1 a year from now. Put the 6' 3" Mahomes on the list of possibilities. He has given up his spot on the Red Raiders’ baseball team so he can focus on football and is primed to blow up off a 46-TD season (36 passing, 10 rushing).

17. New York Jets: DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State

Walker applied for an NFL draft evaluation following his junior year, then stayed put. Expect him to build on his second-team All-ACC showing, which included 15.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.

18. Baltimore Ravens: Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama

Williams was a dominant situational edge rusher for the Tide last season, racking up 10.5 sacks in limited time. He even flirted with the 2016 draft. Circle him as a player whose stock could skyrocket in the coming months.

19: New York Giants: Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State

You didn’t think we would get through the first round without a couple Buckeyes, did you? McMillan stood out even on a defense which included two 2016 first-rounders (Joey Bosa and Darron Lee). He should be a star this fall.

20: Oakland Raiders: Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC

To give you some idea of the kind of athlete we’re talking about here: Jackson took off spring practice because he is trying to qualify as an Olympic long jumper. He can do it all on the football field, adding 27 catches and almost 900 return yards to his defensive duties last season.

21: Kansas City Chiefs: Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida

Another prospect that flirted with entering the 2016 draft, Davis did so on the heels of a breakout season (94 tackles, 11 tackles for loss). His teammate, safety Marcus Maye, is yet another Florida defender to keep in mind as a potential 2017 Round 1 choice.

22: Indianapolis Colts: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee

Tennessee’s miserable 2016 draft experience will not be repeated next year. Barnett, CB Cameron Sutton, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and QB Joshua Dobbs lead what could be an excellent class. Barnett is the best of the bunch right now. He was a beast against both run and pass last season.

23: Minnesota Vikings: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

A year after an underwhelming 2016 tight end class, 2017 could be loaded: Howard, Michigan’s Jake Butt and Clemson’s Jordan Leggett should lead an excellent class. Howard shredded Clemson in the national title game (five catches, 208 yards, two TDs), setting the stage for what could be a huge senior season.

24: Dallas Cowboys: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

The Pro Football Focus folks graded him as the country’s top cornerback, period, last season. His size (5' 10", 176 pounds) is the only thing that may hold him back from hearing his name called early

25: Cincinnati Bengals: Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State

The Spartans continue to churn out NFL-caliber talent, and McDowell might be the best of the recent bunch—not bad considering Shilique Calhoun, Trae Waynes and Darqueze Dennard are among the program’s recent draft picks. McDowell (6' 6", 280 lbs.) is a physically imposing monster inside.

26: Arizona Cardinals: Pat Elflein, G/C, Ohio State

I actually had a different Buckeye, DE/OLB Tyquan Lewis, in this spot initially but moved him out to accommodate Elflein, who will receive significant attention should he thrive in his move to center this year. Another Ohio State prospect to remember: cornerback Gareon Conley, the heir apparent to top-10 pick Eli Apple.

27: Denver Broncos: Tony Conner, S, Ole Miss

We just saw the Raiders and Falcons use picks 14 and 17, respectively, on Karl Joseph and Keanu Neal. Conner is next in line to be the hard-hitting safety NFL teams drool over. He might have joined Joseph and Neal in Round 1 had he stayed healthy last year.

28: Carolina Panthers: Charles Harris, DE, Missouri

Speaking of being "next in line," Harris (18.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks last season) could pick up right where fellow Mizzou products Shane Ray, Markus Golden and Kony Ealy left off in the draft.

29: Green Bay Packers: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

Davis (6' 3", 205 pounds) would have had a strong chance to land on Day 2 had he declared following his junior season. He again should be among the FBS’s top producers at receiver in his final Western Michigan go-round.

30: Pittsburgh Steelers: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly is a lock to be mentioned among next year’s first-round QBs, but his checkered past also will come up time and again: kicked off a high school team, kicked off Clemson, arrested before joining the Rebels (he pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge). But don’t sleep on Mayfield, who finished fourth in last year’s Heisman voting. He put up 3,700 yards passing, rushed for another 400 and is extremely accurate.

31: Seattle Seahawks: Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson

With Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd and D.J. Reader now in the pros, Watkins will be a lead dog for the Tigers’ D-line. The 300-pounder was second-team All-ACC last season and is set to build on a strong campaign.

32: New England Patriots: Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

Vernon Adams recently told SI’s Doug Farrar that Kupp is the best receiver in college football—Adams played with Kupp before the latter took home the Walter Payton Award in 2015 as the top FCS offensive player. He has decent size (6' 2", 205 lbs.), runs sharp routes and produces from the slot or outside.

Which other talented prospects should you have on your 2017 draft radar? Here are a few more to consider:

Marquis Haynes, Edge, Ole Miss

The skinny: Junior, 6' 3" and 220 lbs. All-SEC Freshman team honoree in 2014, then named second-team All-SEC last year. Made four starts as a true freshman and a dozen in 2015.

The 2015 stats: 43 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, three forced fumbles.

The tape (Haynes is No. 10 in the video):

Check out those stats. Hayes can be an absolute nightmare off the edge for opposing blockers. If only it were that simple when it comes to figuring out his NFL place.

Haynes wreaks havoc in the backfield thanks to a remarkable, shot-out-of-a-cannon first step. He complements it with the quickness to bend the edge or blow past an interior lineman when stunting. His production no doubt will have him on the draft radar through this year (and next, should he stay into 2017); his limited size will force teams to project out his role perhaps a bit more than they would like.

Because he stands in that 220-lb. range, Haynes almost has to be viewed as a pass-rushing outside linebacker as opposed to a defensive end. He does not have the strength to hold up an edge, as stronger OTs repeatedly force him to run wide around them to reach the ball carrier.

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Haynes has flashed the athleticism to drop in coverage or play wide vs. the run, but will NFL teams trust him to do it on a consistent basis? The final verdict will be even tougher to come by should Haynes leave after this season, because he would not be eligible to participate in the Senior Bowl—other DE-to-OLB converts have used that week to prove themselves.

He has a pro future, no question. His draft stock will boil down to whether teams view him as an undersized but dynamic defensive chip or as a productive college star without an obvious position.

Gunner Kiel, QB, Cincinnati

The skinny: Redshirt senior, 6' 4" and 215 lbs. Transferred from Notre Dame after the 2012 season. Tied the Cincinnati single-season record for passing TDs, with 31 in 2014. Missed time due to multiple head injuries last season, and also was absent from the team’s bowl game due to an undisclosed personal matter.

The 2015 stats: 206 of 316 passing for 2,777 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Two rushing TDs.

The tape:

Fair or not, Kiel likely will have to answer for the strange route he took to Cincinnati’s QB job—the eventual five-star recruit decommitted from both Indiana and LSU before signing at Notre Dame, then transferred out of South Bend after one season. This coming year will mark his third as the Bearcats’ No. 1 quarterback, assuming Kiel reclaims that job after his bowl absence.

There is a lot to like in his game, starting (as NFL teams usually do at quarterback) with his size. His arm strength should go down as a plus, too, at least when it comes to getting the ball deep. Cincinnati’s passing attack has landed a number of huge plays under Kiel’s watch, and the experienced QB shows no qualms about giving his receivers chances in traffic.

The two areas in which Kiel must improve are his footwork and pace. The former will be prioritized by scouts because of Kiel’s experience in Cincinnati’s shotgun-based spread attack. But more than that, Kiel will throw off his back foot several times per game with little follow through, finishing his passes facing parallel to the line of scrimmage. As for the latter, while he does go through his progressions, it takes time—he wants that first read. Kiel almost never bails on the pocket unless it’s in the play design, meaning he relies on his protection to keep him clean. If there is a quick first read available or the defense cannot generate pressure, Kiel moves within the pocket to find a target; if either of those elements changes, he has problems.

Kiel does have enough mobility to run, usually on read-options, but he may not do much of it given the pair of head injuries he suffered as a redshirt junior.

Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee

The skinny:Senior, 5' 11" and 186 lbs. Has started 38 of a possible 38 games thus far in his career. Six career INTs and 26 pass breakups. Averages 16.0 yards per attempt on punt returns.

The 2015 stats: 28 tackles, three tackles for loss, six pass breakups, one INT, 467 yards and two touchdowns on 25 punt returns.

The tape:

Sutton is listed just shy of the coveted cornerback 6-foot mark, but he plays (and looks) bigger than that. He certainly has the type of length NFL front offices hope to find for their outside CB spots.

It takes more than simply being tall with long arms to thrive in coverage, of course, so what really helps set Sutton apart is how he uses his size to stay in receivers’ hip pockets, at the line and downfield. When asked to play press, he is very aggressive at the line, able to stop routes before they start. There even were a couple plays last season where he set up as if he were a receiver about to release downfield—one foot back, leaning forward, so as to explode at the snap.

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Sutton can flip his hips and force a receiver to the boundary. He also makes plays closing on passes in front of him, as was the case often when he was in off-coverage. Every step he takes in pass coverage comes with a purpose.

The mystery GMs have to figure out in the coming months is if his press style can translate to the next level. The worry: Is Sutton physical enough, in general? While he is willing to tackle, Sutton frequently can be driven out of run plays by blocking receivers, which could point to issues holding up vs. well-built NFL receivers. Sutton also has struggled in high-profile showdowns, as in 2014’s matchup with Alabama’s Amari Cooper (nine catches, 224 yards, two TDs) and again last year vs. the Crimson Tide’s Calvin Ridley (seven catches, 88 yards).

Despite those hiccups, Sutton brings more than enough upside to project as a Day 1-2 prospect right now, with room to challenge for the No. 1 CB spot.

Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo

The skinny: Senior, 6' 0" and 225 lbs. First-team All-MAC in 2014, second-team in ’15. Suspended to open the 2015 season for a violation of team rules. Hamstring injury kept him out of two games.

The 2015 stats: 973 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on 178 carries, 11 receptions for 45 yards.

The tape:

Throughout at least the second half of the 2015 season, all signs pointed to Hunt entering the draft early. How well his return works out from an NFL perspective depends, in large part, on his ability to stay on the field—something he has struggled to do thus far. An ankle injury sidelined him for several weeks during his sophomore year, then a hamstring caused trouble last year. Add in a suspension to open the ’15 campaign (which kept him out of Toledo’s stunning upset at Arkansas), and this has to be a clean year for Hunt.

The flip side, however, is that if Hunt does suit up every week and maintains his carries-per-game average from last season (17.8), he’ll wrap his career at nearly 750 rushing attempts. That’s a big number at a position where NFL teams are extremely wary of overuse.

He has clear NFL potential as a back, when he is healthy. His size alone will intrigue teams seeking a RB to use between the tackles, and he has a knack for falling forward on contact—a trait which sounds easier than it is.

Hunt is patient taking the ball east-west after a handoff, possessing an outstanding one-cut burst to get north-south when a hole opens. He likely will not time among the fastest 2017 backs, but he does show enough speed to go the distance when he clears the second level. And there is enough shiftiness in his repertoire to pick through traffic.

Hey there, Kareem Hunt.https://t.co/OIH2h2kBEu
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) May 31, 2016

The 2017 running back class is shaping up to be a loaded one, led by the likes of Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook. Hunt currently slots in a tier or two below, somewhere in the mid-rounds. A huge, healthy season would give him a boost.

Published Jun 1, 2016

CHRIS BURKE

Chris Burke covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is SI.com’s lead NFL draft expert. He joined SI in 2011 and lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.