After the first weekend of March Madness, we all need some assurance in our sports world.
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The NFL Draft isn't any more predictable than the NCAA Tournament, but NFL.com looked at the closest prospects to slam dunks, ranking the top 10 safest picks that teams could make on April 30 in Chicago.
"The 'boom or bust' prospects, with lots of potential but with plenty of questions marks, too, can make or break careers for NFL personnel executives," Chase Goodbread wrote.
"But it's the safe draft picks, the ones with the fewest flaws, that strong draft classes are built upon. In some cases, the safer prospects hold great high-end potential, as well, but their overriding trait is that they rate no worse than solid in every area, on or off the field."
Keeping in mind that the Giants hold the ninth spot in the draft, here are NFL.com's safest choices overall:
NFL.com names the top-10 safest draft choices
- DL Leonard Williams, USC
- WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
- DL Danny Shelton, Washington
- WR Kevin White, West Virginia
- CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State
- OL Brandon Scherff, Iowa
- DL Malcom Brown, Texas
- LB Eric Kendricks, UCLA
- WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
- OL Laken Tomlinson, Duke
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the crew on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" debated the biggest boom-or-bust prospects, which included wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (Missouri/Oklahoma), defensive end Danielle Hunter (LSU), offensive lineman Andrus Peat (Stanford), tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess (Michigan), linebacker/safety/running back Shaq Thompson (Washington), and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (Oklahoma).
Over the past 35 years these 35 players were drafted 9th overall in the NFL Draft
OLB Anthony Barr, Minnesota VikingsCollege: UCLARookie season (2014): 12 G, 12 GS, 70 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 3 PD, 2 FFNotes: NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 8, 2014)
CB Dee Milliner, New York JetsCollege: AlabamaRookie season (2013): 13 G, 12 GS, 56 tackles, 17 PD, 3 INTNotes: AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month (December 2013), AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 17, 2013)
LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina PanthersCollege: Boston CollegeRookies season (2012): 16 GS, 164 tackles, 1.0 sack, 8 PD, 2 INTNotes: 2013 AP NFL Defensive Players of the Year, 2012 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 2x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, 2x league tackles leader
OT Tyron Smith, Dallas CowboysCollege: USCRookie season (2011): 16 GSNotes: 2x Pro Bowl, First-Team All-Pro (2014), Second-Team All-Pro (2013), Started 63 of 64 games in NFL
RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo BillsCollege: ClemsonRookie season (2010): 14 G, 1 GS, 74 carries, 283 yardsNotes: Pro Bowl (2012), 3,321 career rush yards, 1,195 career receiving yards
NT B.J. Raji, Green Bay PackersCollege: Boston CollegeRookie season (2009): 14 G, 1 GS, 25 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 PDNotes: Super Bowl XLV champion, First-Team All-Pro (2010), Pro Bowl (2011)
LB Keith Rivers, Cincinnati BengalsCollege: USCRookie season (2008): 7 G, 7 GS, 37 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT, 1 FFNotes: Rivers has played 74 games with 50 starts.
WR Ted Ginn Jr., Miami DolphinsCollege: Ohio StateRookie season (2007): 16 G, 9 GS, 34 rec., 420 yards, 2 TD, punt return TDNotes: All-Rookie Team, NFC Champion with 49ers in 2012
LB Ernie Sims, Detroit LionsCollege: Florida StateRookie season (2006): 16 GS, 124 tackles, 0.5 sack, 1 PD, 1 FFNotes: Made 87 career starts in 109 games for the Lions, Eagles, Colts, and Cowboys.
2005: CB Carlos RogersCollege: Auburn Drafted By: Washington
2004: WR Reggie Williams College: Washington Drafted By: Jacksonville
2003: DT Kevin WilliamsCollege: Oklahoma StateDrafted By: Minnesota
2002: DT John HendersonCollege: TennesseeDrafted By: Jacksonville
2001: WR Koren RobinsonCollege: North Carolina StateDrafted By: Seattle
2000: MLB Brian UrlacherCollege: New MexicoDrafted By: Chicago
1999: OLB Chris ClaiborneCollege: Southern California Drafted By: Detroit
1998: RB Fred TaylorCollege: FloridaDrafted By: Jacksonville
1997: CB Tommy KnightCollege: IowaDrafted By: Arizona
1996: TE Rickey DudleyCollege: Ohio StateDrafted By: Oakland
1995: TE Kyle BradyCollege: Penn State Drafted By: N.Y. Jets
1994: CB Antonio LanghamCollege: AlabamaDrafted By: Cleveland
1993: OT Lincoln KennedyCollege: WashingtonDrafted By: Atlanta
1992: FB Tommy VardellCollege: StanfordDrafted By: Cleveland
1991: DB Stanley RichardCollege: TexasDrafted By: San Diego
1990: OT Richmond WebbCollege: Texas A&MDrafted By: Miami
1989: RB Sammie SmithCollege: Florida State Drafted By: Miami
1988: CB Terry McDanielCollege: Tennessee Drafted By: L.A. Raiders
1987: DT Jerome BrownCollege: Miami Drafted By: Philadelphia
1986: OG John RienstraCollege: Temple Drafted By: Pittsburgh
1985: OT Kevin AllenCollege: IndianaDrafted By: Philadelphia
1984: DE Rick BryanCollege: OklahomaDrafted By: Atlanta
1983 OG: Bruce MatthewsCollege: Southern California Drafted By: Houston
1982: RB Gerald RiggsCollege: Arizona StateDrafted By: Atlanta
1981: LB Mel OwensCollege: MichiganDrafted By: LA Rams
1980: DT Doug MartinCollege: Washington Drafted By: Minnesota
