First, congrats to Aaron Donald on a great NFL career. I think he's the best DT of all time.
It is too early for the 2014 NFL draft class to make the listicles of all-time NFL classes, but it should rank pretty highly.
The class is headlined by Aaron Donald. 'Nuff said.
But it also includes the following:
First Ballot HOFers (after Donald)
Khalil Mack - 101 career sacks
Zack Martin - 152 starts, 9 All Pro and Pro Bowl seasons
Davante Adams - 3 All Pro and 6 Pro Bowls, 10,781 yards and 95 TDs and counting
Likely HOFERS
Demarcus Lawrence - 4 Pro Bowls and 58 sacks, plus the whole Cowboys thing should get him in
Mike Evans - 5 Pro Bowls, 11,000+ yards, 94 TDS and counting; very similar production to Adams, but seems to have less name recognition.
CJ Mosley - 5 Pro Bowls
Taylor Lewan - 3 Pro Bowls, 105 starts - hard to handicap OTs for the HOF, but I think he gets in eventually
Joel Bitonio - I admit I cannot recall him, but 2 All Pro and 6 Pro Bowl seasons over 144 starts should be enough
Solid Starters
Odell Beckham Jr
Brandin Cooks - 9,000 yards, 57 TDs and counting
Kyle Fuller - 1 All Pro, 2 Pro Bowls
Eric Ebron - 351 receptions
Ryan Shazier
Jake Matthews - 162 starts (he's probably also a HOFER)
Jadeveon Clowney - injuries diminished him a bit, but he still has 52 career sacks and 3 Pro Bowls.
Anthony Barr
Jimmie Ward
Allen Robinson - former Bear had a good career that was shortened by injury
Jarvis Landry
Kyle Van Noy
Morgan Moses
Gabe Jackson
Trai Turner
Pat O'Donnel punted a lot
Worth noting that this draft gave us Bear fans Charles Leno Jr. in the 7th round. He has made 141 career starts.
The thing the 2014 class lacks that will keep it out of the Pantheon of NFL Drafts is the lack of a franchise QB. Derek Carr is the headline QB of the class. Jimmy G is on it. Teddy Bridgewater deserves a ton of respect for having a career after destroying his knee early in his career (it was really bad).
Finally, the 2014 class also include Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, the best name in football history (or a headline from the NY Post on the Clinton-Lewinsky affair).
It is too early for the 2014 NFL draft class to make the listicles of all-time NFL classes, but it should rank pretty highly.
The class is headlined by Aaron Donald. 'Nuff said.
But it also includes the following:
First Ballot HOFers (after Donald)
Khalil Mack - 101 career sacks
Zack Martin - 152 starts, 9 All Pro and Pro Bowl seasons
Davante Adams - 3 All Pro and 6 Pro Bowls, 10,781 yards and 95 TDs and counting
Likely HOFERS
Demarcus Lawrence - 4 Pro Bowls and 58 sacks, plus the whole Cowboys thing should get him in
Mike Evans - 5 Pro Bowls, 11,000+ yards, 94 TDS and counting; very similar production to Adams, but seems to have less name recognition.
CJ Mosley - 5 Pro Bowls
Taylor Lewan - 3 Pro Bowls, 105 starts - hard to handicap OTs for the HOF, but I think he gets in eventually
Joel Bitonio - I admit I cannot recall him, but 2 All Pro and 6 Pro Bowl seasons over 144 starts should be enough
Solid Starters
Odell Beckham Jr
Brandin Cooks - 9,000 yards, 57 TDs and counting
Kyle Fuller - 1 All Pro, 2 Pro Bowls
Eric Ebron - 351 receptions
Ryan Shazier
Jake Matthews - 162 starts (he's probably also a HOFER)
Jadeveon Clowney - injuries diminished him a bit, but he still has 52 career sacks and 3 Pro Bowls.
Anthony Barr
Jimmie Ward
Allen Robinson - former Bear had a good career that was shortened by injury
Jarvis Landry
Kyle Van Noy
Morgan Moses
Gabe Jackson
Trai Turner
Pat O'Donnel punted a lot
Worth noting that this draft gave us Bear fans Charles Leno Jr. in the 7th round. He has made 141 career starts.
The thing the 2014 class lacks that will keep it out of the Pantheon of NFL Drafts is the lack of a franchise QB. Derek Carr is the headline QB of the class. Jimmy G is on it. Teddy Bridgewater deserves a ton of respect for having a career after destroying his knee early in his career (it was really bad).
Finally, the 2014 class also include Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, the best name in football history (or a headline from the NY Post on the Clinton-Lewinsky affair).
