Written by Cameron DaSilva at FoxSports.com
The 2016 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be one that was very strong, particularly at the top. We saw players like Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa and Michael Thomas take the league by storm, putting together tremendous rookie seasons.
But what will 2017 bring for the rest of the class? Plenty of promise and a high level of potential. There are budding stars all over the place, from the first round all the way down to the fifth.
Next season, look for these 10 players to break out and put together Pro Bowl-type seasons. They’re set up for success after most of them showed flashes of greatness as rookies.
10. Sean Davis, FS, Steelers
Sean Davis took a little while to crack the starting lineup, but once he did, his presence was felt. In 16 games (eight starts), his versatility really popped off the tape. He had 69 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery, always finding himself around the ball.
His range and speed at free safety improved the play of everyone around him, elevating the entire defense in Pittsburgh. He’ll enter 2017 as the starter at free safety, giving him more first-team reps during offseason activities and training camp.
Davis, who played corner and safety in college, has the potential to be a great centerfield safety for the Steelers – something they’ve lacked for years.
9.Hunter Henry, TE, Chargers
Philip Rivers loves tight ends in the Chargers’ offense. He had a great run with Antonio Gates, and now it’s time for Hunter Henry to take over. The 6-5 pass-catching tight end had 36 receptions in just 10 starts, eight of which went for touchdowns. He had a four-game stretch at one point last season where he caught 18 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns, which is the sort of production you can expect in Year 2.
Henry cooled off a bit after that, but his ceiling is sky-high, and there’s no telling how good he’s going to be. He already tied for the most touchdowns by a tight end last season, and was tied for the ninth most in all of football.
And this was all while he was battling through a variety of injuries that hampered him a bit. Henry has unlimited potential and can really thrive in L.A.’s offense.
8. Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Patriots
Is Malcolm Mitchell the Patriots’ next star receiver? He has good tools despite not being the tallest receiver, playing much bigger than his 5-11 height indicates. That’s because his catch radius is relatively large, showing he can elevate and make difficult catches by high-pointing the ball.
In New England’s offense that relies on underneath routes and yards after the catch, Mitchell has great speed, running a 4.45 40-yard dash at the combine, one of the top times by a wideout. Tom Brady’s trust in him grew as the season went on, culminating in a six-reception, 70-yard game in Super Bowl LI – catching all but one pass that came his way.
Look for Mitchell to play the way he did at the end of the season when he had three 70-plus yard games and hauled in four touchdowns. Being healthier will also help his play.
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