NFL Draft 2014: The Top 100 College Prospects (Pre-Senior Bowl Edition)

Here at Blogging The Boys, the front page writers are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure that our loyal readers (who really are the heart and soul of this community) remain among the most informed and knowledgeable football fans in the known universe. In that spirit, we strive to go above and beyond your expectations and deliver you the best product that we possibly can. With you the reader in mind, and with the benefit of frequent bouts of insomnia, I have spent many hours over the last several months looking at film of some of the top college football talent that the NCAA has to offer. After the sacrifice of sleep and the torture of watching muscular, well conditioned young men running around in tight pants for hours on end, it is my pleasure to present for your viewing pleasure the first annual edition of "D-Mac's Top 100 College Prospects."

Keep in mind, that the current rankings are based solely on how each player acquitted himself during the regular college season and in bowl games. Since that time, we have witnessed some players, primarily Jimmy Garoppolo, make a significant move during the annual East - West Shrine Game (Earning himself a trip to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama to compete against the "big boys" for his efforts.). Now others, led by Pitt DT Aaron Donald, are increasing their value during the practice sessions at the Senior Bowl.

If asked to pick one player who really dominated today, it'd be Pitt DT Aaron Donald. But, that's what he did all year too.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 21, 2014

Others whom I have ranked well are under-performing and as a result their draft stock is taking a hit.

#ASU DT Will Sutton "looked lethargic and heavy legged" at #SeniorBowl. http://t.co/Gg3yQreaSn

— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) January 21, 2014

The key thing to remember is that everything remains in flux. What is soon will not be. After the Senior Bowl, everything will be revised and new favorites will emerge. Such is the nature of the beast, but by publishing this list now, it will give us a means to compare how an event like the Senior Bowl can have a dramatic impact on a player's standing, both in the eyes of the fans and eventually from the perspective of NFL teams.

That is a lesson that I suspect a certain Alabama quarterback is going to learn the hard way.

Report: A.J. McCarron passed on Senior Bowl because he believes he'll be a top-20 pick http://t.co/VWTfmmscj5

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 17, 2014

While McCarron is now claiming that injury concerns, and not draft status motivated his choice to not play in his home town of Mobile, with rumors circulating that there are some un-revealed character issues with the Alabama QB, there is little doubt that his "No-Show" is catching the attention of the very NFL executives that will be deciding his future.

In addition to the guys who are hindering themselves, a few guys are making a statement that they belong in the league. One in particular is a player out of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri (yes, I had to look it up).

Lindenwood CB Pierre Desir is showing he can play with the big guys at the Senior Bowl. For sure day 2 pick, pressing to be a day 1 pick.

— NFL Philosophy (@NFLosophy) January 22, 2014

Based on the research I have done so far, thanks to some technical assistance from my friend and FPW colleague Tom Ryle, who took the time to work my rankings into a presentable table, I present my Pre-Senior Bowl Top 100.

There you have it, folks. My take on the best talent that college football has to offer for the 2014 NFL Draft. As I mentioned before, things change, and we all know that there will be plenty of ups and downs between now and May 8th, when the draft kicks off. Along the way, you will see many other versions of lists just like mine, perhaps a couple of them generated by me and/or my colleagues here at Blogging The Boys. How close will we compare to the "experts" and the NFL teams themselves? Who knows, but that's half the fun of an exercise like this one. The best part of "Draft Season" is that it gives the fans, people like you and me, an opportunity to play scout and general manager. With very few exceptions, something like this is as close as we will ever come to living our dreams.