2018 NFL Draft – Prospect Rankings

– Quarterbacks

1. Josh Rosen – UCLA
2. Sam Darnold – USC
3. Baker Mayfield – Oklahoma
4. Josh Allen – Wyoming
5. Lamar Jackson – Louisville

It’s really a toss-up between Rosen and Darnold.  I believe Rosen will be the better player right away in the NFL but Darnold has the potential to develop and have a better career.  Baker is definitely a talented QB, I just believe Rosen and Darnold are going to be better right away.  Josh Allen needs to be drafted into a situation, like Patrick Mahomes had this season with the Chiefs, where he can sit for a year behind an established veteran.  Lamar Jackson is an exciting college QB and I do believe he can bring that excitment to the NFL, I just worry about his size and weight.

– Running backs

1. Saquon Barkley – Penn St.
2. Bryce Love – Stanford
3. Ronald Jones II – USC
4. Derrius Guice – LSU
5. Rashaad Penny – San Diego State

Saquon Barkley is one of the best players in this entire draft class.  He can do pretty much anything you want him to do and he will probably go top 5.  I really like Bryce Love as a runner, there are questions about his size and if he can hold up in the NFL.  Ronald Jones and Derrius Guice can both be guys who can see a heavy workload right away in the NFL.  Rashaad Penny had an amazing season this year at San Diego State much like his former teammate, Donnel Pumphrey, had his final season.

– Wide Receivers

1. Courtland Sutton – SMU
2. Calvin Ridley – Alabama
3. James Washington – Oklahoma St.
4. Simmie Cobbs Jr. – Indiana
5. David Sills V – West Virginia

Courtland Sutton and Calvin Ridley should both go in the first round.  They are both very talented recievers and I had a hard time deciding who should be number one.  James Washington had a ton of hype about him early on in the season and I think he has a chance to go in the first round.  Simmie Cobbs Jr. and David Sills V are most likely second-round prospects but they were both very productive this past season.

– Tight Ends

1. Mark Andrews – Oklahoma
2. Adam Breneman – Massachusetts
3. Dallas Goedert – South Dakota State
4. Mike Gesicki – Penn St.
5. Troy Fumagalli – Wisconsin

This TE class is nowhere close to last years but there are still some talented players here.  I really enjoy watching Mark Andrews play.  He was very productive and helped his QB, Baker Mayfield, out quite a bit.  Adam Breneman and Mike Gesicki and guys who can step in right away if needed.  Dallas Goedert is a small school prospect who had a lot of potential, think Adam Shaheen from last year’s draft.  Troy Fumagalli had a ton of hype surrounding him last season and early this season but he did not really live up to it.  He still had good potential and will still probably be a 3-4 round prospect.

– Offensive Tackles

1. Connor Williams – Texas
2. Mike McGlinchey – Notre Dame
3. Orlando Brown Jr. – Oklahoma
4. Mitch Hyatt – Clemson
5. Chukwuma Okorafor – Western Michigan

There is a bit of talent in the offensive line class this year, especially at Tackle.  Connor Williams struggled early this season and had problems with injuries but he is still very talented and has been compared to Joe Thomas in the past.  Mike McGlinchey and Orlando Brown Jr. can start right away if needed.  Mitch Hyatt and Chukwuma Okorafor probably both need some time to develop.

– Guards

1. Quenton Nelson – Notre Dame
2. Will Hernandez – UTEP
3. Tyrone Crowder – Clemson
4. Will Clapp – LSU
5. Sean Welsh – Iowa

Quenton Nelson might be the best football player in the class.  He has been nothing but dominant during his time at Notre Dame and he has a chance to go top 5.  Will Hernandez is very talented but you have to take into consideration that he plays at UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso).  After these two, there is a drop off talent wise.  I think Crowder and Clapp have sstarting potential but not right away.  Sean Welsh is another guy who has potential to start later on in his career.

– Centers

1. Billy Price – Ohio State
2. Mason Cole – Michigan
3. Frank Ragnow – Arkansas
4. Michael Deiter – Wisconsin
5. Dalton Risner – Kansas State

Ohio State will produce another talented offensive lineman this year in Billy Price.  He is definitely the most talented Center is this class but he has the ability to also play Guard if needed.  The rest of this Center class is full of guys who can become starters but probably should not play right away.

– Defensive Ends

1. Harold Landry – Boston College
2. Bradley Chubb – NC State
3. Clelin Ferrell – Clemson
4. Andrew Brown – Virginia
5. Tyquan Lewis – Ohio State

Harold Landry is number one on my rankings due to his raw talent.  He was amazing in the 2016 season for Boston College but his production dropped off a bit this season.  Bradley Chubb was great this year for NC State and I expect the same amount of production to transfer to the NFL.  Ferrell, Brown, and Lewis are all talented but they just are not on the same level as Landry or Chubb.

– Defensive Tackles

1. Christian Wilkins – Clemson
2. Da’Ron Payne – Alabama
3. Maurice Hurst – Michigan
4. Vita Vea – Washington
5. Dre’Mont Jones – Ohio State

There is actually quite a bit of talent in this year’s Defensive Tackle class.  Christian Wilkins was dominant at Clemson and should be a lock for the first round.  Da’Ron Payne is another talented D-Lineman that Alabama seems to produce very often.  Hurst and Jones are both very talented are they could both see a good amount of playing time right away.  Washington has seemed to produce very good talent on the defensive side over the past few years and they will do it again this year with Vita Vea.  Most scouts and analysts believe he will go in the first round and I completely agree.

– Edge-Rushers

1. Arden Key – LSU
2. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo – Oklahoma
3. Uchenna Nwosu – USC
4. Josh Sweat – Florida State
5. Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State

Arden Key was expected to be amazing this year for LSU but he had some injury issues.  He started to play much better at the end of the season and I still think he will go pretty high in the first round.  Okoronkwo and Nwosu both have the ability and talent to start right away.  Sweat and Mata’afa have the talent to start right away but it would be best to rotate them with veteran pass-rushers throughout their first season.

– Outside Linebackers

1. Malik Jefferson – Texas
2. Josey Jewell – Iowa
3. Tegray Scales – Indiana
4. Chris Worley – Ohio State
5. Kendall Joseph – Clemson

Malik Jefferson is a very athletic linebacker who some see as more of a pass-rusher due to his size and ability.  Josey Jewell was extremely productive this season for Iowa and I think he should go in the first round.  Scales, Worley, and Joseph all have the talent to play right away in the NFL.

– Middle Linebackers

1. Roquan Smith – Georgia
2. Cameron Smith – USC
3. Micah Kiser – Virginia
4. T.J. Edwards – Wisconsin
5. Jerome Baker – Ohio State

Roquan Smith is probably the best Linebacker is this year’s class.  He is amazing to watch and should be great in the NFL.  I think Cameron Smith has a solid chance to go in the first round based off of his production at USC.  He seems to be a great leader and could fill that same role with away in the NFL.  I am a big fan of Micah Kiser just based solely on the way he plays.   T.J. Edwards can be a role-player right away in the NFL.  Jerome Baker has questions about his size and production but I think he can develop into a starting Lineback in the league.

– Cornerbacks

1. Tarvarus McFadden – Florida State
2. Denzel Ward – Ohio State
3. Josh Jackson – Iowa
4. Isaiah Oliver – Colorado
5. Carlton Davis – Auburn

I have McFadden number one based on his size and potential.  He was not the most productive player this season but I think he can be great in the NFL under the right coaching staff.  The other four guys all have the skill to be selected in the first round this year.

– Free Safeties

1. Minkah Fitzpatrick – Alabama
2. Derwin James – Florida State
3. Armani Watts – Texas A&M
4. Justin Reid – Stanford
5. Quin Blanding – Virginia

Fitzpatrick was one of the best defensive players in college football this year.  There is a good chance he goes top 5 in this years draft.  Derwin James was no very productive theis year but he has shown that he has potential to be a great defensive back.  Watts and Blanding both have a good chance to see playing time right away in the NFL.  Justin Reid is also very talented and he is the brother of Eric Reid, Safety for the San Francisco 49er’s.

– Strong Safeties

1. Ronnie Harrison – Alabama
2. Marcus Allen – Penn State
3. Damon Webb – Ohio State
4. Jamar Summers – Connecticut
5. Trey Marshall – Florida State

Ronnie Harrison is another talented Alabama defensive back.  He has good size and can probably also play Free Safety in the NFL.  The rest of the Strong Safeties all have very good potential and the ability to play right away if needed.

– Kickers

1. Michael Badgley – Miami
2. Eddy Pineiro – Florida
3. Justin Yoon – Notre Dame
4.  Greg Joseph – FAU
5.  Aidan Schneider – Oregon

I think Badgley and Pineiro both have the talent to be drafted.  Yoon, Joseph, and Schneider will all probably go undrafted but will be signed to compete in training camp.

– Punters

1. Johnny Townsend – Florida
2. J.K. Scott – Alabama
3. Trevor Daniel – Tennessee
4. Will Gleeson – Ole Miss
5. Joseph Davidson – Bowling Green

Johnny Townsend seems to be a pretty good punter as scouts were looking at him last year because he was considering declaring for the draft.  I actually think all of these Punters are talented enough to be drafted but it’s hard to tell if a team is considering drafting a punter.

 

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