2015 NFL Draft Big Board: Matt Miller's Midseason Rankings

The 2014 college football regular season is down to the final month of play, which means time to evaluate NFL draft prospects is also heating up.

Looking at the 2015 NFL draft class in early November—including expected juniors and redshirt sophomore underclassman declarations—you get the sense that this isn't a great or deep group. Unlike the 2011 and 2014 drafts, both of which had exceptional top-tier talent and great depth, the 2015 class has a handful of very good prospects near the top of the rankings but a big drop-off to the second tier.

The same can be said for many positions, but the 2015 class does look very strong at running back and edge-rushers on defense. And depending on which underclassmen head to the NFL this spring, the group at quarterback could be deep on passers or very thin.

As NFL fans begin to look ahead to the offseason, here is my list of the top draft-eligible college players based on how well they will project to the next level. This is not a list of the best players in college football, but a list of how good the best players in college look to the NFL. Throw out your stat books, because this is more about talent, traits and upside.

It's still early in the draft process, so much can change, but after two months of college football, this is how the NFL prospect landscape looks for my top 50 players and the top 10 players at each position.

Top 50

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Just four weeks after the last top 50 was released, there are many new faces and some surprising moves on the board.

The top of the list stays the same with quarterback Marcus Mariota headlining the class, but the rest of the top five has seen a shake-up. Cedric Ogbuehi was previously ranked No. 2 overall, and Jameis Winston was outside the top 10 last time around. 

Other big movers include a healthy DeVante Parker at Louisville (No. 13 overall), Kentucky's Bud Dupree (No. 16) and the continued rise of West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White (No. 19 overall).

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Pos. Rk	School
1	Marcus Mariota	QB	1	Oregon
2	Jameis Winston	QB	2	Florida State
3	Leonard Williams	DT	1	USC
4	Amari Cooper	WR	1	Alabama
5	Randy Gregory	DE	1	Nebraska
6	Todd Gurley	RB	1	Georgia
7	Cedric Ogbuehi	OT	1	Texas A&M
8	Vic Beasley	OLB	1	Clemson
9	Brandon Scherff	OT	2	Iowa
10	Landon Collins	SS	1	Alabama
11	Shaq Thompson	OLB	2	Washington
12	Shane Ray	DE	2	Missouri
13	DeVante Parker	WR	2	Louisville
14	Marcus Peters	CB	1	Washington
15	Brett Hundley	QB	3	UCLA
16	Bud Dupree	DE	3	Kentucky
17	Shawn Oakman	DE	4	Baylor
18	Devin Funchess	WR	3	Michigan
19	Kevin White	WR	4	West Virginia
20	Connor Cook	QB	4	Michigan State
21	Gerod Holliman	FS	1	Louisville
22	La'el Collins	OT	3	LSU
23	P.J. Williams	CB	2	Florida State
24	Trae Waynes	CB	3	Michigan State
25	Michael Bennett	DT	2	Ohio State
26	Ty Sambrailo	OT	4	Colorado State
27	Benardrick McKinney	ILB	1	Miss. State
28	Danny Shelton	DT	3	Washington
29	Eddie Goldman	DT	3	Florida State
30	Andrus Peat	OT	4	Stanford
31	Ameer Abdullah	RB	2	Nebraska
32	Leonard Floyd	OLB	3	Georgia
33	Eric Striker	OLB	4	Oklahoma
34	Nelson Agholor	WR	5	USC
35	Jaelen Strong	WR	6	Arizona State
36	Alex Carter	CB	4	Stanford
37	Dante Fowler Jr.	DE	5	Florida
38	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu	CB	5	Oregon
39	Bryce Petty	QB	5	Baylor
40	Tevin Coleman	RB	3	Indiana
41	Mario Edwards	DE	6	Florida State
42	Shilique Calhoun	DE	7	Michigan State
43	Jalen Collins	CB	6	LSU
44	Ronald Darby	CB	7	Florida State
45	Hau'oli Kikaha	DE	8	Washington
46	Lorenzo Mauldin	DE	9	Louisville
47	Everett Golson	QB	6	Notre Dame
48	Duke Johnson	RB	4	Miami (Fla.)
49	Jordan Phillips	DT	5	Oklahoma
50	A.J. Cann	G	1	South Carolina

Top 10 Quarterbacks

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The group of quarterbacks ranked heading into the end of the season hasn't changed much, but there is at least news to update you on.

Oregon's Marcus Mariota remains the top prospect over Florida State's Jameis Winston. Mariota as a player has advantages in terms of athleticism and passing mechanics, but he also gets the nod over Winston due to the high number of off-field concerns surrounding the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. It's a close race, though, with the two quarterbacks being ranked No. 1 and No. 2 overall, respectively.

The rest of the quarterback crop requires some faith. UCLA's Brett Hundley has regressed, but the team around him has taken a nosedive. A team drafting in the first half of Round 1 could fall in love with his tools and figure it can give him a better supporting cast and coaching than the Bruins have. It's very similar to the Jaguars drafting Blake Bortles at No. 3 overall in spite of his needing work on mechanics and entering the draft as an underdeveloped quarterback prospect.

Michigan State's Connor Cook told The Dan Patrick Show that he's inclined to return to college for his senior season, which would take him off the rankings. We'll wait until January's deadline for underclassmen to declare before he's removed.

Quarterback Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Marcus Mariota	Oregon
2	Jameis Winston	Florida State
3	Brett Hundley	UCLA
4	Connor Cook	Michigan State
5	Bryce Petty	Baylor
6	Everett Golson	Notre Dame
7	Dak Prescott	Mississippi State
8	Brandon Bridge	South Alabama
9	Shane Carden	East Carolina
10	Cody Kessler	USC

Top 10 Running Backs

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The 2015 draft class is loaded at running back. How good is this group? Four players rank inside my top 50, and 10 are inside the top 100 players.

Georgia's Todd Gurley is a legitimate headliner and should be the earliest running back drafted in the last two years. He appears to be a lock to break the trend of running backs not going in the first round and is a top-10 player overall.

Gurley isn't all this class has to offer, though. Ameer Abdullah, Tevin Coleman, Duke Johnson and Melvin Gordon all look like starting NFL running backs with the toolboxes to be quality players over the long haul. Of the 10 players ranked here, each has the skill set to be a starter in his first two seasons.

Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Todd Gurley	Georgia
2	Ameer Abdullah	Nebraska
3	Tevin Coleman	Indiana
4	Duke Johnson	Miami (Fla.)
5	Melvin Gordon	Wisconsin
6	Mike Davis	South Carolina
7	T.J. Yeldon	Alabama
8	Jay Ajayi	Boise State
9	Buck Allen	USC
10	David Cobb	Minnesota

Top 10 Wide Receivers

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The 2014 wide receiver class was legendary for its talent and depth. While the 2015 class probably won't compare once all underclassmen make their decisions, this is still a very talented group with a good amount of depth.

Including underclassmen, there are 14 wide receivers currently in my top 100 players—which compares to 17 in the 2014 class. The top of this class compares well if you match up Amari Cooper to Sammy Watkins, Kevin White to Mike Evans and DeVante Parker to Odell Beckham, but it would be a surprise to see the 2015 wide receivers drafted as early.

The big movers after one month of play are all due to injury. A healthy DeVante Parker is my No. 2 wide receiver, while a still-slowed Kasen Williams at Washington falls out of the top 10 completely. 

Wide Receiver Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Amari Cooper	Alabama
2	DeVante Parker	Louisville
3	Devin Funchess	Michigan
4	Kevin White	West Virginia
5	Nelson Agholor	USC
6	Jaelen Strong	Arizona State
7	Rashad Greene	Florida State
8	Antwan Goodley	Baylor
9	Sammie Coates	Auburn
10	Ty Montgomery	Stanford

Top 10 Tight Ends

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The 2015 draft is likely to come and go without a tight end being selected in the first round, but there are still talented players here capable of making an early impact as picks outside of Round 1.

Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman and Florida State's Nick O'Leary are two fun football players to watch. Both are a bit of a throwback to the days of tough, gritty tight ends (see O'Leary suplexing defenders) while still offering versatility and athleticism. Heuerman can play in-line (next to an offensive tackle) or in space and has improved as a blocker in 2014. O'Leary, like a young Chris Cooley, is a player you can use at fullback or tight end and get production.

Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Jeff Heuerman	Ohio State
2	Nick O'Leary	Florida State
3	Ben Koyack	Notre Dame
4	E.J. Bibbs	Iowa State
5	Jesse James	Penn State
6	Tyler Kroft	Rutgers
7	Clive Walford	Miami (Fla.)
8	Gerald Christian	Louisville
9	Connor Hamlett	Oregon State
10	MyCole Pruitt	Southern Illinois

Top 10 Offensive Tackles

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The offensive tackle rankings have changed little since the Week 4 update, but the overall rankings of the players are trending down.

Seniors Cedric Ogbuehi and Brandon Scherff have struggled this year—Ogbuehi with technique, Scherff with an injury—which pushes them down the board slightly. Ty Sambrailo maintains a first-round grade at this update and looks like a very solid mid-to-late first-round pick.

The biggest riser is LSU's La'el Collins, who has shown improved technique and footwork over the last month. Missing from the last update are underclassmen Germain Ifedi, Ereck Flowers and Spencer Drango, as I'm projecting all will return to school for 2015 at this time.

Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Cedric Ogbuehi	Texas A&M
2	Brandon Scherff	Iowa
3	La'el Collins	LSU
4	Ty Sambrailo	Colorado State
5	Andrus Peat	Stanford
6	Tyrus Thompson	Oklahoma
7	Jake Fisher	Oregon
8	Cam Erving	Florida State
9	Sean Hickey	Syracuse
10	Daryl Williams	Oklahoma

Top 10 Guards

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The Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have all invested heavily in drafting and developing offensive guards in the past three seasons—something the New Orleans Saints did earlier in the decade to protect Drew Brees. As teams begin to copy that format and look to the middle of the line, the 2015 class comes into focus.

There is no Round 1 talent here, but South Carolina's A.J. Cann is a top-50 player. Florida State also boasts two Day 2 talents, and Texas A&M's Jarvis Harrison is a rising talent coming out of that offensive line factory.

Offensive Guard Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	A.J. Cann	South Carolina
2	Josue Matias	Florida State
3	Tre' Jackson	Florida State
4	Jarvis Harrison	Texas A&M
5	Laken Tomlinson	Duke
6	Arie Kouandjio	Alabama
7	Vadal Alexander	LSU
8	Dallas Lewallen	Wisconsin
9	Aundrey Walker	USC
10	John Miller	Louisville

Top 10 Centers

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Talk to enough NFL evaluators and you'll find a wide variety of thoughts on how important the center position is in today's NFL. But a look at successful teams over the last five years (Seattle, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Baltimore and New York Giants) shows stability in their winning season at center. Finding a 10-year-starter isn't as easy as it used to be, but finding a long-term solution is still a must at center.

There isn't a first-round player here, and no one is ranked inside the top 50, but Auburn's Reese Dismukes is a solid second-rounder, and Oregon's Hroniss Grasu is a top-tier athlete with the potential to shoot up the board late.

Center Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Reese Dismukes	Auburn
2	Hroniss Grasu	Oregon
3	Mike Matthews	Texas A&M
4	B.J. Finney	Kansas State
5	Jake Smith	Louisville
6	Andy Gallik	Boston College
7	Brandon Vitabile	Northwestern
8	Greg Mancz	Toledo
9	Tom Farniok	Iowa State
10	David Andrews	Georgia

Top 10 4-3 Defensive Ends

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The Year of the Pass-Rusher.

That's the label I put on the 2015 draft class after the Week 4 Big Board update, and four weeks later it's even more applicable given the impressive talent on the edge of the defense.

Randy Gregory maintains his top spot on the rankings with USC's Leonard Williams being reclassified as a defensive tackle. We also see big risers like Shane Ray (No. 3 overall last time) and newcomers Bud Dupree, Lorenzo Mauldin and Nate Orchard who were all outside the top 10 last time around.

The NFL has become a very versatile league on defense, so you'll see some players ranked at multiple positions. Where applicable, I've made note of alternate positions in the rankings.

4-3 Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Randy Gregory	Nebraska	3-4 OLB
2	Shane Ray	Missouri	3-4 OLB
3	Bud Dupree	Kentucky	3-4 OLB
4	Shawn Oakman	Baylor	3-4 DE
5	Dante Fowler	Florida	3-4 OLB
6	Mario Edwards	Florida State	3-4 DE
7	Shilique Calhoun	Michigan State	3-4 OLB
8	Lorenzo Mauldin	Louisville	3-4 OLB
9	Nate Orchard	Utah	3-4 OLB
10	Trey Flowers	Arkansas	3-4 OLB

Top 10 4-3 Defensive Tackles

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The 4-3 defensive tackle class didn't look particularly strong when the college football season began. But as time has gone by, players like Danny Shelton and Eddie Goldman have risen in the rankings and brought depth and talent to the position that wasn't obvious when the year began.

Now we see Michael Bennett, Shelton, Goldman and USC's Leonard Williams (previously listed at defensive end) all as first-round talents.

Williams is the key here. A 3-4 defensive end at USC, he has the toolbox to step in as a 3-technique defensive tackle and be a threat all along the defensive line. He has legitimate No. 1 overall pick talent.

4-3 Defensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Leonard Williams	USC	3-4 DE
2	Michael Bennett	Ohio State	None
3	Danny Shelton	Washington	3-4 DT
4	Eddie Goldman	Florida State	None
5	Jordan Phillips	Oklahoma	Nose Tackle
6	Carl Davis	Iowa	3-4 DE
7	Gabe Wright	Auburn	Nose Tackle
8	Tyeler Davison	Fresno State	3-4 DE
9	Leon Orr	Florida	3-4 DE
10	Malcom Brown	Texas	None

Top 10 4-3 Outside Linebackers

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There aren't many high-ranking outside linebackers drafted into a 4-3 defense in the last handful of seasons, but when you get a good one they can change what you're able to do on defense. Von Miller, Lavonte David, Anthony Barr and DeAndre Levy are just some of the prototypes NFL scouts are looking for at the position.

Size used to be a requirement here, but in today's NFL it's acceptable for an outside linebacker in a 4-3 to be around 235 pounds. The days of 255-pound wrecking crew 'backers are gone, and the NFL wants speed and versatility here.

4-3 Outside Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Vic Beasley	Clemson	3-4 OLB
2	Shaq Thompson	Washington	None
3	Benardrick McKinney	Mississippi State	ILB
4	Eric Striker	Oklahoma	3-4 OLB
5	Hau'oli Kikaha	Washington	3-4 OLB
6	Zach Hodges	Harvard	3-4 OLB
7	Jordan Jenkins	Georgia	3-4 OLB
8	Geneo Grissom	Oklahoma	3-4 OLB
9	Jake Ryan	Michigan	ILB
10	Tony Washington	Oregon	None

Top 10 3-4 Defensive Ends

Jerry Larson/Associated Press

Everyone in the NFL is looking for the next J.J. Watt, but in the 2015 NFL draft class they may have to settle for the next Sheldon Richardson or Muhammad Wilkerson. That's pretty dang good.

A 3-4 defensive end is traditionally taller than 6'3" and weighs around 300 pounds. You want a player with the strength to occupy blockers and gaps, but the quickness to get after the quarterback. In many defenses a 3-4 defensive end is moving inside to play tackle and shoot gaps to get after the quarterback on passing downs, so a variety of skills is needed.

In looking at the players best suited for the 3-4 defense, USC's Leonard Williams once again shows up atop the list. But Baylor's Shawn Oakman and Florida State's Mario Edwards aren't far behind. All three rank as first-round talents at the 5-technique position.

3-4 Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Leonard Williams	USC	4-3 DT
2	Shawn Oakman	Baylor	4-3 DE
3	Mario Edwards	Florida State	4-3 DE
4	Arik Armstead	Oregon	4-3 DE
5	Christian Covington	Rice	4-3 DT
6	Grady Jarrett	Clemson	4-3 DT
7	Gabe Wright	Auburn	4-3 DT
8	Henry Anderson	Stanford	4-3 DT
9	Tyeler Davison	Fresno State	4-3 DT
10	Carl Davis	Iowa	4-3 DT

Top 10 3-4 Outside Linebackers

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The sheer talent assembled in the 2015 NFL draft class at outside linebacker for the 3-4 defense is fantastic. For example, every player listed below is within range to be a first-round pick, and the top three players are all inside my top 12 overall currently. It's a good year to need a pass-rusher.

A 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL must be able to explode off the line of scrimmage with balance, power, speed and the instincts to read the blocker and the quarterback to set his rush moves and target area. A great outside linebacker can completely change a defense, and that has to be the hope of teams looking at this year's class.

3-4 Outside Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Randy Gregory	Nebraska	4-3 DE
2	Vic Beasley	Clemson	4-3 OLB
3	Shane Ray	Missouri	4-3 DE
4	Bud Dupree	Kentucky	4-3 DE
5	Leonard Floyd	Georgia	4-3 DE
6	Eric Striker	Oklahoma	4-3 OLB
7	Dante Fowler	Florida	4-3 DE
8	Shilique Calhoun	Michigan State	4-3 DE
9	Hau'oli Kikaha	Washington	4-3 DE
10	Lorenzo Mauldin	Louisville	4-3 DE

Top 10 Inside Linebackers

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Four weeks ago I wrote this same article and noted how there wasn't an elite talent at inside linebacker yet on my radar. That's still true, but Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney is getting pretty close to being a lock as a first-round pick.

McKinney headlines a strong group of talent, even if there isn't a Luke Kuechly or Patrick Willis here. Denzel Perryman, Eric Kendricks, Stephone Anthony and A.J. Johnson all look like future NFL starters at inside linebacker and have a great shot at being drafted inside the top two rounds come late April.

Inside Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	School	Other Pos.
1	Benardrick McKinney	Mississippi State	4-3 OLB
2	Denzel Perryman	Miami (Fla.)	4-3 OLB
3	Eric Kendricks	UCLA	4-3 OLB
4	Stephone Anthony	Clemson	4-3 OLB
5	A.J. Johnson	Tennessee	None
6	Ramik Wilson	Georgia	None
7	Kris Frost	Auburn	4-3 OLB
8	Bryce Hager	Baylor	None
9	Ben Heeney	Kansas	None
10	Trey DePriest	Alabama	None

Top 10 Cornerbacks

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

The 2015 draft order is far from set, but there are enough trends in the standings right now to see which teams may be drafting early in Round 1. The bad news for teams with a top-10 or top-15 pick and a need at cornerback is that the talent isn't there right now for a player to be selected that early.

That's not to say there aren't starting quality cornerbacks here, but there aren't any players you'd want to draft with your first-round pick if you're the New York Jets or Oakland Raiders. Marcus Peters of Washington may be the player with the best chance to get inside that area, but even he has his warts as a prospect due to suspensions at Washington.

The top of Round 1 may not be loaded with cornerbacks, but the end of the round could be, as five cornerbacks are ranked in the range of the first round.

Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Marcus Peters	Washington
2	P.J. Williams	Florida State
3	Trae Waynes	Michigan State
4	Alex Carter	Stanford
5	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu	Oregon
6	Jalen Collins	LSU
7	Ronald Darby	Florida State
8	Eric Murray	Minnesota
9	Kevin Johnson	Wake Forest
10	Senquez Golson	Ole Miss

Top 10 Safeties

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Four weeks ago my safety rankings had Alabama's Landon Collins way out in front of the pack. Heading into November, Collins is still ranked No. 1 and is a top-10 player overall, but the gap between he and the next-best safety is narrowing.

In early October I hadn't looked at Louisville safety Gerod Holliman due to his status as a redshirt sophomore, but that's changed given his level of play and potential for entering the upcoming draft. Holliman is a smooth mover in coverage and has next-level instincts to go with very good speed. Collins is more pro-ready and a better tackler, but the race for the top safety spot is no longer the slam dunk it looked to be.

Safety Rankings

Rank	Player	School
1	Landon Collins	Alabama
2	Gerod Holliman	Louisville
3	Cody Prewitt	Ole Miss
4	Kurtis Drummond	Michigan State
5	Jalen Mills	LSU
6	Derron Smith	Fresno State
7	Durell Eskridge	Syracuse
8	Anthony Harris	Virginia
9	Jordan Richards	Stanford
10	Isaiah Johnson	Georgia Tech