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2018 NFL Draft Big Board: Matt Miller's Way-Too-Early Initial Rankings
May 2, 20172018 NFL Draft Big Board: Matt Miller's Way-Too-Early Initial Rankings
The early word from NFL scouts on the 2018 NFL draft is that it will be a good one. Potentially very good. And that's all thanks to three quarterbacks.
Josh Allen, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen will have NFL scouts, coaches and general managers following their every move over the next season. Each represents the possibility of a franchise quarterback if they continue to develop to their full potential and remain healthy.
Allen's big arm and athleticism will draw comparisons to a bigger Patrick Mahomes, while the pro-schemes that Darnold and Rosen are coming from will give them an immediate boost.
The excitement surrounding the quarterbacks won't hide the fact that Penn State's Saquon Barkley should enter the season as a Heisman favorite with legitimate comparisons to Ezekiel Elliott. And already one scout has told me that Texas left tackle Connor Williams looks like a young Joe Thomas.
On defense, the class is anchored by a few studs—Christian Wilkins, Derwin James and potential stars Malik Jefferson and Jerome Baker. The safety class so far doesn't compare to what we just saw, but it will be good once again with James, Marcus Allen, Quin Blanding and Armani Watts headlining.
This should be looked at as more of a watch list than a final ranking, but it's a great starting point for watching players in 2018.
Top 50 Overall Players
Here are the top 50 players overall for the 2018 NFL draft.
| Rank | Player | School | Pos |
| 1 | Josh Allen | Wyoming | QB |
| 2 | Sam Darnold | USC | QB |
| 3 | Saquon Barkley | Penn State | RB |
| 4 | Christian Wilkins | Clemson | DL |
| 5 | Josh Rosen | UCLA | QB |
| 6 | Derwin James | FSU | S |
| 7 | Connor Williams | Texas | OT |
| 8 | Da'Shawn Hand | Alabama | DL |
| 9 | Malik Jefferson | Texas | LB |
| 10 | Minkah Fitzpatrick | Alabama | CB |
| 11 | Arden Key | LSU | EDGE |
| 12 | Deon Cain | Clemson | WR |
| 13 | Derrius Guice | LSU | RB |
| 14 | Jerome Baker | Ohio State | LB |
| 15 | Marcus Allen | Penn State | S |
| 16 | Josh Sweat | FSU | EDGE |
| 17 | Cameron Smith | USC | LB |
| 18 | Tarvarus McFadden | FSU | CB |
| 19 | Mike McGlinchey | Notre Dame | OT |
| 20 | Mitch Hyatt | Clemson | OT |
| 21 | Orlando Brown | Oklahoma | OT |
| 22 | Calvin Ridley | Alabama | WR |
| 23 | Courtland Sutton | SMU | WR |
| 24 | Vita Vea | Washington | DL |
| 25 | Jaire Alexander | Louisville | CB |
| 26 | Denzel Ward | Ohio State | CB |
| 27 | Dre'Mont Jones | Ohio State | DL |
| 28 | Armani Watts | Texas A&M | S |
| 29 | Martinas Rankin | Miss. State | OT |
| 30 | Azeem Victor | Washington | LB |
| 31 | Quenton Nelson | Notre Dame | OG |
| 32 | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M | WR |
| 33 | Antonio Callaway | Florida | WR |
| 34 | Marquis Haynes | Ole Miss | EDGE |
| 35 | Quin Blanding | Virginia | S |
| 36 | Bradley Chubb | N.C. State | EDGE |
| 37 | Davin Bellamy | Georgia | EDGE |
| 38 | Sony Michel | Georgia | RB |
| 39 | Damien Prince | Maryland | G |
| 40 | Daylon Mack | Texas A&M | DL |
| 41 | Luke Falk | Washington St. | QB |
| 42 | Equanimeous St. Brown | Notre Dame | WR |
| 43 | Harold Landry | Boston College | EDGE |
| 44 | Mason Cole | Michigan | C |
| 45 | Godwin Igwebuike | Northwestern | S |
| 46 | Duke Efiofor | Wake Forest | DL |
| 47 | Byron Cowart | Auburn | EDGE |
| 48 | Derrick Nnadi | FSU | DL |
| 49 | Adonis Alexander | Virginia Tech | CB |
| 50 | Parris Campbell | Ohio State | WR |
Quarterbacks
Most NFL-Ready: Josh Rosen, UCLA
Best Arm: Josh Allen, Wyoming
Best Runner: Lamar Jackson, Louisville
Best Potential: Josh Allen, Wyoming
Biggest Question Mark: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Biggest Sleeper: Max Browne, Pitt
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Josh Allen | Wyoming |
| 2 | Sam Darnold | USC |
| 3 | Josh Rosen | UCLA |
| 4 | Luke Falk | Washington State |
| 5 | Mason Rudolph | Oklahoma State |
| 6 | Lamar Jackson | Louisville |
| 7 | Jake Browning | Washington |
| 8 | Kyle Allen | Houston |
| 9 | Baker Mayfield | Oklahoma |
| 10 | Max Browne | Pitt |
Running Backs
Most NFL-Ready: Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Best Third-Down Back: Ronald Jones, USC
Best Speed: Ronald Jones, USC
Best Power: Bo Scarbrough, Alabama
Best Potential: Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Biggest Question Mark: Nick Chubb, Georgia (injury)
Biggest Sleeper: Damien Harris, Alabama
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Saquon Barkley | Penn State |
| 2 | Derrius Guice | LSU |
| 3 | Sony Michel | Georgia |
| 4 | Ronald Jones | USC |
| 5 | Royce Freeman | Oregon |
| 6 | Nick Chubb | Georgia |
| 7 | Myles Gaskin | Washington |
| 8 | Bo Scarbrough | Alabama |
| 9 | Rawleigh Williams III | Arkansas |
| 10 | Damien Harris | Alabama |
Wide Receivers
Most NFL-Ready: Deon Cain, Clemson
Best Boundary Receiver: Deon Cain, Clemson
Best Slot Receiver: Calvin Ridley, Alabama
Best Hands: Dante Pettis, Washington
Best Route-Runner: Courtland Sutton, SMU
Best Potential: Courtland Sutton, SMU
Biggest Question Mark: Antonio Callaway, Florida
Biggest Sleeper: Parris Campbell, Ohio State
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Deon Cain | Clemson |
| 2 | Calvin Ridley | Alabama |
| 3 | Courtland Sutton | SMU |
| 4 | Christian Kirk | Texas A&M |
| 5 | Antonio Callaway | Florida |
| 6 | Equanimeous St. Brown | Notre Dame |
| 7 | Parris Campbell | Ohio State |
| 8 | James Washington | Oklahoma State |
| 9 | Deebo Samuel | Washington |
| 10 | Dante Pettis | Washington |
Tight Ends
Most NFL-Ready: Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
Best Slot Tight End: DeAndre Goolsby, Florida
Best Hands: Adam Breneman, UMass
Best Route-Runner: Breneman
Best Blocker: Fumagalli
Biggest Question Mark: Dalton Schultz, Stanford
Biggest Sleeper: Ben Johnson, Kansas
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Adam Breneman | UMass |
| 2 | Troy Fumagalli | Wisconsin |
| 3 | Mike Gesicki | Penn State |
| 4 | Mark Andrews | Oklahoma |
| 5 | Dalton Schultz | Stanford |
| 6 | DeAndre Goolsby | Florida |
| 7 | Marcus Baugh | Ohio State |
| 8 | Durham Smythe | Notre Dame |
| 9 | Ben Johnson | Kansas |
| 10 | Cam Serigne | Wake Forest |
Offensive Tackles
Most NFL-Ready: Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
Best Run-Blocker: Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
Best Pass-Blocker: Connor Williams, Texas
Best Potential: Connor Williams, Texas
Biggest Question Mark: Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
Biggest Sleeper: Trey Adams, Washington
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Connor Williams | Texas |
| 2 | Mike McGlinchey | Notre Dame |
| 3 | Mitch Hyatt | Clemson |
| 4 | Orlando Brown | Oklahoma |
| 5 | Martinas Rankin | Miss. State |
| 6 | Trey Adams | Washington |
| 7 | Toby Weathersby | LSU |
| 8 | Geron Christian | Louisville |
| 9 | Tyrell Crosby | Oregon |
| 10 | Jamarco Jones | Ohio State |
Offensive Guards
Most NFL-Ready: Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
Best Run-Blocker: Martez Ivey, Florida
Best Pass-Blocker: Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
Best Potential: Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
Biggest Question Mark: Tyrone Crowder, Clemson
Biggest Sleeper: Wilson Bell, FSU
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Quenton Nelson | Notre Dame |
| 2 | Damian Prince | Maryland |
| 3 | Martez Ivey | Florida |
| 4 | Billy Price | Ohio State |
| 5 | Scott Quessenberry | UCLA |
| 6 | Tyrone Crowder | Clemson |
| 7 | Larry Allen, Jr. | Harvard |
| 8 | Cody O'Connell | Washington St. |
| 9 | Braden Smith | Auburn |
| 10 | Wilson Bell | Florida State |
Centers
Most NFL-Ready: Mason Cole, Michigan
Best Run-Blocker: Mason Cole, Michigan
Best Pass-Blocker: Mason Cole, Michigan
Best Potential: Mason Cole, Michigan
Biggest Question Mark: Nick Linder, Miami (FL)
Biggest Sleeper: Jake Bennett, Colorado State
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Mason Cole | Michigan |
| 2 | Michael Deiter | Wisconsin |
| 3 | Alec Eberle | Florida State |
| 4 | Frank Ragnow | Arkansas |
| 5 | Coleman Shelton | Washington |
| 6 | Sean Welsh | Iowa |
| 7 | Bradley Bozeman | Alabama |
| 8 | Nick Linder | Miami (FL) |
| 9 | Austin Golson | Auburn |
| 10 | Jake Bennett | Colorado State |
Defensive Lineman
Most NFL-Ready: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Best Run-Stopper: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Best Nose Tackle: Vita Vea, Washington
Best 3-4 Defensive End: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Best 3-Technique: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Best Pass-Rusher: Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama
Best Potential: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Biggest Question Mark: Kahlil McKenzie, Tennessee (injury)
Biggest Sleeper: Kahlil McKenzie, Tennessee (injury)
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Christian Wilkins | Clemson |
| 2 | Da'Shawn Hand | Alabama |
| 3 | Vita Vea | Washington |
| 4 | Dre'Mont Jones | Ohio State |
| 5 | Daylon Mack | Texas A&M |
| 6 | Duke Ejiofor | Wake Forest |
| 7 | Derrick Nnadi | FSU |
| 8 | Kahlil McKenzie | Tennessee |
| 9 | Lowell Lotulelei | Utah |
| 10 | Maurice Hurst | Michigan |
Edge-Rushers
Most NFL-Ready: Arden Key, LSU
Best Run-Stopper: Bradley Chubb, N.C. State
Best 4-3 Defensive End: Josh Sweat, FSU
Best 3-4 Outside Linebacker: Key
Best Pass-Rusher: Key
Best Potential: Key
Biggest Question Mark: Key
Biggest Sleeper: Sam Hubbard, Ohio State
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Arden Key | LSU |
| 2 | Josh Sweat | FSU |
| 3 | Marquis Haynes | Ole Miss |
| 4 | Bradley Chubb | N.C. State |
| 5 | Davin Bellamy | Georgia |
| 6 | Harold Landry | Boston College |
| 7 | Byron Cowart | Auburn |
| 8 | Dante Booker | Ohio State |
| 9 | Tyquan Lewis | Ohio State |
| 10 | Sam Hubbard | Ohio State |
Linebackers
Most NFL-Ready: Malik Jefferson, Texas
Best Weak-Side Linebacker: Jefferson
Best Strong-Side Linebacker: Cameron Smith, USC
Best Inside Linebacker: Mike McCray, Michigan
Best Run-Stopper: McCray
Best Pass-Rusher: McCray
Best Pass Coverage: Jefferson
Best Potential: Jefferson
Biggest Question Mark: Jefferson
Biggest Sleeper: Christian Miller, Alabama
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Malik Jefferson | Texas |
| 2 | Jerome Baker | Ohio State |
| 3 | Cameron Smith | USC |
| 4 | Azeem Victor | Washington |
| 5 | Christian Miller | Alabama |
| 6 | T.J. Edwards | Wisconsin |
| 7 | Kendall Joseph | Clemson |
| 8 | Tremaine Edmunds | Virginia Tech |
| 9 | Matthew Thomas | Florida State |
| 10 | Mike McCray | Michigan |
Cornerbacks
Most NFL-Ready: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
Best Slot Cornerback: Anthony Averett, Alabama
Best Man Coverage: Fitzpatrick
Best Zone Coverage: Tarvarus McFadden, FSU
Best Potential: Fitzpatrick
Biggest Question Mark: Denzel Ward, Ohio State (untested)
Biggest Sleeper: Brandon Facyson, Virginia Tech
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Minkah Fitzpatrick | Alabama |
| 2 | Tarvarus McFadden | FSU |
| 3 | Jaire Alexander | Louisville |
| 4 | Denzel Ward | Ohio State |
| 5 | Adonis Alexander | Alabama |
| 6 | Anthony Averett | Alabama |
| 7 | Carlton Davis | Auburn |
| 8 | Jamar Summers | UConn |
| 9 | Brandon Facyson | Virginia Tech |
| 10 | Tony Brown | Alabama |
Safeties
Most NFL-Ready: Marcus Allen, Penn State
Best Coverage: Derwin James, FSU
Best Strong Safety: Allen
Best Free Safety: James
Best Run-Stopper: Allen
Best Potential: James
Biggest Question Mark: Godwin Igwebuike, Northwestern
Biggest Sleeper: Jordan Whitehead, Pitt
| Rank | Player | School |
| 1 | Derwin James | FSU |
| 2 | Marcus Allen | Penn State |
| 3 | Armani Watts | Texas A&M |
| 4 | Quin Blanding | Virginia |
| 5 | Godwin Igwebuike | Northwestern |
| 6 | Damon Webb | Ohio State |
| 7 | Nick Washington | Florida |
| 8 | Jordan Whitehead | Pitt |
| 9 | Chris Hankins | USC |
| 10 | Dominick Sanders | Georgia |