2019 NFL Draft: An Early Breakdown of This Year's Class

The 2019 NFL draft is still more than three months away, but that doesn't mean it's too early to dig into the projected crop of prospects. NFL teams certainly don't think so, as most have been looking at these players all season—far longer in many cases.

Of course, our views could change dramatically before April 25. We still have the College Football Playoff, the Senior Bowl and the scouting combine to navigate. Yet, it's worth preparing.

We're here to take an early look at the 2019 draft class with a position-by-position breakdown. We'll analyze the potential value at each position and examine some of our top players based on potential, past production and NFL readiness.

Quarterback

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

2. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

3. Will Grier, West Virginia

4. Daniel Jones, Duke

5. Drew Lock, Missouri

Outlook

The strength of this year's quarterback class will largely hinge on whether Oklahoma's Kyler Murray enters the draft. He is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, and he has pro-level skills such as accuracy, arm strength and an ability to throw on the run. However, Murray was also a first-round pick in the MLB draft and has options.

Regardless, Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins, a Heisman finalist, is at the top of a lackluster crop. He has the prototypical size (6'3", 220 lbs) that Murray lacks (5'10", 195 lbs), and he's a more traditional passer.

Murray threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdown passes this past season, while Haskins went for 4,831 yards and 50 scoring throws.

Unfortunately for quarterback-needy teams, while guys such as Will Grier and Drew Lock have potential, there's a notable drop-off after Haskins and Murray.

Running Back

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Top Five

1. Josh Jacobs, Alabama

2. David Montgomery, Iowa State

3. Damien Harris, Alabama

4. Darrell Henderson, Memphis

5. Bryce Love, Stanford

Outlook

While there is a lot of depth in this year's running back class, there doesn't appear to be a special prospect in the mold of Saquon Barkley. This means we're not likely to see a runner taken at the top of Round 1 and may not see one on opening night at all.

Teams can still find a franchise back, though. Let's not forget that the Cleveland Browns snagged Nick Chubb at the top of Round 2, and he became one of the better backs in the league almost immediately.

Alabama's Josh Jacobs is similar to Chubb in that he can power through tackles, has the vision to find the hole and can catch passes out of the backfield. He's still in the College Football Playoff and has yet to declare, but the junior will likely top a deep group if he does.

Wide Receiver

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Top Five

1. N'Keal Harry, Arizona State

2. D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss

3. Marquise Brown, Oklahoma

4. A.J. Brown, Ole Miss

5. Kelvin Harmon, NC State

Outlook

As with running back, wide receiver will be a deep position. However, it has some elite talent at the top. Guys such as Arizona State's N'Keal Harry, and Ole Miss' D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown all boast No. 1 receiver potential.

It's likely that a consensus top target won't emerge until after the Feb. 26 scouting combine.

Harry—who's coming off a 1,088-yard season and has prototypical size at 6'4"—looks like the top guy for now, but 40-yard dash times and combine measurements can change the perception. Just look at former Washington receiver John Ross' record run at the combine (and leap to the No. 9 pick) for proof.

Tight End

Holly Hart/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Noah Fant, Iowa

2. Kaden Smith, Stanford

3. Irv Smith Jr., Alabama

4. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

5. Caleb Wilson, UCLA

Outlook

While the tight end class doesn't appear as deep as wide receiver, there are quality players at the top. Iowa's Noah Fant—who amassed 518 yards and seven touchdowns on the season—headlines a strong group of pass-catching tight ends.

We could see Fant, and perhaps one or two other tight ends slip into the first round without disappointing the teams that draft them. This is in contrast to last year's event, when Hayden Hurst was the only tight end to go on Day 1.

Though a stress fracture in his foot slowed Hurst, he finished his rookie season with just 163 yards receiving and one touchdown on 13 catches. Guys like Fant and Stanford's Kaden Smith should be far more productive.

Offensive Tackle

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Top Five

1. Jonah Williams, Alabama

2. Greg Little, Ole Miss

3. Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia

4. Jawaan Taylor, Florida

5. David Edwards, Wisconsin

Outlook

Recent offensive tackle groups have left a lot to be desired—though perhaps that's just the reality of the spread-happy college game. Still, guys such as Alabama's Jonah Williams and Mississippi's Greg Little make this one of the more attractive tackle classes in recent years.

Every prospect in this group has issues, but Williams appears closest to a sure thing. CBSSports.com's Chris Trapasso mentions him as his No. 2 overall prospect, and while that may be a reach, the team that drafts Wiliams should get an opening-day starter.

Because of the position's value, we're likely to see multiple tackles go off the board in the first round, though not all of them will be ready to start right away.

Guard/Center

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Michael Jordan, Ohio State

2. Dalton Risner, Kansas State

3. Nate Herbig, Stanford

4. Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State

5. Chris Lindstrom, Boston College

Outlook

This year's crop of interior linemen doesn't look as strong as the tackle class. We might not even see one sneak into the first round, and this isn't because guards and centers aren't as valued as their edge counterparts. Quenton Nelson proved just how important an impact guard can be as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts.

There simply isn't a Nelson in this draft class.

There are some quality interior linemen, though, such as Kansas State's Dalton Risner and Ohio State's Michael Jordan. In fact, Jordan may be a Round 1 candidate because of his ability to play center and guard. However, the plethora of talent at other positions is likely to push these interior guys into Day 2.

Edge-Rusher

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Nick Bosa, Ohio State

2. Josh Allen, Kentucky

3. Clelin Ferrell, Clemson

4. Brian Burns, Florida State

5. Jachai Polite, Florida

Outlook

If your favorite team is in need of an edge-rusher, you're in luck. There are some elite prospects at the top of the draft and plenty of high-end players right under them.

Ohio State's Nick Bosa has looked like a No. 1 overall pick since last year. He appears to be just as gifted as his brother, Joey, and he should make an immediate impact. Kentucky's Josh Allen, who amassed 17.0 sacks this season, is right behind Bosa.

Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller has Bosa and Allen going Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, and it's hard to argue with that. Fortunately, teams picking a little further down will still have the chance to grab potential franchise-altering edge-rushers.

Defensive Line

Michael Wyke/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Ed Oliver, Houston

2. Quinnen Williams, Alabama

3. Rashan Gary, Michigan

4. Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State

5. Raekwon Davis, Alabama

Outlook

Getting an elite edge-rusher is the goal of just about any NFL franchise. However, Aaron Donald has shown in recent years just how big of a difference a top-end interior defensive lineman can make. There are some tremendous interior prospects in this class—both at the top and in lower tiers.

Houston's Ed Oliver has looked like the No. 1 defensive tackle for much of the season, but Alabama's Quinnen Williams may be overtaking him—naturally, being in the national championship game helps his profile.

"I hate using the word 'special' when describing NFL prospects because it is often overused and an exaggeration," Dane Brugler of The Athletic recently wrote on Twitter. "But Alabama DT Quinnen Williams is special."

Oliver and Williams are the clear top two, but teams that get "stuck" with Rashan Gary or Raekwon Davis won't complain.

Linebacker

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Devin White, LSU

2. Devin Bush, Michigan

3. Mack Wilson, Alabama

4. Dakota Allen, Texas Tech

5. T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin

Outlook

While every team wants a pass-rusher, it's unwise to underestimate the importance of an off-ball linebacker. Rookies Darius Leonard and Leighton Vander Esch showed just how big of an impact sideline-to-sideline defenders can have right out of college.

There are a few of these guys in the 2019 draft class, starting with LSU's Devin White—a player Bleacher Report's Matt Miller compared to Myles Jack but wrote was "potentially more aggressive and physical."

White, Michigan's Devin Bush and Alabama's Mack Wilson all have first-round potential, and there's a lot of depth behind them. This is a great year to be in need of a linebacker upgrade.

Safety

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Deionte Thompson, Alabama

2. Taylor Rapp, Washington

3. Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State

4. Jaquan Johnson, Miami

5. Lukas Denis, Boston College

Outlook

Safety is one of the lighter positions in this year's draft class. Alabama's Deionte Thompson is the only first-round lock, and he's just a one-year starter.

However, Thompson has everything you look for in a modern free safety. He has good length at 6'2", he's a sound tackler and he has cornerback-like coverage skills. Teams that are looking for an immediate starter could trade up to secure him.

There is quality depth at both free and strong safety, but there is no Derwin James in this class.

Cornerback

Michael Woods/Associated Press

Top Five

1. Greedy Williams, LSU

2. Trayvon Mullen, Clemson

3. Deandre Baker, Georgia

4. Byron Murphy, Washington

5. Julian Love, Notre Dame

Outlook

We may not see a cornerback go in the top five like we did in this past draft (Cleveland's Denzel Ward at No. 4), but this has more to do with the amount of pass-rushing talent and the demand for quarterbacks in this class. There are potential franchise-changing corners this year, starting with LSU's Greedy Williams.

Williams is likely to be the first cornerback off the board, and he'll probably be a top-10 selection. He has a prototypical 6'3" frame, enough quickness to stay with pro receivers in and out of breaks and excellent ball skills.

Williams, Clemson's Trayvon Mullen, Georgia's Deandre Baker and Washington's Byron Murphy all appear to be surefire first-round picks, and we might see a fifth or a sixth corner slip into the opening round, depending on how the free-agency period unfolds.