2019 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top Prospects with Specialized Roles
In the ever-changing NFL, the draft can't be boiled down to simple positions and classifications. Calling a player a linebacker or wide receiver is far too basic, as the former could be a pass-rushing specialist and the latter a slot player only.
Observers are adapting, as a role like pass-rushing defensive tackle is now widely known thanks to Aaron Donald. But the depth and specializations within some of these basic tags are still not household items.
More and more, NFL teams are drafting roles and not positions. Part of the reason Bill Belichick's New England Patriots won another Super Bowl was the team's draft strategy with players who can help adapt to opponents on a weekly basis. Versatility plays a part, but Belichick can also, for example, install heavier linebackers the week before a run-first opponent.
Below, we'll take an early look at some of the notable prospects at specialized roles in the 2019 draft class.
Slot Wide Receiver
1 of 5
1. Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
2. Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
3. Andy Isabella, Massachusetts
4. Mecole Hardman, Georgia
5. Hunter Renfrow, Clemson
There was a time when the slot receiver was only considered a safety blanket for the quarterback.
Not anymore. As Adam Thielen, Keenan Allen and others run up wild numbers in the pass-happy ways of today's NFL while taking chunks of playing time inside, the slot spot on the field is more important than at any point in league history.
The 2019 class has some great candidates for the position, led by Oklahoma's Marquise Brown. He's an explosive athlete ideal for the role, something he showed in 2018 with 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging an NCAA-best 7.45 yards per route, according to Pro Football Focus.
Deebo Samuel is a tweener prospect who could play on the outside, but as The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote, he's probably better off inside. He showed off these traits to the tune of 11 scores last season.
Andy Isabella put himself on the radar at the Senior Bowl as one of the better slot prospects in the class, whereas Mecole Hardman continues to excite evaluators with his explosiveness. Hunter Renfrow looks like a potential starter in the right fit too and has the best route-running ability of any slot prospect in the mind of the Draft Network's Brad Kelly.
Situational Pass-Rusher
2 of 5
1. Jachai Polite, Florida
2. Brian Burns, Florida State
3. Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion
4. Carl Granderson, Wyoming
5. Christian Miller, Alabama
The fact that some prospects get drafted as situational pass-rushers isn't a bad thing. These players could develop three-down skills for base packages as their careers continue, but pass rushing and possibly struggling against the run is where their games stand now.
Florida's Jachai Polite leads the way in this regard because he comes in a bit light (6'2", 242 pounds), so teams might view him as strictly a third-down guy who rushes while standing up. Ditto for Florida State's Brian Burns (6'5", 235), whose leaner frame could leave him as part of a refined rotation to begin his career.
Oshane Ximines out of Old Dominion is 6'4" and 255 pounds, but he's primarily a rusher as well and recorded a pressure on 16.8 percent of his snaps, according to PFF.
Carl Granderson from Wyoming projects as a stand-up rusher as well after a quiet senior season. Christian Miller faces size questions (6'4", 244 pounds) and had only one season of major playing time, but he was effective as a rusher when tasked with the job.
Third-Down Running Back
3 of 5
1. Devin Singletary, FAU
2. Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
3. James Williams, Washington State
4. Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
5. Devine Ozigbo, Nebraska
Third-down backs may be more important than any other type of back. If a team can't find a do-it-all player at the position who can carry the load, utilizing a Chris Thompson-esque player in passing situations who can hold up as a blocker is necessary for an offense to function.
However, the 2019 class has plenty of backs who look like they could be three-down guys, leaving Devin Singletary as the most realistic third-down role player to start his career. The FAU product ran for 1,348 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2018 while catching 19 or more passes in two of his three seasons, holding up in pass protection well too.
Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams isn't far behind in this regard, as he just ran for 1,760 yards and 18 scores with 19 or more receptions in three consecutive seasons. He isn't a stranger to praise from onlookers, such as this from Jonah Tuls of Cowboys Wire: "I absolutely love Trayveon Williams because of how much pride he takes in pass protection. Competitive toughness jumps off the screen."
James Williams from Washington State caught 71 and 83 passes over his last two seasons, and Justice Hill at Oklahoma State caught a career-high 31 in 2017. Both guys are slippery and electric in the backfield or when they move out to wideout. Nebraska's Devine Ozigbo is a little more violent, which he showed via 23 catches last season before punishing defenders who tried to take him down out of the flat.
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Big-Play Tight End
4 of 5
1. Noah Fant, Iowa
2. Kaden Smith, Stanford
3. Dax Raymond, Utah State
4. Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
5. Zach Gentry, Michigan
Not everyone can be Rob Gronkowski—and in this instance, we're talking about his ability to disappear in the passing game while still making game-altering plays as a blocker.
NFL teams value blocking tight ends to the point their big-play guys aren't always on the field. Think of Eric Ebron with the Indianapolis Colts, who didn't see an overwhelming amount of work this past season but still put up 13 touchdowns.
Noah Fant might be the best tight end to enter the NFL out of this class thanks to his huge ability as a receiver. Funnily enough, he wasn't the most well-rounded player on Iowa's roster (that's T.J. Hockenson). Still, his big-play ability helped him score 18 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
Stanford's Kaden Smith caught seven scores over the same span and looks like he can win often against zones. Utah State's Dax Raymond is far from a household name, but he's caught 27 or more passes each of his last two seasons, and Jon Ledyard of the Draft Network named him the best tight end at the Senior Bowl because of his ability to make plays vertically.
Jace Sternberger from Texas A&M isn't a major name either, but 48 catches and 10 scores last year put him on the map. Michigan's Zach Gentry can also make basketball-type catches in the seams, something he showed in Michigan's offense on 32 catches a year ago. He put up a 107.6 passer rating when targeted, per PFF.
Slot Cornerback
5 of 5
1. Byron Murphy, Washington
2. Julian Love, Notre Dame
3. Deandre Baker, Georgia
4. David Long, Michigan
5. Kendall Sheffield, Ohio State
Slowly, the term "nickelback" has gone the way of the dinosaur. It's no longer the team's next-best defensive back who can slip on the field in certain sub-packages. Now, it has a specified role on the field in the chess matches and could soon rival boundary corners in money. Someone has to keep up with those shifty slot receivers and even outside wideouts who run out of the slot for a large portion of their snaps.
Byron Murphy of Washington might be able to double as an outside or inside guy at the pro level. While he played the majority of his snaps on the boundary in college, his size (170 pounds) and quick explosiveness in short areas could mean a role inside as a pro.
Notre Dame's Julian Love is one of the better overall corners in the draft too and a year ago forced incompletions on 22.8 percent of his snaps, according to PFF. A lightning-fast ability to react to three-step drops could keep him inside.
Deandre Baker out of Georgia has experience both inside and out but could find himself schematically limited to the interior. David Long from Michigan could land there as well because of his size (5'11", 198) and length. Another Big Ten product, Ohio State's Kendall Sheffield, should blow up at the combine thanks to his speed but stick to an inside role at the pro level after struggling on the boundary.
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