Mel Kiper's top 10 prospects at each position for 2018 NFL draft
Time for my latest position rankings for the 2018 NFL draft, which combines seniors and underclassmen and features a top 10 for every position.?
More NFL draft coverage: Primer: Kiper, McShay answer 25 questions | Kiper's latest Big Board | McShay's latest Top 32
Quarterbacks
1. * Josh Rosen, UCLA
2. ** Sam Darnold, USC
3. * Josh Allen, Wyoming
4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
5. * Drew Lock, Missouri
6. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
7. * Lamar Jackson, Louisville
8. Mike White, Western Kentucky
9. Luke Falk, Washington State
10. Kurt Benkert, Virginia
Lock is an underclassman to keep an eye on. He really finished the season strong as Missouri won six straight games and he had 43 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions.
Running backs
1. * Saquon Barkley, Penn State
2. * Bryce Love, Stanford
3. * Derrius Guice, LSU
4. * Ronald Jones II, USC
5. * Damien Harris, Alabama
6. Nick Chubb, Georgia
7. * Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
8. Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
9. Royce Freeman, Oregon
10. Sony Michel, Georgia
So Barkley is the clear No. 1, and after that it's going to come down to testing numbers at the combine. Harris is one of my favorite prospects in this class. Johnson is banged up but has had a breakout 2017 season.
Fullbacks/H-backs
1. Jaylen Samuels, NC State
2. Dimitri Flowers, Oklahoma
3. Nick Bawden, San Diego State
4. Khalid Hill, Michigan
5. * Winston Dimel, Kansas State
6. Austin Ramesh, Wisconsin
7. Daniel Marx, Stanford
8. Garrett Dickerson, Northwestern
9. J.D. Moore, LSU
10. * Alec Ingold, Wisconsin
Bawden is the best bruising fullback — he's 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, and paves the way for fringe Heisman candidate Rashaad Penny.
Wide receivers
1. * Calvin Ridley, Alabama
2. * Courtland Sutton, SMU
3. Anthony Miller, Memphis
4. * Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
5. Michael Gallup, Colorado State
6. * D.J. Moore, Maryland
7. * Jordan Lasley, UCLA
8. *Simmie Cobbs, Indiana
9. * Parris Campbell, Ohio State
10. James Washington, Oklahoma State
Lasley has come on as Josh Rosen's No. 1 target, finishing the regular season with back-to-back 200-yard games.
Tight ends
1. Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
2. * Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
3. Mike Gesicki, Penn State
4. Ian Thomas, Indiana
5. * Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
6. Durham Smythe, Notre Dame
7. Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
8. Tyler Conklin, Central Michigan
9. * C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
10. Christopher Herndon, Miami (Fla.)
Smythe has only 26 career catches for the Fighting Irish, but he has some receiving skills. He might be a better pro than college player.
Offensive tackles
1. Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
2. * Connor Williams, Texas
3. * Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
4. Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State
5. Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan
6. Desmond Harrison, West Georgia
7. Tyrell Crosby, Oregon
8. Timon Parris, Stony Brook
9. Brandon Parker, NC A&T
10. Jamarco Jones, Ohio State
Harrison is a Texas transfer who also spent time at a junior college. Jones has really improved from last season.
Offensive guards
1. * Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
2. Braden Smith, Auburn
3. Will Hernandez, UTEP
4. Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
5. Cody O'Connell, Washington State
6. * Sam Jones, Arizona State
7. Brendan Mahon, Penn State
8. Austin Corbett, Nevada
9. KC McDermott, Miami (Fla.)
10. Wyatt Teller, Virginia Tech
O'Connell is massive — 6-foot-8, 354 pounds.
Centers
1. Billy Price, Ohio State
2. Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
3. * James Daniels, Iowa
4. * Will Clapp, LSU
5. Mason Cole, Michigan
6. * Alec Eberle, Florida State
7. Scott Quessenberry, UCLA
8. * Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame
9. Brian Allen, Michigan State
10. Patrick Morris, TCU
It's not a strong center class past the top two, and Ragnow was injured in October and hasn't played since.
Defensive ends
1. Bradley Chubb, NC State
2. ** Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
3. * Rasheem Green, USC
4. * Sam Hubbard, Ohio State
5. * Austin Bryant, Clemson
6. Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State
7. * Ben Banogu, TCU
8. * Jalen Jelks, Oregon
9. Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest
10. Marcus Davenport, Texas (SA)
Green is probably an end in a 3-4. He has eight sacks this season. Jelks has 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Defensive tackles
1. * Christian Wilkins, Clemson
2. * Vita Vea, Washington
3. Da'Ron Payne, Alabama
4. Maurice Hurst, Michigan
5. * Taven Bryan, Florida
6. * Harrison Phillips, Stanford
7. * Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
8. **Dre'Mont Jones, Ohio State
9. Derrick Nnadi, Florida State
10. Josh Fatu, USC
I have four tackles in my 25, but it's still early. We still don't have accurate sizes on Wilkins and Vea, who are at the top for now.
Inside linebackers
1. * Roquan Smith, Georgia
2. Rashaan Evans, Alabama
3. Josey Jewell, Iowa
4. Micah Kiser, Virginia
5. * Cameron Smith, USC
6. * T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin
7. Chris Worley, Ohio State
8. Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama
9. * Josh Watson, Colorado State
10. Nyles Morgan, Notre Dame
Kiser has 9.5 tackles for loss and 134 tackles this season.
Outside linebackers
1. * Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
2. * Arden Key, LSU
3. Harold Landry, Boston College
4. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma
5. * Josh Allen, Kentucky
6. Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
7. Uchenna Nwosu, USC
8. * Jerome Baker, Ohio State
9. * Malik Jefferson, Texas
10. * Jeff Holland, Auburn
Holland has nine sacks this season after limited playing time in 2016.
Cornerbacks
1. * Denzel Ward, Ohio State
2. * Joshua Jackson, Iowa
3. * Isaiah Oliver, Colorado
4. * Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State
5. M.J. Stewart, North Carolina
6. * Carlton Davis, Auburn
7. * Jaire Alexander, Louisville
8. Anthony Averett, Alabama
9. * Donte Jackson, LSU
10. Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
The cornerback class could be deep. Stewart is a versatile player who will help a team in the return game.
Safeties
1. * Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
2. ** Derwin James, Florida State
3. * Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
4. * Justin Reid, Stanford
5. Armani Watts, Texas A&M
6. Kyzir White, West Virginia
7. * DeShon Elliott, Texas
8. Jeremy Reaves, So. Alabama
9. Quin Blanding, Virginia
10. * Jaquan Johnson, Miami (Fla)
Reid, whose brother is NFL safety Eric Reid, has five interceptions and 88 tackles this season.
Kickers and punters
1. Johnny Townsend, Florida (P)
2. JK Scott, Alabama (P)
3. * Michael Dickson, Texas (P)
4. Shane Tripucka, Texas A&M (P)
5. Daniel Carlson, Auburn (K)
6. * Bryce Crawford, San Jose State (K)
7. Trevor Daniel, Tennessee (P)
8. * Matt Gay, PK, Utah
9. * Jake Bailey, Stanford (P)
10. Joe Davidson, Bowling Green (P)
Townsend and Scott are definitely draftable prospects.
- Star
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