Ranking NFL draft prospects regardless of position can be a futile enterprise and one that might seem especially foolhardy not long after all seven rounds have passed…
Ranking NFL draft prospects regardless of position can be a futile enterprise and one that might seem especially foolhardy not long after all seven rounds have passed by. Yet balancing various needs and assessing the worth of disparate prospects is exactly what general managers will have to do this week starting Thursday, when the first round begins in Nashville, Tennessee.
With that in mind, USA TODAY Sports ranked the top 50 prospects.. Keep in mind this is a reflection of expected value, not draft position:
1. Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State: Bosa might not earn the same acclaim former top pass rushers and No. 1 overall picks Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney did, but he’s the most promising prospect in his class. His approach is surprisingly advanced for a player of his experience, as he integrates refined hand work and jolting power with his quick first step. Comparisons to older brother Joey, the Chargers’ standout and former No. 3 overall pick, are inevitable but apt.
2. Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama: The Crimson Tide have produced a litany of first-round defenders during Nick Saban’s reign, yet Williams is more than just next in line. The Outland Trophy winner needed only one season as a starter to emerge as college football’s most dominant defender. Though he looks the part of a space-eating defensive tackle, Williams vexes offenses by routinely disengaging from blockers or evading their grasp with his abnormal elasticity.
3. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: The three-time All-American is in a class of his own at firing off the snap and snaking into the backfield. Improving his hand usage will be crucial in his push to keep stronger offensive linemen from negating him, but he’s difficult to double-team given his aptitude for squeezing through blocks.
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4. Jonah Williams, OT-G, Alabama: The lingering question about whether he has the length to excel at left tackle has obscured Williams’ overall value as the best offensive lineman available. A technician determined not to be outsmarted or outworked, Williams handles his duties both in pass protection and run blocking with elevated poise. Even if he moves to guard, he has all the making of a high-end starter.
5. Josh Allen, DE-OLB, Kentucky: Returning for his senior season appears to have paid off for Allen, who might have been a first-round pick last year but instead diversified his set of pass-rush moves while becoming a consensus All-American. He still needs to become less reliant on his pure speed around the corner, but his skill set is in high demand.
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6. T. J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa: Amid the proliferation of tight ends who primarily operate flexed out wide, Hockenson is somewhat of a blend of old school and new. The Mackey Award winner fights for every pass thrown his way and piles up yards after the catch, but he carries that same aggressive mind-set to his work as a blocker at the line of scrimmage.
7. Brian Burns, DE, Florida State: Flexibility is the hallmark of Burns’ game, as he can bend and turn the corner with ease to close in on quarterbacks. Proving that the 21 pounds of bulk he added isn’t just for show will be an important step since he’s too often pushed around when trying to set the edge or dip inside.
8. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson: Coaches and general managers who place a premium on locker room leadership will gravitate toward Wilkins, who graduated in two and a half years and was the heartbeat of the Tigers’ College Football Playoff title team. A rubbery rusher who easily finds the ball, Wilkins is best aligned for a team that will allow him to get upfield.
9. Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State: Perhaps the most fluid and fleet-footed pass protector this draft class has to offer, Dillard could find himself in high demand given the prevalence of speed rushers in the NFL.
10. Noah Fant, TE, Iowa: After sharing the spotlight with Hockenson on the Hawkeyes, Fant could be in line for a more sizable share of targets in the NFL. Cutting down on drops and bulking up should be the top items on his to-do list, but his combination of size (6-4,241 pounds) and speed (4.50-second 40-yard dash) should fluster linebackers and safeties trying to keep up in coverage.
11. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State: If not for a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in February, Simmons would be widely recognized as one of this class’ top-tier defensive talents.
