2019 NFL Draft, Positional Top Ten

[Deputy Nutz]

I am going to list my top ten per position in this thread. I will probably edit each top ten list up until draft day. I am also going to tier the group as well. Feel free to add your top ten lists.

Inside Linebacker: Linebackers that I feel could play inside in an odd front, or in the middle in a even front. This a tough group, The top end has some huge potential, not Roquan Smith potential but pretty intriguing. The rest of the group is a mix between situational run and pass guys.
Tier One
1. Devin White LSU - Excellent athlete, but he has a better highlight film then game film. He takes to long to recognize what is happening in front of him and struggles to get off blocks.

2. Devin Bush Michigan - Another excellent athlete, likes to run side line to side line, has decent to above average cover skills, does a nice job of diagnosing an offense.

Tier Two
3. Mack Wilson, Alabama - Not physical enough taking on blocks, He can run and cover ground but he isn't going to stone an offensive blocker at the point of attack.

Tier Three
4. Te'von Coney Notre Dame - Plays like a middle linebacker should, aggressively takes on blocks and clogs the middle. Does a nice job filtering off blocks to make plays. Steady but certainly not fast. Not going to be on the field for passing downs and asked to cover

5. Germaine Pratt NC. St. - undersized and inexperienced at the position. He can run a good forty time but can he attack the line of scrimmage in the run game?

6. Dru Tranquill Notre Dame - He could be a safety in some schemes, most likely he will be an off the ball linebacker in the pros covering TEs. Tranquill is a very aggressive tackler. He had a great combine.

7. Terrell Hanks New Mexico - Teams like his film, but his combine is very sketchy. NFL linebackers don't run 5.0 forties.

Tier 4
8. TJ Edwards Wisconsin - A lot like Coney, but maybe a little less athletic, needs to play better in space.

9. Blake Cashman Minnesota - A former walk on with one year of starting experience. Tackling machine with a good combine, but with two surgically repaired shoulders.

10. Bobby Okereke Stanford - Good but not a great athlete that can run a little bit. Good instincts but gets absorbed by offensive linemen at times.

Others: Vosean Joseph Florida, Ben Burr-Kiven Washington, Cameron Smith USC, David Long JR. West Virginia, Tre Lamar Clemson, Jahlani Tavai Hawaii

[Bretsky]

Great Stuff Nutz; I thought you'd have TJ Edwards a bit higher.

[Deputy Nutz]

I like Edwards, but he really struggles in open space. I love his instincts and he is always putting himself in position to make plays. He just struggles to make them when he is one on one with a ball carrier in space. I might move him up him and Coney are pretty similar. The guy I like is Dru Tranquill. I think he could be a mid round steal.

[Deputy Nutz]

Wide Receiver- Very deep class of receiver where there will more guys in the top tier than the 3rd tier. The weird thing is, there is a heck of a lot of talent in this group but no player with a clean resume. Their is potential of a bust with every one of these guys.

Tier 1
1. DK Metcalf Ole Miss- I really struggle to put his name on the top of this list, but if I was a GM that needed a receiver I would put his name down to be drafted first. His boom/bust potential is the biggest I have seen at this position in a long time.

2.Parris Campbell Ohio St - Perfect slot receiver, he has the right size and his combine numbers were phenomenal. He played in weird offense at OSU that doesn't usually translate to the pros, he only ran a handful of routes.

3. AJ Brown Ole Miss - A heavily built slot receiver with good feet. His combine numbers were slightly above average, but his on field production is tops for this class. Brown has NFL ready hands and will have the bulk to attack the ball on contested throws.

4. N'Keal Harry Arizona St.- Reminds me a little bit of Davante Adams. He isn't going to run away from defensive backs but that's ok because he will make his mark in the NFL catching contested passes. Good open field vision and the best blocker in this group. His lack of explosive athletic traits will be a huge question mark as he transitions to the Pros.

Tier 2
5. Marquise Brown Oklahoma - I wouldn't draft him in the first two rounds. He is an explosive fast twitch athlete that gets to top speed quickly and can run his routes at top speed, but he is just too small and I can't see him surviving big open field hits after he catches the ball. It's the new NFL where guys are protected, but once he becomes a runner all bets are off. If he was 20 pounds heavier I would say he is a no question 1st rounder. Still might be.

6. Emanuel Hall Missouri - Hall is a smooth strider that makes the deep ball look easy. He had a very good combine, long arms and big hands and a phenomenal verticle at 43". Halls film is good, although he needs to polish up his route tree and not just rely on running routes fast.

7. Deebo Samuel South Carolina - Very similar to AJ Brown in terms of size and speed. Samuel has good hands and catches the ball well in traffic. With his size he doesn't shy away from contact which makes him a good open field runner after the catch. He lacks the top end speed and quickness to separate from college defensive backs, but does a nice job of settling in the open zone.

8. Hakeem Butler Iowa St. Rare combination of size, speed and athleticism. He also has huge hands. Big play receiver that relies on his physical attributes to make spectacular plays. Not a polished route runner and is very slow on his cuts and breaks. His hands are also a relative question mark.

Tier 3
9. Riley Ridley Georgia - Similar build and athleticism as his brother who led all rookies in TD grabs, and yards in 2018. His below average combine will make teams shy away, but he runs polished routes and has very good hands. Speed isn't everything but his lack of initial quickness may be another red flag.

10. Jalen Hurd Baylor - former running back at Tennessee that was used all over the field for the Bears last season. He is a tremendous athlete that realized his potential at the next level was at receiver. He presents some unique options for NFL offensive coordinators, you can use him in the slot, on the boundry, or in the backfield. For only playing receiver one year in college he runs good routes and has above average hands. He will be a sleeper on draft day.

Others: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Mecole Hardman, Miles Boykin, Andy Isabella, Terry, McClaurin

[Sparkey]

Wide Receiver- Very deep class of receiver where there will more guys in the top tier than the 3rd tier. The weird thing is, there is a heck of a lot of talent in this group but no player with a clean resume. Their is potential of a bust with every one of these guys.

Tier 1
1. DK Metcalf Ole Miss- I really struggle to put his name on the top of this list, but if I was a GM that needed a receiver I would put his name down to be drafted first. His boom/bust potential is the biggest I have seen at this position in a long time.

2.Parris Campbell Ohio St - Perfect slot receiver, he has the right size and his combine numbers were phenomenal. He played in weird offense at OSU that doesn't usually translate to the pros, he only ran a handful of routes.

3. AJ Brown Ole Miss - A heavily built slot receiver with good feet. His combine numbers were slightly above average, but his on field production is tops for this class. Brown has NFL ready hands and will have the bulk to attack the ball on contested throws.

4. N'Keal Harry Arizona St.- Reminds me a little bit of Davante Adams. He isn't going to run away from defensive backs but that's ok because he will make his mark in the NFL catching contested passes. Good open field vision and the best blocker in this group. His lack of explosive athletic traits will be a huge question mark as he transitions to the Pros.

Tier 2
5. Marquise Brown Oklahoma - I wouldn't draft him in the first two rounds. He is an explosive fast twitch athlete that gets to top speed quickly and can run his routes at top speed, but he is just too small and I can't see him surviving big open field hits after he catches the ball. It's the new NFL where guys are protected, but once he becomes a runner all bets are off. If he was 20 pounds heavier I would say he is a no question 1st rounder. Still might be.

6. Emanuel Hall Missouri - Hall is a smooth strider that makes the deep ball look easy. He had a very good combine, long arms and big hands and a phenomenal verticle at 43". Halls film is good, although he needs to polish up his route tree and not just rely on running routes fast.

7. Deebo Samuel South Carolina - Very similar to AJ Brown in terms of size and speed. Samuel has good hands and catches the ball well in traffic. With his size he doesn't shy away from contact which makes him a good open field runner after the catch. He lacks the top end speed and quickness to separate from college defensive backs, but does a nice job of settling in the open zone.

8. Hakeem Butler Iowa St. Rare combination of size, speed and athleticism. He also has huge hands. Big play receiver that relies on his physical attributes to make spectacular plays. Not a polished route runner and is very slow on his cuts and breaks. His hands are also a relative question mark.

Tier 3
9. Riley Ridley Georgia - Similar build and athleticism as his brother who led all rookies in TD grabs, and yards in 2018. His below average combine will make teams shy away, but he runs polished routes and has very good hands. Speed isn't everything but his lack of initial quickness may be another red flag.

10. Jalen Hurd Baylor - former running back at Tennessee that was used all over the field for the Bears last season. He is a tremendous athlete that realized his potential at the next level was at receiver. He presents some unique options for NFL offensive coordinators, you can use him in the slot, on the boundry, or in the backfield. For only playing receiver one year in college he runs good routes and has above average hands. He will be a sleeper on draft day.

Others: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Mecole Hardman, Miles Boykin, Andy Isabella, Terry, McClaurin

Really like your player breakdowns. I have watched "highlights" of some of these guys and a guy you do not have listed that intrigues me is Demarkus Lodge. He seems to have the ability to contort his body to adjust to a pass without losing his balance or stride.

[run pMc]

Really like your player breakdowns. I have watched "highlights" of some of these guys and a guy you do not have listed that intrigues me is Demarkus Lodge. He seems to have the ability to contort his body to adjust to a pass without losing his balance or stride.

Have also seen a lot of mention of Kelvin Harmon, WR for NC State.

[theeaterofshades]

Wide Receiver- Very deep class of receiver where there will more guys in the top tier than the 3rd tier. The weird thing is, there is a heck of a lot of talent in this group but no player with a clean resume. Their is potential of a bust with every one of these guys.

Tier 1
1. DK Metcalf Ole Miss- I really struggle to put his name on the top of this list, but if I was a GM that needed a receiver I would put his name down to be drafted first. His boom/bust potential is the biggest I have seen at this position in a long time.

2.Parris Campbell Ohio St - Perfect slot receiver, he has the right size and his combine numbers were phenomenal. He played in weird offense at OSU that doesn't usually translate to the pros, he only ran a handful of routes.

3. AJ Brown Ole Miss - A heavily built slot receiver with good feet. His combine numbers were slightly above average, but his on field production is tops for this class. Brown has NFL ready hands and will have the bulk to attack the ball on contested throws.

4. N'Keal Harry Arizona St.- Reminds me a little bit of Davante Adams. He isn't going to run away from defensive backs but that's ok because he will make his mark in the NFL catching contested passes. Good open field vision and the best blocker in this group. His lack of explosive athletic traits will be a huge question mark as he transitions to the Pros.

Tier 2
5. Marquise Brown Oklahoma - I wouldn't draft him in the first two rounds. He is an explosive fast twitch athlete that gets to top speed quickly and can run his routes at top speed, but he is just too small and I can't see him surviving big open field hits after he catches the ball. It's the new NFL where guys are protected, but once he becomes a runner all bets are off. If he was 20 pounds heavier I would say he is a no question 1st rounder. Still might be.

6. Emanuel Hall Missouri - Hall is a smooth strider that makes the deep ball look easy. He had a very good combine, long arms and big hands and a phenomenal verticle at 43". Halls film is good, although he needs to polish up his route tree and not just rely on running routes fast.

7. Deebo Samuel South Carolina - Very similar to AJ Brown in terms of size and speed. Samuel has good hands and catches the ball well in traffic. With his size he doesn't shy away from contact which makes him a good open field runner after the catch. He lacks the top end speed and quickness to separate from college defensive backs, but does a nice job of settling in the open zone.

8. Hakeem Butler Iowa St. Rare combination of size, speed and athleticism. He also has huge hands. Big play receiver that relies on his physical attributes to make spectacular plays. Not a polished route runner and is very slow on his cuts and breaks. His hands are also a relative question mark.

Tier 3
9. Riley Ridley Georgia - Similar build and athleticism as his brother who led all rookies in TD grabs, and yards in 2018. His below average combine will make teams shy away, but he runs polished routes and has very good hands. Speed isn't everything but his lack of initial quickness may be another red flag.

10. Jalen Hurd Baylor - former running back at Tennessee that was used all over the field for the Bears last season. He is a tremendous athlete that realized his potential at the next level was at receiver. He presents some unique options for NFL offensive coordinators, you can use him in the slot, on the boundry, or in the backfield. For only playing receiver one year in college he runs good routes and has above average hands. He will be a sleeper on draft day.

Others: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Mecole Hardman, Miles Boykin, Andy Isabella, Terry, McClaurin

I really am digging David Sills (West Virginia) WR in the later rounds

[Upnorth]

I think I would like to see us get JJ Arcega-Whiteside. He has great hands and a good catch radius. Rodgers likes a dependable receiver. To me that is a good pairing. Is there any chance he could be available in the third?

[Fritz]

As for the thread, I appreciate Nutz's close analysis, which I will rely upon so if the Packers draft one of those guys, I will at least recognize the name.

As for Bush, he's a good sideline-to-sideline, aggressive linebacker, but he has a hard time getting off of blocks.

I don't know that I see him as the 12th best player in the draft. I mean, I think he can be a very good NFL player, but he does need guys to keep him clean. He's willing to stick his nose in there, too, although he can be overly aggressive and commit stupid penalties.

[jklowan]

sometimes you have to reach, the drop off after him is steep and GB needs to upgrade that position in this draft as there are no other options with FA/cap space. i think he will be worth the reach. We need a LB that drop into coverage imho

[Fritz]

sometimes you have to reach, the drop off after him is steep and GB needs to upgrade that position in this draft as there are no other options with FA/cap space. i think he will be worth the reach. We need a LB that drop into coverage imho

I disagree on this point. Reaching is always (I know, that's a strong word) a bad idea, because you can't predict how a season will go. For example, you think you're just one ILB away from the playoffs or Super Bowl, so you reach. The safety/tight end/whatever position you passed on goes to another team after you picked, but you got your "reach." Then, part way through training camp, your starting safety/tight end/whatever goes down, and you sure could use that other guy who's actually better than the one you drafted - and is now a position of "need."

Happens all the time in the NFL. Don't reach. You really want a different guy so bad, then try to trade up.

[jklowan]

agreed but this draft is unique in the fact that there is depth at every position we need except ILB. There are maybe 3 NFL caliber ILB

safety/tight end/OT/Guard/RB/DL & Espicially WR have decent depth this, I am on the reach for this ILB as I do not think 12 is much of a reach for BUSH, he will not make it past 20 and he may infact go before 12

[Deputy Nutz]

Tight Ends: This a is a pretty deep group with a solid top three guys.

Tier 1
1. TJ Hockenson Iowa- Top TE prospect for his ability to block and also stretch the field. He is athletic and long and can make plays after the catch. Outside of his 4.7 forty he had a very good combine with numbers that compare to the top WRs in this class.

2. Noah Fant Iowa - Probably the best slot type TE in the draft. He put up numbers at the combine that are terrific which should have moved him up draft boards. Fants struggles come as an inline blocker. He is willing but doesn't have the aggressive nature or the lower body strength needed to block a defensive end.

3. Irv Smith Alabama- Sort of the forgotten man, but before the combine he was considered more like the #1 tight end in this group. He could flourish in an H-back role. He is a decent to good lead and kick out blocker and can turn a dump off pass into a solid gain. Smith is simply not as long or as athletic as the two Hawkeyes in front of him.

Tier 2
4. Dawson Knox Ole' Miss - A good combination of pass catcher and inline blocker. He is another long option at TE. He played with explosive players around him at Ole' Miss and was still one of the top options as a receiver.

5. Kahale Warring San Diego St - He was a sleeper in many draft conversations until just recently. He played at a mid-major college and lacked experience at the prep level as he played multiple sports. He has a large frame, he is working on his inline blocking, and he looks like a young Gronk catching the ball in traffic.

Tier 3
6. Drew Sample, Washington - More of a blocking type TE that teams will draft for his inline blocking skills and then let him develop as a pass catcher. Solid athlete that could easily become a weapon in the passing game.

7. Josh Oliver San Jose St. - Athletic big man that can create a mismatch in the seam. He can get up and high point the football. He shows decently as a run blocker.

8. Jace Sternberger Texas A&M - He is a solid athlete, but there are better athletes on this list that can catch the ball as well as him. He gives effort as a blocker but he needs to get much stronger in the lower half.

9. Foster Moreau LSU - Doesn't do anything particularly outstanding, but he doesn't everything well. He does catch the ball very well in traffic and will make tough catches going to the ground. Not much of a passing catching threat at LSU.

10. Kaden Smith Stanford - ran a poor forty time at the combine, but he has the size to make up for it. Decent blocker, and can be a target over the middle, but he isn't going to run away from anyone.

[Fritz]

Nutz, thanks for all your work here.

To me, I'd go along with the conventional thinking - you can teach a guy to block, but you can't teach him speed. So do your homework and figure out who's got the best athleticism combined with a willing attitude as a blocker. If you're lucky, the first year the kid watches and learns behind Graham and Lewis and maybe even Tonyan.

Would I pick Hockenson at #12? I'm not sure he's the twelfth-best player in the land, so probably not. I also like Fant's speed better, but I don't know if Fant is willing to block or if he'll pussyfoot his way around. Again, I don't pay attention like I used to, so I trust Nutz's judgement on these players. I'd be happy with one of those tier two guys if they're best on the board in the third round.

[pbmax]

Nutz, thanks for all your work here.

To me, I'd go along with the conventional thinking - you can teach a guy to block, but you can't teach him speed. So do your homework and figure out who's got the best athleticism combined with a willing attitude as a blocker. If you're lucky, the first year the kid watches and learns behind Graham and Lewis and maybe even Tonyan.

Would I pick Hockenson at #12? I'm not sure he's the twelfth-best player in the land, so probably not. I also like Fant's speed better, but I don't know if Fant is willing to block or if he'll pussyfoot his way around. Again, I don't pay attention like I used to, so I trust Nutz's judgement on these players. I'd be happy with one of those tier two guys if they're best on the board in the third round.

Its an open question whether LaFleur really wants an end line blocker or a slot/Hback type. A do everything type helps disguise your intent. But you have to make the base offense work first I would think.