Kiper & McShay: Meet the challengers to Nick Bosa, Ed Oliver

ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay dive into the loaded pass-rusher draft class, picking prospects who might challenge Ohio State's Nick Bosa and Houston's Ed Oliver at the top of the group.

They also choose 2019 prospects rising up draft boards and give their picks for under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on, the College Football Playoff and CFB MVP.

Best defensive linemen in the 2019 class

Kiper: Everyone knows about Bosa and Oliver in this class. They're at the top of both of our boards. Bosa is the best edge rusher in this class, and Oliver, who is getting comps to Aaron Donald, is the best interior rusher. Do you agree, Todd?

McShay: Yes, but Oliver is not an elite pass-rusher like Donald was coming out of Pitt. Remember that Donald put up 11-sack seasons twice at Pitt -- Oliver hasn't done that. He has only 13.5 sacks in his career and is more of a menace as a penetrator against the run. Great player, and he's a nightmare to block one-on-one -- extremely disruptive and explosive -- but I think the No. 2 defensive line spot is wide open with a talented class.

Kiper: I agree with that. He's going to be compared to Donald until April, and it's really not fair. Oliver can be an impactful player even if he's not producing double-digit sacks every season. So who are the next-best defensive tackles in this class?

McShay: Michigan's Rashan Gary, who's already 283 pounds and could play inside or outside, combines size, athleticism, strength and burst. Great instincts and some versatility. He has dealt with a shoulder injury this season, but he returned versus Penn State, and it shouldn't cause him to slide much. Derrick Brown also brings some versatility and pop from the inside at Auburn. He is still developing his hand usage, but he can locate the ball and is just an easy mover at 6-foot-5, 325 pounds. But a guy I'm really liking a lot this season is Alabama's Quinnen Williams. His hand speed and quick first step jump out on tape. With four sacks and 12 TFL this season, Williams is outplaying his more highly touted teammates on that line.

Kiper: Williams had a monster game against LSU. And I'll add to your list Mississippi State's Jeffery Simmons, who has 9.5 tackles for loss and has been incredibly disruptive. He's a top-25 pick for me in a strong class. Where do the Clemson tackles fit in for you, Todd?

McShay: I like the Christian Wilkins-Dexter Lawrence duo a lot. I think Wilkins is the best collegiate-level defensive lineman in the group as a high-motor pass-rusher with top-end awareness. But Lawrence has more upside and looks a lot quicker and fluid this season than he did in his injury-riddled 2017 campaign. The Tigers' best pass-rusher is Clelin Ferrell off the edge, though. He doesn't have overly violent hands, but Ferrell brings a nice combination of size, speed and length to the defensive end position. Who do you like among edge guys, Mel?

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Clemson DT trucks in for a TD

Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence gets into the end zone for the first rushing touchdown of his career.

Kiper: If you're talking about pure edge rushers after Bosa, I've got three: Kentucky's Josh Allen is putting up ridiculous numbers against SEC offensive tackles, with 10 sacks and five forced fumbles. He might be the best 3-4 rusher in this class. Then there's Mississippi State's Montez Sweat and Florida State's Brian Burns. Sweat, who has an outstanding takeoff at the snap, has 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons. The explosive Burns has really come on this season, putting up nine sacks. All should be first-round picks in 2019. Am I missing anybody, Todd?

McShay: Boston College's Zach Allen converts speed to power as a push-rusher, tallying 5.5 sacks so far this season. And keep an eye on Florida's Jachai Polite. He is slippery and shows great speed and instincts, notching seven sacks for the Gators through nine games. He's rising and has been under the radar for most of the season.

Kiper: Oh, you want a few under-the-radar guys for Day 2? How about Old Dominion's Oshane Ximines, whom I highlighted earlier this season. He's up to 8.5 sacks off the edge. Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson is in that area, too, as a pure hand-in-the-dirt defensive end who has 12.5 sacks already. I'm also a big fan of Auburn's Nick Coe, a third-year sophomore with a huge, 282-pound frame and high ceiling. He has seven sacks this season.

Prospects on the rise

These are the 2019 NFL draft prospects moving up boards:

Oklahoma offensive linemen

This unit as a whole stands out to me. There are four starters here who will likely go in the next two drafts, and Sooners offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh really deserves a lot of credit for creating such a nasty culture at the line of scrimmage. Cody Ford is a classic finisher but will probably move from tackle to guard as a Day 2 prospect. Dru Samia might also see a position change. A right guard for Oklahoma, he best projects as a Day 3 center in the NFL, lacking lower-body mass but possessing good torque and upper-body strength. Left tackle Bobby Evans moves well but needs another year to get stronger, and center Creed Humphrey might end up being the best of the bunch when he becomes eligible for the 2020 draft. -- McShay

Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama

Todd already mentioned Williams' ascent, and he's going to be right around the top five in my next Big Board. We always talk about edge rushers having great hands, but when I watch Williams work, I see elite hands to be able to stack and shed and disengage from blockers. He destroys double-teams and is also an effort player -- he led the Tide in tackles (10) in the rout of LSU. Williams is just a spectacular talent who's still finding his way. Remember that he's only a third-year sophomore who didn't play much in 2017. -- Kiper

Almost famous under-the-radar prospects

Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks:

Derick Roberson, DE, Sam Houston State

The transfer from Texas is really fun to watch, and he has risen from an undraftable grade all the way up to consideration for Day 2. After a five-sack 2017 season, Roberson already has 13.5 sacks and five forced fumbles this season, including five straight games with at least 1.5 sacks. He tore apart Incarnate Word on Saturday, with two sacks, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and six total tackles. Roberson is going to be an intriguing prospect when more scouts get a closer look at his 6-foot-4, 250-pound frame at all-star games in January. He has been no match for FCS offensive tackles. -- Kiper

Darrin Hall, RB, Pittsburgh

In Pitt's rain-soaked road win against Virginia, Hall ran for 229 yards and three touchdowns, his second multi-touchdown game of the season. The 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior runs high but is strong and lowers his shoulder on contact. Through nine games, he is averaging 7.4 yards per tote and has seven end-zone trips. Hall isn't an ankle-breaker, but he has OK feet and good speed for his size. He needs to get more involved in the passing game, though, as he has just nine catches all season. -- McShay

College Football's Most Valuable Players

These aren't our picks for the Heisman Trophy winner. These are the MVPs of CFB.

Kiper's top three:

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: Well, Tagovailoa won't finish the season without an interception now. His TD-to-interception ratio is at 27:1 after LSU got him early. Still, he's the clear Heisman favorite and a potential 2020 No. 1 overall pick.

2. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: Murray threw interceptions on the first two Oklahoma possessions on Saturday night in Lubbock ... then bounced back with 460 total yards (100 rushing) and four touchdowns in the win over Texas Tech. He was the best player on the field -- again.

3. Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State: Welcome to the top three, Gardner Minshew! The East Carolina grad transfer has been terrific for Mike Leach's team, with 27 touchdown passes and just seven picks. He has been a clutch player for the one-loss Cougars.

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Minshew tosses game-winning 10-yard TD

Gardner Minshew makes a beautiful throw to WR Easop Winston, who hauls it in for the go-ahead touchdown with just 32 seconds to play.

McShay's top three:

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: Tagovailoa chewed up LSU's usually strong defense both through the air and on the ground. Winning 29-0 at Baton Rouge is scary-good. Bama is the Golden State Warriors of college football right now, and this kid is at the center of the dominance.

2. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: Saturday was the second time I've seen him live, and both times I've been blown away by his speed and agility, as well as his smooth stroke as a passer. He hasn't thrown fewer than three touchdowns in a game since the opener back on Labor Day weekend.

3. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia: What an awesome game that was between West Virginia and Texas. I loved Dana Holgorsen's confidence in Grier to go for two, and he delivered. Grier jumps back into the Heisman conversation with back-to-back three-TD, zero-INT games.

If the College Football Playoff started today ...

Kiper's top four teams:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan

McShay's top four teams:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan