A new quarterback in the top 25. Several moves in the top 10. Two defenders from Conference USA make their debuts.
Below is my updated Big Board -- my ranking of the top prospects in the 2019 NFL draft -- and the first look at my top 10 prospects at every position, from quarterbacks to kickers.
A few notes before I get started, same as always:
These aren't detailed scouting reports. I still have a lot of work to do on these prospects, and what they do from now until January matters a lot.
Height and weight are based on what we have from schools. We don't get official numbers until the 2019 NFL combine.
Note: One asterisk denotes the player is a junior, and two asterisks denote the player is a redshirt sophomore in 2018.
Jump to the positional rankings
1. Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State*
Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 263 pounds | Previously: 1
Bosa won't be back at Ohio State, as his core muscle injury will keep him out until December, and he decided to train for the draft instead of trying to return for a bowl game. It's the right decision. Think about it this way: Now Bosa's next injury will come after he's a multimillionaire, not before. I don't expect the injury or decision to affect his draft stock. He is an elite pass-rusher who is advanced for his age in his technique -- you can probably thank his brother, Joey, and dad, John, both former first-round picks. He'll finish his Buckeyes career with 17.5 sacks in two-plus seasons, most of which was in a loaded line rotation.
2. Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama**
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 289 | Previously: 14
Yes, I'm moving up the third-year sophomore over Houston's Ed Oliver. That's how good Williams has been. He has been one of college football's best players this season. Williams dominated LSU with 2.5 sacks and 10 total tackles earlier this month, and he now has five sacks and 14 tackles for loss on the season. He flew under the radar before the season because he played limited snaps in the Crimson Tide's rotation in 2017, racking up 6.5 tackles for loss. When I wrote about Williams after the LSU game, I mentioned his ability to use his hands to disengage from blockers. He is so good at destroying double-teams. And remember, Williams hasn't played much football -- he has room to grow.
3. Andraez 'Greedy' Williams, CB, LSU**
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 184 | Previously: 4
Williams burst onto the scene in 2017, picking off six passes as a redshirt freshman and emerging as one of the best defensive backs in college football. He has two more picks this season. Williams has great ball skills and a long, lean frame, and he sticks to wide receivers. The third-year sophomore is the best lockdown corner in this class, a top-five talent if he leaves school early.
4. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon*
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 233 | Previously: 5
Herbert has hit a little bit of a lull, and it's no coincidence it has happened as the Ducks' schedule has gotten tougher. Here's his line the past five games, as Oregon has gone 2-3: 105-of-189 passing (55.6 percent) for 1,210 yards with 10 touchdown passes and an interception. He has missed too many throws. Herbert has arm talent and athleticism, but I'd like to see more consistency overall. He has 25 touchdown passes and six interceptions on the season. Herbert's decision-making was improved last season (he finished No. 12 in the FBS in Total QBR at 80.1, even after missing five games because of a broken collarbone), and he has gotten even better this season. He has traits that teams love, and that's why he's my No. 1 quarterback in this class.
Daniel Jones tosses a 46-yard touchdown to Chris Taylor to get Duke on the board vs. Virginia.
5. Devin White, LB, LSU*
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 240 | Previously: 3
White missed the first half of LSU's loss to Alabama because of a targeting call in the previous game. He had eight tackles in the second half vs. the Tide, but the defense couldn't stop them -- and the offense put up zero points. White had 133 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and an interception during a spectacular breakout 2017 season. He has dominated this season, too, with 89 tackles, including seven for loss. I love his read-and-react ability, and when I went back and watched the 2017 LSU tape, he was all over the field. White is not a true pass-rusher, but he could play outside or inside linebacker at the next level. He has some versatility and is extremely athletic.
6. Devin Bush, LB, Michigan*
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 233 | Previously: 16
Bush makes a 10-spot jump here -- he's the best player on college football's best defense, as Michigan is allowing an FBS-best 3.82 yards per play. He is a playmaker, lining up all over the field and making a ton of plays. Bush caught my eye early last season as a sophomore when he had 102 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, and an interception. He has 61 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2018. I scouted his dad, Devin Bush Sr., a first-round pick out of Florida State in 1995. He had a 41-inch vertical. His son could be one of the first linebackers off the board in 2019.
7. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston*
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 292 | Previously: 2
Oliver had been No. 2 all year, but I bumped him down a little bit. He's still a potential top-five, but people I've talked to believe he's closer to 275 pounds than the 290-plus at which he's listed, and he hasn't developed consistent pass-rush moves, which is why I always said the comparison to Aaron Donald was unfair. Now, Oliver is still a game-wrecker and a great player -- just put on the East Carolina tape when he had five tackles for loss. And his first step is one of the fastest I've seen from a defensive tackle. Oliver has missed the past three games because of a nagging knee injury.
8. Rashan Gary, DT, Michigan*
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 283 | Previously: 7
Gary had a shoulder injury and missed three games, but he returned in the rout of Penn State and has played the past two games, notching eight tackles. He dominates when he's at his best; he just manhandles offensive linemen. He has a high ceiling. The problem? Consistency. A defender this big and this talented should create more pressure and disruptions. The former No. 1 overall recruit disappears too often for my liking. Gary could play end in a 3-4 defense or three-technique in a 4-3.
9. Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 230 | Previously: 10
I pegged Allen before the season as a potential Day 2 pick, as he broke out in 2017 with seven sacks, 66 tackles and an interception. He has been underrated in this class, as I think he now has a chance at being a top-10 pick. Allen is disruptive, and he has the length that NFL teams love as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He is up to 11 sacks this season, including a three-sack game against South Carolina, and he has forced a whopping five fumbles.
10. Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 185 | Previously: 9
Passers who went after Baker last season didn't have much luck. He broke up nine passes and had three interceptions. Even after losing Roquan Smith, there is still a ton of talent on the Georgia defense, and it starts with Baker, who has developed into an elite corner. Baker has two more picks and nine pass breakups this season.
11. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State*
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 300 | Previously: 11
One thing that really impressed me in Mississippi State's loss to LSU earlier this season was Simmons' hand usage. He knows how to disengage blockers and find the football. He had two touchdowns last season. In one game. He blocked a punt and recovered the ball in the end zone, then took a fumble 90 yards to the house in a rout of Louisiana Tech. The big man can move. Simmons, a disruptive player on the interior who could play in a 4-3 or 3-4 front, also chipped in five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2017. He has 11.5 tackles for loss this season. Simmons will have to answer to NFL teams about his 2016 arrest.
Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano is leveled by Florida's Jachai Polite and the ball falls in the hands of David Reese II.
12. Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama*
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 301 | Previously: 8
It's not easy to start for Nick Saban as a freshman, and that's exactly what Williams did when he lined up as the right tackle in Week 1 in 2016. Now he has started more than 30 games over the past three seasons, playing on the left side in 2017 and 2018. There's a chance he could move to guard in the NFL, but I like him as a tackle right now.
13. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn*
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 325 | Previously: 18
It's tough to miss Brown on the 2017 Auburn tape. He bullied offensive linemen during a breakout season in which he had nine tackles for loss and 56 total tackles. He's still raw and still developing pass-rushing moves, but the size and athleticism are there to be a top-10 pick. He has 9.5 tackles for loss this season, including a dominant performance against Tennessee last month. He also had a 2.5 tackles for loss in Auburn's win over Texas A&M.
14. Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama**
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 194 | Previously: 12
Nick Saban and Alabama consistently produce NFL-ready defensive backs, and Thompson could be the next in line. After playing in the rotation most of the past two seasons, Thompson stepped in to start two games at the end of 2017. He didn't look out of place. So far in 2018, he has been spectacular, racking up 50 tackles and two interceptions. Thompson has great range and is a natural playmaker. The third-year sophomore has emerged as one of college football's best all-around defensive backs.
15. Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss*
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 325 | Previously: 17
Little is a true left tackle. He won't have to move to the right side in the NFL. He's light on his feet and can get to the second level to take on linebackers, and he consistently overpowers SEC edge defenders at the point of attack. The former five-star prospect protected the blind side of Oklahoma's Kyler Murray in high school.
16. Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida*
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 242 | Previously: NR
Polite is an edge rusher who keeps rising, like Kentucky's Josh Allen, and he has been the Gators' best player this season. He has 7.5 sacks and 11.5 total tackles for loss. Polite plays with a ton of energy. He's aggressive. This is his first season as a full-time starter because he hurt his shoulder in the middle of the 2017 season. Polite plays with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end, but I think he's probably a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL.
17. Brian Burns, OLB/DE, Florida State*
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 235 | Previously: 19
Burns, who has nine sacks this season, can bend the edge as well as any pass-rusher in this class. He has a lean frame, but he's quick off the ball and can use his speed to get to quarterbacks before offensive tackles have a chance to move. Burns had 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season, after 9.5 sacks as a freshman in 2016. He needs more time in the weight room, but he could grow into a 4-3 end in time. There's a chance he rises even higher after the combine.
18. Daniel Jones, QB, Duke*
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 220 | Previously: NR
I wrote about Jones' rise earlier this week. He has a real chance to be the No. 1 quarterback off the board. He was stellar in the win over North Carolina, putting up 547 yards from scrimmage and showing his athleticism in the Blue Devils' read-option game. As I wrote, the most impressive trait I've seen from Jones this season is his ability to buy time in the pocket and use his feet to get square and make a throw. He has thrown 26 interceptions in his three seasons as the starter, and he forces passes at times, but he has mostly cut down on the poor throws this season, as he has only six picks. We also have to mention his coach, David Cutcliffe, who groomed Peyton Manning and is seen as a quarterback whisperer. I like what Jones has shown in 2018, and now he gets a huge test against the next guy on my Big Board and No. 2 Clemson this weekend.
Dwayne Haskins finds Luke Farrell for a 9-yard touchdown. It's Haskins' third touchdown pass of the day.
19. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson*
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 265 | Previously: 6
I thought Ferrell could have been a first-round pick in the 2018 draft as a third-year sophomore. He's that good. He had 9.5 sacks last season and has 8.5 this season. He terrorized Texas A&M and Georgia Southern with two sacks apiece and multiple pressures. Clemson has one of the most talented defensive lines I've ever seen in college football, and Ferrell is the top prospect.
20. Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame*
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 193 | Previously: 21
As I wrote in my look at underrated prospects, Love could be a No. 1 corner at the next level. He just keeps improving. He has 12 pass breakups and an interception this season and is developing into a shutdown corner. He had three picks in 2017, when he started every game as a sophomore. He's one of my favorite prospects in this class.
21. Oshane Ximines, OLB, Old Dominion
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 253 | Previously: NR
When I wrote about Ximines in September, I had a third-round grade on him. He was coming off a two-sack performance against Virginia Tech, where he was explosive off the edge and also moved inside to show off his bull rush. I've changed my grade after seeing Ximines improve throughout the year -- he just dominates. He's up to 10 sacks and 16.5 total tackles for loss. The versatility to play outside, inside, and with his hand in the dirt or standing up is what NFL teams want. Ximines is a really good prospect, and those teams are always looking for edge rushers.
22. Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 269 | Previously: NR
Ferguson is a prototypical 4-3 end with a big frame. He's still growing into it. You can see some of that raw talent when he pushes around Conference USA offensive tackles. Ferguson has 12.5 sacks this season, and he's up to a whopping 40 in his college career. The fifth-year senior is going to put his hand in the dirt and get up field. And like I said on Ximines, NFL teams always need those edge rushers.
23. Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 340 | Previously: 20
As I wrote in my way-too-early Big Board, big-bodied guys who move like Lawrence and can eat gaps don't last long in the draft. And Lawrence has shown that he is more than a plugger -- he had nine sacks in his first two seasons. Turn on the tape, and you'll see Lawrence take on blockers and throw them aside. He hasn't made a huge impact this season, however, as he has only 25 total tackles and three tackles for loss.
24. Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma*
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 168 | Previously: 23
I wrote in September about why I like Brown so much -- he's a big-play threat on every route. He has game-changing speed and is dynamic after the catch. Since the start of the 2017 season, he has 18 catches of 40-plus yards. Brown can play in the slot or outside, creating easy separation with that speed. And he's not one-dimensional; he runs every route that NFL teams want to see. The question is size -- at 5-9, he doesn't look like a No. 1 wide receiver. But the NFL is changing: Speed is everything. He can be a deep threat at the next level, in the mold of John Ross, who went in the top 10 in the 2017 draft. Brown should be in the discussion for Round 1, especially after he works out at the combine.
25. Byron Murphy, CB, Washington**
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 182 | Previously: 22
After redshirting in 2016, Murphy snagged two picks in his first college game last season, a road win at Rutgers. He's a natural playmaker with easy speed. Murphy missed seven games last season because of a broken foot, but he has played well since. He has an interception, 12 pass breakups and three tackles for loss. The third-year sophomore isn't as big as former Huskies corner Marcus Peters, but he makes that kind of impact. He could also play some in the slot in the NFL, which is a valuable skill.
Top 10 prospects by position
Quarterbacks
1. *Justin Herbert, Oregon
2. *Daniel Jones, Duke
3. Will Grier, West Virginia
4. **Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
5. Drew Lock, Missouri
6. Ryan Finley, NC State
7. **K.J. Costello, Stanford
8. Gardner Minshew, Washington State
9. *Nathan Stanley, Iowa
10. *Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Haskins is an interesting case -- the first-year starter looks like a guy who has made only 10 career starts at times. But you can see the tools. He might be better served coming back and entering the 2020 draft. Stidham, too. He has not progressed this season. And how about what Minshew is doing? The East Carolina transfer is taking care of the ball -- so important for Mike Leach. He'll probably be in the mix early on Day 3.
Running backs
1. Damien Harris, Alabama
2. Bryce Love, Stanford
3. *Darrell Henderson, Memphis
4. *David Montgomery, Iowa State
5. Karan Higdon, Michigan
6. *Miles Sanders, Penn State
7. *Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma
8. Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
9. Qadree Ollison, Pitt
10. Dexter Williams, Notre Dame
Not much separation here, and there isn't a sure-fire first-rounder in the group. Love has shown only flashes of the player he was in 2017. Anderson has already announced that he's entering the draft after suffering a knee injury early in the season. Vaughn is a speedster who could light up the combine.
Fullbacks/H-backs
1. Alec Ingold. Wisconsin
2. Chandler Cox, Auburn
3. Winston Dimel, UTEP
4. *Cameron Green, Northwestern
5. Joe Protheroe, Cal Poly
6. George Aston, Pitt
7. *Isaac Lessard, San Diego State
8. *Ray Marten, Boston College
9. *Brady Ross, Iowa
10. *Garrett Williams, Clemson
Ingold is averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has five touchdowns in 20 carries. Cox has 10 catches on 11 targets for the Tigers.
Wide receivers
1. *Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
2. *N'Keal Harry, Arizona State
3. *A.J. Brown, Mississippi
4. Parris Campbell, Ohio State
5. Anthony Johnson, Buffalo
6. *Collin Johnson, Texas
7. *Hakeem Butler, Iowa State
8. Stanley Morgan Jr., Nebraska
9. Gary Jennings, West Virginia
10. Jalen Hurd, Baylor
Harry would be No. 26 if my Big Board went past 25. At 6-4, 220, we know he towers over defensive backs. I want to see what he runs at the combine. Butler is another giant receiver (6-6, 220) who makes a ton of highlight-reel catches. He has eight touchdowns on only 36 receptions and is averaging 22.7 yards per catch this season.
Tight ends
1. *Noah Fant, Iowa
2. *Irv Smith Jr., Alabama
3. **Kaden Smith, Stanford
4. *Caleb Wilson, UCLA
5. **T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
6. **Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
7. *Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
8. *Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
9. Tommy Sweeney, Boston College
10. Keenen Brown, Texas State
Like the running back class, there's not much separation here, and it's littered with guys who probably will return to school for another year. Smith has 31 catches for 518 yards and six touchdowns this season.
Offensive tackles
1. *Jonah Williams, Alabama
2. *Greg Little, Mississippi
3. Trey Adams, Washington
4. Max Scharping, No. Illinois
5. Kaleb McGary, Washington
6. *Bobby Evans, Oklahoma
7. Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia
8. *Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
9. *David Edwards, Wisconsin
10. Andre Dillard, Washington State
One comparison I've heard on Williams is Brandon Scherff, the former Iowa offensive tackle who went No. 5 overall in 2015 and moved inside to guard. Williams could be an All-Pro guard. Adams is out for the season after having back surgery, and he could return for another year.
Guards
1. *Connor McGovern, Penn State
2. Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin
3. *Ben Bredeson, Michigan
4. Dalton Risner, Kansas State
5. Chris Lindstrom, Boston College
6. Alex Bars, Notre Dame
7. *Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
8. *Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
9. Bunchy Stallings, Kentucky
10. Dru Samia, Oklahoma
There's no Quenton Nelson among these guys. McGovern is a three-year starter who could still return to school. Bars suffered a knee injury in September and is out for the season.
Centers
1. Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State
2. *Michael Jordan, Ohio State
3. **Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
4. Garrett Bradbury, NC State
5. Lamont Gaillard, Georgia
6. Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
7. *Cohl Cabral, Arizona State
8. *Erik McCoy, Texas A&M
9. Keegan Render, Iowa
10. Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame
Jenkins has played tackle and guard before settling in at center. Jordan has never missed a start for the Buckeyes.
Defensive ends
1. *Nick Bosa, Ohio State
2. *Rashan Gary, Michigan
3. *Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
4. Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
5. Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
6. Zach Allen, Boston College
7. **Nick Coe, Auburn
8. *Raekwon Davis, Alabama
9. *Jordan Brailford, Oklahoma State
10. *Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
This is a strong class. Davis has dropped a little bit because he's not producing. He might be the enigma of the draft because the talent is there.
Defensive tackles
1. **Quinnen Williams, Alabama
2. *Ed Oliver, Houston
3. *Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
4. *Derrick Brown, Auburn
5. *Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
6. Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
7. Christian Wilkins, Clemson
8. Isaiah Buggs, Alabama
9. *Dre'Mont Jones, Ohio State
10. Gerald Willis III, Miami (Fl)
If an NFL team needs an interior disruptor in this class, it's in luck. Don't be surprised if three defensive tackles go in the top 10 next April. But it's also deep. Tillery has seven sacks this season.
Inside linebackers
1. *Devin White, LSU
2. *Devin Bush, Michigan
3. *Mack Wilson, Alabama
4. *Vosean Joseph, Florida
5. *Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (Fl)
6. Te'Von Coney, Notre Dame
7. Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin
8. Khalil Hodge, Buffalo
9. *Tre Lamar, Clemson
10. T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin
The two Devins are both true sideline-to-sideline players who can play on all three downs. Wilson might be a candidate to return to the Tide for another year.
Outside linebackers
1. Josh Allen, Kentucky
2. *Jachai Polite, Florida
3. *Brian Burns, Florida State
4. Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion
5. Chase Winovich, Michigan
6. *Joe Jackson, Miami (Fl)
7. Chase Hansen, Utah
8. Christian Miller, Alabama
9. *Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
10. Ben Banogu, TCU
A team is going to get a steal in Winovich on Day 2 -- he's relentless. Jackson has five sacks and 9.5 total tackles for loss.
Cornerbacks
1. **Andraez 'Greedy' Williams, LSU
2. Deandre Baker, Georgia
3. Julian Love, Notre Dame
4. **Byron Murphy, Washington
5. *Trayvon Mullen, Clemson
6. Amani Oruwariye, Penn State
7. *David Long, Michigan
8. *Lavert Hill, Michigan
9. Iman Marshall, USC
10. *Justin Layne, Michigan State
There is a ton of talent in this group, and the two third-year sophomores -- Williams and Murphy -- are already advanced in their technique. Mullen is a former highly rated recruit who has only three picks in three seasons.
Safeties
1. *Deionte Thompson, Alabama
2. Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State
3. *Taylor Rapp, Washington
4. *Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida
5. Marvell Tell III, USC
6. Juan Thornhill, Virginia
7. Mike Edwards, Kentucky
8. *Brandon Jones, Texas
9. Darnell Savage Jr., Maryland
10. Jaquan Johnson, Miami (Fl)
Thornhill has five picks this season and nine over the last two seasons. Rapp might be the Huskies' most important defender.
Kickers and Punters
1. *Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia (K)
2. Matt Gay, Utah (K)
3. John Baron II, San Diego State (K)
4. Jake Bailey, Stanford (P)
5. **Drue Chrisman, Ohio S. (P)
6. *Braden Mann, Texas A&M (P)
7. Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse (P)
8. Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah (P)
9. Stefan Flintoft, UCLA (P)
10. Tyler Newsome, Notre Dame (P)
Blankenship has never missed an extra point attempt in his career, going 132-of-132.