After unveiling my early Big Board for the 2020 NFL draft, let's get to my first set of position rankings.
You'll notice I have separated seniors and underclassmen, and the reason is simple: The seniors are at least guaranteed to be in the draft process based on eligibility, so they deserve to be separate for now. The underclassmen could obviously choose to return and play more college football. I'll merge these rankings in the fall as we get closer to the draft in Las Vegas next April.
Here we go:
Top prospects by position
Quarterbacks
Seniors
1. Justin Herbert, Oregon
2. Nate Stanley, Iowa
3. Steven Montez, Colorado
4. Jake Bentley, South Carolina
5. Bryce Perkins, Virginia
Stanley has the tools to be an NFL starter -- and Todd McShay put him in his mock draft -- but he isn't a consistent passer. Can he take the next step in 2019?
Underclassmen
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
2. Jake Fromm, Georgia
3. Jacob Eason, Washington
4. K.J. Costello, Stanford
5. Jordan Love, Utah State
Eason looked like an intriguing prospect as a freshman at Georgia in 2016, but Fromm took his job after he got injured, and Eason transferred to Washington. At 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, Eason is one to watch this season as he takes over as the starter.
Running backs
Seniors
1. Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
2. Zack Moss, Utah
3. Scottie Phillips, Ole Miss
4. Patrick Taylor Jr., Memphis
5. Joshua Kelley, UCLA
Vaughn averaged 7.9 yards per carry last season, and I thought he might enter the 2019 draft. Taylor will become Memphis' primary back after Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard were both drafted.
Underclassmen
1. Travis Etienne, Clemson
2. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
3. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
4. D'Andre Swift, Georgia
5. Najee Harris, Alabama
Dobbins looked less explosive as a sophomore than when he averaged 7.1 yards per carry in 2017. Swift has some juice -- the Georgia offense is fast.
Wide receivers
Seniors
1. Collin Johnson, Texas
2. Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
3. K.J. Osborn, Miami (Fla.)
4. K.J. Hill, Ohio State
5. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
Collin Johnson has a huge 6-foot-6 frame, but can he separate against top cornerbacks? He could be a first-round pick if he proves his speed.
Backup quarterback Shane Buechele lofts a perfect sideline throw to Collin Johnson, who extends and reels in a 44-yard Texas touchdown.
Underclassmen
1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
2. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
3. Tee Higgins, Clemson
4. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
5. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
This has the potential to be one of the best wide receiver classes ever, and I expect a lot of movement throughout the season. All of the wideouts here have great quarterbacks throwing to them.
Tight ends
Seniors
1. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
2. Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
3. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
4. Jared Rice, Fresno State
5. Jacob Breeland, Oregon
Pinkney averaged 15.5 yards per catch on his 50 receptions last season. Rice needs to put more weight on his 6-foot-5 frame, but he's a good pass-catcher.
Underclassmen
1. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
2. Colby Parkinson, Stanford
3. Grant Calcaterra, Oklahoma
4. Hunter Bryant, Washington
5. Matt Bushman, BYU
The 6-foot-5 Okwuegbunam is a solid prospect. He had 43 catches and six touchdowns last season. Calcaterra played the Mark Andrews role at Oklahoma, and he's not much of a blocker.
Offensive tackles
Seniors
1. Trey Adams, Washington
2. Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
3. Lucas Niang, TCU
4. Marcus Norman, USF
5. Colton McKivitz, West Virginia
Tega Wanogho is an athlete with a big 6-foot-7 frame. He cemented his spot at left tackle in 2018.
Underclassmen
1. Walker Little, Stanford
2. Andrew Thomas, Georgia
3. Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
4. Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
5. Mekhi Becton, Louisville
Leatherwood played guard last season but is moving to left tackle in 2019. Wirfs, who is likely a right tackle at the next level, has a really high ceiling.
Guards
Seniors
1. Ben Bredeson, Michigan
2. Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
3. Shane Lemieux, Oregon
4. Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms, Missouri
5. John Simpson, Clemson
Throckmorton has started 38 games for the Ducks, playing guard and tackle.
Underclassmen
1. Jack Anderson, Texas Tech
2. Solomon Kindley, Georgia
3. Josh Sills, West Virginia
4. Joshua Fedd-Jackson, NC State
5. Navaughn Donaldson, Miami (FL)
You don't think of Texas Tech as a school that produces offensive line prospects, but Anderson is a legit potential first- or second-round pick.
Centers
Seniors
1. Cohl Cabral, Arizona State
2. Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
3. Sean Pollard, Clemson
4. Zach Shackelford, Texas
5. Jake Hanson, Oregon
Shackelford has played a little guard for the Longhorns, but his best position is center. NFL teams like to have versatile interior players.
Underclassmen
1. Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
2. Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
3. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
4. Michal Menet, Penn State
5. Trystan Colon-Castillo, Missouri
The OU coaches rave about Humphrey, a third-year sophomore who has started one season.
Defensive ends
Seniors
1. Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
2. Khalid Kareem, Notre Dame
3. Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
4. Jabari Zuniga, Florida
5. Joe Gaziano, Northwestern
Okwara and Kareem combined for 18 tackles for loss last season. Gaziano had 7.5 sacks; check out the effort on this strip sack.
Joe Gaziano rushes and strips Utah quarterback Jason Shelley, then Jared McGee picks it up for an 82-yard return touchdown in the third quarter.
Underclassmen
1. Chase Young, Ohio State
2. A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
3. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
4. Nick Coe, Auburn
5. Jonathan Garvin, Miami (FL)
I had three Big Ten edge rushers in the top six prospects on my Big Board. At 6-foot-5, 291 pounds, Coe has the frame to move inside to defensive tackle.
Defensive tackles
Seniors
1. Derrick Brown, Auburn
2. Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
3. Raekwon Davis, Alabama
4. Lorenzo Neal, Purdue
5. Rashard Lawrence, LSU
Davis underperformed last season, but he's a physical freak at 6-foot-7, 316 pounds. Neal -- yes, his father is that Lorenzo Neal -- hasn't put up big numbers, but he can clog running lanes.
Underclassmen
1. Corey Bethley, TCU
2. Nyles Pinckney, Clemson
3. Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
4. Marvin Wilson, Florida State
5. Jordan Elliott, Missouri
Pinckney had 4.5 tackles for loss while playing in a loaded Clemson rotation. He could star in 2019. Bethley stood out every time I watched the TCU defense.
Inside linebackers
Seniors
1. Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (FL)
2. Troy Dye, Oregon
3. Evan Weaver, California
4. Dante Olson, Montana
5. Joe Bachie, Michigan State
Quarterman has started 39 straight games for the Hurricanes, racking up 249 total tackles.
Underclassmen
1. Dylan Moses, Alabama
2. Jacob Phillips, LSU
3. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
4. Patrick Queen, LSU
5. Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
Phillips, who had 87 tackles and an interception last season, should be the next star linebacker for the Tigers. Murray had a 28-tackle game vs. Army last season, and he has shown some pass-rushing ability, with 5.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
Outside linebackers
Seniors
1. Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
2. Michael Divinity Jr., LSU
3. Malik Harrison, Ohio State
4. Josh Uche, Michigan
5. Carter Coughlin, Minnesota
Jennings could have been a Day 2 pick last month. He's a complete player who can set the edge in the running game and get after quarterbacks as a pass-rusher.
Underclassmen
1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
2. Terrell Lewis, Alabama
3. Curtis Weaver, Boise State
4. K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
5. Charles Snowden, Virginia
Chaisson could be in line for a huge year after missing all but one game in 2018 because of a knee injury. Weaver has 28 tackles for loss over two seasons as a starter for the Broncos.
Cornerbacks
Seniors
1. Trevon Diggs, Alabama
2. Bryce Hall, Virginia
3. Kristian Fulton, LSU
4. Jeff Gladney, TCU
5. Lavert Hill, Michigan
At 5-foot-11, Hill is undersized, but he could rise. If you're talking true shutdown corners, he's one of the best in college football. Gladney broke up 13 passes last season.
Underclassmen
1. CJ Henderson, Florida
2. Paulson Adebo, Stanford
3. Jaylon Johnson, Utah
4. A.J. Terrell, Clemson
5. Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State
Keep an eye on Okudah, a former five-star prospect who is extremely talented. If he improves his ball skills, he could be a first-round pick. Check out Johnson's speed -- and stamina -- on this 100-yard pick-six.
Utah's Jaylon Johnson picks off K.J. Costello and returns it 100 yards for the touchdown.
Safeties
Seniors
1. Shyheim Carter, Alabama
2. Brandon Jones, Texas
3. Julian Blackmon, Utah
4. Josh Metellus, Michigan
5. David Dowell, Michigan State
Jones is a complete safety who can tackle. He might be Texas' most important defender.
Underclassmen
1. Grant Delpit, LSU
2. Xavier McKinney, Alabama
3. Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
4. Richard LeCounte, Georgia
5. Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame
Gilman, who transferred from Navy, had 94 tackles and two interceptions in his first season for the Irish. McKinney was an important part of a loaded defense in 2018, and I want to see him take on a leadership role this season.
Punters and kickers
Seniors
1. Braden Mann, Texas A&M (P)
2. Tommy Townsend, Florida (P)
3. Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia (K)
4. Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse (P)
5. Joseph Charlton, South Carolina (P)
Mann led FBS last season with a whopping 51.0 yards per punt. Blankenship has come through in the clutch several times for the Bulldogs.
Underclassmen
1. Alex Kessman, Pitt (K)
2. Drue Chrisman, Ohio State (P)
3. Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU (P)
4. Jet Toner, Stanford (K)
5. Cody Grace, Arkansas State (P)
Toner missed just one kick last season.