Zach Metkler’s 2018 NFL Draft Pre-Combine Positional Rankings
Three weeks have passed since the end of the NFL season, which only means one thing: the 2018 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. Before we get to that point, one more massive event will take place where many prospects will see their stocks soar or plummet.
From February 27 to March 5, prospects will test their skills and athleticism in various events at the NFL Scouting Combine to see how they compare to not only each other but to prospects that have come before them.The NFL Combine isn’t the only evaluation tool for prospects heading into the draft, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to put on a great performance.
But before that happens, I have gone through hours of film study putting together my pre-Combine big board and positional rankings. There will likely be plenty of shakeups in the positional rankings below after the Combine concludes and we head into Pro Days and individual workouts (plus, continued film study never hurt anybody) but for the time being, my positional rankings are finally (temporarily) completed.
Quarterback
- Josh Rosen, UCLA
- Sam Darnold, USC
- Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
- Josh Allen, Wyoming
- Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
- Lamar Jackson, Louisville
- Luke Falk, Washington State
- Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
- Mike White, Western Kentucky
- Chase Litton, Marshall
Running Back
- Saquon Barkley, Penn State
- Derrius Guice, LSU
- Ronald Jones II, USC
- Sony Michel, Georgia
- Nick Chubb, Georgia
- Royce Freeman, Oregon
- Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
- Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
- Akrum Wadley, Iowa
- Kalen Ballage, Arizona State
- Mark Walton, Miami (FL)
- Josh Adams, Notre Dame
- Nyheim Hines, NC State
- Bo Scarbrough, Alabama
- John Kelly, Tennessee
Wide Receiver
- Courtland Sutton, SMU
- Calvin Ridley, Alabama
- Anthony Miller, Memphis
- James Washington, Oklahoma State
- Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
- Auden Tate, Florida State
- Marcell Ateman, Oklahoma State
- Michael Gallup, Colorado State
- Dante Pettis, Washington
- D.J. Moore, Maryland
- Deon Cain, Clemson
- Equanimeous St. Brown, Notre Dame
- Deontay Burnett, USC
- Cedrick Wilson, Boise State
- D.J. Clark, LSU
- Jordan Lasley, UCLA
- Allen Lazard, Iowa State
- Jaleel Scott, New Mexico State
- DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State
- Simmie Cobbs Jr., Indiana
Tight End
- Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
- Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
- Mike Gesicki, Penn State
- Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
- Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
- Ian Thomas, Indiana
- Durham Smythe, Notre Dame
- Tyler Conklin, Central Michigan
- Ryan Izzo, Florida State
- Dalton Schultz, Stanford
Offensive Tackle
- Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
- Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
- Connor Williams, Texas
- Kolton Miller, UCLA
- Chukwuma Korafor, Western Michigan
- Tyrell Crosby, Oregon
- Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State
- Jamarco Jones, Ohio State
- Will Richardson, NC State
- Joseph Noteboom, TCU
- Brian O’Neill, Pittsburgh
- Alex Cappa, Humboldt State
Offensive Guard
- Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
- Will Hernandez, UTEP
- Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
- Braden Smith, Auburn
- Austin Corbett, Nevada
- Wyatt Teller, Virginia Tech
- Sean Welsh, Iowa
- Taylor Hearn, Clemson
- Sam Jones, Arizona State
- Tony Adams, NC State
Center
- Billy Price, Ohio State
- James Daniels, Iowa
- Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
- Coleman Shelton, Washington
- Bradley Bozeman, Alabama
- Will Clapp, LSU
- Mason Cole, Michigan
- Brian Allen, Michigan State
- Scott Quessenberry, UCLA
- Austin Golson, Auburn
Defensive Line
- Vita Vea, Washington
- Da’Ron Payne, Alabama
- Maurice Hurst, Michigan
- Taven Bryan, Florida
- Tim Settle, Virginia Tech
- Harrison Phillips, Stanford
- Derrick Nnadi, Florida State
- R.J. McIntosh, Miami (FL)
- Rasheem Green, USC
- Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama
- B.J. Hill, NC State
- Nathan Shepard, Fort Hays State
- Trenton Thompson, Georgia
- Justin Jones, NC State
- Folorunso Fatukasi, Connecticut
Defensive End/EDGE
- Bradley Chubb, NC State
- Harold Landry, Boston College
- Marcus Davenport, UTSA
- Arden Key, LSU
- Sam Hubbard, Ohio State
- Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma
- Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest
- Jeff Holland, Auburn
- Chad Thomas, Miami (FL)
- Dorance Armstrong Jr., Kansas
- Josh Sweat, Florida State
- Andrew Brown, Virginia
- Hercules Mata’afa, Washington State
- Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State
- Joe Ostman, Central Michigan
Linebacker
- Roquan Smith, Georgia
- Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
- Rashaan Evans, Alabama
- Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
- Malik Jefferson, Texas
- Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
- Josey Jewell, Iowa
- Uchenna Nwosu, USC
- Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
- Jerome Baker, Ohio State
- Tegray Scales, Indiana
- Dorian O’Daniel, Clemson
- Fred Warner, BYU
- Micah Kiser, Virgina
- Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama
Cornerback
- Joshua Jackson, Iowa
- Denzel Ward, Ohio State
- Jaire Alexander, Louisville
- Isaiah Oliver, Colorado
- Mike Hughes, Central Florida
- Donte Jackson, LSU
- Nick Nelson, Wisconsin
- Carlton Davis, Auburn
- Kameron Kelly, San Diego State
- Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State
- Holton Hill, Texas
- D.J. Reed, Kansas State
- Duke Dawson, Florida
- M.J. Stewart, North Carolina
- Levi Wallace, Alabama
Safety
- Derwin James, Florida State
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
- Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
- DeShon Elliott, Texas
- Jessie Bates, Wake Forest
- Armani Watts, Texas A&M
- Justin Reid, Stanford
- Kyzir White, West Virginia
- Jordan Whitehead, Pittsburgh
- Terrell Edmunds, Virginia Tech
- Marcus Allen, Penn State
- Quin Blanding, Virginia
- Godwin Igwebuike, Northwestern
- Tray Matthews, Auburn
- Damon Webb, Ohio State
Stay tuned to Steel City Underground for full 2018 NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft news.
