25. Desmond King

Desmond King, a 5th round (151st overall) selection in 2017 earned an All-Pro nomination in 2018. King finished his illustrious career at Iowa with 14 interceptions, returning 3 for scores. King fell in the 2017 draft due to lack of speed, athletic limitations & lack of strength as well as height but he has proved his critics wrong locking down some of the best WR’s the game has to offer today. King is a instinctual corner that is superb in zone coverage. King is not a gambler so he doesn’t get beat for big plays very often. King is a good open-field tackling corner and is gritty. He could be considered a over-achiever but his 62 tackles, 10 pass breakups and punt return for a touchdown in 2018, is good enough for #25 on this list.

24. Yannick Ngakoue

Yannick Ngakoue, a 3rd round (69th overall) draft selection in 2016 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, has developed into a quality player in just 3 NFL seasons. His 193 quarterback pressures ranks 9th among pass rushers since Ngakoue entered the league. (Per PFF). Ngakoue has 29.5 sacks in just 3 seasons and looks to build upon that number going forward. The Jaguars drafted Josh Allen out of Kentucky in the 1st round to pair with Ngakoue and Calais Campbell to form one of the more feared pass rushing trio in the league.

23. TJ Watt

TJ Watt, a 1st round (30th overall) draft selection in 2017, is a dangerous pass rusher with excellent hand-technique to fight off offensive lineman. Watt has great ability to bend around the edge to get to the quarterback. Watt is deceptively athletic and plays with a high-motor. Watt finished 2018 with 13 sacks, building on his 7 sack rookie season. Watt is brother of Houston Texan great, JJ Watt.

22. Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt, a 3rd round (86th overall) draft selection in 2017 was released by the Kansas City Chiefs in November, 2018. Hunt was forced to find a new home after video of a violent incident involving a woman was released. The 6’0, 225lb back, runs with extreme effort and balance. Hunt is a very physical runner who racks up yards after contact. Hunt possess good speed with a blend of power, strength and quickness. In just 11 games, Hunt ran for 824 yards with 7 touchdowns, a very dynamic runner. Kareem Hunt is arguably the hardest RB in the NFL to tackle.

21. Leighton Vander-Esch

Leighton Vander-Esch, a 1st round (19th overall) draft selection in 2018 had a breakout rookie season. Vander-Esch is a talented off-the-ball linebacker who moves well and can slip offensive lineman to find the ball carrier. Vander-Esch features solid size and bulk at the linebacking position. He has decent linebacker speed running a 4.65 but makes up for any slow steps with instinct and ability to be in the right place at the right time. Vander-Esch finished 2018 with 138 tackles and 2 interceptions.

20. Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb, a 1st round (5th overall) draft selection in 2017 is a instinctive, productive pass rusher coming off the edge. Chubb features a quality ‘get off’ with great speed-to-power when rushing after the quarterback. He has a nice rip move and can dip around the corner with the best of them. Chubb alongside Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, are one of the best pass rushing combos in the league today. Chubb, with his strong, thick build broke the Denver Broncos rookie record with 12 sacks in 2018 and finished just 2.5 sacks short of the NFL rookie record of 14.5 by Jevon Kearse.

19. JuJu Smith-Schuster

Juju Smith-Schuster, a 2nd round (62nd overall) selection in 2017 is a extremely physical, run-after-the-catch monster of a receiver. Smith-Schuster is great at winning the 50-50 ball which makes him dangerous in the red zone. He also attacks the football in the air with long arms making defensive backs lives more difficult. In the run game , Smith-Schuster is a blocking beast possessing the strength to outfight defensive backs. I would consider him a gritty player that plays with a attitude. Smith-Schuster had a breakout campaign in 2018 receiving 111 passes for 1,400 receiving yards & 7 touchdowns including two different 90+ yard receiving touchdowns. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded away Antonio Brown, making Smith-Schuster the teams #1 wide receiver going into 2019.

18. Denzel Ward

Denzel Ward, a 1st round (4th overall) draft selection in 2018 was considered the leagues best rookie corner. Ward is absurdly quick and fast with a sub 4.3 40 yard dash. He has excellent ball skills and also brings the boom tackling. Ward is very smart and can be trusted to play man or zone. Ward is undersized but makes that up with his high IQ and film study. Ward was a top 5 selection in last years draft and lived up to the hype intercepting 3 passes with a forced fumble.

17. Chris Jones

Chris Jones, a 2nd round (37th overall) draft selection in 2016 had a breakout year at the defensive line position in 2018. Jones is a strong, long and very athletic defensive tackle that has the strength and ability to bull rush. Jones also uses his strength to shed blocks and sack opposing quarterbacks. Jones is a high upside player that has the ideal size for a ‘Five-Tec’ defensive end in a 3-4 scheme as well as a ‘Three-Tec’ defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme. Jones finished 2018 with 40 tackles including a whopping 15.5 sacks from the defensive tackle position which led the NFL for defensive tackles.

16. Marshon Lattimore

Marshon Lattimore, a 1st round (11th overall) draft selection in 2017, is one of the games great young cornerbacks. His fluid hips and solid ball skills allow him to line up against anybody. He has great speed and is fast enough to run with sub 4.4 guys. Lattimore has a aggressive presence against the run and doesn’t allow himself to be blocked by opposing receivers. Lattimore plays with great confidence and his stats show for it intercepting a couple passes on limited targets. Lattimore also forced 4 fumbles from the corner position which is a rare feat. Pro football focus grades Lattimore at a 88.7 coverage grade over the last two years in the league, and he figures to be a difference-maker at the position for years to come. Since 2017, the former Ohio State corner has allowed a passer rating of just 68.8 on throws into his primary coverage – 5th among cornerbacks with at least 100 targets in that span.

15. Derwin James

Derwin James, a 1st round (17th overall) selection is a versatile, physical and very fast safety who passes the eye test. Derwin James body is built like a Greek God. He is a physical freak that has great traits as a football player. James is capable of covering elite level tight ends and can line up in the box to stop running backs. James is a devastating hitter that separates the ball from ball carriers and also contributes on special teams. James figures to be a lethal weapon on the defensive side of the ball for years to come. In his 16 games last season, James has proved to be a jack-of-all-trades, and out of his 1027 defensive snaps, he logged 205 on the defensive line, 418 in the box, 166 as a slot cornerback, 22 as a perimeter cornerback and 216 as a free safety. His 19 total quarterback pressures and 40 defensive stops both ranked first among first-year players at the position, and he allowed a passer rating of just 71.8 on throws into his primary coverage. (Per PFF)

14. Joey Bosa

Joey Bosa, a 1st round (2nd overall) selection in 2016 is a physical run defender that sets the edge well and can chase down runners from the backside. He has a good not great ‘get off’ but his technique is regarded as one of the best in the league. Bosa is quick enough off the edge to keep the offensive tackle on his toes to bull rush. Bosa is a consistent source of pressure and plays with enough effort to pursue defenders all over the field. Bosa uses speed-to-power and excellent technique to get to the quarterback. Unlike most pass rushers, he can use his feet and hands at the same time to beat offensive tackles. Bosa posted 28.5 career sacks in 35 games. In his first two seasons, he reached double-digits in sacks and earned the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

13. Jamal Adams

Jamal Adams, a 1st round (6th overall) draft selection in 2017 is the leader of the Jets defense and team. Adams has a real presence in the middle of the field and is considered a prototype strong safety. Adams is a excellent tackler and makes one or two big hits every game. You can find Adams constantly around the ball in good position to make plays. As good as he is playing inside the box, Adams also plays deep centerfield safety. Adams has good vision and eye discipline so he rarely gets beat in coverage. Adams is a field general and the unquestioned leader of the entire team. Adams also made his first Pro Bowl in 2018, recording 115 combined tackles, including 86 solos, with nine tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits. He also posted 3.5 sacks and one interception.

12. Darius Leonard

Darius Leonard, a 2nd round (36th overall selection) has made as big of an impact as any rookie in the league last year. He led the NFL with 163 combined tackles, including 111 solos, helping the Colts reel off 10 straight wins and make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. His efforts earned him an All-Pro nomination and the 2018 Rookie Defensive Player of the Year award. Leonard, is a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine. Leonard is comfortable in space, quick and diagnosis offensive plays fast. Leonard is very cognizant to go for strips while tackling ball carriers. Leonard covers a lot of ground and can run down the seams to cover tight ends.

11. Christian McCaffrey

Christian McCaffrey, a 1st round (8th overall selection) in 2017 posted his first 1,000-yard rushing season in 2018. Running for 1,098 yards behind an average of 5.0 yards per carry. He also recorded 1,965 yards from scrimmage last year. McCaffrey is considered one of the absolute best receiving backs in the NFL and could be a slot receiver exclusively. McCaffrey is a fast, explosive, playmaker. He shows great elusiveness to dodge tacklers and great cutting ability allowing him to finish runs well. He has first-step quickness that gives him a explosive burst through the line to the second level defenders. Once he breaks the second level he is dangerous in the open field and a threat to score from anywhere on the field. McCaffrey also makes big plays in the clutch making him a reliable 4th qtr and playoff ball carrier.

10. Myles Garrett

Myles Garrett, a 1st round (1st overall) draft selection in 2017 is a superb pass rusher that is getting better and better each year. Another physical freak football player that has the body of a God. He is a impact edge defender that gets to the quarterback with ease. He has great ability to bend around the corner and slip blocks. He has great get off and is extremely distributive once he beats his man. Garrett has a wide range of pass rush moves in his repertoire. I would consider his skill set extremely rare for a man with his size and quickness. Garrett is gap sound with experience lining up at a variety of spots on the field. Garrett earned his first Pro Bowl nomination in 2018, posting 13.5 sacks with 12 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits. Garrett also forced three fumbles and registered three passses defended.

9. Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson, a 1st round (12 overall) draft selection in 2017 is a major part of the next wave of quarterbacks on the verge of taking over the league. Watson led the Texans to an 11-5 record with 4,165 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions along with 551 rushing yards in 2018. He has 5,864 yards and 52 total touchdowns in 23 career NFL games. Watson is a winner and champion at the college level winning two national championships. He has strong leadership skills and is tough enough to take big hits in the pocket. Watson has a strong arm with a quick release and is very accurate. He is also difficult to sack and resilient coming back strong from a major injury with a below average offensive line.

8. Jared Goff

Jared Goff, a 1st round (1st overall pick) in 2016 is a very accurate passer that throws with touch and precision on short and intermediate routes. His deep ball is excellent as well completing 42.1% of deep passes ranking 9th in the NFL. Goff has functional mobility and flashes anticipation by throwing his receivers open. He has excellent feet in the pocket and can make pretty much every throw accurately. Under coach Sean McVay the last two years, Goff has made the Pro Bowl twice and posted a 24-7 record. In 2018, he led the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance while throwing for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

7. Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara, a 3rd round (67th overall) draft selection in 2017 is one of the more exciting players in the NFL. Three seasons in the books && Kamara has been almost unstoppable in the New Orleans offense. His two-year rushing grade of 87.9 ranks 5th among backs with at least 100 attempts in that span, while his two-year receiving grade of 92.6 ranks first. The 23 year old RB has yet to record a 1,000-yard rushing season sharing majority of the carries with Mark Ingram and others, but Kamara has made two Pro Bowl teams because of two years of more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage which is a unbelievable stat in your first 2 seasons. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and has caught 162 passes in two seasons. Kamara is a playmaking back as a runner and receiver with a explosive first step. Kamara is very sudden and doesn’t have any wasted movement. When he runs, every move is with purpose. He has excellent vision and rare feel and instincts as a runner. He has great knee bend and body lean to avoid tacklers and is a consistent source of BIG plays. Alvin Kamara is the most dangerous ball carrier in the open field.

6. Quenton Nelson

Quenton Nelson, a 1st round (6th overall) draft selection in 2018 is already one of the best offensive lineman in football. “The former Notre Dame standout allowed just 23 pressures on 730 pass-blocking snaps in 2018, and his resulting pressure percentage of 3.4% ranked 12th among guards with at least 200 snaps last year. Nelson finished a superb rookie season with an overall grade of 74.3 and a pass-blocking grade of 81.9, good for sixth and 13th among guards last year, respectively.” According to PFF.com. Nelson will be a key cog in the evolving Colts machine for years to come. Quenton Nelson is a dominate pass protector with very heavy hands and textbook knee bend. He is extremely strong with quality length. Nelson is quick enough at sliding his feet with pass rushers and strong enough to hold up with bull rush moves. Nelson is a rare blocker with a mean streak.

5. Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield, a 1st round (1st overall) draft selection in 2018 lived up to the hype of a number 1 overall pick. The Browns have so much optimism heading into 2019, and the main reason why is Mayfield. “As a rookie, he went 6-7 with 3,725 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Mayfield also posted three fourth-quarter comebacks and four game-winning drives.” According to ClevelandBrowns.com. Mayfield, the former Heisman trophy winner is a gunslinger. He throws receivers open and extends plays with his running ability. He shows excellent touch on his passes and throws a catchable, accurate ball. His escapability to extend plays is second to none and his arm is strong enough to make every NFL throw. Baker Mayfield can also pick up yards on the ground and is the unquestioned leader of the team.

4. Jalen Ramsey

Jalen Ramsey, a 1st round (5th overall) selection in 2016 is one of the games best corners. Ramsey took a slight step back in 2018, but he has still made the Pro Bowl each of the last two years and recorded an All-Pro season in 2017. According to PFF, “In the last two seasons, Ramsey has seven interceptions, 30 pass defensed and 128 combined tackles. Over the last three seasons, only Casey Hayward Jr. (91.9), Chris Harris Jr (91.6), A.J. Bouye (91.5) and Desmond King (91.3) have earned a higher coverage than Ramsey (90.9), who has allowed a passer rating of just 72.1 over that time.” Ramsey is a press-man corner, who is rangy and plays smart. He has a alpha-dog personality and is very competitive. With great size, instincts and length, Ramsey is already one of the games most dominate defensive players

3. Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley, a 1st round (2nd overall) selection in 2018 is fun to watch. Barkley was as good as advertised. Barkley was nothing short of sensational in his rookie year. In 16 games, Barkley rushed for 1,307 rushing yards from his 261 attempts, with 872 of those yards coming after contact which is the 4th most by a rookie running back in the PFF era. As great as Barkley was as a runner, his real value came from his receiving snaps, where he caught 91 of his 114 targets (both of which broke PFF records for a rookie) for 721 yards. “His average of 1.54 yards per route run ranked 10th among the league’s backs last year, but his 31 missed tackles forced as a receiver set a record for the most by a rookie running back in the PFF era.” Barley is a decisive runner that is fast and explosive. He has excellent moves in the open field and makes defenders miss routinely. Barkley is also a power back who can run over defenders and accelerate to the end zone. His speed is great enough to take away the angles defenders have on him and his cutting ability is elite enough to make them miss. Barkley is capable of creating for himself without great blocking. He also racks up a lot of 2nd half yards making him durable as the game goes on.

2. Todd Gurley

Todd Gurley, a 1st round (10th overall) draft selection in 2015 is a dual-threat, special running back. Gurley caught 187 passes in his career, with 4,547 rushing yards and 6,430 yards from scrimmage in four seasons. Gurley already has the reputation and respect of his peers by being ranked 5th in the NFL’s “top 100” player voted list. Gurley is a explosive big back that is a threat to score whenever he touches the football. He has rare acceleration and can run over defenders with his power. A extraordinary blend of speed and force. He is very shifty and can make defenders fall out their cleats. Gurley is also credited for being a willing pass blocker, picking up blitzes out the backfield. He also is reliable catching the football giving his quarterback a safety net when things go wrong. Gurley is a perfect fit for the Rams Zone blocking scheme and can also return kickoffs to the house. Gurley is intimidating and a high character football player.

1. Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes, a 1st round (10th overall) draft selection in 2017 is coming off a MVP season. Even with as many great young players as there are in the NFL, ‘Patty Cakes’ is clearly the Number 1 choice in a ranking of players under 25. In his first year as a starter, Mahomes placed 5,097 yards & 50 tugs with 12 interceptions on his way to the MVP Award. He is 13-4 as a starter in 2 seasons.  “Mahomes overall grade of 92.9 is currently tied with 2013 Peyton Manning for the ninth-best grade of the PFF era (2006 – present), and his 134.2 passer rating from a clean pocket is the highest single-season mark of the PFF era among signal-callers with at least 500 dropbacks.” (PFF) Patrick Mahomes is a accurate passer with a serious fastball. Mahomes can make all the throws with good touch. One of the factors that separates good quarterbacks from great, is the ability to throw a receivers open and Mahomes does that routinely with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Mahomes is smart enough to read through the progression and not force it to the first read and tough enough to stand in the pocket to wait for everything to develop. Mahomes makes great throws without setting his feet and is deadly accurate with off-platform throws. You can consider Mahomes a “gamer” and expect him to show up every game. Mahomes is a competitor with good character and leadership. The best player in the NFL under 25 years old.

Honorable Mentions:

Phillip Lindsay (RB Denver Broncos)

Tre’Davious White (CB Buffalo Bills)

Deon Jones (OLB Atlanta Falcons)

Danielle Hunter (DE Minnesota Vikings)

Kenny Clark (DE Green Bay Packers)

OJ Howard (TE Tampa Bay Bucs)

Roquan Smith (MLB Chicago Bears)