#4: Tristan Wirfs, OT (Iowa); 6-5, 320 lbs
Tristan Wirfs isn’t perfect – he needs to get his pad level under control on a more consistent basis, but he is otherwise an exceptionally good tackle who should be able to be a long-term feature at left tackle for an NFL team. He shows good foot speed, balance, agility and power, and has combined this with the hand usage to consistently keep defenders away from his frame and to secure blocks in the run game. Oh, and for any team that needs their offensive linemen to get out in space at times, he can do that as well.
#5: Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Alabama); 6-0, 217 lbs
Photo Credit: Harry How/Getty Images
Medical concerns aside, Tua is a very good quarterback. He has enough arm strength to push the ball down the field effectively and enough velocity to work the ball into tight windows underneath. He shows good accuracy at all levels of the field with the touch to hit vertical gaps as well. While he isn’t going to be a regular ball-carrier in the NFL, he shows the mobility to extend plays and moves very well inside to pocket to avoid pressure. He also shows generally good and quick decision making, though he is also prone to the occasional blunder. He has limitations, but he should be a good starter if healthy.
#6: CJ Henderson, CB (Florida); 6-1, 204 lbs
There are only so many players with the movement skills that Henderson has – and while his run defense really isn’t good, his ability to cover man-to-man on the outside against all comers makes him an extremely valuable piece for an NFL team. He has the speed, agility and balance to mirror receivers of all types – and he has the ball skills to be productive on the back end as well. He is hard to judge in terms of his instincts in zone due to the scheme he played in, but he should be a #1 corner from day one if he can learn to tackle.
#7: Antoine Winfield Jr, S (Minnesota); 5-9, 203 lbs
This is the first of the players that I think are currently being massively underrated on the whole. Winfield is a very good run defender who tackles well and works to the ball effectively, has the movement skills to play man-to-man against most tight ends and running backs in the slot, and shows excellent instincts and ball skills in zone. While his size might put some teams off, he should be able to play everything from box safety to cover 2 free safety at a high level – and he could be one of the more productive coverage safeties in the NFL from day one.
#8: Joe Burrow, QB (LSU); 6’4 221 lbs
OK, so I think Joe Burrow is a very good prospect, I’m just not sure he is quite as perfect as some seem to believe. He makes consistently good decisions with the ball, is extremely accurate and has the mobility to get out in space when the pocket breaks down. However – he doesn’t have a great arm and this was particularly evident when looking to push the ball down the field – and while he rarely makes mistakes, he can sometimes take a little too long to come off of reads and could struggle if not protected well at the NFL level. Overall, however, he should be at least an average starting quarterback from day one – and quarterbacks are always going to be more highly valued in the actual draft than how I have them ranked.
#9: Bryan Edwards, WR (South Carolina); 6-3, 212 lbs
Bryan Edwards isn’t the potential complete receiver that Jeudy or some others in this class are, as while he has enough speed to threaten vertically, he is never going to be confused for a burner. However, what he does well, he does extremely well – and that also happens to be highly valuable. He gets off the line well against press, runs excellent routes and has good hands with the ability to add yards both in the air at the catch point and after the catch. That might not sound super sexy, but players who are able to get open underneath on a consistent basis in the mould of Keenan Allen or Allen Robinson are worth their weight in gold.
#10: Jedrick Wills, OT (Alabama); 6-4, 312 lbs
Wills might not have the absolute ceiling of Tristan Wirfs, but he is probably the most technically proficient tackle in the class. He shows pretty good pad level and foot speed, with good strength and hand usage as well as technically sound footwork. He is probably best as a right tackle in the NFL as he can struggle against the very fastest speed rushers, but he rarely creates problems for himself from a technical perspective and can be an immediate plus player in the run game.
