Here are my top five rankings at each offensive position for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Quarterback
1 Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
2 Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
3 Josh Rosen (UCLA)
4 Sam Darnold (USC)
5 Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State)
That’s right, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen is not in my top five. History doesn’t indicate he will be successful in the NFL. I love his big arm, and he will make impressive throws. I can work with that arm, but not his accuracy issues. He is a true boom-or-bust pick, and one that I would not make.

Running Back
1 Rashaad Penny (San Diego State)
2 Saquon Barkley (Penn State)
3 Sony Michel (Georgia)
4 Derrius Guice (LSU)
5 Kerryon Johnson (Auburn)
I really want to rank Barkley first, as the rest of the world will, but I really like Penny, and I think he can be the best of this group in the right situation. Barkley is a terrific talent, but he is not Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley or Jacksonville Jaguars back Leonard Fournette, and I question his lack of consistent production during the second half of the 2017 season.

Wide Receiver
1 James Washington (Oklahoma State)
2 Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)
3 Courtland Sutton (SMU)
4 D.J. Moore (Maryland)
5 Calvin Ridley (Alabama)
Yes, Ridley is fifth. I have said it and will continue to say it: Ridley will be a good NFL player, but I do not see the high-side potential. It is a bad year for first-round receivers, and I wonder if the lack of separation between wide receiver No. 1-8 or so will boost players higher in the 2018 draft then they truly should be. Many will point to a lack of quarterback talent for Ridley’s lack of production. OK, I agree that his quarterback at Alabama was not the best thrower, but can anyone name all five of the Maryland quarterbacks who threw to Moore? … Guys like Anthony Miller (Memphis) and Equanimeous St. Brown (Notre Dame) just missed the top five.

Tight End
1 Hayden Hurst (South Carolina)
2 Dallas Goedert (South Dakota State)
3 Ian Thomas (Indiana)
4 Mark Andrews (Oklahoma)
5 Mike Gesicki (Penn State)
It’s a solid tight end group this year, but it’s mostly second-round talent — although we could see a couple players go in the first round. Gesicki had a weak Senior Bowl, but his tape is solid, and he could move back up the list.

Offensive Tackle
1 Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame)
2 Orlando Brown (Oklahoma)
3 Connor Williams (Texas)
4 Martinas Rankin (Mississippi State)
5 Chukwuma Okorafor (Western Michigan)
We could see four or more offensive tackles taken in the first round this year. Brian O’Neil from Pittsburgh could jump into the top five as well. McGlinchey, Brown and Williams are top 15 picks.

Offensive Guard
1 Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
2 Will Hernandez (UTEP)
3 Isaiah Wynn (Georgia)
4 Braden Smith (Auburn)
5 Austin Corbett (Nevada)
It’s a terrific class of offensive guards. While guards are not usually taken in the first round, two or three players from this group could hear their names called early.

Center
1 Billy Price (Ohio State)
2 James Daniels (Iowa)
3 Frank Ragnow (Arkansas)
4 Mason Cole (Michigan)
5 Will Clapp (LSU)
I love Price and he looks like he could be a starter from day one. Daniels is a kid to watch. He will likely be taken in round two or three but will make an immediate impact for an offensive line.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of San Diego State Athletics

Ken Zalis

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