The spectacle that has become the NFL Draft gets underway Thursday in Nashville, the first of what is now a three-day extravaganza. As always there’s a lot more hype surrounding the hypotheticals of the event than the actual draft itself – that pretty much consists of sitting around and waiting. Ever since Heisman winner Kyler Murray announced he was choosing football over baseball, he has stolen most of the headlines, as many think he’s the No. 1 overall pick, whether it’s to the Cardinals or someone else.
However, this year’s class beyond Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock or whatever other quarterback you like is pretty loaded in some non-skill positions. There aren’t any wide receiver or running backs that will be taken early – this class belongs to the big fellas. Here are some of the names you’ll hear very early Thursday night.
Nick Bosa:
Joey Bosa is one of the most feared edge-rushers in the NFL. His brother might be better. Nick Bosa stands at 6-4 and 266 lbs., coming to the draft as the most NFL-ready rusher. A core injury limited his final season at Ohio State to just three games, but he’s already long shown his talents that will fit into either a 3-4 or 4-3 defensive scheme. The former Buckeye leads the pack in what is a very top-heavy set of guys who can get after quarterbacks.
Quinnen Williams:
He’s more of an interior presence than Bosa, but the former Alabama star can disrupt a game just as effectively. Quick and violent, Williams can move around the defensive line and still get into the backfield, coming up with 19.5 tackles for loss in 2018. In a vacuum, taking away team needs, quarterback importance, etc. Williams is likely the best pure football player in the draft.
Jonah Williams:
The best non-quarterback or defensive lineman in the draft, Williams was the anchor of the offensive line for Alabama for three years. He was the right tackle for every game in 2016, then spent the last two years on the left side for Nick Saban. In an era where many college linemen don’t have the necessary skill set for the NFL, Williams is considered a technician, efficient in his movements and quick in his decision-making. He’s a little undersized for a tackle (6’4, 302 lbs.) but he should be able to slide to a guard position in the worst case scenario.
Ed Oliver:
The raw numbers Oliver put up at Houston are remarkable for a guy who predominantly played on the interior: 192 tackles, 53 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 11 pass deflections. Though he’s small for an NFL nose tackle (6’2, 287 lbs.) he has the explosiveness to move around the line and be just as effective.
Josh Allen:
Hey look, another defensive lineman! For the second year in a row we’ll have a Josh Allen taken in the top-10. Last year the Bills drafted Allen the quarterback out of Wyoming. This year someone that won’t get Bosa or Williams will get a very good consolation in the Kentucky edge rusher Allen. He could have come out last year, but stayed in Lexington for a final season and won the Nagurski Trophy while being named First-Team All-American. An explosive pass rusher, he also has the athleticism to drop back in coverage and play all over the field.
Byron Murphy:
The top corner available in the draft, Murphy is a pure playmaker, coming up with seven interceptions and 20 pass deflections the last two years at Washington. He’s only 5’11, making him more likely to be a slot corner than an outside guy, but he’s aware enough to get away with lining up outside. He’s also an able tackler against the run.
