The 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is just hours away from beginning. Athletes and media, as well as coaches and scouts, ascend on Indianapolis for measurements, on-field drills, tests, meetings, interviews and so much more. While we will be in attendance at the combine this year, we took the liberty of placing our top 50 athletes for this April's 2019 NFL Draft in our first offseason draft board, ahead of the combine.
While we're sure some of the drills may affect our rankings on the final draft board before the draft itself, here are the top 50 athletes for the 2019 NFL Draft.
As always, the draft board is a continuous work in progress, particularly here at PFF where on-field production means so much when it comes to NFL projection.
1. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
The highest-graded quarterback in college football this past season. We haven't seen a quarterback that is as dangerous with both his arm and legs since Russell Wilson.
2. Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State
Bosa had a higher pass-rushing win rate as a true freshman than Brian Burns, Clelin Ferrell and Jachai Polite had this past season.
3. Quinnen Williams, DI, Alabama
Williams earned the highest grade we've ever given to a college interior defensive lineman (96.0) in his lone season as a starter at Alabama.
4. Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
The Alabama left tackle was the second-highest graded tackle in the nation despite facing stout SEC competition and allowed only 12 pressures.
5. Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky
Allen had far and away the highest pass-rushing grade of any college edge defender this past season at 94.3.
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6. Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
A 47.7% completion percentage against and 17 forced incompletions made Murphy the highest-graded corner in the country this past year.
7. Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
Baker has posted back-to-back 90.0+ graded seasons in coverage. This past year, he allowed all of 10 first downs and no touchdowns all season long.
8. Jeffery Simmons, DI, Mississippi State
He tore his ACL but did it so early in the process that he could still play as a rookie. Simmons had a run-defense and pass-rushing grade over 90.0 this past season.
9. Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
His third season wasn't quite as dominant as he was a season prior, but he still only allowed 27 of his 74 targets to be completed.
10. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
Haskins certainly improved as the season went on, but his 84.9 passing grade leaves us with some reservations.
11. Jerry Tillery, DI, Notre Dame
Tillery tied Williams for the highest pass-rushing grade among interior d-linemen in college football. Tillery's sack totals don't tell the whole story as he was a dominant week in and week out.
12. Devin White, LB, LSU
No linebacker in college football had a higher grade in coverage than White's 91.6 last season. His freakish athleticism suggests it was no fluke.
13. Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State
Dillard had the highest pass-protection grade of any starting tackle in the country at 94.0 this past season.
14. Brian Burns, Edge, FSU
Burns racked up the most pressures of any Power-5 defender in the country last year with 69.
15. Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
Taylor came into his own on the right side for Florida this past season and finished with the third-highest run-blocking grade among starting Power-5 tackles.
16. Jachai Polite, Edge, Florida
Polite came out of nowhere to notch the second-best pass-rushing grade among Power-5 edge rushers.
17. Christian Wilkins, DI, Clemson
Wilkins was top three in both run-defense and pass-rushing grade among interior players this past season.
18. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
Metcalf's numbers aren't anything special, but his physical traits and high-end plays are promising.
19. Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State
Risner started all four seasons at Kansas State and his career-low grade was 87.9 overall.
20. Dre'Mont Jones, DI, Ohio State
No player in the FBS rushed the passer more than Dre'Mont Jones' 500 snaps this past year. The man simply didn't come off the field and still produced with a 90.5 pass-rushing grade.
21. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
Hockenson had the second-highest receiving grade among tight ends in college football this past year, dropping one pass on 51 catchable targets.
22. Ed Oliver, DI, Houston
His pass-rushing finally came around with a 90.8 grade this past season, but considering his size and the competition he was facing, he still has a ways to go.
23. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
Arcega-Whiteside led the entire draft class with 19 contested catches this past season on only 32 contested opportunities.
24. Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma
In Ford's lone season as a starter, he allowed all of seven pressures all season long and didn't allow a sack until the playoffs.
25. Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
Bush can be a weapon as a blitzer in the right scheme. He had top-five pass-rushing grades among off-ball linebackers each of the past two seasons.
26. Clelin Ferrell, Edge, Clemson
Ferrell racked up 14 sacks and 14 hits on the season and has an ideal build to fit in any scheme.
27. Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
He got exposed more down the stretch this season but Thompson made plays from centerfield that few NFL safeties are even capable of.
28. Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State
Oruwariye had the best week of any corner at the Senior Bowl, notching the highest win rate among all defenders in the 1-on-1s.
29. Dexter Lawrence, DI, Clemson
340-plus pound nose tackles are going the way of the Dodo in the NFL, but Lawrence is a pretty ridiculous athlete for his size. He had the 12th-best pass-rushing grade among interior players in all college football.
30. Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi State
The Mississippi State center allowed all of five pressures this past season on 369 pass-blocking snaps.
31. Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
Lock paired an NCAA-leading 33 big-time throws with only six turnover-worthy plays as a senior.
32. Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
Rapp was one of the most assignment-sure safeties in the country this past season and missed just two tackles on 56 attempts.
33. A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
Brown was the definition of a complete receiver for Ole Miss. He forced 17 broken tackles, had 34 explosive plays and only dropped five passes on 90 catchable targets.
34. Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware
We don't have full data on Adderley yet, but his range and speed were evident at the Senior Bowl practices.
35. Andy Isabella, WR, UMass
Isabella was the highest-graded receiver in the country, racking up 1,696 yards including 219 against Georgia.
36. Zach Allen, Edge, Boston College
Allen was one of the best run defenders in college football in 2017 before a 90.3 pass-rushing grade this past season. He was an ironman for BC, playing 107 snaps against Wake Forest alone this past season.
37. Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
Brown was a threat to take it to the house every time he touched the ball. He broke 17 tackles on 77 catches and scored 10 touchdowns.
38. Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
Samuel broke an absurd 21 tackles on only 62 catches this past season and had a fantastic week at the Senior Bowl.
39. Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
Over the past two seasons, Little allowed 26 total pressures on 993 pass-blocking snaps.
40. Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame
Love's 21 forced incompletions were the sixth most in college football last season and his 14 coverage stops ranked 10th.
41. Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
On the season, 41.0% of Jacobs' carries resulted in either a first down or a touchdown, the highest rate in the country.
42. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
Gardner-Johnson is perfect for the slot/safety hybrid role in today's NFL. He led all secondary players with 22 coverage stops this past season.
43. Khalen Saunders, DI, Western Illinois
Saunders moves like an edge and even played there at times for Western Illinois. He went to the Senior Bowl and had the second-highest win rate among interior players in the 1-on-1s.
44. Rashan Gary, DI, Michigan
Gary's production has yet to catch up to his freakish athleticism. He earned a 68.3 pass-rushing grade this past season.
45. L.J. Collier, Edge, TCU
Collier improved every year at TCU and then went to the Senior Bowl and had the highest win rate of any player in the 1-on-1s.
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46. Te'Von Coney, LB, Notre Dame
Coney had the fourth-highest coverage grade among eligible linebackers while also adding value as a pass-rusher with 20 pressures on just 76 pass-rushing snaps last year.
47. David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
Montgomery broke the PFF record with 100 broken tackles on 258 carries this past season.
48. Darnell Savage, S, Maryland
Savage has back-to-back seasons with grades over 86.0 overall. He's a missile around the line of scrimmage, laying some impressive hits in the flat.
49. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia
Grier tied Drew Lock for the NCAA lead with 33 big-time throws and had the second-best passing grade behind Murray.
50. Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois
The four-year starter had pass protection grades above 87.0 every season of his career.
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