I have 9 blue-chip prospects (five defense, four offense) in the 2018 draft class as of the week of Thanksgiving. Here they are, and here's my reasoning:
9. Vita Vea, NT, Washington: Vita Vea is an elite nose tackle prospect, with the length to change positions, as well. I think he's a better Michael Brockers, with length to move around, like Haloti Ngata. He's a very good player, but since he's a nose tackle, he won't get drafted as high as any of the other elite prospects, and some argue that, while he is certainly very good, he isn't a cant-miss prospect.
8. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville: Okay, hear me out. Lamar Jackson plays for a point machine offense, but that offense has virtually no talent besides Jackson. He does everything for his team, and Louisville's defense has kept him from getting more wins. He plays very well against quality competition, but he overextends himself to compensate for his team's flaws, leading to some mistakes. People will initially dismiss him as overhyped, due to the media's love for him, but if you break down individual aspects of his game, it's clear that he's a special QB. He has the same need for development as most rookie QBs, but Jackson's skill-set is extremely rare. He can play well in the pocket, but he is also a huge scrambling threat. He has tremendous arm strength (he may have a bigger arm than Patrick Mahomes), and overall good accuracy. He is essentially a bigger, right-handed Michael Vick. I like him better than Deshaun Watson, and I'm a Houston fan.
7. Derwin James, S, Florida State: James is very talented, but he's been burned in coverage on occasion. Still, I can see him being one of the top five safeties in the league. He is a freakish athlete with the mindset to play in the box and be an enforcer like Kam Chancellor, just without Chancellor's weight class. He could also be a better version of Mark Barron, a former Tampa Bay bust safety who has turned into a good inside linebacker for the Rams. James has the speed to play deep, but he needs to work on his ball skills and route-running so that he can prevent separation from technicians. He will be instantly able to go up against the more athletic receivers and tight ends in the league, but will have trouble against technicians like Antonio Brown, Larry Fitzgerald, Pierre Garcon, and Jordan Reed.
6. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: Rosen isn't the most-hyped QB prospect in southern California, but he is the best. Rosen seems to lack in charisma, but he certainly has all the talent of a top-five NFL QB. His release, spiral, arm talent, and accuracy are all nothing short of amazing. He plays quality football. He led his team to upset A&M in a comeback that proved his leadership ability and ability to handle pressure. He works from under center. How many other QBs do that? He won't have the same learning curve as other NFL rookie QBs. He has a really special skill set. Honestly, the only downside is that he voices his political opinions and his teammates don't all love him.
5: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama: Fitzpatrick can do everything. Teams try to pick on him with running the ball do to his athletic limitations, but he still does generally well against the running game and has above average athleticism. He is also a very technical safety with elite coverage skills. I see him developing into another Earl Thomas.
4. Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State: Chubb checks pretty much every box, and he's neck-and-neck with Arden Key. Some teams think Chubb is limited because he's not athletically a monster, but he has an arsenal of moves that he uses against offensive linemen in the rush.
3. Arden Key, DE, LSU: See above. Key and Chubb are both natural pass-rushers and conduct themselves with toughness against the run. Key is the Myles Garrett to Chubb's Jonathan Allen, but Chubb doesn't have the injury risks that Allen had, and is slightly faster, which makes him measure much closer to Key than Allen did to Garrett, and some teams had Allen going No. 2 overall on their boards before the injury concerns surfaced.
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: Barkley is a triple-threat with a special skill-set. He compares to Todd Gurley in draft evaluations. Both have elite speed with experience in track and field, as well as the ability to run between the tackles alongside it. Barkley is a natural pass-catcher, similar to Gurley, and he has shown extreme return ability. He can pass block well.
1. Quentin Nelson, G, Notre Dame: Nelson will probably get drafted after most of the blue-chips, due to his position, but, in my humble opinion, he is clearly the best player in the draft class. He has no weaknesses. He is the Hulk in the running game with Captain America's shield in pass protection. Quentin Nelson checks every single box, and is an extremely special talent. Sources say that he's graded higher than Brandon Scherff, a 2015 top-five pick, and Logan Mankins, a 2005 first-rounder. Per Charlie Campbell, one national scout stated that Nelson is definitely the best guard he has ever seen.
