[dt_divider style=”thick” /]The Inside The Pylon team has released our 2018 Draft Guide, rating and stacking over 550 prospects to find our group of 185 top guys. Like parents, scouts aren’t supposed to have “favorites” – but let’s face it, in the course of all that tape work, we enjoy watching some guys more than others. Below are the likely day one players who struck a chord with our team along with brief notes on the players receiving multiple votes. We’ll have day two and day three favorites in the coming days. Number of votes in parentheses; list of scouts and their favorites at the end.
Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College (3)
NC State’s Bradley Chubb edged out Landry for Edge 1, but Landry’s game – with “elite upfield burst” and cornering, according to lead scout Nick Janssen – made him our favorite pass rusher to watch.
Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame (3)
Nelson was not only our #1 interior lineman, he was the highest-graded player we evaluated at any position. Scout Marcus Johnson described him as a “physical, nasty player that gives 110% effort on every play and looks to create knockdowns versus all competition and in all game situations.“ Who doesn’t like that?
Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA (3)
Rosen’s “excellent accuracy,” “command of the offense pre- and post- snap,” and “very quick release” made him a favorite among ITP staffers (including lead scout Kurt Kallien) – and our pick as the best QB in the draft.
Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia (3)
Lead scout Micheal Young rated Smith a “1 – Rare” in both Football Intelligence and Range. Smith rated our third-highest defensive prospect, our #1 linebacker, and #7 overall.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama (2)
Fitzpatrick played all over for the Crimson Tide and did everything well. In our cross check conversation, Kurt Kallien opined “he is projectable to every position, any scheme,” while lead scout Michael Nuttle praised his football intelligence, footwork, athleticism, and run defense.
Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State (2*)
Goedert was a man among boys playing for FCS South Dakota State, with size, top speed to work the seam, and “elite and soft hands” that rated a “1 – Rare” in our trait grading per lead scout Ryan Dukarm.
*one vote as a Day 2
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU (2)
Guice rated a “1 – Rare” in Toughness, with scout Drew Jacobs raving that the “first guy never brings him down.”
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (2)
Jackson might have only been our QB4, but his “ridiculous athleticism” won over our scouts. Ted Nguyen, who wrote up Jackson for the Draft Guide, was also impressed by “his consistency in making ‘on-schedule’ plays,” feeling Jackson is more refined than longtime Falcon and Eagle Michael Vick was coming out of college.
D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland (2)
Moore was not only our WR1, he was fun to watch, too, with lead scout Joseph Ferraiola citing his “rare athletic ability” and “excellent ability to play above the rim.”
Vita Vea, DT, Washington (2)
Vea’s “rare overall bulk” (347 pounds) make him the best run defender in the class – he rated a “1 – Rare” there according to lead scout Kurt Kallien.
Isaiah Wynn, G/T, Georgia (2)
Wynn’s lack of height (¼” shy of 6’3”) will likely push him from LT to OG in the NFL, but he’s a “dominant, technically developed, and scheme-diverse” option there.
Others Receiving Votes:
Lorenzo Carter, Edge/LB, Georgia; Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State; Taven Bryan, DL, Florida; Derwin James, S, Florida State; Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech; Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama; Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville; Will Hernandez, G, UTEP
Full List:
Dan Hatman – Lorenzo Carter
Mike Bey – Saquon Barkley
Allan Uy – Harold Landry
Michael Kist – Harold Landry
Jimmy Lunt – Taven Bryan
Jeff Feyerer – Minkah Fitzpatrick / Quenton Nelson
Mark Schofield – Josh Rosen
Kyle Morgan – Isaiah Wynn
Joe Molta – Isaiah Wynn / Derwin James
Dante Fargnoli – Lamar Jackson
Ryan Dukarm – Dallas Goedert
Deuce Windham – Roquan Smith
Tom Mead – Tremaine Edmunds
Sean Nazar – Quenton Nelson
Jalun Morris – Derrius Guice
Kent Lee Platte – Harold Landry
Zach Gold – D.J. Moore
James McClintock – Vita Vea
Joseph Ferraiola – Calvin Ridley
Nicholas Maccarone – Jaire Alexander
Logan Pullen – Roquan Smith
Nick Falato – Quenton Nelson
Javier Solis – Vita Vea
Derek Benson – Lamar Jackson / Josh Rosen / Roquan Smith
Patrick Riordan – Derrius Guice / DJ Moore
Sam Cohen – Josh Rosen
Joey Hatzipanagiotis – Will Hernandez
Dave Archibald – Minkah Fitzpatrick