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Andrew Aziz’s Top 7 Positional Rankings + Top 50 Big Board

By Andrew Aziz
Syndication: Detroit Free Press Kyle Robertson via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Quarterbacks

T1. Trevor Lawrence

T1. Zach Wilson

3. Trey Lance

4. Justin Fields

5. Mac Jones

6. Kellen Mond

7. Kyle Trask

Class Strength: Very Strong

Lawrence and Wilson are two of the best quarterbacks to come out of the draft in many years and rank inside my top 5 in terms of QB prospects drafted in the 2010s and 2020s (Luck, Lawrence/Wilson, Tua, Burrow). Fields and Lance are 3 and 4; both are athletically gifted quarterbacks with strong, accurate arms. I question their ability to read the field (Field struggles with processing and Lance has little game experience) and will need at least a year to develop. Jones is the next best guy and should be a reliable middle-of-the-pack starting quarterback in the NFL. There is a massive drop off after that.

Running Backs

1. Travis Etienne

2. Javonte Williams

3. Najee Harris

4. Trey Sermon

5. Chuba Hubbard

6. Michael Carter

7. Kenneth Gainwell

Class Strength: Above Average

Recap: To me, it’s the top 3 guys followed by a drop. Etienne is so hard to tackle, but has the speed and explosiveness to kill you and to be a big play threat. Williams is going to be good because of his vision, which is crucial for running backs. Harris should be a reliable starter in the NFL because of his ability to do it all and his great combination of strength and speed. The rest of the group should find good rotational roles in the league, but I don’t see a star running back outside of the top 3.

Wide Receivers

1. Devonta Smith

2. Jaylen Waddle

3. Ja’Marr Chase

4. Elijah Moore

5. Terrace Marshall Jr

6. Rashod Bateman

7. Kardarius Toney

Class Strength: Very Strong/Deep

You could make an argument for any order for the top 3 guys. Smith, to me, is the most polished receiver to come out of college in forever; he’s a great route runner with amazing speed and instincts. Despite his size, he wins versus press and is tough. Waddle is super fast and refined as a route runner, he should be a star in the NFL. Chase is a WR1 in most drafts; he’s a strong, big bodied receiver who wins in traffic, but I believe he needs better foot quickness in tight spaces. Moore and Marshall are two players who should be good impactful WR2’s in the NFL. Bateman and Toney have great potential for different reasons. Toney is a spark plug, who could be a better version of Hollywood Brown and Bateman is a versatile well rounded receiver who should fit in almost any scheme.

Tight Ends

1. Kyle Pitts

2. Pat Freiermuth

3. Tommy Tremble

4. Hunter Long

5. Tre McKitty

6. Brevin Jordan

7. Nick Eubanks

Class Strength: Top Heavy

Recap: Pitts is the top dog for every reason; athletic, long, wins battles, makes tough catches and is smooth. Freiermuth is a borderline first round pick and is overlooked because of Pitts; he is tough as a blocker and extremely hard to tackle because of his strength. Pat reminds me of a Heath Miller type of player. Tremble and Long are the next two guys. Tremble is a versatile player who can play on the line, in the backfield or in the slot and has a high ceiling as a receiver. Long is one of those quiet reliable guys that will carve out a nice career in the NFL. There is a big drop off after those 4.

Offensive Linemen

1. Penei Sewell (OT)

2. Rashawn Slater (OT)

3. Alijah Vera-Tucker (OG)

4. Christian Darrisaw (OT)

5. Landon Dickerson (OG/C)

6. Teven Jenkins (OT)

7. Dillon Radunz (OT)

Class Strength: Very Strong/Deep

This is probably the strongest offensive line class I’ve ever seen. I’ve used the following term three times (with Andrew Luck, David Decastro and Quenton Nelson) in my draft career: Sewell is a Hall of Fame player. He is so strong, so technically sound and has a great attitude. Slater is very reliable as well as he anchors very well (he doesn’t get pushed back) and can move fluidly in space. Vera-Tucker is not an offensive tackle because of his slow feet when he kick slides, but he will be an outstanding guard as he possesses powerful hands. Darrisaw is a reliable bull of an offensive tackle who should start from day 1. Dickerson is one of my favourite players in the draft with his amazing attitude and great technique; he will be a captain early in his career and his injury does not scare me. Jenkins is a freak athlete and Radunz has a mean streak that I would love in Indianapolis next to Quenton Nelson.

Edge Rushers

1. Jaelen Phillips

2. Kwity Paye

3. Ronnie Perkins

4. Azeez Olajuri

5. Gregory Rousseau

6. Jayson Oweh

7. Joe Tryon

Class Strength: Average

Separating Phillips and Paye was tough, but it came down to Phillips being a more refined player whereas Paye was more raw. Perkins is so quick off his first step and will be a fierce pass rusher in the NFL. Olajuri might be able to do more than Perkins overall, but I don’t think he will dominate as a pass rusher, but rather be a good 3 down starter. Rousseau, Oweh and Tryon are all in the same category, especially Oweh and Tyron as both are great athletes with very high ceilings. Rousseau has a lot of questions he needs to answer, but his old college tape speaks for itself. That’s why he gets the nod over Oweh and Tryon, but I might regret that!

Interior Defensive Linemen

1. Christian Barmore

2. Daviyon Nixon

3. Tommy Togiai

4. Levi Onwuzurike

5. Tyler Shelvin

6. Milton Williams

7. Alim McNeill

Class Strength: Very Weak

It’s a very weak class with a raw prospect in Barmore leading the way. I like Nixon’s fiestiness and his ability to play the 3 tech spot very well. Onwuzurike and Togiai are close, but I gave Togiai the nod as Onwuzurike will not offer much as a pass rusher in the NFL (he’s a great run stopper). The class is brutal.

Linebackers (Off-Ball)

1. Micah Parsons

2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

3. Zaven Collins

4. Jabril Cox

5. Baron Browning

6. Nick Bolton

7. Jamin Davis

Class Strength: Average

Parsons is special. Guys his size with his speed and athleticism don’t come around often, but what makes him special is he has great vision, instincts and tackling angles, whereas Isaiah Simmons, a comparable athlete, did not possess the latter three traits. Owusu-Koramoah is an amazing athlete too who should play well as an outside linebacker, but he isn’t as refined as Parsons. Collins and Cox are two athletic bodies who should become good solid starters in the NFL and should be taken, without hesitation, on Day 2. There is a small drop off after them.

Cornerbacks

1. Caleb Farley

2. Patrick Surtain II

3. Jaycee Horn

4. Eric Stokes

5. Greg Newsome

6. Asante Samuel Jr.

7. Tyson Campbell

Class Strength: Average

I went back and forth between Surtain and Farley, but I love Farley’s size and attitude, so he gets the nod. Horn could be the best in this class because of his physicality along with his size, but he has some areas to work on. Newsome is a good zone player with good instincts and Stokes has a high ceiling and I like the scheme he came from at Georgia. There is a drop off after that, but Samuel has good potential.

Safeties

1. Trevon Moehrig

2. Jamar Johnson

3. Richie Grant

4. Jevon Holland

5. Andre Cisco

6. James Wiggins

7. Richard LeCounte III

Class Strength: Very Weak

Very weak class and Moehrig is the clear leader in this group. Moehrig is Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the group are a bunch of Williams and Haas F1 cars.

Big Board

1st Round Grades - Day 1 Impact Players

1. Penei Sewell

T2. Trevor Lawrence

T2. Zach Wilson

4. Kyle Pitts

5. Micah Parsons

6. Devonta Smith

7. Justin Fields

8. Jaylen Waddle

9. Rashawn Slater

10. Ja’Marr Chase

11. Caleb Farley

12. Jaelen Phillips

13. Kwity Paye

14. Patrick Surtain II

15. Alijah Vera-Tucker

16. Christian Darrisaw

17. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

18. Jaycee Horn

2nd Round Grades - Future Impact Players

19. Trey Lance

20. Ronnie Perkins

21. Mac Jones

22. Elijah Moore

23. Landon Dickerson

24. Pat Freiermuth

25. Azeez Olajuri

26. Teven Jenkins

27. Gregory Rousseau

28. Jayson Oweh

29. Trevon Moehrig

30. Dillon Radunz

31. Zaven Collins

32. Travis Etienne

33. Terrace Marshall Jr.

34. Jabril Cox

35. Christian Barmore

36. Javonte Williams

37. Gregory Rousseau

38. Liam Eichenberg (OT)

39. Rashod Bateman

40. Baron Browning

41. Kardarius Toney

42. Eric Strokes

43. Daviyon Nixon

44. Greg Newsome

45. Joe Tyron

46. Najee Harris

47. Tommy Tremble

48. Alex Leatherwood (OT/OG)

49. Jalen Mayfield (OT)

50. Carlos Bashem Jr (ED)

Safest Pick: Penei Sewell

Favourite Players: Zach Wilson, Devonta Smith, Penei Sewell, Pat Freiermuth

Riskiest Player: Kwity Paye

Strongest Class: Offensive Line

Weakest Class: Interior Defensive Linemen

My Favourite NFL Fits:

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