Inside the Preseason Big Board Top 50

1. 1. Will Anderson | Alabama, Edge
2. Anderson ranks near the top of the list of Edge prospects in the last decade and compares to players like Myles Garrett and Nick Bosa. What he lacks in pure size (just 6’4″ 245 lbs), Anderson makes up for in speed, length and brute strength. He dominated offensive lineman with his elite first step and accounted for an astonishingly high 82 hurries, 56 hurries and 15 sacks. Outside of being a pass rusher, Anderson also added 53 defensive stops and 75 total tackles. Anderson is our top prospect and another strong season will lock him into the top 3 picks.

2. CJ Stroud | Ohio State, QB
Stroud checked every box as a prospect last year and showed significant improvement throughout the season. Stroud’s Rose Bowl performance was beyond impressive and could have locked him as QB1 of last year’s class. 

3. Bryce Young | Alabama, QB
Young was awarded as the best player in college football last year, but I have him a notch below Stroud in terms of being a NFL prospect. The frame makes me nervous, but the upside and arm talent is elite.

1. 4. Myles Murphy | Clemson, Edge
2. Murphy is a guy who was built in a lab and has always been a top project for the Tigers. Now it’s time for elite level production that could make or break his draft stock. At 6’5″ 275 lbs, Murphy has ideal size and length and pairs exceptionally well with his elite burst and athleticism. Murphy had a big 2021 season with 42 pressures and 9 sack. Another big year in 2022 could cement his status to be a top 10 pick, but the upside alone should be enough to keep his name mentioned as a 1st round pick.

5. Kelee Ringo | Georgia, CB
Ringo is earning some well deserved media coverage following his impressive 2021 postseason and game changing pick 6 in the National Championship. Ringo brings everything you’d want in a top 5 defensive back. He is tall and rangey, but also moves exceptionally well on the field. He struggled a bit with consistency last season in his first year as a contributor, but found his rhythm late in the season and will look to take over from where he left off.

1. 6. Andre Carter II | Army, Edge
2. If Carter played for a P5 program, he’d be a top 3 prospect. He did not play a game in 2021 where he wasn’t the best player on the field and now has the attention of scouts across the country. It’s hard not to love an edge prospect that is 6’7″ 260 lbs that had 59 pressures and 15 sacks.
3. 7. Jalen Carter | Georgia, DT
4. Carter is potentially the top interior pass rusher, but also has the potential to be one of the most well rounded tackle prospects. 2022 will be a big test for Carter and he will need to showcase his skillset as a run stuffer as well as his stamina in games. He played under 400 snaps last year, with most of those in pass rushing situations…for a interior lineman you really want them to be a 3 down player to justify drafting them inside the top 10. It’ll be interesting to see how he stakcs up as the new alpha of the Georgia Defensive Line, but you can’t ignore that Carter is a freakish athlete with incredible NFL potential.
5. 8. Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Ohio State, WR
6. Smith-Njigba played himself into a pivotal role of a crowded receiver room and now looks to join his 1st round teammates. He hauled in 95 of his 112 targets, which accounted for 1,595 yards and 9 TDs.
7. 9. Peter Skoronski | Northwestern, OT
8. As the top OL of what seems to be a weaker class, Skoronski has a chance to runaway as the clear favorite. He had a strong week 0 showing against Nebraska and showcased his elite technical fundamentals. He doesn’t have the most elite range or length, but the skillset is reminiscent of former fellow Wildcat, Rashawn Slater.
9. 10. Jordan Addison | USC, WR
10. The Biletnikoff winner now transfers to USC to be the WR1 for Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley. This season will determine if Addison is a true NFL WR1 or just a great college receiver for a great QB…I think the former.  
11. 11. Isiaih Foskey | Notre Dame, Edge
12. One of the most underrated players in this class but also a guy that could see himself being a top 5 pick. Another strong season will boost Foskey into being a R1 lock. 
13. 12. Noah Sewell | Oregon, LB 
14. Sewell comes from an NFL pedigree and looks to take over the Oregon defense. He is a tackling machine and must further prove his speed and agility this season.
15. 13. Michael Mayer | Notre Dame, TE
16. “Baby Gronk” is a do-it-all tight end that will be the focal point of the ND offense. He is as polished as it gets at this position.
17. 14. Bryan Breese | Clemson, DT
18. A former No. 1 overall recruit in High School, Breese is a talented and athletic interior defensive lineman that strengthens this deep position group. 
19. 15. Kayshon Boutte | LSU, WR
20. A constant producer for the LSU offense has faced his fair share of QB adversity but now sits in the best situation of his career. Boutte played just 6 games last year, so we’d obviously love to see a full healthy season of out of him this year.
21. 16. Felix Anudike-Uzomah | Kansas, Edge
22. One of the top producing edge rushers who had over 40 pressures and double digit sacks last year. Anudike-Uzomah comes from a weaker program but absolutely has gained the attention of the NFL Scouts. 
23. 17. Cam Smith | South Carolina, CB
24. The lanky corner made huge strides in 2021 and became the true alpha of the SC secondary. Smith is flying under the radar, but has the potential to elevate to CB1 in this class.
25. 18. BJ Ojulari | LSU, Edge
26. The younger brother of Azeez, BJ has shined early in his career at LSU. Last year he accounted for 54 total pressures and looks to add onto that this season.
27. 19. Antonio Johnson | Texas A&M, CB/S
28. Johnson is the top hybrid defensive back in the class and enters the season as one of the highest PFF grades from 2021. Another strong year would cement Johnson as the top gadget defender in the draft.
29. 20. Jaquelin Roy | LSU, DT
30. Roy is another very talented interior pass rusher, but I’d love to see more versatility this season. He had just 19 tackles in his 497 snaps last season, which will need to improve.
31. 21. Josh Downs | UNC, WR
32. He was Sam Howell’s go to guy in 2021, but how will Downs play with new, unproven Drake Maye? The two seemed to be right on track for a HUGE year, as Downs had 9 receptions for 78 yards and 2 TDs.
33. 22. Paris Johnson Jr | Ohio State, OL
34. Johnson had a great season last year as the starting left guard of the Buckeyes and showcases his ability as a road grader. He allowed 0 sacks last year, but he will best tested much more as a pass blocker now as the starting LT.
35. 23. Bijan Robinson | Texas, RB
36. Robinson is the unanimous RB1 of the class at this point. RB value continues to fall in the early rounds due to the success of mid to late round hits. Regardless, Robinson is a do-it-all guy who could prove his day 1 value with a Saquon Barkely-type season. 
37. 24. Blake Freeland | BYU, OT
38. Freeland enters his forth year as a starting tackle for the Cougars. Last year he transitioned to Left Tackle with ease and allowed just 1 sack and 3 hurries in 876 snaps.
39. 25. Cooper Beebe | Kansas State, OT
40. Beebe is one of the most well rounded offensive lineman in this class. Last year he didn’t allow a single sack and also graded out with an 87.5 PFF Run Blocking grade. Beebe lacks ideal length for an NFL OT, but his versatility is exceptional.
41. 26. Broderik Jones | Georgia, OT
42. This OT class appears weak, but Jones has starting experience for the Bulldogs and now looks to takeover as LT. Can he be the next Andrew Thomas? 
43. 27. JL Skinner | Boise State, S
44. Skinner was a tackling machine and tone setter for the Broncos last year. He will need to prove better consistency in coverage to emerge as an elite prospect.
45. 28. Eli Ricks | Alabama, CB
46. Ricks may be my CB1 by the end of the season and is a strongpoint of the Alabama secondary. The LSU transfer struggled to stay on the field, but at times outplayed teammate Derek Stingley. Now we will see if Ricks pans out on the Alabama offense or falls behind under Saban’s much stricter program. Ricks starts off the season as a co-starter at CB, so we will see how the year ends up panning out.
47. 29. Trenton Simpson | Clemson, LB
48. Simpson has the potential to be a great NFL OLB and brings a great blend of pass rush and run stopping skills. He is a bit undersized to fit as a pure defensive end, but a big season playing sideline to sideline would elevate Simpson’s stock.
49. 30. Brandon Joseph | Notre Dame, S
50. Joseph was one of my favorite defensive backs last year, where he was a leader of the Northwestern secondary. This year, he will take over for Notre Dame and look to be the next Kyle Hamilton. 
51. 31. Quentin Johnston | TCU, WR
52. Johnston played just 8 games last year, but at times looked like the best receiver in the country. Against Oklahoma, he hauled in 7 passes for 185 yards and 3 TDs. He’s got a lot to prove in 2022, but the upside alone keeps him inside the top 32.
53. 32. Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina, QB
54. McCall has done nothing but produce throughout his career at Coastal Carolina. I’ve loved McCall as a prospect, but his biggest downgrade is Coastal’s run heavy offense.
55. 33. Will Levis | Kentucky, QB
56. Levis has a live arm and will have a chance to prove his potential against some of the best defenses in the country. We will see how he responds after losing his top receiver, Wan’Dale Robinson. 
57. 34. Jahmyr Gibbs | Alabama, RB
58. Gibbs played an Alvin Kamara type role for the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, so the potential with Alabama is naturally through the roof.
59. 35. Zion Nelson | Miami, OT
60. Nelson enters his fourth season as starting left tackle for the Hurricanes and looks to put an exclamation point on his career. Nelson has made strides each season, but will seriously need to cut down the penalties (5 last season).
61. 36. Kris Abrams-Draine | Missouri, CB
62. Abrams-Draine is another nickel prospect that has the potential to be a 1st round pick.
63. 37. Andrew Vorhees | USC, OL
64. The 6th year senior has logged over 2,700 snaps in college football and is one of the most experienced players in history. Vorhees would be 24 as a rookie, but the production was incredible last year and he moves exceptionally well for a 325 lbs lineman.
65. 38. Garrett Williams | Syracuse, DB
66. Williams seemingly took a step back in 2021, but can bounce back big this fall. He is a tackling machine at safety, but will need to be more consistent in coverage.
67. 39. Nolan Smith | Georgia, Edge
68. The Bulldogs have a long line of talented edge rushers and Smith looks to be the next great NFL prospect. Smith has far from ideal size and has lacked next level production, but he enters the season with a chance to prove why he was a former top tier recruit out of high school.
69. 40. Zach Harrison | Ohio State, DL
70. Harrison looks great on paper in terms of size and athleticism, but we have yet to see a big jump in production. Last year, he had just 28 pressures and 4 sacks. He must become a better pass rusher to be a 1st round prospect.
71. 41. Tank Bigsby | Auburn, RB
72. Bigsby had a bit of a down year following an incredible freshman campaign, but looks to break the Auburn curse and bounce back. I love Bigsby’s athleticism and run style, but he must become a better and smarter situational back. 
73. 42. Arik Gilbert | Georgia, WR/TE
74. Gilbert is a tough guy to grade as we will likely be playing a TE/WR hybrid role, but he was an extremely high rated recruit out of high school because of his combination of size and athleticism. Those are typically guys who do well as an NFL prospect. 
75. 43. Devin Leary | NC State, QB
76. Leary is a legit QB out of a program that has placed many guys in the NFL, Leary sits at a similar spot that Ryan Finely did in 2018. He’s on the edge of being a legit candidate for R1, but needs to put out more consistent film this year.
77. 44. Henry To’oto’o | Alabama, LB
78. I had To’oto’o as a top LB last year when he surprised me and returned to Alabama. He has a chance to hear his name called Day 1 with a potential breakout year. 
79. 45. Joey Porter Jr | Penn State, CB
80. Porter is a solid corner with an NFL pedigree that has a potential breakout season on the horizon. He is a Grade A athlete with a great head for the ball, but will need to become better in coverage this season.
81. 46. Rakim Jarrett | Maryland, WR
82. Jarrett has shown a spark in potential that pushes him into striking distance of the 1st round potential. I would love to see him really take games over more consistently in 2022.
83. 47. Zach Charbonnet | UCLA, RB
84. Another big time dark horse, Charbonnet had lovable film last season and brings an incredible combination of size, speed and athleticism. I love how smooth he is with the ball and can see him playing a significant role in the NFL. 
85. 48. Skiaki Ika | Baylor, DT
86. Ika is a force to be reckoned with as a 360+ lbs defensive lineman. In order to make it in the NFL, he must prove that he is more than just a pure run stuffer.
87. 49. Jaelyn Duncan | Maryland, OT
88. Duncan has showcased his elite skillset and traits, but had a rough season with 10 penalties. He has an uphill battle to improve his consistency and technique.
89. 50. Trevious Hodges-Tomlinson | TCU, DB
90. THT had a breakout 2020 campaign, but a down year to follow. This year he has a chance to bounce back and prove why he is not dependent on Trevon Moehrig.