Ranking the top 200 prospects of the 2018 NFL Draft in our final big board

You know we’re getting close when we’re ready to finalize our 2018 NFL Draft big board. We’ve updated our rankings from back in the preseason, and now, it’s time to tie a bow on them before draft day is upon us.

As is tradition at BSN, our final big board is in tiers, which is what the NFL does. So when John Elway talks about having a certain player as the last one remaining in a certain group, this is what he’s talking about.

You’ll see the strength of this draft is in day two, where our second and third-round grades are very deep. 

After writing about this class for almost 12 months now, here’s our final top 200, with an explanation and round grade for each group. 

TIER 1: ELITE PROSPECTS (TOP FIVE IN MOST DRAFTS  — FRANCHISE CORNERSTONES)

This is the first year I’ve done this that there isn’t a single elite player in the class. To receive an elite grade, you essentially have to be perfect, and everyone has some sort of black mark that brings them down. 

In the two previous seasons that I’ve ranked prospects for our site, I’ve given out four elite grades to Joey Bosa, Jalen Ramsey, Myles Garrett and Malik Hooker. No one this year is at that level. 

No one.

TIER 2: TOP-10 TALENTS

This is where the draft starts, and tier two is unique in that they’re not elite grades but slightly higher than just first-round grades. Darnold, Rosen, and Barkley all have the potential to be top-10 players at their respective positions, meaning they could all be in the running for some pro bowl appearances in the future. 

The two QBs have some important question marks, but they also get a bump due to their positional value. 

1. Sam Darnold, QB, USC

2. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

3. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

TIER 3: FIRST ROUNDERS (HIGH-LEVEL STARTERS)

16 total first-round grades isn’t great, but it’s about what you’ll hear around the league in a draft that’s a bit shallow at the top. 

If the Denver Broncos do trade down, this is the tier you’d like to see them try and snatch up multiple players from, to add a couple potential high-level starters. 

4. Derwin James, DB, Florida State

5a. Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State

5b. Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

7. Minkah Fitzpatrick, FS/CB, Alabama

8. Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

9. Vita Vea, DT, Washington

10. Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

11. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

12. Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

13. Connor Williams, OT/G, Texas

14. Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

15. Ronald Jones II, RB, USC

16. James Daniels, OC, Iowa

TIER 4: LATE FIST AND EARLY SECOND-ROUND TALENTS (PROJECTED STARTERS WITH THE UPSIDE FOR MORE)

This is where things start to get interesting, as this is the most volatile tier of them all. Everyone on this list could be in the running for a first-round selection, or at least have the talent to warrant such a pick. This is exactly the tier that both Paxton Lynch and Garett Bolles ranked in the past two years, and several of the guys on this year’s list are said to be targets for the Broncos in 2018.

While the question marks with this group are much greater than the top tiers, their ceilings are as high, if not higher in some cases. There’s a lot of boom-or-bust here, which means you’re taking some gambles, but the rewards could be monumental.

Mind you, a few of the players in this tier are on the safer side, like the guards or running backs. They’re just weighed down by their positional value and a few on-field question marks that prevented them from receiving first-round grades. 

Regardless, if you’re picking in the top 50 twice, you must come away with at least two players in these top four tiers to have done a good job. 

17. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

18. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

19. Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

20. Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College

21. Taven Bryan, DL, Florida

22. Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

23. Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

24. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

25. Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

26. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

27. Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

28. Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida

29. Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

30. Sony Michel, RB, Georgia

31. Arden Key, EDGE, LSU

32. Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State

33. Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

34. Isaiah Wynn, OG, Georgia

35. Matthew Thomas, LB, Florida State

36. D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland

37. Sam Hubbard, EDGE, Ohio State

38. Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP

39. Ronnie Harrison, SS, Alabama

40. Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

41. Uchenna Nwosu, OLB/EDGE, USC

42. Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

43. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB/EDGE, Oklahoma

44. Lorenzo Carter, EDGE, Georgia

TIER 5: SECOND ROUNDERS (IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTORS, EXPECTED STARTERS WITHIN THE FIRST TWO SEASONS)

This is where the depth of this draft starts to show. While the upside isn’t as high as the previous tiers, there are some safe bets who promise to be starters sooner rather than later. Plenty of players in this group will ultimately surpass the more volatile tier-four prospects.

Interestingly enough, this tier is loaded at positions that the Broncos need, like receivers, running backs, and offensive linemen. If Denver can come away with one of these prospects in the early third, that would be a real steal. 

45. James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

46. Hercules Mata’afa, EDGE, Washington State

47. Billy Price, OC/G, Ohio State

48. Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

49. Frank Ragnow, OC/G, Arkansas

50. Donte Jackson, CB, LSU

51. Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas

52. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

53. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

54. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn

55. Genard Avery, ILB, Memphis

56. Jeff Holland, EDGE, Auburn

57. Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

58. Tim Settle, NT, Virginia Tech

59. Harrison Phillips, DL, Stanford

60. Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

61. D.J. Chark, WR, LSU

62. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

63. Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

64. Jessie Bates, FS, Wake Forest

TIER 6: THIRD-ROUND TALENTS (SHOULD BE STARTERS WITHIN THE FIRST THREE SEASONS)

Now we’ve got some depth! Some of these players are in this tier because they don’t have high ceilings, but have really high floors, while others are projects who will need some grooming but should project as starters within their first three seasons.

This is why making the best of your top-100 picks is so essential, as it presumes that you’ll be able to get future starters with those selections. That’s reflected in these top-six tiers with 108 prospects in them.

65. Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma

66. Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin

67. Justin Reid, S, Stanford

68. Fred Warner, LB, Brigham Young

69. Mark Walton, RB, Miami 

70. Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon

71. Braden Smith, OG, Auburn

72. Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina

73. Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State

74. Rasheem Green, DL, USC

75. Josh Sweat, EDGE, Florida State

76. Austin Corbett, OT/C, Nevada

77. Mike McCray, LB, Michigan

78. Jerome Baker, WLB, Ohio State

79. Jaylen Samuels, H-back, North Carolina State

80. Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame

81. Mark Andrews, WR/TE, Oklahoma

82. Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State

83. Justin Jones, DT, North Carolina State

84. Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State

85. Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State

86. Desmond Harrison, OT, West Georgia

87. Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa

88. Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State 

89. Andrew Brown, DL, Virginia

90. Marcus Allen, S, Penn State

91. Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

92. Dorian O’Daniel, LB, Clemson

93. Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State

94. Dorance Armstrong Jr., EDGE, Kansas

95. Trevon Young, EDGE, Louisville

96. Martinas Rankin, OT/G/C, Mississippi State

97. Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama

98. Simmie Cobbs Jr., WR, Indiana

99. Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama

100. Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan

101. Brian O’Neil, OT, Pittsburgh

102. Holton Hill, CB, Texas

103. Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame

104. Wyatt Teller, OG, Virginia Tech

105. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama

106. Breeland Speaks, DE, Ole Miss

107. Kyzir White, S, West Virginia

108. Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech

TIER 7: DAY-THREE GEMS 

Now, this is where you’ll find depth pieces for your roster. While no one in here guarantees to be a starter down the road, some will certainly become that. These are the prospects we’d target in the early part of day three of the draft—round four and five—where the Broncos have four picks. 

109. Will Richardson, RT, NC State

110. Colby Gossett, OG, Appalachian State

111. Nyheim Hines, RB/KR, North Carolina State

112. Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia

113. Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah

114. John Kelly, RB, Tennessee

115. Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA

116. Kentavius Street, DL, North Carolina State

117. Mason Cole, OT/C, Michigan

118. Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State

119. Bradley Bozeman, OC, Alabama

120. DeShon Elliott, S,Texas 

121. Dane Cruikshank, S, Arizona

122. Deatrick Nichols Jr., CB, South Florida

123. Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State

124. Tre’Quan Smith, WR, UCF

125. Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin

126. Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State

127. Chad Thomas, DE, Miami

128. Kevin Tolliver II, CB, LSU

129. Quin Blanding, FS, Virginia

130. M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina

131. Deon Cain, WR, Clemson

132. Dante Pettis, WR, Washington

133. Isaac Yiadom, CB, Boston College

134. Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa

135. Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, EDGE, Toledo

136. Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest

137. Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford

138. Shaquem Griffin, WLB, Central Florida

139. Deontay Burnett, WR, USC

140. Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State

141. Geron Christian, OT, Louisville 

142. James Hearns, EDGE, Louisville

143. Kemoko Turay, EDGE, Rutgers

144. Ito Smith, RB, Southern Mississippi

145. Joseph Noteboom, OT, TCU

146. Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana

147. Josey Jewell, ILB, Iowa

148. Coleman Shelton, OC, Washington

149. Brandon Facyson, CB, Virginia Tech

150. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

151. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado

152. Ade Aruna, DE, Tulane

153. Justin Lawler, DE, SMU

154. Marcell Frazier, DE, Missouri

155. Skai Moore, WLB, South Carolina

156. Shaun Dion Hamilton, WLB, Alabama

157. Oren Burks, LB, Vanderbilt

158. Jack Cichy, ILB, Wisconsin

159. Davin Bellamy, EDGE, Georgia

160. Auden Tate, WR, Florida State

161. Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida

162. Marquis Haynes, OLB, Ole Miss

163. Duke Dawson, CB, Florida

164. B.J. Hill, DT, NC State

165. Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma

166. Keke Coutee, WR/KR, Texas Tech

TIER 8: SIXTH AND SEVENTH-ROUND TALENTS (PURE DEPTH PIECES) 

This is where you’ll find your career backups and special teamers. All warrant getting drafted, but some undoubtedly won’t and will be fighting for roster spots as undrafted free agents.

There are some intriguing prospects here, particularly at wide receiver and quarterback, who will make some noise in the preseason. 

167. Tegray Scales, LB, Indiana

168. Jordan Akins, TE, Central Florida

169. Cedrick Wilson, WR, Boise State

170. Darius Phillips, CB/KR, Western Michigan

171. Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo

172. Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond

173. R.J. McIntosh, DT, Miami

174. Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan

175. DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State

176. Folorunso Fatukasi, NT, Uconn

177. K.C. McDermott, OT/G, Miami

178. Kylie Fitts, EDGE, Utah

179. Chase Litton, QB, Marshall

180. Mike White, QB, Western Kentucky

181. Ka’Raun White, WR, West Virginia 

182. Armani Watts, FS, Texas A&M

183. Van Smith, S, Clemson

184. Godwin Igwebuike, FS, Northwestern

185. Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State

186. Luke Falk, QB, Washington State

187. Deadrin Senat, DT, South Florida

188. Da’Shawn Hand, DL, Alabama

189. Rico Gafford, CB, Wyoming

190. Dalton Schultz, TE, Stanford

191. Martez Carter, RB/PR, Grambling State

192. Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia

193. Arrion Springs, CB, Oregon

194. Greg Senat, RT, Wagner

195. Sean Welsh, OG, Iowa

196. Lavon Coleman, RB, Washington

197. Kurt Benkert, QB, Virginia

198. Peter Kalambayi, EDGE, Stanford

199. Cam Phillips, WR, Virginia Tech

200. Kamryn Pettway, RB, Auburn