Comparing 2018 NFL Draft Class to 2017 Class- QB, RB & WR
The NFL Combine is underway and with that comes prospect comparisons. Each year NFL Draft prospects are compared to current or former NFL players, sometimes the comparisons are fair; sometimes they’re blown out of proportion. So with that in mind, let’s look at the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft class and see how it compares to the 2017 NFL Draft class.
QUARTERBACK
2017: MITCHELL TRUBISKY, DESHAUN WATSON, PATRICK MAHOMES, DESHONE KIZER, DAVIS WEBB
2018: SAM DARNOLD, JOSH ROSEN, BAKER MAYFIELD, JOSH ALLEN, LAMAR JACKSON
In the 2017 NFL Draft we saw three QBs go in the top 15 (Mitchell Trubisky, DeShaun Watson & Patrick Mahomes) and during their rookie campaigns, all three QBs showed some excellent traits and promise of more things to come in 2018. In a few short months through, we might see all five of the QBs listed above go in the first round, including three or four of those prospects projected to go in the top 10. So which class looks more promising? The interesting thing about both of these QBs classes is that they are actually similar in talent and skill sets; Josh Rosen are Baker Mayfield are both considered the most pro ready QBs in the draft, just like DeShaun Watson was last year. Sam Darnold and Mitchell Trubisky both did not start more than two years for their programs and yet are both top QB prospects in their classes (Trubisky the first QB drafted in 2017, Darnold projected to be first QB drafted) and both Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are project QBs with tremendous arm strength and upside. The thing that separates 2018 from 2017 classes though is the depth of the 2018 QB class. After the top four, other prospects like Lamar Jackson, Mason Rudolph and Luke Falk are considered potential day 2 picks with potential to become starting QBs down the road. So for this reason, I tend to favor the 2018 QB class, but by a slim margin.
ADVANTAGE: 2018
RUNNING BACK
2017: LEONARD FOURNETTE, CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, DALVIN COOK. ALVIN KAMARA, KAREEM HUNT
2018: SAQUON BARKLEY, DERRIUS GUICE, RONALD JONES, SONY MICHEL, KERRYON JOHNSON
It’s no secret that teams are beginning to invest high picks in RBs again as we saw last when Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey both went in the top 10. Outside of the first round, three other great young RBs were drafted including the Rookie of the Year in Alvin Kamara. This trend will most likely in 2018 with a few RB prospects being touted as high picks including Saquon Barkley who might end up being the #1 overall pick when it’s all said and done. Even though last year’s class may seem to be better on paper, the 2018 RB class may actually have just as much potential due to the amount of athleticism and versatility with some of the RBs behind Barkley like Ronald Jones and Sony Michel. The same argument could be made for the 2017 RB class though which is why both RB classes are even at the moment so until we see if any RBs in 2018 show up besides the five mentioned above, advantage goes to neither team.
ADVANTAGE: DRAW
WIDE RECEIVER
2017: COREY DAVIS, MIKE WILLIAMS, JOHN ROSS, JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER, COOPER KUPP
2018: CALVIN RIDLEY, COURTLAND SUTTON, CHRISTIAN KIRK, DJ MOORE, DEON CAIN
Outside of the Chicago Bears trading one spot and drafting Mitchell Trubisky, no pick in the first round left us with more question marks than the Tennessee Titans drafting WR Corey Davis in the top 5. After Corey, two other WRs went in the top 15 (Mike Williams and John Rose) but outside the first round, the two other WRs who made an impact in their rookie years were JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cooper Kupp. That brings us to the 2018 class which may not have as much potential up front like the 2017 class did but there are certainly more WRs in 2018 worth drafting in the first few rounds. Calvin Ridley and Courtland Sutton will most likely be the top two WRs drafted in the first round but after them, there are as many as six or seven other WRs who will most likely hear their names being called in the second or third round. Comparing these WR classes is very similar to comparing the QBs; both classes are even at the top but after the top prospects the 2018 class has more upside and depth outside of first round talent. The early advantage goes to the 2018 WR class.
ADVANTAGE: 2018