2019 NFL Draft: Ranking top 10 prospects at each position

The 2019 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and the buildup among Chicago Bears fans has been relatively lackluster.

Granted, this was to be expected, as the team does not have a pick within the first 85 selections of the draft. Without the chance to grab some of the top talents in the class, interest has naturally dwindled a bit. However, this year’s class is still loaded with potential starters at several positions, and with the Bears’ recent success in later rounds, chances are they’ll be able to find a few diamonds in the rough.

Chicago has five selections, with two in the seventh round and none in the first, second or sixth rounds. Their roster is one of the most complete in the league, so there are very few glaring holes they need to fill. This will allow them to stock up on talent that contribute down the line when they will inevitably have to let a few lesser starters walk in free agency to retain their core players.

Because I’m a loser without a life, I have been breaking down film of this year’s class since late April—two days after the 2018 draft ended, in fact. My board has predictably changed a lot since the beginning of my process, but it is now almost done solidifying and taking shape as we get closer to the draft. I will give a glimpse of my overall rankings once I put the finishing touches on a few late-round targets, but my top 10 at each position is essentially set in stone at this point.

With that in mind, these are my top 10 positional rankings for this year’s draft.

Quarterbacks

1. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

2. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

3. Drew Lock, Missouri

4. Tyree Jackson, Buffalo

5. Daniel Jones, Duke

6. Ryan Finley, North Carolina State

7. Will Grier, West Virginia

8. Brett Rypien, Boise State

9. Easton Stick, North Dakota State

10. Gardner Minshew II, Washington State

The Bears won’t be in the market for a quarterback this year, which is a good thing, since this year’s class is generally uninspiring. I don’t have a first-round grade on any quarterback in this group, but Kyler Murray does carry a solid second-round grade. I’m generally higher on Tyree Jackson than most, and I do realize that he’s a work in progress whose mechanics and release quickness need some work. With his size, arm strength and surprising athleticism, his ceiling is higher than any other signal-caller in this class.

Running backs

1. Josh Jacobs, Alabama

2. David Montgomery, Iowa State

3. Miles Sanders, Penn State

4. Damien Harris, Alabama

5. Darrell Henderson, Memphis

6. Devin Singletary, Florida Atlantic

7. Bruce Anderson, North Dakota State

8. Devine Ozigbo, Nebraska

9. Justice Hill, Oklahoma State

10. Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M

The 2019 draft doesn’t have a running back of the caliber of a Saquon Barkley or an Ezekiel Elliott, but it does have dozens of players who have the potential to step in and be reliable contributors. Of these prospects, Miles Sanders is my personal top choice for the Bears, but he will not be available for their third-round pick unless they trade up. Keep an eye on Trayveon Williams, a well-rounded runner with receiving value whom the Bears have met with at the Combine, his Pro Day and a private meeting.

Wide receivers

1. D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss

2. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State

3. Hakeem Butler, Iowa State

4. Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State

5. Marquise Brown, Oklahoma

6. A.J. Brown, Ole Miss

7. Riley Ridley, Georgia

8. Deebo Samuel, South Carolina

9. Parris Campbell, Ohio State

10. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford

Last year’s class boasted a lot of talented wide receivers, but this year’s group may be even better. D.K. Metcalf and N’Keal Harry both carry first-round grades for me, while Hakeem Butler brings up a legitimate argument for having the highest ceiling in the class. There are still several talented weapons who didn’t crack the list, and I could see more than 20 prospects realistically going within the first five rounds. I expect all of these receivers to be off the board by the time the Bears pick, even though it’s highly unlikely they would pick a wide receiver in the third round, anyway.

Tight ends

1. T.J. Hockenson, Iowa

2. Noah Fant, Iowa

3. Kahale Warring, San Diego State

4. Irv Smith Jr., Alabama

5. Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M

6. Josh Oliver, San Jose State

7. Dawson Knox, Ole Miss

8. Foster Moreau, LSU

9. Dax Raymond, Utah State

10. Alize Mack, Notre Dame

The dynamic Hawkeye duo of T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant predictably tops this list, and both of them are first-round talents with Pro Bowl ceilings. I’m admittedly not as high on the depth of this class as most draftniks, but there are a handful of players in these rankings with starting potential. The big surprise in these rankings is my placing Kahale Warring over Irv Smith Jr., the latter of whom having been deemed a potential first-round riser. While Warring is raw, he has the size, athleticism and ball skills of an elite tight end prospect, and his upside is arguably up there with the likes of Hockenson and Fant.

Offensive tackles

1. Jonah Williams, Alabama

2. Jawaan Taylor, Florida

3. Greg Little, Ole Miss

4. Andre Dillard, Washington State

5. Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia

6. Michael Deiter, Wisconsin

7. Isaiah Prince, Ohio State

8. Tytus Howard, Alabama State

9. Kaleb McGary, Washington

10. David Edwards, Wisconsin

Some consider Jonah Williams to be a guard at the next level, which is a move I could realistically see him making. However, I see him as a tackle, and the best one in the class, at that. Jawaan Taylor and Andre Dillard will likely be selected in the first round, and though I don’t necessarily agree with either being picked that high, the upside in the two is palpable. Keep an eye out for Tytus Howard, as he’s an athletic and nimble small-school lineman who could be a steal early on Day 3. The Bears don’t really need an offensive tackle this year, but they could consider adding a swing tackle or a potential replacement for Bobby Massie in a few years if the value is right.

Interior offensive linemen

1. Cody Ford, Oklahoma

2. Dalton Risner, Kansas State

3. Garrett Bradbury, North Carolina State

4. Connor McGovern, Penn State

5. Ben Powers, Oklahoma

6. Erik McCoy, Texas A&M

7. Chris Lindstrom, Boston College

8. Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama

9. Dru Samia, Oklahoma

10. Michael Jordan, Ohio State

The Bears are essentially set along the offensive line for this year, unless they try to pick Kyle Long’s heir apparent in this year’s class, which is unlikely. Nevertheless, this year’s interior offensive line class is a good one, headlined by my top three players, all of whom I would pound the table for in the first round if I were running an offensive line-needy team. Part of me wants the Bears to draft Michael Jordan just for the jokes.

Defensive linemen

1. Quinnen Williams, Alabama

2. Ed Oliver, Houston

3. Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame

4. Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State

5. Christian Wilkins, Clemson

6. Charles Omenihu, Texas

7. Dexter Lawrence, Clemson

8. Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State

9. Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois

10. Zach Allen, Boston College

Boy oh boy, does this class have some defensive line talent or what? Quinnen Williams is No. 2 overall on my board, Ed Oliver is a rare athlete for his position, and the likes of Jerry Tillery and Jeffery Simmons are both intriguing prospects with pass-rushing upside. I’m very high on Khalen Saunders, a stout and athletic lineman with quick hands who terrorized FCS offensive lines. Chicago has a reliable trio at defensive line with Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Bilal Nichols, so don’t expect them to target a player at the position until very late in the draft, if at all.

Edge rushers

1. Nick Bosa, Ohio State

2. Josh Allen, Kentucky

3. Clelin Ferrell, Clemson

4. Rashan Gary, Michigan

5. Montez Sweat, Mississippi State

6. Brian Burns, Florida State

7. Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion

8. Chase Winovich, Michigan

9. Jachai Polite, Florida

10. Christian Miller, Alabama

Edge rushers are the most important players on the defensive side of the ball, which makes NFL teams especially lucky that this year’s draft is loaded at the position. Nick Bosa is my top overall prospect, as his blend of size, strength, athleticism and hand usage makes him a possible perennial Pro Bowl talent. Josh Allen is also in my top five, while the rest of my top six will likely all see themselves selected in the first round. The true wild card of the bunch is Jachai Polite, a first-round talent with poor testing numbers, weight fluctuation concerns and horrible Combine interviews. With Aaron Lynch in the fold again, the Bears might not draft an edge rusher in the third round, but adding some form of depth is likely.

Linebackers

1. Devin White, LSU

2. Mack Wilson, Alabama

3. Devin Bush, Michigan

4. Cameron Smith, USC

5. Joe Giles-Harris, Duke

6. Terrill Hanks, New Mexico State

7. Te’Von Coney, Notre Dame

8. Blake Cashman, Minnesota

9. Vosean Joseph, Florida

10. T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin

The Bears are essentially set at inside linebacker with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan, and after drafting Joel Iyiegbuniwe in the fourth round of last year’s draft, they don’t appear to be in the market for one this year. That’s a relief, as this year’s class is pretty thin at the position. Devin White is on a similar tier as Smith as a prospect, as his athleticism and reliability as a tackler could see him selected in the top 10. Mack Wilson and Devin Bush could also be selected within the first two rounds, but the talent drops off after those three. Blake Cashman is an intriguing sleeper who tested well at the Combine, though.

Safeties

1. Nasir Adderley, Delaware

2. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida

3. Amani Hooker, Iowa

4. Juan Thornhill, Virginia

5. Darnell Savage Jr., Maryland

6. Taylor Rapp, Washington

7. Jaquan Johnson, Miami (FL)

8. Deionte Thompson, Alabama

9. Marvell Tell III, USC

10. Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State

The Bears replaced Adrian Amos with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in free agency, and while Clinton-Dix could be a bounce-back candidate with the help of an elite Chicago defense, he’s still only on a one-year deal. Assuming the plan is for him to cash in on a long-term deal elsewhere next offseason, the Bears could look to draft a safety early this year. Of this bunch, my personal favorite is Amani Hooker. He’s an instinctive safety who can jump routes, read quarterbacks and consistently get to the right place to tackle ball carriers. Darnell Savage Jr. is an athletic and versatile safety who would fit their system well, while the likes of Taylor Rapp, Jaquan Johnson and Johnathan Abram fit the strong safety mold.

Cornerbacks

1. Greedy Williams, LSU

2. Byron Murphy, Washington

3. Julian Love, Notre Dame

4. DeAndre Baker, Georgia

5. Amani Oruwariye, Penn State

6. Trayvon Mullen, Clemson

7. Rock Ya-Sin, Temple

8. Justin Layne, Michigan State

9. Isaiah Johnson, Houston

10. David Long, Michigan

While not an incredibly deep class, the 2019 draft has its fair share of intriguing cornerback prospects. Greedy Williams is a lengthy, fast and fluid corner who is essentially a complete prospect at the position, save for tackling and play strength. Byron Murphy and Julian Love both belong in first-round discussion, as well, as they are very smart defensive backs who can attack the ball at a high level. The Bears could look more for a future replacement for Prince Amukamara as a press-man corner than an off-man or nickel corner, though the latter isn’t out of the question. That said, Rock Ya-Sin is a physical player who excels in press-man, while Justin Layne and Isaiah Johnson are both raw, yet long and athletic prospects with very high respective ceilings.