As the 2019 NFL Draft marches on starting at 8:00 p.m. ET Thursday and through pick No. 254 on Saturday, April 28, we at Pro Football Focus will update our list of the 50 best available prospects remaining on the board in the 2019 NFL Draft.
[Editor’s Note: To view all of Pro Football Focus’ advanced stats and grades for draft-eligible players, check out our 2019 NFL Draft Guide. All EDGE and ELITE subscribers already have access to the guide, and for those who don’t, you can get 25% off a new EDGE or ELITE subscription with promo code DRAFT19!]
The list below includes the prospect's original ranking on the PFF Top 250 Big Board.
1. LB Te'von Coney, Notre Dame (overall: 57th)
Coney's 90.5 coverage grade and 91.7 run-defense grade last season both ranked top-10 among all linebackers in college football.
2. Edge Ronheen Bingham, Arkansas State (overall: 63rd)
Bingham's 31.7 percent win rate was the highest among all defensive linemen in college football this past season.
3. WR Emanuel Hall, Missouri (overall: 89th)
Hall is arguably the draft's most explosive receiver. His ball skills are concerning, though, as he dropped 12 of his 82 catchable targets the past two seasons.
4. G Trevon Tate, Memphis (overall: 93rd)
Tate played tackle at Memphis but projects inside in the NFL. He earned an 86.0 pass-blocking grade this past season and allowed all of 10 pressures.
5. CB Brian Peavy, Iowa State (overall: 104th)
Peavy's 90.3 overall grade in 2018 ranked fourth in the class at cornerback, and his 86.6 coverage grade ranked 12th.
6. G Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State (overall: 108th)
Playing 275-plus pass-blocking snaps for the Bulldogs in each of the past three seasons, Calhoun has earned 70.0-plus pass-blocking grades since his 2016 campaign.
7. DI Gerald Willis III, Miami (Fla.) (overall: 118th)
An older prospect entering the 2019 NFL Draft at 23 years old, Willis earned an 88.3 run-defense grade in 2018, ranking tied for 12th in the 2019 draft class.
8. G Ryan Bates, Penn State (overall: 122nd)
Bates earned an 81.0 overall grade across his 879 offensive snaps split between left and right tackle at Penn State a year ago, but size and power concerns should push him inside to guard in the NFL.
9. WR Preston Williams, Colorado State (overall: 126th)
Williams' laundry list of off-field concerns will keep him from going high in the 2019 NFL Draft, but his play on the field is special enough for him to hear his name called. He earned an 84.6 overall grade as the Rams' top target in 2018, ranking tied for 11th in the class.
10. S Lukas Denis, Boston College (overall: 129th)
Denis turned in an underwhelming 59.9 overall grade at safety for Boston College a year ago, but his 90.9 overall grade in 2017 gives reason to believe he can turn things around in the NFL.
11. LB T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin (overall: 131st)
Among off-ball linebackers in the 2019 class with 400-plus defensive snaps played this past season, Edwards ranked fifth in overall grade (90.8) and 12th in coverage grade (84.8).
12. RB Devine Ozigbo, Nebraska (overall: 134th)
A high-cut, powerful back coming out of Nebraska, Ozigbo gained at least two yards after contact or more than 70 percent of his runs and earned an 82.7 overall grade in 2018. Though he didn't receive a Combine invite, Ozigbo should see significant interest in this year's draft.
13. S Evan Worthington, Colorado (overall: 137th)
Colorado's 6-foot-2, 210-pound Worthington earned a 75.0 overall grade in 2017 and a 70.0 overall grade in 2018 playing a mix of slot cornerback, box safety and free safety in the two-year span.
14. G Terronne Prescod, NC State (overall: 140th)
Prescod turned in career-high grades across the board in 2018, earning an 86.0-plus overall, pass-blocking and run-blocking grade across his 681 offensive snaps.
15. WR Greg Dortch, Wake Forest (overall: 147th)
Dortch is a smaller receiver that will need to make his money in the slot at the next level. He, however, got the job done at Wake Forest, earning 80.0-plus overall grades in 2017 and 2018.
16. RB Karan Higdon, Michigan (overall: 149th)
Higdon is a powerful back with explosive jump cuts. He earned a 76.3 rushing grade with Michigan a year ago and has now earned 73.0 rushing grades in each of the past three years.
17. CB Hamp Cheevers, Boston College (overall: 152nd)
An aggressive, smaller cornerback, Cheevers projects as a talented slot cornerback in the NFL that can thrive in the short and intermediate areas of the field. He earned an 84.2 overall grade in 2017 and an 89.2 overall grade in 2018.
18. TE Dax Raymond, Utah State (overall: 153rd)
His usage took a hit this past season, but 19 of Raymond's 27 catches this past season still resulted in first downs.
19. LB Malik Reed, Nevada (overall: 159th)
Reed, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, will likely make the transition from edge defender to off-ball linebacker at the NFL level after finishing the 2018 season with a Group of 5-high 50 defensive stops.
20. G Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin (overall: 163rd)
Among guards with at least 400 offensive snaps played in 2018, Benzschawel ranked first in overall grade (89.3), tied for seventh in pass-blocking grade (88.6) and first in run-blocking grade (88.9).
21. QB Brett Rypien, Boise State (overall: 166th)
Rypien's 91.8 passing grade from a clean pocket ranked tied for third with NC State's Ryan Finley in the 2019 draft class.
22. WR Anthony Johnson, Buffalo (overall: 171st)
Among draft-eligible FBS wide receivers with at least 100 targets over the past two seasons, Johnson ranked tied for first in receptions of 15-plus yards (61) and second in yards per route run (3.48).
23. LB Joe Giles-Harris, Duke (overall: 172nd)
Giles-Harris earned an impressive 91.2 overall grades across his 1,433 defensive snaps in 2017 and 2018 combined, ranking eighth among draft-eligible off-ball linebackers with at least 600 defensive snaps played in the last two seasons.
24. LB Tyrel Dodson, Texas A&M (overall: 178th)
At 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Dodson is one of the bigger off-ball linebackers in this class, but he failed to produce at a high level in his last two seasons with Texas A&M. He earned just 72.4 and 68.8 overall grades in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
25. DI Albert Huggins, Clemson (overall: 181st)
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Huggins is a former four-star recruit that struggled to find the field as part of such a talent-laden defensive line at Clemson. He earned 71.1-plus overall grades in each of the last three seasons with the Tigers while playing at least 200 defensive snaps each year.
26. S Malik Gant, Marshall (overall: 182nd)
Gant led all draft-eligible FBS safeties with at least 400 defensive snaps played in overall grade (90.7) in 2018. He also ranked second in run-defense grade (90.1) and fourth in coverage grade (89.4).
27. CB Saivion Smith, Alabama (overall: 183rd)
A former five-star recruit coming out of Florida's IMG Academy in 2016, Smith has all of the potential in the world to succeed at the next level; he just needs to add polish to his outstanding natural ability. He ranked tied for 40th in overall grade (78.3) and 37th in coverage grade (78.2) in what was his only collegiate season with more than 50 defensive snaps played.
28. OT William Sweet, UNC (overall: 184th)
Anchored by his impressive 87.5 pass-blocking grade, Sweet finished the 2018 season ranked sixth in overall grade (81.2) among FBS tackles entering the 2019 NFL Draft with 400-plus offensive snaps played a year ago.
29. DI Jordan Thompson, Northwestern (overall: 189th)
Thompson earned an 88.2 overall grade and a 91.0 run-defense grade in 2018, ranking 10th and eighth, respectively, among draft-eligible interior defensive linemen with 300-plus defensive snaps played in 2018.
30. RB Alex Barnes, Kansas State (overall: 191st)
Barnes is a gym rat with notable strength and athleticism coming out of Kansas State. He's a patient back that sets up his blocks well and can bury defenders with a lowered shoulder. He earned 76.2 and 72.7 overall grades in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Related Article: NFL teams praise Alex Barnes’ patience, commitment to the weight room
31. WR Jakobi Meyers, NC State (overall: 193rd)
Meyers doesn't create great separation at the short and intermediate level, but he brings notable consistency, contested-catch ability and solid hands to the slot receiver position. He finished the 2018 season ranked in the top-five in contested catch percentage and drop rate.
32. DI Ricky Walker, Virginia Tech (overall: 194th)
Walker is a run-stuffing defensive interior player with limited upside as a pass-rusher in the NFL. He earned a 76.9 overall grade and a 77.9 run-defense grade with Virginia Tech a year ago and failed to earn pass-rush grades above 77.0 in any year of his collegiate career.
33. CB Mark Fields, Clemson )overall: 195th)
Injuries limited Fields to just 400 defensive snaps in 2018, and he earned just a 63.1 overall grade when healthy enough to suit up for Clemson. He earned a career-high 76.8 overall grade in 2016 but failed to get above 70.0 in the two years following his sophomore campaign.
34. CB Nik Needham, UTEP (overall: 196th)
Needham earned a 77.6 coverage grade with UTEP in 2018, allowing receptions on just 31-of-51 targets for 195 yards in the process. He also recorded 15 defensive stops in coverage, ranking tied for fifth among qualifiers.
35. S Jacob Huff, Minnesota (overall: 197th)
Minnesota’s Huff finished the 2018 season ranked fifth in overall grade (88.8) and coverage grade (89.1) among FBS safeties entering the 2019 NFL Draft with 400-plus defensive snaps played. He also ranked sixth among draft-eligible safeties with 250 or more coverage snaps played in forced incompletion percentage (31.6%).
36. LB Tre Lamar, Clemson (overall: 198th)
Lamar is a two-down off-ball linebacker at the next level. He wowed against the run with Clemson this past season, earning a 90.5 run-defense grade, but he’s a liability in coverage.
37. S Delvon Randall, Temple (overall: 202nd)
Randall isn’t a household name in the 2019 class, but he did produce like one this past season. He earned an 89.0 coverage grade on the year, ranking sixth among draft-eligible FBS safeties with at least 400 defensive snaps played.
38. CB Montre Hartage, Northwestern (overall: 203rd)
Hartage earned an 80.8 coverage grade and an 82.0 overall grade in 2018, ranking inside the top-20 in both categories among draft-eligible cornerbacks.
39. Edge Malik Carney, UNC (overall: 205th)
Carney is a run-first edge defender with limited upside as a pass-rusher, but what he does well he does really well. He ranked tied for 10th among qualifying draft-eligible edge defenders in run-defense grade (85.6) in 2018.
40. DI Daniel Wise, Kansas (overall: 206th)
Weighing in at 6-foot-3, 281 pounds, Kansas’ Wise should move inside at the next level after playing edge defender with the Jayhawks in 2018. He earned a strong 83.1 run-defense grade a year ago, ranking 17th among qualifiers.
41. RB James Williams, Washington State (overall: 207th)
Williams earned the best receiving grade (90.7) of any draft-eligible back with at least 300 offensive snaps in 2018. His receiving chops should give him early opportunities in the NFL on passing downs.
42. OT Yosuah Nijman, Virginia Tech (overall: 210th)
Earning a 75.7 pass-blocking grade in 2018, Nijman allowed just 12 total pressures (10 hurries, one hit, one sack) across his 334 pass-blocking snaps with Virginia Tech.
43. TE Donald Parham, Stetson (overall: 211th)
Parham's movement skills and hands for a 6-foot-8 tight end with 36+ inch arms make him an intriguing red zone threat.
44. S Jonathan Crawford, Indiana (overall: 216th)
Crawford earned 76.1 overall grade and a 77.8 run-defense grade in 2018, ranking 43rd and tied for 35th, respectively.
45. OT Tyler Roemer, San Diego State (overall: 220th)
Roemer anchored San Diego State’s run-heavy offense with his 20th-ranked run-blocking grade (70.9) this past season.
46. C James O'Hagan, Buffalo (overall: 224th)
Among draft-eligible FBS centers with at least 400 offensive snaps in 2018, Buffalo’s O’Hagan ranked first in overall grade (88.0), fourth in pass-blocking grade (88.7) and first in run-blocking grade (88.3).
47. CB Alexander Myres, Houston (overall: 226th)
Houston’s Myres allowed receptions on 38-of-65 targets for 411 yards and four touchdowns en route to an 85.6 coverage grade in 2018, ranking tied for 13th in the class with Ya-Sin.
48. WR David Sills, West Virginia (overall: 227th)
Sills gained 15-plus yards on 26 receptions as one of West Virginia’s top targets in 2018, ranking tied for 20th in the 2019 class.
49. CB Nate Brooks, North Texas (overall: 229th)
Brooks ranked eighth among draft-eligible cornerbacks in overall grade (88.2) and 10th in coverage grade (87.2) in 2018. He also allowed just a 61.0 passer rating when targeted despite seeing a whopping 110 targets thrown his way on the year.
50. S JoJo McIntosh, Washington (overall: 230th)
McIntosh finished the 2018 season ranked 22nd in the class in overall grade (80.6, 23rd in run-defense grade (80.5) and 38th in coverage grade (78.3).
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