Quarterbacks were the talk of the 2018 NFL draft class. Now it's the defensive linemen -- Nick Bosa, Ed Oliver, Clelin Ferrell, Rashan Gary and others -- getting all of the buzz in the Class of 2019. But when it comes to who will be the No. 1 overall pick next April, we have a handful of early candidates, and we know NFL teams love to take quarterbacks, pass-rushers or left tackles there.
Let's take a look at those candidates for the top pick in 2019, and how each shows up on tape. I'm looking for special traits -- some prospects are more consistent than others, but all of them flash those elite qualities. I'm even including a few wild cards at the end.
Jump to: D-line | OTs | QBs | Wild cards
The guys up front
These are the pass-rushers -- on the edge and in the interior -- who could go No. 1, plus the best offensive tackle in the class:
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 263
2017 stats: 16 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 34 total tackles
How he dominates: NFL-ready technique