It's time for my annual list of favorite prospects, the guys I really like at each position in the NFL draft.
This is neither a list of the best players in the draft overall, nor a list of the guys I consider the best at each position. They're all good, and they're all going to be drafted, but they fit into a few separate categories. These are prospects whom I've:
Often rated higher than other evaluators within the draft media or than team evaluators with whom I discuss prospects, or ...
Ranked higher in close debates within position groups, or ...
Just liked the way they play the game
Here's the Class of 2019, with projections on the round in which each will be drafted:
Quarterback
Daniel Jones, Duke
Todd McShay keeps saying Jones is my guy, so let's make it official. There's a lot to like about Jones, my fourth-ranked quarterback and No. 23 overall on my board. He has experience (36 starts). He's athletic (4.81 40 with a 33 ½-inch vertical). He's a leader (two-year captain). He's tough (he missed only two games after breaking his collarbone). He can be a starter in the NFL.
Now, you'd like to see him be more accurate -- he completed just 59.9 percent of his passes in his career -- but he improved every year under Duke coach David Cutcliffe. Just turn on the film from last season, and you'll see a quarterback who can play. And sorry, Todd; Jones is going in Round 1.
Projection: First round