OTF Premium Personal NFL Draft Position Group Ranks (Draft Day)

[CJ Vogel]

A thing about a guy like me, I will rank anything. Any sport, any topic, any debate, I want to be a part of it.

With that said, I wanted to start the conversation on Draft Day of my five favorites at each position this cycle:

***

Quarterback

1. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
2. Miami QB Cam Ward
3. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
4. Ohio State QB Will Howard
5. Texas QB Quinn Ewers

I give Sanders the nod for his ability to play constantly under pressure. Yes, some self sacks were evident in 2024, but rarely does a top of the draft quarterback go to a place where protection is plentiful and I will roll the dice with the quarterback who put up numbers with guys like me protecting him all season long. 

As for Ewers, too many questions about the long ball, his mobility in the pocket and overall ceiling for me. 

 

Running Back

1. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
2. Ohio State RB TreyVeon Henderson
3. North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton
4. Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins
5. Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson

If Jeanty does not have a very solid NFL career, there should never be a reason to draft a RB in the first round ever again. Fortunately for Texas, Jaydon Blue will be the fifth running back draft in three years. What a run.

 

Wide Receiver

• Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan
• Missouri WR Luther Burden
• Texas WR Matthew Golden
• Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka
• Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel

Tet McMillan screams Mike Evans to me. Big body with 4.5 speed and great hands. I love a height mismatch that can move. As for Luther Burden over Matthew Golden, 1800 yards in the last two seasons of SEC play gets the nod. Burden recorded 4.41 speed as well and I would argue he is just a bit better after the catch that Matthew Golden. 

 

Tight End

1. Penn State TE Tyler Warren
2. Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr.
3. Michigan TE Colston Loveland
4. Miami (FL) TE Elijah Arroyo
5. Texas TE Gunnar Helm

For folks who have not seen Tyler Warren play football, you are in for a treat in the NFL. Helm gets the nod over LSU's Mason Taylor for me. The athleticism after the catch and sure-handedness all season long proved to be a huge weapon in the Longhorn offense. The most prolific single season for a Texas tight end in program history finds himself a new home in the late 3rd/early 4th.

 

Offensive Tackle

1. Texas OT Kelvin Banks
2. LSU OT Will Campbell
3. Missouri OT Armand Membou
4. Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr.
5. Ohio State OT Josh Simmons

For three years we watched Banks dominate at left tackle. Against first rounder after first rounder. He is the best tackle in this draft an time will prove that to be correct.

 

Interior Offensive Lineman

1. NDSU OL Grey Zabel
2. Alabama OL Tyler Booker
3. Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson
4. Georgia OL Tyler Wilson
5. Arizona OL Jonah Savaiinaea

Zabel absolutely dominated the Senior Bowl and was my favorite prospect in attendance after the three days in Mobile. 

 

Defensive Line

1. Michigan DL Mason Graham
2. Oregon DL Derrick Harmon
3. Ole Miss DL Walter Nolen
4. Michigan DL Kenneth Grant
5. Ohio State DL Tyliek Williams

The Texas offensive line took both Michigan defensive linemen to the woodshed week one in Ann Arbor. Perhaps the best showing of the season from the Texas OL unit. Alfred Collins could end up going as DL5–DL8 on Friday night.

 

EDGE Room

1. Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter
2. Marshall EDGE Mike Green
3. Georgia EDGE Mykael Williams
4. Ohio State EDGE JT Tuimoloau
5. Tennessee EDGE James Pearce

I don't love this edge class outside of the top three. Miss me with both Texas A&M edges, especially Shemar Stewart who folks are fawning over despite having zero production at any point in his entire collegiate career. I am not very high on James Pearce either, I believe his body limits his overall ceiling. But Abdul Carter would be my pick if I possessed 1.1.

 

Linebacker

1. Georgia LB Jalon Walker
2. Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell
3. Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman
4. UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger
5. Ole Miss LB Chris Paul Jr.

Jalon Walker was maybe pound for pound the best defensive player Texas faced this entire season and fortunately, the Horns won't have to see him in Athens next fall. I know many will see Stutsman and laugh, but he is a darn good football player and checks every box of the measurables and interview process.

 

Cornerback

1. Texas CB Jahdae Barron
2. Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison
3. Michigan CB Will Johnson
4. East Carolina CB Shavon Revel
5. Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston Jr.

Barron won the Thorpe for a reason. Now, he has 4.39 speed to fall back on and the production at multiple positions to boast versatility at several positions in any NFL secondary. I think folks sleep on Benjamin Morrison a bit out of Notre Dame. A true man-to-man cornerback will be a nice get for years at the next level.

 

Safety

1. Georgia S Malaki Starks
2. Texas S Andrew Mukuba
3. Notre Dame S Xavier Watts
4. Penn State S Kevin Winston Jr.
5. South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori

If Andrew Mukuba had about ten more inches on his frame, he would be the undisputed top safety in this class. Instead, the frame works against him and he is seen as an undersized option for the NFL. Nick Emmanwori tests like he was made in a lab, but the football side of things needs to improve.

 

 

[CJ Vogel]

Let me know where y'all think I am way off. Will be fun to revisit in a few years!

[CJ Vogel]

Eight hours away from the first pick being announced.

[tylerlindsey2111]

Travis Hunter....?

[CJ Vogel]

4 minutes ago, tylerlindsey2111 said:

Travis Hunter....?

Great point. 

Would WR5 and CB2 for me.

[AJJ_Sports]

This draft is going to be so unpredictable 😭

[syracusehorn]

17 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

 

If Andrew Mukuba had about ten more inches on his frame, he would be the undisputed top safety in this class.

 

 

I think you mean pounds. Otherwise he's playing hoops! @CJ Vogel

[Paul Jespersen]

I think Sanders will be a major bust. Hunter bailed him out constantly on toss up balls and he won't be able to run as free in NFL imo... might set the record for sacks and/or interceptions if he starts for a bad team... I wouldn't touch him.

I am a huge Makuba fan and love what he did for us, but I think he falls. NFL obsesses measurables....

I'll be pleasantly surprised if Helms goes that high. Aside from the top 2, not a super dynamic TE group imo. I do think Helm ends up w/ a decent career, just not sure he'll go that high in the group...

Bond - what a shame...

Some of the guys are going to benefit from being Texas guys... used to almost go the other direction... what a change over last 4 years...

🤘

Edited Thursday at 04:21 PM by Paul Jespersen

[TexasMDcoach]

Really like Danny Stutsman as do you.  He will be an All-Pro caliber LB in the league at some point as he has such a good nose for the ball and is always around the tackle if not making it.

[GetHooked]

41 minutes ago, Paul Jespersen said:

I think Sanders will be a major bust.

I see it the same way.  Less impressed with him than all the hype.  Not that high on Cam Ward either.

[CJ Vogel]

57 minutes ago, AJJ_Sports said:

This draft is going to be so unpredictable 😭

It really is. Outside the first handful of picks it’s going to be a free for all. 

[Hashtag]

This is probably the weakest draft I can remember.

[CJ Vogel]

32 minutes ago, TexasMDcoach said:

Really like Danny Stutsman as do you.  He will be an All-Pro caliber LB in the league at some point as he has such a good nose for the ball and is always around the tackle if not making it.

I’m sure it’s going to be an unpopular opinion here on the board but he’s a heck of a player. I bet he has a very solid career. 

[CJ Vogel]

58 minutes ago, syracusehorn said:

I think you mean pounds. Otherwise he's playing hoops! @CJ Vogel

Haha I was rushing this to get to player availability. A 6’11” Mukuba would be dangerous!

[CJ Vogel]

25 minutes ago, Hashtag said:

This is probably the weakest draft I can remember.

In terms of overall All-Pro talent, probably right. But I think there are plenty of starting caliber players going into round four. 

Heavy tight end, defensive line and running back draft.

But poor QB, mediocre WR draft this year which is where all of the excitement is.

[FLHorn17]

Good lists.  Don't like Will Howard as 4th best QB, or in tip 5 at all. Thank you for having Banks as top OT, people are way overthinking it with him. Luther Burden is better after the catch than almost everyone. 

[UTexas]

Sanders over Ward is the only one I'd strongly disagree with. I  think Sanders will never be a strong, consistent starter at QB in the NFL.

Also think you have Howard vastly overrated. 

Edited Thursday at 05:46 PM by UTexas

[CJ Vogel]

4 minutes ago, UTexas said:

Sanders over Ward is the only one I'd strongly disagree with. I  think Sanders will never be a strong, consistent starter at QB in the NFL.

Also think you have Howard vastly overrated. 

Quarterbacks are tough.

Howard has some gamer in him and when he doesn't turn the ball over he was a pretty good quarterback his final two years. Big if, though.

[UTexas]

55 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

Quarterbacks are tough.

Howard has some gamer in him and when he doesn't turn the ball over he was a pretty good quarterback his final two years. Big if, though.

I just remember some of the throws I saw clips of at Howards pro day. 

[Jimmy Two Times]

2 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

Great point. 

Would WR5 and CB2 for me.

Hunter is a far superior WR prospect than Burden, IMO. Surprised you're so high on him, I'd be very surprised if he has a more productive NFL career than Golden.