Sure the 2018 NFL Draft is over 350 days away, but as I’m sure you’ve learned about me, scouting knows no off days. Below is a list of names to keep an eye on headed into next college football season, and while last season I gave you players on both sides of the ball, this year I will break the article up into two pieces. This edition contains the fantasy relevant offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE).

Quarterback

In stark contrast to this past draft, 2018 is poised to be loaded with quarterback talent. Some scouts have as many as seven signal callers included in their “way too early” first-round mocks. While I certainly like more QB’s in the 2018 crop than this past year’s, I’m also not head-over-heels for all of them as some other draftniks seem to be…

Sam Darnold (RS. Sophomore) USC

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 225 lbs.

In just 10 starts last season, Darnold registered over 3,000 yards passing and over 30 touchdowns. He also managed to win nine of those 10 starts, including nine consecutive wins to finish off the season… Oh, and did I mention that he accomplished all of this at just 19 years old, in his redshirt freshman season?

Yea, Darnold is the real deal.

He’s well built for the position with plus athleticism and toughness. Most importantly of all though, Darnold possesses the on-field demeanor and football IQ that all NFL coaches are looking for in franchise quarterbacks.

On tape, what stands out the most is his arm, both for good and bad… Positively, the howitzer attached to his right shoulder allows Darnold to make any and every NFL throw, however negatively; his throwing motion resembles the love child of Tim Tebow and Byron Leftwich.

While many will try to knock Darnold because of this funky delivery, the fact of the matter is that it doesn’t slow him down at all. In fact, Darnold actually has one of the fastest releases I have ever seen, and speed is really all that matters when concerning a quarterback’s release.

Beyond his arm, Darnold remains the complete package. He’s competitive, stands strong in the pocket, while he also feels pressure well. On play action or when he is flushed out, Darnold may be the best in this class when throwing on the move. He can toss a strike, while off balance, better than anyone I have seen in a while. What I like most about this kid though is the speed in which he process coverages. In a college quarterback, I have to hark back to Andrew Luck’s Stanford days to find a QB who cycles through his progressions so quickly and fluidly.

In the .GIF below, Darnold goes through four different progression levels in under four seconds, while settling on the correct option.

Ultimately, Darnold’s potential couldn’t be much higher, and while he could stand to improve with his short-yard accuracy and could benefit by throwing a more catchable ball, keep in mind that 2016 was just his redshirt freshman season. A lot would have to go wrong next season for Darnold to not be a top-five pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Josh Rosen (Junior) UCLA

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 220 lbs.

Speaking of “the complete package” look no further than UCLA’s Josh Rosen. He’s big, has an even bigger arm, is accurate, and possesses top-notch football IQ. His pocket footwork is second to none (reminds of Jared Goff in that regard), and he processes what defenses are throwing at him very quickly. The highest praise I can give Rosen about his natural athleticism is that his first career start against Virginia in 2016 is one of the best quarterback tapes I have seen in years. He does everything by the book and makes it all look easy. The only reason I have him listed behind Darnold is because he missed most of last season with an injury.

Josh Allen (Junior) Wyoming

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 233 lbs.

Allen is a controversial prospect – well, at least in this QB loaded class – as many see a high potential prototype, while others see a future turnover machine. Ultimately, Allen possesses a rocket arm and plus athleticism to go along with his proper build, however his at times head-scratching inaccuracy and carelessness with the football raises questions about his transition to the pro game. To be considered a top pick next offseason, Allen has to improve his completion percentage and decision-making during this upcoming season.

Lamar Jackson (Junior) Louisville

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 200 lbs.

Not much has to be said about the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, as we all know what Jackson can bring to the table. He’s a game breaking athlete on par with a prime Michael Vick, however his decline towards the end of last season was a bit concerning. Ultimately, if Jackson has hopes of going in the first round next offseason, he has to prove that he can win games from the pocket just as well as he can with his legs. Also, adding some weight to his slender frame would help his cause as well.

Luke Falk (Senior) Washington State

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 216 lbs.

Falk is a quick decision maker and excels when throwing the short to intermediate routes. He can put up points in a hurry, while he rarely forces the issue. This plus skillset has some scouts buzzing, but I wonder about his arm strength and his ability to throw into coverage. Those are two areas that Falk has to improve the most upon headed into the 2018 draft.

Jake Browning (Junior) Washington

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 205 lbs.

Browning posted some eye-popping numbers last season, including breaking Jared Goff’s one year old, Pac-12, passing touchdowns record (43), however I’m not necessarily sold on the Heisman Trophy finalist.

It sounds stupid, but think back to just this past draft with John Ross. Think about all of his highlights… Didn’t it seem like he was always slowing down on deep routes to wait for the ball to flutter down to him?

The long and short of it is that I question if Browning has the arm to make it in the NFL. Sure he does some other things well, but I’ll give him another year to prove his worth before I jump on the hype train.

Mason Rudolph (Senior) Oklahoma State

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 230 lbs.

Like many other quarterbacks in this class, Rudolph has excellent size, a great arm, and tons of collegiate production. With proper coaching, some believe that those three traits alone can translate to an adequate NFL quarterback. I however, am currently skeptical of Rudolph’s pro prospects, as he seems to be a slow processer of information. He operates out of a gimmicky offense, and even then, he seems a tick late on his reads and progressions. I’m not saying Rudolph doesn’t have a chance, because he really is blessed with some great physical traits, but he is going to have to take huge strides in 2018 in order to be taken before day three next offseason.

Running Back

This running back class lacks the household names of 2017, but make no mistake, these backs are super talented…

Saquon Barkley (Junior) Penn State

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 223 lbs.

Here’s a guy with the build of Ezekiel Elliott, who also was just recorded running the 40 in under 4.35 seconds. Barkley has it all, and I’m not just talking about size and speed. He possesses quality vision, balance, and power as a runner, while in the passing game he’s an excellent route runner, possesses terrific hands, and is polished as a willing and able pass protector. My only critique of Barkley’s tape is that most of his production comes on the edges, but his propensity to bounce runs to the outside may just be a product of the offense he is operating out of. The .GIF below perfectly displays everything I just described above… He’s elusive, creative, and explosive, but does bounce a designed interior run to the outside. Regardless, he takes the run for 80-plus yards to the house, so who am I to criticize him? If you take anything away from this, understand that this kid is special.

Derrius Guice (Junior) LSU

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 212 lbs.

Would you believe me if I told you that Leonard Fournette was the second best running back on LSU last season? Probably not, but that was in fact the case in 2016, as Guice started as many games as the fourth overall pick, yet nearly doubled his production.

Impressive, I know, but while his production tells a lot of the story, I was less than blown away with his tape. Sure Guice possesses a rare speed and power combination, but from what I saw on film, he lacks natural balance through the hole and seems to run in the second level a bit heavy-footed. That’s me nitpicking though, as Guice is a guy who can take it to the house in an instant…

If he works on patience and balance this offseason as a runner, and cleans up his blocking and receiving technique in the passing game, Guice has a legitimate shot at the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Bo Scarborough (Junior) Alabama

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 228 lbs.

Did you like Derrick Henry as a prospect a couple of years ago? Well, here’s the same guy. He goes to Alabama like Henry, he has nearly the exact same measurements as Henry, and his running style is almost identical to Henry’s. Bo Scarborough may be the most talented back in this class, but currently I have him ranked third because of his noted injury history and NCAA violation that had him suspended for the first four games of his freshman season. Mainly though, I am concerned that Bo has never handled 20 carries in a game. I fully expect the Crimson Tide to lean heavily on Scarborough this season, similarly to how they did Derrick Henry two years ago. If he proves that he can handle it, then he should be selected within the first 50 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Wide Receiver

Largely like this past draft class, right now, there are three front-runners at the wide receiver position for the 2018 class.

Christian Kirk (Junior) Texas A&M

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 200 lbs.

Kirk is by no means the biggest, but what he lacks in size he makes up for with playmaking ability. He’s considered the most dangerous return man in college football right now, and beyond that he can play the wide receiver position pretty well too. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself here, but it is tough to watch the tape and not see a little bit of Odell Beckham. Below is his highlight mix from 2016, you be the judge…

Calvin Ridley (Junior) Alabama

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 188 lbs.

Ridley has been receiving major hype since his freshman year at Alabama, and quiet frankly, he has delivered. You're looking at a sleek, smooth running, playmaker, who has produced at a high level for his first two collegiate seasons, despite having no semblance of a quarterback to get him the ball consistently. While that circumstance makes his tape a more underwhelming than it should be, make no mistake; this kid is fun to watch. Ridley projects into the NFL as a more pure receiver, but because of his quarterback situation, Alabama has needed to use him in gadget scenarios far more often than necessary. All that does though is prove his natural athleticism and multi-faceted skill-set.

Courtland Sutton (Junior) SMU

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 215 lbs.

Sutton comes into this season as the Nation’s most physically imposing, draft eligible, wideout. That is always something that will garner attention from mock drafters, and while I watched his tape and was intrigued, I came away with a very tame and reasonable comparison…

Remember Roy E. Williams? Played college ball at Texas and then played in the NFL for the Lions, Cowboys, and Bears. Courtland Sutton has nearly the same build and an almost identical skillset. Just like Williams, Sutton uses his size to take advantage of defenders on jump balls. He has good hands, is a solid route runner, and while he isn’t blazing fast, he’s a long strider. That long striding running style of Sutton’s is what most reminded me of Williams. Now while you may be thinking that this comparison is a knock on Sutton because Williams largely disappointed in the NFL (never had double-digit touchdowns in a season; only one 1,000 yard receiving season), keep in mind that he was a top-10 pick in the 2004 NFL draft. Sutton too has a chance to go in the top-10 once 2018 comes around.

Tight End

This tight end class – at the moment – has no star. While it is still early and other scouts have other names that they are excited for, below is the only TE that I have watched so far who seems to fit the model of today’s NFL pass catching TE.

Mike Gesicki (Junior) Penn State

Height: 6-foot-6 | Weight: 252 lbs.

Right off the bat, I love Gesicki’s size because it’s one thing to have the listing of 6-foot-6, 252 lbs. but he really seems to carry it well on tape. He appears to overpower the first defender on contact, while sometimes it takes three guys to take him down. With the ball in the air, Gesicki uses his aforementioned size to win the 50-50 battles. He’s not the fastest, but I see a little Tyler Eifert to his game in that his best work will be done in the red zone. After a major leap in production from his sophomore to junior season, I expect Gesicki’s next step in his senior season to propel him into the back end of the first round, or at worst, into the second round of next year’s draft.

** Part two of my "Way Too Early Prospect Preview" will include the impact defenders looming in the 2018 NFL Draft. Beyond that, it is back to the NFL, where I will break down, teams, players, and overriding storylines headed into training camp. I know baseball just started, but football is right around the corner! **