The 2019 NFL Draft takes place April 25-27 this year, but dynasty league owners are already plotting their next prospect pickups. To get a feel for how the first round might look in rookie drafts, here are the top-10 fantasy relevant, draft eligible players in college football this season to kick off the big board.
1. N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State, Jr. (6-foot-4, 213 pounds)
The homegrown Chandler, Arizona product has been great all year, yet his most recent effort was his best yet of 2018. Harry was able to rack up nine catches for 161 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-20 win against Utah, leaving him with 55 catches for 828 yards and nine touchdowns on 84 targets (65.5 percent catch rate, 9.9 YPT) in nine games. Thanks to the elite production and standout production on a big frame, Harry is a clear WR1 prospect.
Projected round: 1 (Top 15)
2. Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina, Jr. (6-foot-3, 220 pounds)
Standing at 6-foot-3, Edwards is a big target that has been outstanding in his career for the Gamecocks. The junior was able to torch a soft Ole Miss secondary in Week 10 with four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown on just four targets. His most impressive game this season came against a Georgia defense that is ranked 11th in the country against the pass, where he had seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. For the year he boasts 35 catches for 556 yards and six touchdowns on 54 targets (64.8 percent catch rate, 10.3 YPT).
Projected round: 1
3. Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia, Jr. (5-foot-11, 183 pounds)
Hardman was bothered by an ankle injury in recent weeks, but the speedy junior has shown his big-play ability for the Bulldogs this season. Hardman caught a touchdown pass in four straight games to open the year, and he's been able to add value with strong showings in the return game with a 25.7 yard kick return average, and 26.7 yard punt return average. His big return came in Week three against Middle Tennessee, where he took a punt back 70 yards for a touchdown. A defensive back convert just before the start of last year, Hardman might be more toolsy than developed at this point.
Projected round: 1-2
4. Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma, Jr. (5-foot-10, 168 pounds)
Nicknamed "Hollywood", the 5-foot-10 Brown has certainly lived up to the nickname, accumulating an 18.1 yard per catch average this season. Known as a big-play threat, Brown set a school record with 265 receiving yards in one game last season against Oklahoma State, and was able to rack up 191 yards receiving in Week 3 this season against Iowa State. Brown is unusually light, but he should log a top-notch 40 time to establish himself as a strong NFL prospect.
Projected round: 1-2
5. A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi, Jr. (6-foot-1, 230 pounds)
The 2017 First-Team All-SEC selection has been a stalwart for the Rebels in his three years at the school, totaling 2,584 yards and and 18 touchdowns in 31 career games. Last week, Brown was able to torch the South Carolina secondary to the tune of six catches for 115 yards, leaving him with 66 catches for 920 yards and five touchdowns in 2018 on 91 targets. Brown is also a tremendous athlete who was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB draft before electing to play football at Ole Miss. Brown almost exclusively plays out of the slot and might not have the speed to make plays downfield in the NFL, but he's a strong runner with rare shiftiness for such a big target.
Projected round: 1-3
6. Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota, Jr. (6-foot-2, 200 pounds)
Johnson was a super efficient target last year in a bad offense (677 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 targets), but he's taken his game to new heights in 2018, racking up 57 catches for 875 yards and eight touchdowns through 10 weeks. Johnson has seen an outrageous target share of 39 percent this season, drawing 103 targets in an offense that threw 264 passes to this point. Even with less than stellar quarterback play, Johnson has been able to rack up six games of 100 or more yards this season. Johnson played quarterback in high school instead of receiver, so he could keep improving with experience.
Projected round: 1-3
7. Damien Harris, RB, Alabama, Sr. (5-foot-11, 215 pounds)
Yet another standout Alabama running back, Harris has certainly lived up to the standard his predecessors set before him. The two-time National Champion has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season twice already in his career and owns an impressive career rushing average of 6.6 yards per carry. Harris ran all over the LSU defense last week for 107 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in a 29-0 win. The senior also produces in the passing game and has caught all of his 16 targets for 166 yards this season.
Projected round: 2-3
8. Benny Snell, RB, Kentucky, Jr. (5-foot-11, 223 pounds)
The former Freshman All-American has reached 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons at Kentucky, including 1,033 yards (5.2 YPC) and 11 touchdowns over nine games in 2018. Snell is your prototypical workhorse back and has received a whopping 647 carries in his three-year career. It seems Snell has nothing left to prove in college as he's been able to produce against top SEC defenses, including this past week against Georgia where he rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Projected round: 2-4
9. DK Metcalf, WR, Mississippi, RS-So. (6-foot-4, 230 pounds)
The son of former NFL player Terrence Metcalf, DK certainly has an outstanding gene pool to work with. After racking up 26 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns in 2018 on just 42 targets, Metcalf was ruled out for the season with a neck injury Oct. 15. This is the second time the redshirt sophomore has seen his season cut short, after a foot injury forced him to end his 2016 season. The 6-foot-4 Metcalf is supremely talented, but injuries could definitely hurt his NFL draft stock. If his health checks out well with NFL doctors, his stock could surge toward the top of the list. College football reporter Bruce Feldman disclosed that Metcalf is believed to possess a 4.46-second 40, 133-inch broad jump, and 37.5-inch vertical.
Projected round: 1-4
10. Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis, Jr. (5-foot-9, 200 pounds)
Though some might say he's done it against weak competition, Henderson's production speaks for itself. The junior running back has been able to rack up 1,563 total yards from scrimmage in nine games this season. Going back to 2017 his rushing average stands at a towering 9.2 yards per carry. In perhaps his toughest test of the 2018 season against UCF, Henderson racked up 199 yards rushing and a touchdown on 31 carries in the loss. Henderson is a major big-play threat with six touchdowns this season of over 50 yards. With numbers like that, Henderson could be making a big impact in the running and passing game on Sundays soon.
Projected round: 2-4
11. Elijah Holyfield, RB, Georgia, Jr. (5-foot-11, 215 pounds)
Holyfield dealt with some injury disruptions in his first two Georgia seasons, where he otherwise had to wait behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, but he's come alive in his junior season for Georgia. Holyfield leads a crowded Georgia backfield in all rushing categories with 103 carries for 674 yards and five touchdowns, good for 6.5 yards per carry. The son of Evander, Elijah has an imposing build to go with what looks like a good combination of strength and athleticism.
Projected round: 2-4
12. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford, Sr. (6-foot-3, 225 pounds)
Arcega-Whiteside is a bully when the ball is in the air, boxing out defenders for the snag on an almost automatic basis. While he doesn't figure to run or jump exceptionally at the combine, Arcega-Whiteside looks like he should be a strong red-zone and possession receiver in the NFL. He has 20 touchdowns on his last 146 targets, which also resulted in 1,535 yards (65.8 percent catch rate, 10.5 YPT).
Projected round: 3-4
