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INDIANAPOLIS — A year of studying has come down to this: the final rankings of the best players in the 2020 NFL Draft.
With the majority of pro days, personal workouts and in-facility visits canceled, this draft more than any in recent memory will be unpredictable and based primarily on film study.
Of course, film isn't the only determining factor in a player's ranking; medical history, physical measurements, scheme fits, and both football and off-field character all weigh-in as well.
With the first round of the draft kicking off in about 48 hours, here's our final Colts.com list of the 15 best players at each position group in this year's class.
QUARTERBACK
- Joe Burrow, LSU
- Justin Herbert, Oregon
- Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
- Jordan Love, Utah State
- Jacob Eason, Washington
- Jalen Hurts, Alabama
- Steven Montez, Colorado
- Anthony Gordon, Washington State
- Jake Fromm, Georgia
- Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
- Nathan Rourke, Ohio
- James Morgan, Florida International
- Cole McDonald, Hawaii
- Tyler Huntley, Utah
- Nathan Stanley, Iowa
This quarterback draft class may lack some of the high-powered prospects we're used to seeing, but it's a quality one nonetheless. After Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, there's a bunch of questions. Tua Tagovailoa is another first-round lock, but concerns about his once-injured hip will have some teams nervous. Jordan Love will go somewhere in the top 50 picks, but no one is quite sure where. Jacob Eason, Jalen Hurts and Jake Fromm round out the group of quarterbacks that people consider high-upside, potentially early starters and will be off the board by the end of Day 2.
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RUNNING BACK
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
- D'Andre Swift, Georgia
- J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
- Zack Moss, Utah
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
- Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State
- Anthony McFarland Jr., Maryland
- Cam Akers, Florida State
- A.J. Dillon, Boston College
- Lamical Perine, Florida
- Darius "Jet" Anderson, TCU
- Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
- Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
- Joshua Kelley, UCLA
- JaMycal Hasty, Baylor
We may be without a first-round running back this year, but that doesn't mean it's not a solid class. Jonathan Taylor is one of the most accomplished running backs in recent memory, and D'Andre Swift and J.K. Dobbins have had people waiting for them to hit the NFL for a couple years.You can find quality backs throughout the draft, including a couple of sleepers like Darrynton Evans and Anthony McFarland who could be studs in the NFL.
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WIDE RECEIVER
- Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
- CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
- Denzel Mims, Baylor
- Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
- Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
- Justin Jefferson, LSU
- Tee Higgins, Clemson
- K.J. Hill, Ohio State
- Jalen Reagor, TCU
- Michael Pittman Jr., USC
- Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty
- Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
- Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
- K.J. Hamler, Penn State
- Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
As far as I can tell, this class of receivers is as good as advertised. Guys like Alabama teammates Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III as well as Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb are all likely to go in the top 20, while Denzel Mims, Brandon Aiyuk, Justin Jefferson and Jalen Reagor each have an argument for finding their way in the first round as well. Day 2 should be chock-full of receivers as well, as this class offers a ton of size and speed. What will be particularly interesting is where the top guys who lack size (Reagor and K.J. Hamler) and the guys who have some great traits but lack prime athleticism (Tee Higgins and K.J. Hill) land.
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TIGHT END
- Hunter Bryant, Washington
- Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
- Adam Trautman, Dayton
- Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
- Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
- Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
- Devin Asiasi, UCLA
- Thaddeus Moss, LSU
- Joey Magnifico, Memphis
- Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati
- Jake Breeland, Oregon
- C.J. O'Grady, Arkansas
- Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech
- Sean McKeon, Michigan
- Mitchell Wilcox, USF
Although there are quality tight ends to be found in the draft, this class takes a little bit of a nose dive after the top 6-8 players, and it's already a group of tight ends that's not likely to hear many names called before Day 3. If you want guys who are both quality blockers and pass-catchers, or matchup problems who can stretch the field, they are available, but they may go fast due to the scarce supply.
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OFFENSIVE TACKLE
- Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
- Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
- Josh Jones, Houston
- Andrew Thomas, Georgia
- Mekhi Becton, Louisville
- Austin Jackson, USC
- Robert Hunt, UL-Lafayette
- Matt Peart, UConn
- Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas
- Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
- Lucas Niang, TCU
- Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
- Ezra Cleveland, Boise State
- Ben Bartch, Saint John's
- Trey Adams, Washington
This class features quite a few really good tackle prospects. While the group of immediate starters may not be deep, the amount of guys who can develop into really solid tackles early in their career might go into Day 3. About seven or eight of these guys have generated some sort of first-round buzz.
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INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE
- Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
- Jonah Jackson, Ohio State
- Kevin Dotson, UL-Lafayette
- Ben Bredeson, Michigan
- Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
- Nick Harris, Washington
- Matt Hennessy, Temple
- Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU
- Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
- John Simpson, Clemson
- Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
- Tyre Phillips, Mississippi State
- Jake Hanson, Oregon
- Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
- Simon Stepaniak, Indiana
This isn't the flashiest group of interior offensive linemen, but there are some studs to be found early on. There are several quality centers, especially, and the Big Ten reigns supreme once more when it comes to offensive line play.
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EDGE DEFENDER
- Chase Young, Ohio State
- K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
- Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
- Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
- Terrell Lewis, Alabama
- Jonathan Greenard, Florida
- Josh Uche, Michigan
- Jabari Zuniga, Florida
- A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
- Curtis Weaver, Boise State
- Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
- Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
- Bradlee Anae, Utah
- Alton Robinson, Syracuse
- Oluwole Betiku Jr., Illinois
This class of edge defenders is headlined by an unanimous top choice in Chase Young, but after that is where variety begins to come into play. It's not the most top-heavy group, but there are nice players to find likely in each round. There is a variety of lengthy, flexible pass rushers with explosiveness, strong-side run stoppers and guys that can do a little bit of everything.
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INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE
- Derrick Brown, Auburn
- Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma
- Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
- Ross Blacklock, TCU
- Marlon Davidson, Auburn
- Jordan Elliott, Missouri
- Bravvion Roy, Baylor
- Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
- Raekwon Davis, Alabama
- James Lynch, Baylor
- Larrell Murchison, NC State
- Jason Strowbridge, UNC
- Rob Windsor, Penn State
- DaVon Hamilton, Ohio State
- Rashard Lawrence, LSU
This year is a bit of a refreshing change, as the top defensive tackles aren't just enormous, space-eating run stoppers. Guys like Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw are currently strong run-stoppers, yes, but they show a lot of potential as interior pass rushers as well. Meanwhile, guys like Neville Gallimore and Marlon Davidson are quality pass-rushers who move very well for 300-pounders, but they have room to grow as run-stoppers. If these guys reach their potential, this will have been a quality class of interior defenders near the top.
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LINEBACKER
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
- Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
- Patrick Queen, LSU
- Khaleke Hudson, Michigan
- Zack Baun, Wisconsin
- Malik Harrison, Ohio State
- Logan Wilson, Wyoming
- Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
- Jacob Phillips, LSU
- Troy Dye, Oregon
- Shaquille Quarterman, Miami
- Davion Taylor, Colorado
- Evan Weaver, California
- Markus Bailey, Purdue
- Shaun Bradley, Temple
The top three linebackers in this class are pretty uniform for most people in Swiss Army Knife Isaiah Simmons, Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen. However, after that it's a hodgepodge. Overall, the above group features a lot of length, speed and instincts that you look for in attacking-style linebackers. The modern NFL linebacker is changing, and this year's draft is full of those smaller, more athletic types.
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CORNERBACK
- Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State
- Trevon Diggs, Alabama
- Jeff Gladney, TCU
- C.J. Henderson, Florida
- Damon Arnette, Ohio State
- Kristian Fulton, LSU
- A.J. Terrell, Clemson
- Jaylon Johnson, Utah
- Bryce Hall, Virginia
- Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
- Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame
- Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn
- Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
- Parnell Motley, Oklahoma
- Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
Cornerback is sort of like edge defender this year where there's one clear-cut player for most people, and then everything changes from there. If you want bigger, smothering types then Jeffrey Okudah, C.J. Henderson, Trevon Diggs, A.J. Terrell, Jaylon Johnson and Bryce Hall are what you're looking for. Meanwhile, what Jeff Gladney, Damon Arnette and Kristian Fulton lack in elite size, they make up for in athleticism and playmaking ability.
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SAFETY
- Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
- Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
- Xavier McKinney, Alabama
- Grant Delpit, LSU
- Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
- Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame
- Ashtyn Davis, California
- Brandon Jones, Texas
- Julian Blackmon, Utah
- Terrell Burgess, Utah
- K'Von Wallace, Clemson
- J.R. Reed, Georgia
- Antoine Brooks Jr., Maryland
- Josh Metellus, Michigan
- Jordan Fuller, Ohio State
Two of the best safeties in this class are big question marks. Jeremy Chinn and Kyle Dugger have outstanding athleticism, but are from programs that most casual fans either rarely hear from. Two high-profile prospects from the SEC are near the top as well, as Xavier McKinney and Grant Delpit have been making plays in front of national audiences for awhile now. This is an instinctive group that gets aggressive against the ball and has a knack for making big plays.
2020 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT PROFILES
- K.J. Hill | Wide Receiver | Ohio State
- Jerry Jeudy | Wide Receiver | Alabama
- Derrick Brown | Defensive Tackle | Auburn
- K'Lavon Chaisson | Edge Defender | LSU
- CeeDee Lamb | Wide Receiver | Oklahoma
- Tristan Wirfs | Offensive Tackle | Iowa
- Neville Gallimore | Defensive Tackle | Oklahoma
- Jeff Gladney | Cornerback | TCU
- Brandon Aiyuk | Wide Receiver | Arizona State
- Jonah Jackson | Interior Offensive Lineman | Ohio State
- Trevon Diggs | Cornerback | Alabama
- Hunter Bryant | Tight End | Washington
- Julian Okwara | Edge Defender | Notre Dame
- Harrison Bryant | Tight End | Florida Atlantic
- Chase Claypool | Wide Receiver | Notre Dame