Most draft seasons I’ll have at least a top 200 big board for you by draft day, but I’ve got a little perfectionist in me, and it didn’t feel right to rank players out to 200 without having properly studied all the prospects that would have been included. Being hired in February meant a little bit of a late start for me on studying this class, but next year you can expect all of this draft content to be ramped up to another level.

A couple things that are important to note about my grading process and my Top 150 Big Board so you don’t start your weekend overly triggered (maybe you still will):

• I model my grading scale after the approach of NFL teams, which means it is stingy. Most NFL teams have less first-round grades and smaller overall boards than those you see in the media. I’m not one of those analysts who will have 25 first-round grades and 40 second-round grades. The reality is that most players who attempt to make it in the NFL will not, and many that we project to be among the best at their position never get there. We all wish it wasn’t so, but that doesn’t stop it from being a reality.

As a result, my grading scale is pretty strict. Here’s the breakdown and color coded key:

Can’t Miss Grades – BLUE – Prospects that I believe will be among the very best at their position group by their third year in the NFL.

First-Round Grades – GREEN – Prospects that I believe will be excellent starters in the NFL.

Second-Round Grades – Purple – Prospects that I believe will range from very good-to-good starters in the NFL.

Third-Round Grades – GOLD – Solid starters, sometimes with significant upside that has yet to manifest itself consistently on the field, who will at their floor be important role players in the NFL.

Fourth-Fifth-Round Grades – RED – Grades range from Spot starters/solid role players at their ceiling (4th) to backups/special teams value (5th) in the NFL.

• My board does NOT account for positional value at all, other than obviously excluding kickers, punters and long snappers because I don’t know how to scout them. For example, I have five running backs with a second-round grade in this class, but I probably wouldn’t ever take a running back until later in the draft unless he was a Round 1-caliber, dynamic space player and receiver.

Oregon QB Justin Herbert – Photo by: Getty Images

So although a quarterback like Oregon’s Justin Herbert may be further down this board than most, it just means I think he’ll be a solid starter in the NFL (third-round grade definition), not that I wouldn’t take him until Round 3 as a team because quarterbacks have a higher positional value. A solid starter at quarterback is obviously worth way more than a great starting running back. My Big Board just doesn’t account for that because I’m not an NFL team and I don’t need to stack my board like one. So read between the lines there.

Also, every year the majority of my grades fall in the third-fourth round range. It’s important to understand realities with these prospects, and that is that most of them range from “solid starters to backup/special teams” caliber players during the course of their careers. Very few venture into the “good-to-very good starter” territory, and even fewer into the “elite” territory, so it’s important to me to make sure my grades reflect that. I’m not into spraying and praying and giving half the class a first or second round grade.

Now you are free to hate on me from a place of understanding – rather than ignorance. Enjoy!

1. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
3. Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
4. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
5. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
6. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
7. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
8. Isaiah Simmons, Avenger, Clemson
9. Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina
10. Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
11. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
12. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
13. Ashtyn Davis, S, California
14. Derrick Brown, IDL, Auburn
15. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
16. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
17. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
18. K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
19. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
20. Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan
21. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
22. Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin
23. Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
24. Michael Pittman, WR, USC
25. Antoine Winfield, S, MInnesota
26. Josh Jones, OT, Houston
27. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
28. K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
29. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, AZ State
30. Terrell Burgess, S, Utah
31. D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
32. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
33. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
34. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
35. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
36. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
37. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
38. Justin Madubuike, IDL, Texas A&M
39. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
40. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
41. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
42. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
43. Grant Delpit, S, LSU
44. Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
45. Ross Blacklock, IDL, TCU
46. Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
47. Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming
48. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
49. K’Von Wallace, CB, Clemson
50. Josh Uche, LB/EDGE, Michigan
51. Marlon Davidson, IDL, Auburn
52. Lloyd Cushenberry, IOL, LSU
53. Zack Moss, RB, Utah
54. Robert Hunt, IOL, Louisiana-Lafayette
55. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
56. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
57. Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama
58. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
59. Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, App St
60. Jordan Elliott, IDL, Missouri
61. Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
62. Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
63. Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota
64. Antonio Gibson, RB/WR, Memphis
65. Ben Bredeson, IOL, Michigan
66. Damien Lewis, IOL, LSU
67. Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
68. Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
69. Neville Gallimore, IDL, Oklahoma
70. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech
71. Willie Gay, LB, Mississippi St
72. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
73. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
74. Jonah Jackson, IOL, Ohio State
75. Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
76. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia
77. A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
78. Brandon Jones, S, Texas
79. Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
80. Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi St
81. Darrell Taylor, EDGE, Tennessee
82. Amik Robertson, CB, LA Tech
83. Markus Bailey, LB, Purdue
84. Devin Asiasi, TE, UCLA
85. Matt Hennessy, IOL, Temple
86. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
87. Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State
88. Malik Harrison, LB, Ohio State
89. Michael Onwenu, IOL, Michigan
90. Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
91. Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue
92. Geno Stone, S, Iowa
93. Troy Pride, CB, Notre Dame
94. Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
95. Davon Hamilton, IDL, Ohio State
96. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
97. Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn
98. Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
99. Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
100. L’Jarius Sneed, CB, LA Tech
101. Austin Jackson, OT, USC
102. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
103. Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
104. Reggie Robinson, CB, Tulsa
105. Ben Bartch, IOL, Saint Johns
106. John Reid, CB, Penn State
107. Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
108. Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah
109. K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
110. Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky
111. Jonathan Greenard, EDGE, Florida
112. McTelvin Agim, IDL, Arkansas
113. John Hightower, WR, Boise State
114. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
115. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
116. Matt Peart, OT, UCONN
117. J.J. Taylor, RB, Arizona
118. Harrison Bryant, TE, FAU
119. Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame
120. Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
121. Nick Harris, IOL, Washington
122. Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
123. Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State
124. Netane Muti, IOL, Fresno State
125. Michael Ojemudia, CB, Iowa
126. Kenny Robinson, S, WVU
127. Alex Highsmith, EDGE, Charlotte
128. Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF
129. Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA
130. Dalton Keene, TE, Virginia Tech
131. Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State
132. Dane Jackson, CB, Pitt
133. Khalid Kareem, EDGE, Notre Dame
134. Joe Bachie, LB, Michigan State
135. Anfernee Jennings, EDGE, Alabama
136. Jabari Zuniga, EDGE, Florida
137. Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington
138. Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island
139. Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee
140. Jason Strowbridge, IDL, UNC
141. Rashard Lawrence, IDL, LSU
142. Collin Johnson, WR, Texas
143. Tyler Biadasz, IOL, Wisconsin
144. Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
145. Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt
146. James Lynch, IDL, Baylor
147. Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin
148. Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
149. John Simpson, IOL, Clemson
150. Raekwon Davis, IDL, Alabama