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McShay's preseason Top 32: Ranking 2018 NFL draft prospects

College football's season is almost set to kick off, which means that the 2018 NFL draft will be here sooner than you think. Those of us at Scouts Inc. -- Steve Muench and I -- spent the summer evaluating tape and ranking the top players at each position from a draft perspective.

Here is our preseason evaluation of the top 32 players for next year's draft. A lot can -- and will -- change between now and next April, but this will give you a good starting point on where the best guys stand going into the season.

Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.


1. Sam Darnold, QB, USC*

Grade: 94

After being inserted in the starting lineup, Darnold took a 1-3 USC team and led it to a Rose Bowl appearance last season. Completing 67.2 percent of his passes (10th nationally), he threw for 3,086 yards and posted a 31-9 TD-INT ratio. Darnold capped the season with an impressive performance against Penn State in the Rose Bowl, tossing five TDs and going 10-of-10 for 135 yards in the fourth quarter. He can improve his ball security (nine fumbles, five lost), and his delivery is a bit long, but his accuracy is outstanding. He's an early Heisman Trophy favorite and is a more complete player than Josh Allen at this point.

2. Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming*

Grade: 94

Allen is the best quarterback most college football fans have never heard of, and he can do everything on the field. He didn't have a single Division I scholarship offer in high school but transferred to Wyoming after a year at Reedley College. Allen has an elite arm and frame (listed at 6-foot-5, 233 pounds) and is surprisingly fast and athletic for his size. He can make any throw, and his accuracy is terrific when his feet are set. A little bit of a gunslinger at times, he has all the tools to be an elite NFL quarterback. If he comes out, he'll be in the running for the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft.