It's never too early (or too late) to talk about the NFL Draft, so as we enter June — why not talk about 2018? In this instance, we're focusing on the talent-rich ACC.
Oh, and ACC fans … don't be surprised if around 40 of the players taken next year — more than an entire round — come from your favorite league. It's a stocked group this year.
Top 2018 NFL Draft Prospects by Conference
SEC East | SEC West | ACC | Big Ten | Pac-12 | Big 12 | AAC | MAC | FCS
The site NFLDraftScout.com ranks 2018 prospects by position, even this early — though the site has not assigned an overall ranking just yet. So we take each player's position ranking and compared it to what happened late last month to give a ballpark of where a guy might land next year. It's not scientific, but it gives you an idea.
For example, Florida State's Trey Marshall is rated the No. 3 strong safety in the 2018 NFL Draft class (please note we're not including underclassmen yet, as nobody will officially declare until after the season). In the April 2017 NFL Draft, the No. 3 strong safety was selected No. 50 overall, a middle second-rounder.
So let's take a look at the ACC's 2018 prospects and where they might end up in the draft (again, all projections are using NFLDraftScout.com). Rankings used were as of May 28.
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BRADLEY CHUBB, DE – N.C. STATE
EARLY 2018 PROJECTION: 1st round (rated No. 2 DE by NFLDraftScout.com)
CAREER STATS: 31.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 126 tackles
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MAX BROWNE, QB – PITTSBURGH
EARLY 2018 PROJECTION: 1st round (rated No. 2 QB by NFLDraftScout.com)
CAREER STATS: 650 yards passing, 2 TDs in limited action at Southern Cal
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BRANDON FACYSON, CB – VIRGINIA TECH
EARLY 2018 PROJECTION: 1st round (rated No. 1 CB by NFLDraftScout.com)
CAREER STATS: 112 tackles, 5 INTs, 34 passes defensed
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HAROLD LANDRY, OLB – BOSTON COLLEGE
EARLY 2018 PROJECTION: 1st round (rated No. 1 OLB by NFLDraftScout.com)
CAREER STATS: 120 tackles, 39.5 TFLs, 20 sacks, 10 forced fumbles
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QUIN BLANDING, FS – VIRGINIA
EARLY 2018 PROJECTION: 1st round (rated No. 1 FS by NFLDraftScout.com)
CAREER STATS: 356 tackles, 6 INTs, 14 passes defensed, 5.5 TFLs
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So how about the rest of the 2018 ACC prospects, where would they fall in?
| RD | PLAYER | SCHOOL | POS | HGT | WGT | 40 |
| 1 | Micah Kiser | Virginia | ILB | 6/1 | 240 | 4.76 |
| 1 | Duke Ejiofor | Wake Forest | DE | 6/3 | 275 | 4.84 |
| 1 | Chad Thomas | Miami (Fla.) | DE | 6/5 | 265 | 4.76 |
| 2 | Matthew Thomas | Florida State | OLB | 6/2 | 227 | 4.67 |
| 2 | Trey Marshall | Florida State | SS | 6/1 | 207 | 4.57 |
| 2 | Dee Delaney | Miami (Fla.) | CB | 6/1 | 193 | 4.55 |
| 3 | M.J. Stewart | North Carolina | CB | 5/11 | 200 | 4.54 |
| 3 | Drew Bailey | Louisville | DE | 6/5 | 285 | 4.94 |
| 3 | Jester Weah | Pittsburgh | WR | 6/2 | 205 | 4.59 |
| 3 | Jacob Pugh | Florida State | DE | 6/3 | 232 | 4.78 |
| 3 | Dorian O'Daniel | Clemson | OLB | 6/1 | 215 | 4.69 |
| 3 | Andrew Brown | Virginia | DE | 6/4 | 280 | 4.93 |
| 3 | Austin Proehl | North Carolina | WR | 5/10 | 175 | – |
| 3 | Derrick Nnadi | Florida State | DT | 6/1 | 303 | 5.09 |
| 3 | Shaq Wiggins | Louisville | CB | 5/9 | 172 | 4.4 |
| 3 | Greg Stroman | Virginia Tech | CB | 6/1 | 176 | 4.5 |
| 3* | Kentavius Street | NC State | DT | 6/2 | 290 | 4.96 |
| 4 | Donnie Miles | North Carolina | SS | 5/11 | 210 | 4.59 |
| 4 | Chucky Williams | Louisville | FS | 6/1 | 210 | 4.62 |
| 4 | Tyrone Crowder | Clemson | OG | 6/2 | 340 | 5.43 |
| 4 | Cam Serigne | Wake Forest | TE | 6/3 | 250 | 4.78 |
| 5 | James Hearns | Louisville | OLB | 6/2 | 249 | 4.74 |
| 5 | Wilson Bell | Florida State | OG | 6/4 | 313 | 5.28 |
| 5* | Reggie Bonnafon | Louisville | WR | 6/2 | 208 | 4.57 |
| 5* | KC McDermott | Miami (Fla.) | OG | 6/6 | 300 | 5.27 |
| 5* | Dajaun Drennon | North Carolina | DE | 6/3 | 255 | – |
| 6 | Jeremy Smith | Louisville | RB | 6/1 | 224 | 4.62 |
| 6 | B.J. Hill | NC State | DT | 6/3 | 300 | 4.94 |
| 6 | Bentley Spain | North Carolina | OT | 6/6 | 300 | 5.04 |
| 6 | Steve Ishmael | Syracuse | WR | 6/1 | 202 | 4.53 |
| 6 | Nick Linder | Miami (Fla.) | C | 6/3 | 300 | 5.25 |
| 6* | Tony Adams | NC State | OG | 6/1 | 315 | 5.32 |
| 7 | Rick Leonard | Florida State | DE | 6/6 | 287 | 4.89 |
| 7 | Michael Badgley | Miami (Fla.) | K | 5/10 | 175 | 4.76 |
| 7 | Marcus Edmond | Clemson | CB | 5/11 | 175 | 4.5 |
| 7 | Jaylen Samuels | NC State | FB | 5/11 | 223 | 4.78 |
