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Rankings 3.0: Top 25 prospects in 2018 college football season

With the first eight weeks of the college football season in the books, NFL.com analysts and former scouts Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah have each updated their ranking of the nation's top 25 prospects, which we've combined into one list.

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior

 *(Bucky Brooks ranking: 1; Daniel Jeremiah ranking: 1)* 
 **Previous rank:** 1 

Ohio State announced last week that Bosa intends to withdraw from the school to focus on rehab and NFL draft prep after suffering a core muscle injury earlier this season. While he won't suit up for the Buckeyes anymore this fall, he's shown enough to secure his spot as the top prospect in the country. -- DJ

School: Oregon | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 3; DJ: 3)* 
 **Previous rank:** 2 

Prototypical QB1 with A-plus size, arm talent and athleticism. As a new-school dual-threat playmaker with a polished game from the pocket, Herbert checks all of the boxes as a future franchise quarterback. -- BB

School: Houston | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 2; DJ: 4)* 
 **Previous rank:** 3 

Oliver is somewhat polarizing in NFL scouting circles. Everyone agrees he is a great player, but some don't view him as a top-10 talent. I'm still a believer. -- DJ

School: Michigan | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 6; DJ: 2)* 
 **Previous rank:** 4 

Explosive athlete with positional versatility and pass-rush skills. Gary flashes the traits defensive coaches covet in blue-chip defenders, but he must address questions about his durability going forward. -- BB

School: LSU | Year: Sophomore (RS)

 *(BB: 5; DJ: 6)* 
 **Previous rank:** 7 

Crafty cover corner with outstanding instincts, awareness and ball skills. Williams can blanket receivers in press coverage or sit back and jump routes using superb "off" technique. Size is a concern, but his skills could make it hard to bypass him as a potential CB1. -- BB

School: Iowa | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 8; DJ: 5)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-5 

I love Fant's athleticism and believe he's one of the best TE prospects of the last five years. -- DJ

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 4; DJ: 13)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-5 

Talented defender with explosive pass-rush skills. Davis can attack the quarterback from multiple spots, exhibiting outstanding quickness, athleticism and burst. -- BB

School: Clemson | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 7; DJ: 11)* 
 **Previous rank:** 8 

Lawrence has the ability to dominate against the run, but I'd still like to see some growth from him as a pass rusher. -- DJ

School: LSU | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 10; DJ: 15)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-15 

Ultra-athletic defender with a non-stop motor and sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability. White is capable of destroying the offense's game plan. -- BB

School: Georgia | Year: Senior

 *(BB: 11; DJ: 16)* 
 **Previous rank:** 9 

Rock-solid cover corner with size, instincts and ball skills. Baker can lock up wide receivers in press coverage, but he is at his best "clueing" the quarterback in "off" coverage. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound (per school measurements) defender has great diagnostic skills and his ability to read routes would make him a perfect fit in a zone-heavy scheme. -- BB

School: Washington | Year: Sophomore (RS)

 *(BB: 13; DJ: 17)* 
 **Previous rank:** 13 

Scrappy ballhawk with a strong nose for the football on the island. Murphy's superb technique and instincts make him a nice fit for any scheme that allows defenders to "clue" the quarterback from "off" coverage. -- BB

School: West Virginia | Year: Senior (RS)

 *(BB: 9; DJ: 24)* 
 **Previous rank:** 10 

Efficient pocket passer with outstanding arm talent, timing and anticipation. Grier not only makes the game look easy from the pocket, but he also shines when forced to make off-platform throws on the move. -- BB

School: Florida | Year: Junior

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 7)* 
 **Previous rank:** Unranked 

I loved studying Polite's tape. He has an explosive burst off the edge and a very nifty inside spin move. -- DJ

School: Alabama | Year: Sophomore (RS)

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 8)* 
 **Previous rank:** Unranked 

Williams reminds me a lot of former Tide star Jonathan Allen. He is outstanding with his hand usage and stands out on a very talented defensive front. -- DJ

School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 9)* 
 **Previous rank:** Unranked 

Simmons can take over a game with his combination of quickness, agility and power. However, his 2016 arrest -- which stemmed from a highly publicized video of him getting into a physical altercation with a woman -- will loom large in his evaluation. -- DJ

School: Alabama | Year: Junior (RS)

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 10)* 
 **Previous rank:** Unranked 

Thompson has incredible instincts and range in the back end. He's a better version of former Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. -- DJ

School: Auburn | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 18; DJ: 18)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-17 

You would be hard-pressed to find another defensive tackle with Brown's combination of size, strength and quickness. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound (school measurements) defender moves like a tight end, but flashes the power and explosiveness typically associated with All-Pro interior defensive linemen. If Brown continues to wreck shop on the inside, he could see his stock soar in NFL circles. -- BB

School: Duke | Year: Junior (RS)

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 12)* 
 **Previous rank:** 20 

Jones missed a couple games in September due to injury, but his skill set is NFL-ready. He has ideal size, athleticism and arm talent. -- DJ

School: Mississippi | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 19; DJ: 19)* 
 **Previous rank:** 21 

Little has been inconsistent, but the ability is there. He needs to step up his play down the stretch. -- DJ

School: Missouri | Year: Senior

 *(BB: 12; DJ: NR)* 
 **Previous rank:** 11 

Despite his low completion percentage (career rate of 55.7), Lock could be the No. 1 quarterback on the board this spring based on his combination of size and arm talent. He can make every throw in the book with power or finesse while consistently hitting the strike zone. If Lock can string together some solid performances in the second half of the season, he could fly up the charts when teams take a closer look at his intriguing game. -- BB

School: Florida State | Year: Junior

 *(BB: NR; DJ: 14)* 
 **Previous rank:** Unranked 

Burns is a long, lean edge rusher with outstanding burst and bend coming off the edge. He does need to get physically stronger, though. -- DJ

School: Alabama | Year: Senior

 *(BB: 14; DJ: NR)* 
 **Previous rank:** 14 

The Crimson Tide's shifty RB1 has all of the tools NFL coaches covet in a lead back. Harris can run inside or outside with power or finesse, but he also contributes in the passing game as a dependable receiver. With teams increasingly looking for three-down backs who have enough versatility to align in the backfield or out wide, Harris' talents should make him a hot commodity in scouting circles. -- BB

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior (RS)

 *(BB: 20; DJ: 20)* 
 **Previous rank:** 22 

Scrappy interior defender with a versatile game that works well at the three-technique or five-technique spot. Jones' combination of athleticism, first-step quickness and playmaking ability could make him a disruptive force at the next level. -- BB

School: Ohio State | Year: Sophomore (RS)

 *(BB: 15; DJ: NR)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-17 

The Buckeyes' QB1 exhibits all of the traits coaches and scouts covet in a franchise quarterback. Haskins is a classic pocket passer with A-plus arm talent. He is one of the few quarterbacks capable of making every throw in the book from the pocket with power, touch or finesse. -- BB

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

 *(BB: 16; DJ: 25)* 
 **Previous rank:** T-15 

Wilson is very instinctive and productive working in the middle of the Alabama defense. He's not quite as talented as former Alabama linebackers Reuben Foster and C.J. Mosley. -- DJ

Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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