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NFL Draft: Top 10 former three-star prospects drafted in 2018

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

The NFL Draft for 2018 is over and with it numerous former three stars were selected. Here are the top 10 picked reaching into round two.

MORE IN THIS SERIES: Top 10 former five-stars who were picked in 2018 | Top 10 former four-stars in the draft

MORE NFL DRAFT: Four-stars | These 10 could be first-rounders in 2019 | How SEC stars fared in draft | Draft by position | NFL Draft by conference | Gorney's Takeaways | Grading the first-round picks

QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): No. 1 overall to Cleveland

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The skinny: Mayfield initially walked on at Texas Tech despite holding offers from Washington State, Rice and Florida Atlantic. Surprisingly, he immediately became the starter for the Red Raiders as a walk-on and earned Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors. However, after the season he decided to transfer to Oklahoma. After sitting out the 2014 season, Mayfield was a Heisman finalist in 2015 and 2016, before finally winning it in 2017.

Farrell’s take: With a gunslinger’s mentality, Mayfield had a great high school career, but many felt he was a system kid and he didn’t get a ton of offers. That looks crazy now. He’s a Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. I’m happy with his three-star ranking since we saw something none of the local schools did at least (he was a walk-on, after all), but he has clearly outplayed his ranking and his leadership skills are off the charts.

DB Denzel Ward (Ohio State): No. 4 overall to Cleveland

The skinny: Ward held offers from Kentucky, Syracuse, Rutgers, Washington State, Cincinnati and others, but when he earned his offer from the Buckeyes at the Ohio State summer camp his commitment came only a few minutes later. After seeing minimal playing time as a true freshman, Ward became one of the overall leaders of the Buckeyes' defense in 2016 and 2017.

Farrell’s take: Ward wasn’t filled out in high school despite having a solid frame and average height. He was better on offense than he was on defense, so you can see where his ball skills come from and despite his lack of size, he was a willing tackler. He was undervalued for a few reasons, but most of those issues (inconsistent in coverage, tracking the ball) were things he worked on and clearly improved in college.

DE Bradley Chubb (NC State): No. 5 overall to Denver

The skinny: Chubb committed to NC State a few days after picking up an offer from the Wolfpack in June. He had taken a visit to Raleigh earlier in the month and made his decision on his birthday. Chubb first hit his stride during the 2015 season, and gradually became one of the top pass rushing defensive ends in the country over the final two seasons with the Wolfpack.

Farrell’s take: Chubb missed much of his junior season of high school due to an ACL injury, so he was under-recruited a bit and perhaps underrated because of it. He had a solid senior season and showed athleticism as a pass rusher, but also someone who could drop into coverage. His lack of natural length kept him rated a bit lower, but his relentless motor and technique make him an elite pass rusher in college and the best defensive end around.

DE Vita Vea (Washington): No. 12 overall to Tampa Bay

The skinny: Vea committed to Washington as part of the class of 2013, but due to academic issues he didn’t actually make it to campus until 2014. He took a year off from football to focus on getting his grades in order before making the move to Seattle. After redshirting in 2014 and then easing into the college game in 2015, Vea began to reach his full potential in 2016. Due to his combination of size and athleticism, he developed into one of the top defensive tackles in the country during his time in Seattle.

Farrell’s take: Vea was ranked as a big defensive end for us out of high school but played on the nose his senior year and was very active. He started off as a four-star pass rusher for us but dropped to a three-star as he got bigger but lost some quickness. He was a tough evaluation because he hadn’t played a ton of football and was very effective when he played. He was a ‘tweener for us and it was hard to figure out what scheme he would fit into. He was also a huge running back in high school so perhaps his athleticism was overlooked.

CB Jaire Alexander (Louisville): No. 18 overall to Green Bay

The skinny: After taking an official visit to South Carolina, Alexander committed to Louisville during his visit with the Cardinals. While he showed promise as a freshman, Alexander burst onto the national scene with a very impressive all-around season in 2016. His 2017 did not match up statistically, but he continued to show enough athleticism and potential to get him noticed by NFL scouts.

Farrell’s take: A skinny cornerback out of a newer school in North Carolina, Alexander was a mid-three-star recruit who started to emerge a bit at the end of the rankings cycle. In high school, he never showed the ability to dominate as he had done after two full seasons of college football before an average junior year. Alexander had ball skills and ability in coverage but he was very raw coming out.

OL Frank Ragnow (Arkansas): No. 20 to Detroit

The skinny: Ragnow took official visits to Arkansas, Minnesota and Florida State before committing to the Razorbacks a couple of days before National Signing Day.

Farrell’s take: Ragnow was a tall, skinny offensive tackle out of high school who we had rated as a high three-star because of his ceiling. There was no way I ever saw him moving inside and becoming a first-rounder.

RB Rashaad Penny (San Diego State): No. 27 to Seattle

The skinny: Penny took official visits to San Diego State, Utah State and Fresno State before committing to the Aztecs a few days before National Signing Day. He waited patiently for his turn behind Donnel Pumphrey, while also rushing for 1,018 yards in 2016, before becoming the lead back for the Aztecs in 2017. Last season, he rushed for an FBS-leading 2,248 yards. He finished his time at San Diego State by rushing for 7.5 yards per carry during his collegiate career.

Farrell’s take: Penny was a mid-level three-star prospect who had to overcome some speed questions and didn’t earn a ton of big offers. He was a good-sized runner and had good feet, but we didn’t see his breakaway speed at the next level, and he didn’t turn the corner that well. He’s improved greatly since then but was a bit of a surprise landing in round one.

MORE SAN DIEGO STATE: AztecSportsReport.com

DB Terrell Edmunds (Virginia Tech): No. 28 to Pittsburgh

The skinny: Edmunds, who also held offers from Cincinnati and Hampton, quickly committed to Virginia Tech upon receiving his offer during the spring after his junior season. Having an opportunity to play with his older brother, Trey, was a big part of his decision, and ultimately also led him to play with his other brother, Tremaine. With the Hokies, Edmunds developed into one of the better safeties in the ACC, totaling 162 tackles and six interceptions over his last two seasons.

Farrell’s take: Edmunds was overlooked a bit as a recruit. He had good size and was a big hitter but wasn’t that fluid in coverage and many felt he would have to move to safety or down to linebacker. Tremaine was the coveted one but Terrell lands in round one as well. That’s impressive.

DT Taven Bryan (Florida): No. 29 to Jacksonville

The skinny: The Gators pulled Bryan out of Wyoming after he took a visit to Gainesville during the summer leading up to his senior season. Oregon and Washington were also seriously considered at the time of his decision. Recruited as a defensive end, Bryan eventually made his move to the interior defensive line at Florida, where he became one of the top run-stopping tackles in the SEC.

Farrell’s take: Bryan was rated as a strongside defensive end for us out of high school and was a mid-three-star prospect with some upside but lacked technique and pass rushing ability. He was very stout against the run and had a huge frame, so it’s not a surprise to see him grow into a defensive tackle. I wouldn’t have seen this coming, especially with Bryan coming from a state with little major football talent.

WR Courtland Sutton (SMU): No. 40 to Denver

The skinny: Sutton, who was recruited as a safety by several schools, took official visits to SMU, Colorado and BYU before committing to the Mustangs on National Signing Day. Sutton jumped onto the national radar during a huge 2016 season, and followed that with a 2017 season that proved to everyone that he had the ability to excel at the NFL level.

Farrell’s take: We had Sutton projected as a defensive back, with his tall frame and good range. He also played some linebacker as well, but he has obviously developed into an elite wide receiver. He was a big-play threat at wide receiver in high school, although not nearly as polished as he is now. Most wanted him as a defensive back, but his ball skills have transitioned well and his size, speed and hands made him a second-rounder.

MORE SMU: TheHillTopics.com

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