NFL Draft: Biggest early entry losses in the 2018 draft class

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Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

The deadline to become an early entry in the NFL Draft has come and gone and some teams lost key players. Who were the top 10 losses to the NFL amongst those who could have returned? Here’s my list.

Recruiting: Jackson committed to Louisville during the summer before his senior season but then took official visits to Nebraska, Florida and Mississippi State. Florida became the biggest threat to the Cardinals, but he ended up sticking with his commitment.

2017 season: Coming off of his 2016 Heisman Trophy winning season, Jackson passed for 3,660 yards and 27 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,601 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017.

Farrell’s take: Jackson was so much of Louisville’s offense that his loss will be felt the most. What kind of NFL player will he be? Where will he be drafted? Should he have stayed another year? Those are all valid questions. The former Heisman winner was amazing at Louisville and will be missed more than anyone.

Recruiting: Barkley was originally committed to Rutgers, but re-opened his recruitment as additional offers began to pile up. He immediately made Penn State his favorite, which eventually led to his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

2017 season: Barkley rushed for 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns, added 54 receptions for 632 yards and three touchdowns and added two kickoff returns for touchdowns during his final season in Happy Valley.

Farrell's take: Barkley is just behind Jackson when it comes to versatility in the offense he is leaving. He not only ran the ball but was key as a pass catcher out of the backfield and as a return man. Out of high school, he was an upright slasher with great hands so his running style and use of leverage changed as he became stronger. We had him ranked highly, but clearly not high enough.

Recruiting: Johnson was an early commitment to Auburn, and while he contemplated taking official visits to Alabama and Florida State, they never materialized and he signed with the Tigers on National Signing Day.

2017 season: While nagging injuries slowed him a bit during the final three games, he still totaled 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, while also adding two more scores through the air.

Farrell’s take: Johnson showed his versatility in high school by playing defensive back quite well at Under Armour week but we always projected him as a terrific running back. He did everything for Auburn from running, receiving to his wildcat dominance. He will be missed greatly.

Recruiting: Smith initially committed to UCLA on Signing Day, but never faxed over his letter of intent. Upon finding out that the assistant coach who recruited him the most, Jeff Ulbrich, was leaving the Bruins, Smith decided to take a step back and finally committed to the Bulldogs almost two weeks later.

2017 season: Smith was the leader of the Georgia defense this season with 137 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Farrell’s take: Smith wasn’t the biggest linebacker, but was a great tackler out of high school. He’s outplayed his ranking in my book and has become the best tackler in the nation. As the key to the Georgia defense, he will be the most missed defender in the nation when it comes to early entrants.

Recruiting: UCLA and Stanford were long considered the leaders for Rosen. When the Cardinal decided not to offer, he made his decision to stay local and commit to the Bruins after a brief flirtation with Michigan.

2017 season: After an injury shortened 2016 season, Rosen returned in 2017 with 3,717 yards and 26 touchdown passes.

Farrell’s take: Rosen could be higher on this list because the drop off at quarterback at UCLA could be a big one, but his career has been very good but not great. As the best quarterback I had scouted before Trevor Lawrence came along, I expected a little more from him, but his supporting cast was very weak. He could be the No. 1 player picked in the draft and should have been our No. 1 player out of high school.

Recruiting: Darnold took visits to Duke, Oregon, Northwestern and Utah, but ultimately Darnold’s familiarity with USC put the Trojans over the top.

2017 season: After a bumpy start, Darnold showcased his skills with 4,143 yards and 26 touchdowns during his final season in Los Angeles.

Farrell’s take: Darnold may have had his share of turnovers in college but he was still very key to the USC offense. He was a guy we liked a lot out of high school but he slid at the end after an average week at the U.S. Army Bowl. He should be a top five pick, but he is quite polarizing as an NFL Draft prospect.

Recruiting: Approximately a week after his first visit to Notre Dame, Adams committed to the Irish in late June over Penn State, Pittsburgh and Stanford.

2017 season: Adams had an extremely productive 2017 season in South Bend, finishing with 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground for the Irish.

Farrell’s take: An injury in high school made us question Adams ability to run away from people at the next level but he proved us wrong. He was the key to the Notre Dame offense this season and is a big loss for the Irish. He likely won’t be a first-rounder and could have used another year in college, but he could be a third-round steal for someone.

Recruiting: Holland committed to Auburn over Florida on National Signing Day. The move of Will Muschamp from Gainesville to Auburn after he was fired sealed the deal.

2017 season: Holland had his best collegiate season in 2017 with 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Farrell’s take: The best pass rusher in college football? You could certainly make a case for Holland and he will be tough to replace.We liked him as a hybrid type out of high school who could get around the edge quickly but we questioned his maturity and consistency. He proved us wrong in that department.

Recruiting: After trimming his list of top schools down to Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Boston College and Rutgers, it was a spring visit to South Bend that led to his commitment to the Irish in May.

2017 season: Anchoring a powerful offensive line along with Mike McGlinchey, Nelson helped a revitalized Irish rushing attack during the 2017 season.

Farrell’s take: As a five-star recruit, we obviously liked Nelson quite a bit and he’s the best offensive lineman in the draft. His ability in the run game is unquestioned, he’s a solid pass blocker and his mobility will be a key to his success at the college level. He’s panned out even beyond our wildest projections.

Recruiting: James committed to Florida State almost three years before National Signing Day and never wavered on his word to the Seminoles.

2017 season: Coming off of a 2016 season when he only played two games due to injury, James finished with 84 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2017.

Farrell’s take: The best safety prospect I’ve ever scouted had a solid but not spectacular last season at Florida State. He will still be missed greatly and coveted at the NFL level. His ability to work in coverage as well as at the line of scrimmage and his leadership make him a special prospect.