Dynasty Watch: Top 60 Rookies

These are my rookie dynasty rankings as of today. Split into nine tiers, I also address a few notable omitted players afterward.
 

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin* (5-11, 219)

    

2. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State* (5-10, 217)
3. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma* (6-2, 189)
4. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama* (6-1, 192)
5. D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia * (5-9, 215)

    

6. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU* (5-11, 195)
7. Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama* (6-0, 190)
8. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson* (6-4, 215)
9. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas (5-11, 202)
10. Zack Moss, RB, Utah (5-10, 222)
11. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU* (5-8, 209)

     

12. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado* (6-2, 220)
13. Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina (6-3, 215)
14. A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College* (6-0, 250)
15. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State* (5-11, 212)

     

16. Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota (6-2, 205)
17. K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State* (5-9, 176)
18. Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin* (6-1, 207)
19. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU* (6-3, 192)
20. Anthony McFarland, RB, Maryland* (5-9, 198)

     

21. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU (6-4, 216)
22. Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty (6-4, 222)
23. Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky* (6-1, 199)
24. Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State* (6-4, 209)
25. Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF* (6-3, 212)
26. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State (6-0, 201)
27. Michael Pittman, WR, USC (6-4, 219)
28. James Proche, WR, SMU (5-11, 196)
29. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor (6-3, 206)
30. Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington* (6-2, 239)

     

31. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama* (6-1, 218)
32. Antonio Gibson, WR/RB, Memphis (6-1, 223)
33. Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee (6-3, 206)
34. Van Jefferson, WR, Florida (6-2, 197)
35. Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame (6-4, 229)
36. K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State (6-0, 192)
37. DeeJay Dallas, RB, Miami (FL)* (5-10, 215)
38. Michael Warren, RB, Cincinnati* (5-11, 222)
39. Javon Leake, RB, Maryland* (6-0, 206)
40. Lamical Perine, RB, Florida (5-11, 211)
41. Ke'Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt (5-10, 205)
42. Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU* (6-3, 249)
43. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton (6-5, 251)

     

44. Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Vanderbilt (6-0, 202)
45. Collin Johnson, WR, Texas (6-6, 221)
46. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon (6-6, 229)
47. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State* (6-4, 225)
48. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma (6-2, 218)
49. Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri* (6-5, 255)
50. Jared Pinkney, TE, Vanderbilt (6-5, 254)
51. Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic (6-5, 242)
52. Salvon Ahmed, RB, Washington* (5-11, 196)
53. Tavien Feaster, RB, South Carolina (6-0, 221)
54. Sewo Olonilua, RB, TCU (6-3, 240)

     

55. Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue (6-4, 241)
56. Kendall Hinton, WR, Wake Forest (6-0, 195)
57. Hasise Dubois, WR, Virginia (6-3, 215)
58. Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami (FL)* (5-10, 180)
59. Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan* (6-2, 208)
60. Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Mississippi* (6-2, 190)

Notable Omissions

Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State* (5-9, 195)

Benjamin is a standout college player who went to Arizona State as a notable four-star recruit and enjoyed one truly dominant season in 2018, but he'll need to perform well at the combine to even grade as draftable to me. Tape can mislead, but when I watch his film I see nothing to make me optimistic on this front. Smallish and potentially underathletic, Benjamin lacks the explosive production necessary to offset the tools disadvantage he'll face in the NFL. By running for 2,867 yards and 27 touchdowns (5.0 YPC) while catching 82 passes for 625 yards and four touchdowns (75.2 percent catch rate, 5.7 YPT), Benjamin displayed a persistent plod that makes me anxious for his NFL projection. I don't see any evidence that he's even as good as DeMario Richard was, and Richard never got close to the NFL.
 

LeVante Bellamy, RB, Western Michigan (5-9, 171)

Bellamy was a prospect I once had my eye on, but by now I feel safe dismissing him from serious NFL consideration. Bellamy was once interesting because of his rare speed -- he's likely a mid-4.3 guy at worst and could easily possess speed in the 4.2-second range. But he was also originally listed at 190 pounds, which turned out to be false advertising when he arrived to the East-West Shrine Game at 171 pounds. Bellamy has good production and his history as a former wide receiver theoretically gives him interesting pass-catching upside, but it was never there in his pass-catching production at Western Michigan (79.1 percent catch rate, 4.5 YPT). Furthermore, I think his film displays a discouraging lack of quickness, coordination, and vision. Bellamy seems to keep his eyes low and his posture hunched, indications of the fact that playing running back just doesn't seem natural to him. I'd compare him to Anthony Aldridge.

Omar Bayless (6-3, 207) and Kirk Merritt (6-0, 215), WR, Arkansas State

Only top prospect J'Marr Chase outproduced Bayless nationwide in 2019, as the downfield threat turned 144 targets into 93 receptions for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns (64.6 percent catch rate, 11.5 YPT). Merritt, a former standout four-star recruit who transferred from Oregon, 'only' caught 70 passes for 806 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2019 (66.0 percent catch rate, 7.6 YPT), though he was the more productive of the two in 2018, when he caught 83 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns (74.1 percent catch rate, 9.0 YPT). Unfortunately, both players were redshirt seniors last year, meaning they needed to post elite production just to get so much as a passing Day 3 consideration in any particular draft. Both players could get into the discussion if they test well enough athletically, but their dominant production is not worth much for their broader prospect profiles.
 

Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame* (6-5, 250)

Kmet is a true junior who heads to the NFL after catching 43 receptions for 515 yards and six touchdowns (69.4 percent catch rate, 8.3 YPT) in 2019. It's solid production, but it's only adequate for a third-year player, and I don't see anything on tape implying better than average athleticism. Kmet's most productive season at Notre Dame isn't especially interesting when compared to the best seasons of tight ends like Brycen Hopkins, Jared Pinkney, Albert Okwuegbunam, or even Colby Parkinson. I've seen some projections for Kmet to go as soon as the first round, which makes no sense to me. It's not like I saw a reason for Hayden Hurst to go in the first round, though, but that didn't stop it from happening.