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2019 NFL Draft: 15 Players you need to know

By Michael Johnson

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Keller Chryst #10 of the Stanford Cardinal throws a touchdown pass during the second quarter as he is pressured by Porter Gustin #45 of the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Keller Chryst #10 of the Stanford Cardinal throws a touchdown pass during the second quarter as he is pressured by Porter Gustin #45 of the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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TALLAHASSEE, FL – OCTOBER 15: Punter Dom Maggio #48 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons fumbles the ball in front of defensive end Brian Burns #99 of the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL – OCTOBER 15: Punter Dom Maggio #48 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons fumbles the ball in front of defensive end Brian Burns #99 of the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

5. Brian Burns, EDGE, FSU 

Florida State has produced a number of solid NFL prospects over the years. Brian Burns isn’t any different. The 6-5, 235-pound edge rusher has excellent length, decent flexibility and uses his physical tools well. He’s limited to a 3-4 scheme where he’ll be comfortable rushing standing up.

There are concerns about his power, specifically at the point of attack. He can get swallowed up by linemen, making him ineffective in the run game at times. However, he explodes off the ball and disrupts the running game.

Last season, he made his name behind the line of scrimmage, finishing the season with 13.5 tackles for loss. His sophomore season, sack numbers dropped to just 4.5, but as a freshman, he proved his dominance as a rusher with 8.5.

Burns’ athletic ability and burst makes up for what he lacks in raw power. His four passes defensed was a result of his sheer athleticism. Two of them happened against Florida in arguably his most dominant performance where he finished with 2.5 tackle for loss and 1.5 sacks.

4. Mark Gilbert, CB, Duke 

When the lists of the top NFL cornerback prospects come up, you’re going to hear about the Duke product Mark Gilbert. Last season, Gilbert burst onto the scene as a true sophomore and impressed. In 2017, he finished with six interceptions and 15 passes broken up.

Gilbert possesses great acceleration and the ability to click and close in a hurry. Whether it’s deep coverage of underneath, Gilbert has proven he can cover it all. According to Pro Football Focus on Twitter, he didn’t let anyone beat him over the top or on slants. 

Gilbert isn’t a perfect prospect by any means. He’s lanky, a bit frail and it hinders him in run support. He does a fantastic job mirroring receivers in man coverage, but isn’t physical at the line. He’ll have to show he’s more physicality at the point of attack if he wants to be considered a shutdown, versatile corner.

His skill-set makes him intriguing with his excellent speed, quickness, ball skills and footwork. As of now, he looks like a corner who’ll excel in a zone scheme or a team that plays man off.

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