The 2017 NFL Draft was defined by tight ends, cornerbacks and running backs as positions of strength. As we look ahead to the 2018 NFL Draft, it looks to be the year of the quarterback. This is good news for a number of quarterback-needy teams who opted not to use an early round selection on the position in 2017. While there is still plenty of time for our rankings to change, two quarterbacks located in Los Angeles are the leaders in the clubhouse to be the top 2018 selections. USC's Sam Darnold emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in college football during the 2016 season. He is entering his first full season as the starting quarterback and will only be helped by the playing experience he got last year. UCLA's Josh Rosen had a disappointing 2016 season after it was cut short with a shoulder injury. He looks to bounce back in 2017 to prove to people he is worthy of the NFL praise he has been getting since he entered college football. One player who may not be as well-known is Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, who has a legitimate shot to also be considered for next year's top selection. As this year's draft comes to a close, Heavy is here to get you through the next 365 days by looking ahead to next season's draft. How high the quarterbacks end up being selected will depend on two things. What teams are picking at the top of next year's draft, as well as how these three quarterbacks play in the 2017 college football season. While the 2018 NFL Draft order is far from being determined, Heavy used the latest Vegas 2018 Super Bowl odds courtesy of OddsShark to determine the order for our first 2018 NFL mock draft. Click the arrow on the right side of the middle of the page to see Heavy's 2018 NFL mock draft for the top 10 prospects. (Getty)
No. 10 New Orleans Saints: Alabama WR Calvin Ridley
School: Alabama
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Junior
Outlook: The Saints could use another wide receiver to replace Brandin Cooks. Ridley would be a nice addition to pair with Michael Thomas as they look towards the future of their offense. Ridley did not have the dominant sophomore season many were expecting after having 1,045 receiving yards and seven touchdowns his freshman season. He took a bit of a step back with 769 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Alabama did have arguably their most talented receiving core under Nick Saban this past season so there was a lot of receivers to spread the ball around to. Ridley is due for a nice bounce-back season this year. (Getty)
No. 9 Detroit Lions: Penn State RB Saquon Barkley
School: Penn State
Position: Running Back
Class: Junior
Outlook: Barkley is exactly the kind of running back the NFL covets. He's a versatile player who can be used in both the passing and running game. Last season, Barkley rushed for 1,496 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also had an additional 402 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the passing game. Barkley and LSU's Derrius Guice have the early lead in terms of 2018 running back prospects. The Lions have tried to plug a number of different running backs into their offense and have not had a lot of success. Barkley uses his quickness to get away from defenders but also has no problem going through tacklers. (Getty)
No. 8 Los Angeles Chargers: Florida State S Derwin James
School: Florida State
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Outlook: James missed the majority of last season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He showed a lot during his freshman season that gives him a good chance to be one of the best safeties in college football this season. The Chargers addressed receiver early in the 2017 draft and could look towards their secondary next season. (Getty)
No. 7 Buffalo Bills: SMU WR Courtland Sutton
School: SMU
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Senior
Outlook: Sutton opted to return to SMU for his final season even though he would have been a potential first round pick. Sutton has the size of an NFL receiver at 6'4" and 215 pounds. Last season, he had 1,246 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Sammy Watkins has had trouble staying on the field, but Sutton could play with Watkins even if he remains healthy. The Bills need more playmakers on offense and Sutton is exactly that. Sutton will likely be battling Alabama's Calvin Ridley to be the first wide receiver taken in next year's draft. (Getty)
No. 6 Jacksonville Jaguars: LSU EDGE Arden Key
School: LSU
Position: Edge Rusher
Class: Junior
Outlook: Key would fit it in great with the young, athletic core the Jaguars have built on defense. Key had an extremely productive sophomore season with 55 tackles and 11 sacks. The Jaguars chose to focus on their offense early in the 2017 draft and could look towards the defense next season to balance things out. After taking a leave of absence from the team, Key confirmed he will be playing at LSU during the 2017 season. (Getty)
No. 5 Chicago Bears: Clemson DT Christian Wilkins
School: Clemson
Position: Defensive Tackle
Class: Junior
Outlook: Wilkins made an immediate impact as soon as he got to Clemson. When you are 6'4" and 310 pounds it is no surprise you are able to dominate the middle of the line. Depending on how you classify Jonathan Allen, the 2017 NFL Draft did not have a defensive tackle selected in the first round. Wilkins has a chance to be a top pick in next year's draft. Not only is he a monster on the defensive line, Clemson has used him on offense where he has caught touchdown passes and also has been utilized on special teams. SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton could also be a consideration for the Bears if they end up with a high selection next year. (Getty)
No. 4 Los Angeles Rams: Texas LB Malik Jefferson
School: Texas
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Outlook: Jefferson enters the 2017 season as one of the top players in college football. He finished last season with 60 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Jefferson is a great athlete who flies all over the field and is a solid hitter. The Rams already have good defensive pieces in place, and Jefferson would add to their core. It will be interesting to see how Jefferson plays under new head coach Tom Herman who developed a number of NFL prospects on defense during his tenure at Houston. (Getty)
No. 3 New York Jets: Wyoming QB Josh Allen
School: Wyoming
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Outlook: Allen had the potential to be selected in the first round of the 2017 draft but opted to return to Wyoming for his junior season. He threw for 3,203 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last season. Wyoming is not a historic college football program, but Allen will have a few showcase games this season. Wyoming plays Iowa, Oregon and Boise State as Allen looks to prove he can play against high-level competition. A great season from Allen could push him into the conversation for the top pick. The Jets still need a quarterback and will hope to be able to grab one of the top three quarterback prospects in next year's draft. (Getty)
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers: UCLA QB Josh Rosen
School: UCLA
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Outlook: Rosen has been seen as a future NFL quarterback since he came out of high school. Rosen had an up and down 2016 season as he battled through injuries. He missed the final six games with a shoulder injury. He had 1,915 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in the six games he played. Like most college sophomores, Rosen shows some signs of immaturity, but he has an opportunity to use his junior season to solidify himself as a top pick in next year's draft. The 49ers opted to not draft a quarterback early in the 2017 draft but could have an opportunity to get one in 2018 in what is considered a stronger class. (Getty)
No. 1 Cleveland Browns: USC QB Sam Darnold
School: USC
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Outlook: Darnold entered the 2016 season as the backup at USC but finished the season as a potential top-five NFL pick once he is eligible. Darnold is a sophomore, but his redshirt year allows him to be eligible for the 2018 NFL Draft if he decides to declare. If you want to know why Darnold has a chance to be the top pick in next year's draft, throw on the tape of his Rose Bowl performance against Penn State. Darnold was 33-of-53 for 453 passing yards and five touchdowns in USC's victory over Penn State. Unless DeShone Kizer is able to win the starting job this season and plays at a high level, the Browns will have a hard time passing up one of these quarterbacks next year if they have an opportunity to select one. (Getty)
NFL Mock Draft 2018: Predictions for Top 10 Best Players