2018 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings: Josh Adams, Derrius Guice run into Top 20

Somehow Josh Adams has played for Notre Dame for three seasons, averaged 7.2 yards per carry with 19 touchdowns yet has been almost completely overlooked. Maybe everyone was watching DeShone Kizer? I don't know, but the monstrous yet nimble runner belongs in the conversation among the top five running back prospects in the 2018 draft class.

Oh, and how about Derrius Guice? You know the guy who ran for 1,387 yards with Leonard Fournette on his team last year. He's really good too. Like first-round pick good. He looked pretty healthy against Ole Miss, I'll leave it at that.

While it's probably too late for him to "catch" Saquon Barkley as the No. 1 back in the draft class, the LSU star is ready to be the ground-game centerpiece for an NFL team next season.

Let's update the top 20 NFL prospects after Week 8 in college football:

1. Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

After Oklahoma State's strange win over Texas, Rudolph stated he suffered a "very minor" injury in the game. That's the only explanation I have for the Cowboys' uncharacteristically run-heavy philosophy against a Longhorns secondary that had struggled all season. Rudolph finished the afternoon 25 of 38 but missed on a variety of throws down the field. He's barely clinging to the No. 1 spot in these rankings.

2. Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama

Fitzpatrick had a lockdown evening against a downtrodden Tennessee squad. There wasn't a ton to take away from this game for Alabama's top cornerback, but he's had a fine junior season for Nick Saban and has the requisite size, athleticism, and technique to be selected early in the 2018 draft.

3. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

Here's my dilemma with Barkley. To me -- and like 99 percent of the the college football watching population -- he's the best player in the country regardless of position. But he plays a devalued position. So what to do? You normally won't read this from me regarding a running back, but Barkley is a slam dunk top-10 pick at this juncture. Every week I get more impressed by his long speed, particularly from a ball-carrier his size with such a low center of gravity.

Saquon Barkley is the best prospect in the draft. USATSI

4. Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame

Nelson has plenty of Zack Martin traits. There's a chance the former Notre Dame guard was a bit more polished in pass protection than the current Golden Domer, but overall, they seem like similar prospects: stupidly strong technicians with impeccable footwork and ability to stymie counter moves.

5. Derwin James, S, Florida State

James was good, not great in Florida State's loss to Louisville. Then again, drawing the assignment of spying Lamar Jackson is a piece of cake. He had eight tackles -- six solo -- on the afternoon yet the big play wasn't there. That's kind of been the story for the ultra-talented safety prospect this season. He only has 1.5 tackles for loss, a half sack and four pass break-ups in six games.

6. James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

Washington was held in check for the first time this season. Hats off to underrated Texas cornerback Holton Hill. Beyond that, Oklahoma State's game plan was just so bizarre, I didn't feel compelled to drop Washington too far down the rankings. He's still a scintillating deep threat who excels after the catch and has proven to have amazing body control and ball skills during his illustrious career with the Cowboys.

7. Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State

Hey Bradley, want to secure a spot in the top 10 of the 2018 NFL Draft? Have a day against Mike McGlinchey and Co. this Saturday in South Bend on Saturday. Chubb has looked the part of a first-rounder all season. He has 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks through seven games.

8. Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Oklahoma

Brown didn't have a totally clean outing against Kansas State and a lot of that had to do with Baker Mayfield's repeated improvisation in the backfield. The Sooners' left tackle is gargantuan with long limbs, both of which mask his slower-than-desired foot speed on his kick slide in pass protection.

9. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB, Oklahoma

The Sooners defense had problems -- again -- but that wasn't Okoronkwo's fault. While the angular edge-rusher didn't record a sack, he had five tackles and two tackles for loss along with a handful of quarterback pressures. He left the game for a few plays with an injury and returned with a wrap on his hand. Oklahoma needs Okoronkwo to be at or close to 100 percent to win the Big 12 title.

10. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

McGlinchey spearheaded Notre Dame's dominant effort over rival USC on Saturday night. The Fighting Irish averaged 8.0 yards on 47 carries, and Brandon Wimbush was only sacked once. McGlinchey offers so much at the left tackle position.

11. Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

SMU wideout Trey Quinn had 17 grabs for 186 yards, but Sutton had a solid outing with six grabs for 81 yards and two touchdowns. He's narrowing the gap on Washington for the No. 1 receiver spot due to his size, athletic gifts, incredibly strong hands and refined high-pointing skills that've led to a recent statistical eruption. Sutton has 24 receptions, 363 yards and four touchdowns in his last three outings.

12. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

I'm going to ask it: is Love a better NFL prospect than Christian McCaffrey was a year ago? Man, that's tough. And I guess it's not super relevant, but it could matter considering Love's predecessor went in the top 10. Per Pro Football Focus, Love has forced a ridiculous 49 missed tackles on 139 touches thus far in the 2017 season, meaning, on average, he's forced a missed tackle every 2.83 touches. For perspective, McCaffrey forced 61 missed tackles on 290 touches in 2016. That means he averaged forcing a missed tackle once every 4.46 touches.

13. Kendall Joseph, LB, Clemson

Clemson got some rest before taking on a gritty Georgia Tech team, then traveling to Raleigh for an enormous ACC battle against the upstart NC State Wolfpack. Joseph will likely need to have a big game against Ryan Finley, Jaylen Samuels and Co. in a few weeks.

14. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

While Barkley was doing his best to move closer to the Heisman Trophy, Guice delivered a reminder of just how ridiculously talented he is in case anyone forget. His 276-yard masterpiece was his third 250-plus yard rushing game in his illustrious yet somewhat underrated career at LSU. Guice runs with immense suddenness, strength and agility not seen in most 220-pound backs. It's rare to find one of his runs in which he didn't either make someone miss or pick up extra yardage after being contacted by a defender.

15. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson

Everything that applies to Joseph over the next two weeks also applies to Ferrell. The Tigers' best defenders have to make a sizable impact against a dynamic NC State club.

16. Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

The Bulldogs were idle this weekend and have The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville this upcoming Saturday. That's a throw-out-the-records rivalry game in which Smith's sideline-to-sideline skills, speed and pop at the point of attack will likely be on full display. He's a modern-day NFL linebacker.

17. Deontay Burnett, WR, USC

Burnett is Sam Darnold's security blanket who also happens to be an explosive yards-after-the-catch asset for the USC offense. He's an unquestioned hands-catcher and a big play waiting to happen the second he touches the football, even on short routes. Burnett was one of the lone standouts for the Trojans in their embarrassing loss in South Bend. He had eight receptions, 113 yards, and a touchdown. Burnett reminds me a lot of Randall Cobb.

18. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

Rosen was solid against Oregon. Most importantly, he stayed away from the "what the?" decisions and late, inaccurate throws down the field that impact the Bruins in a negative way. It was the first game since a breeze of an outing against Hawaii on September 9 that Rosen didn't throw an interception. He's had an up-and-down junior campaign yet hasn't unraveled. Rosen has a prime opportunity to rise up draft boards with sound contests on the road over the next two weeks at Washington and Utah.

19. Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan

The Broncos have transitioned to a run-heavy offense after the departure of Corey Davis, and their offensive line is one of the best in college football. Okorafor is the anchor of that front at left tackle, and for as devastating as he is coming downhill as a run-blocker, he's even more gifted as a pass-protector. Okorafor has insanely light feet yet possesses a sturdy anchor thanks to his core strength and mammoth, heavy arms.

20. Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame

Another week, another "new" running back occupying the No. 20 spot. Adams has run for 967 yards with nine scores on just 105 carries (9.2 yards per). And all that has come after he complied 1,771 yards on 274 attempts in his first two years at Notre Dame. At 6-feet-2 and 225 pounds, it's not surprising Adams has an "upright" running style. But he reminds me of Tevin Coleman and DeMarco Murray. He carries the ball with impressive power and subtly effective one-cut ability.