Top of NFL draft could lack some skill players

This year’s NFL draft has the chance to be unlike any other in recent years with a possible long wait before any of the players who throw, catch or run with the ball coming off the board.

With no sure-fire quarterback prospects in the draft and several good-but-not-elite receiving prospects, the offensive linemen and defensive players should dominate the early picks with the top skill position player on The Athletic’s composite big board of 70 draft analysts being Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson at No. 10.

There has never been a draft that didn’t have a quarterback, receiver, running back or tight end taken in the top 10 picks in the history of the NFL, with a player from those positions going in the top five in all but one of the past 24 drafts.

The only year in that span where it didn’t happen came in 2013 when four offensive linemen led by tackles Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel went in the top seven and the first skill position player taken was receiver Tavon Austin at No. 8 by the Rams.

The only other times in the common draft era starting in 1967 that a skill position player didn’t go in the top five were 1997 (Ike Hilliard, seventh), 1991 (Herman Moore, 10th), 1988 (Tim Brown, sixth), 1985 (Al Toon, 10th) and 1968 (Larry Csonka, eighth).

Quarterbacks have dominated the top of the draft in recent years with the past four No. 1 picks playing the position and at least two QBs going in the top six in each of those seasons.

The only time in the past 21 drafts that a quarterback didn’t go in the top three came in 2013 when E.J. Manuel was the first taken at No. 16 by Buffalo.