There may not be a best player in the 2009 NFL draft.

The NFL can't seem to decide who the best quarterback is, Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez. It can't seem to decide who the best blocker is, Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe. Or who the best running back is, Knowshon Moreno or Beanie Wells. Or the best pass rusher, Aaron Maybin or Brian Orakpo.

In all of those debates, the opinions are split. No one player stands out above the rest at his position, much less the entire draft board.

Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry and Baylor tackle Jason Smith are perceived as the safest picks, but does either have greatness in his future?

One of the problems is that NFL talent evaluators are judging these prospects fresh off the 2008 draft. And this slate of prospects doesn't hold up to players selected at the same positions a year ago.

Jake Long is better than any tackle on this draft board. Chris Long is better than any defensive end on this draft board. Matt Ryan is better than any quarterback on this draft board. Darren McFadden was a better prospect than any running back on this draft board, as was Glenn Dorsey at defensive tackle. Most NFL talent evaluators would take Jerod Mayo, the best linebacker in the 2008 NFL draft, over Aaron Curry, the best linebacker in this draft.

But none of that will matter Saturday. There will be 32 selections in the first round and 256 selections in the draft.

So pencil in Curry at No. 1 on the annual Top 100 draft board of The Dallas Morning News. The Top 100 is compiled based on conversations with NFL general managers, personnel directors, pro and college coaches and scouts. This is not a mock draft. Teams will skip around the board on draft day to make selections that fit their needs.

Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News ranks the top 100 players in the 2009 NFL draft:

1. Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

2. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

3. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

4. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

5. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

6. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

7. Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern Cal

8. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

9. B.J. Raji, DT Boston College

10. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

11. Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

12. Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

13. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

14. Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

15. Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

16. Knowshon Moreno, HB, Georgia

17. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

18. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

19. Beanie Wells, HB, Ohio State

20. Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern Cal

21. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

22. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

23. Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern Cal

24. Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi

25. Rey Maualuga, MLB, Southern Cal

26. Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri

27. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

28. Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

29. Alex Mack, C, Cal

30. Donald Brown, HB, Connecticut

31. Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

32. Eric Wood, C, Louisville

33. James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State

34. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

35. Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan

36. Paul Kruger, DE, Utah

37. Max Unger, C, Oregon

38. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

39. LeSean McCoy, HB, Pitt

40. Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati

41. Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

42. Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina

43. Jarron Gilbert, DT, San Jose State

44. Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia

45. Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois

46. Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

47. William Moore, S, Missouri

48. Sean Smith, CB, Utah

49. Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma

50. Andy Levitre, G, Oregon State

51. Patrick Chung, S, Oregon

52. Shonn Greene, HB, Iowa

53. Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

54. Alex Magee, DT, Purdue

55. Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss

56. Pat White, QB, West Virginia

57. Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma

58. Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

59. Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida

60. Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon

61. Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Georgia

62. Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

63. Will Beatty, OT, Connecticut

64. Andre Brown, RB, North Carolina State

65. Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

66. Bradley Fletcher, CB, Iowa

67. Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond

68. Mike Wallace, WR, Mississippi

69. Kraig Urbik, G, Wisconsin

70. Sherrod Martin, S, Troy

71. James Casey, TE, Rice

72. Glen Coffee, HB, Alabama

73. Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland

74. Fili Moala, DT, Southern Cal

75. Lardarius Webb, CB, Nicholls State

76. Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston

77. Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State

78. Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama

79. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida

80. Rich Ohrnberger, G, Penn State

81. Robert Brewster, OT, Ball State

82. Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina

83. David Veikune, DE, Hawaii

84. Jason Williams, OLB, Western Illinois

85. Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama

86. Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State

87. Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona

88. Jerraud Powers, CB, Auburn

89. Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest

90. Roy Miller, DT, Texas

91. Asher Allen, CB, Georgia

92. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma

93. Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin

94. Gerald McRath, OLB, Southern Miss

95. Jason Phillips, MLB, TCU

96. Cedric Peerman, HB, Virginia

97. Tyrone McKenzie, OLB, South Florida

98. Tony Fiammetta, FB, Syracuse

99. Deon Butler, WR, Penn State

100. Tyronne Green, G, Auburn

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