2017 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

2017 NFL Mock Draft

The NFL Combine has finally finished so now we have more information on players than we had before.  Official heights and weights, 40-yard dash times, vertical and broad jump distances and even the three-cone drill times, don’t worry I’m not getting into the three-cone numbers.  Some teams place far too much value on Combine numbers (it’s known to some as the Underwear Olympics) and some teams ignore the things they just don’t want to see.  Some players really helped themselves; DE Myles Garrett (athletic freak), QB Deshaun Watson (threw better than anyone expected) and WR John Ross (broke the 40-yard record with a 4.22).  Some players hurt their stock; LB Reuben Foster (was sent home due to an altercation with medical staff, we will need to learn more about this), QB DeShone Kizer (looked really erratic throwing the football all over the place) and CB Teez Tabor pulled a Joe Haden and looked like he was running in sand.  Some guys didn’t fully participate due to injury; WRs Mike Williams and Corey Davis most notably.  In the end, not too many grades will be changed but someone will fall in love with someone freakishly athletic and draft them for that reason alone, it happens every year.  I will echo the sentiments of everyone by saying that the TE group as a whole looked really impressive.  They sort of looked like an entire race of freakishly athletic dudes ready to dominate the world.  It’s a truly impressive and slightly scary sight to watch multiple guys that are around 6’4 260 lbs. broad jump 11 feet, that’s not normal.   Also, it seemed like there are about 50 good defensive backs in this draft so take your pick, heck take two if you like.

Free agency started and decided to blow up my entire mock draft so this version has been a bit of a moving target.  The QB shuffle got very interesting.  Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley went to San Francisco, Mike Glennon headed to Chicago, Tyrod Tyler stayed put in Buffalo, the Browns traded for Brock Osweiler except they don’t really want him.  The Texans traded away Osweiler but haven’t made a trade for Tony Romo, it’s Tom Savage’s team for now.  Kirk Cousins signed his franchise tender so the Redskins will pay him about $26 million even though they don’t want him and he doesn’t want to be there.  No one wants Jay Cutler and no one wants to quarterback the Jets so that may become a marriage of convenience.  Everyone thinks they can find the next Dak Prescott so the QBs in this draft may want to brace for a fall.

Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns (1-15): Myles Garrett DE   Texas A&M

In the weirdest trade ever the Browns picked up a 2^nd round pick and swapped some other picks with the Texans and took on QB Brock Osweiler and his $16 millionAQ contract.  The Texans just did an NBA style salary dump so they can go after Tony Romo.  However, Osweiler is so bad that the Browns are trying to flip him for another pick.  If they can’t flip Osweiler they may just eat the salary and cut him anyway. This is seriously weird.  Regardless of what happens for the Browns at QB they simply can’t take one here.  Garrett was about a 90% certainty before the Combine and then he worked out and now I would say he’s about a 99.99% certainty.  You simply can’t pass up a player with his potential for any QB that isn’t a sure thing and there are no QBs in this draft that are a sure thing.  Garrett can change the entire dynamic of the Browns defense.  He would draw double teams on the outside that would aid guys like DEs Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib and his pass rushing would help take pressure off of a secondary that needs help.  Garrett is the best combination of sure thing and ridiculously high ceiling as you’re going to get in this draft and the Browns need that badly.

2. San Francisco 49ers (2-14): Jonathan Allen DL   Alabama

When the 49ers signed Brian Hoyer I still thought they would take a QB here and just use Hoyer as a bridge to a guy like Mitchell Trubisky because he needs some time to develop.  Then they signed Matt Barkley too and I can’t see them signing a starter and a solid back-up and then drafting a guy at #2 overall to be their third QB.  I’m fairly certain Kyle Shanahan is simply not impressed by the guys at the top of this draft so he’s going to pass.  The next best player after Garrett is Jonathan Allen and he’s a stud.  They have used 1^st round picks on Arik Armstead and DeForest Bruckner the past two years but Allen is special.  Putting all three of those guys up front on their defense would give them a very solid foundation to build a new defense around.  Allen can play all over the front and his versatility gives them a lot of options of where to line guys up and what defensive formation they want to use.

3. Chicago Bears (3-13): Jamal Adams SS   LSU

Jay Cutler is gone and Mike Glennon is the new QB, GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox were never going to hitch their wagon to a rookie QB.  They would love it if Jonathan Allen were to fall here as he would be a fantastic addition to their improving front seven but if he’s off the board they can address their secondary.  I’m pretty sure the last time the Bears had a great safety on their team Mike Ditka was still coaching them so it’s time to remedy that situation.  Adams is a defense defining safety in the mold of Troy Polamalu and he will change the entire dynamic of the secondary.  The Bears need a CB too and they could grab a guy like Marshon Lattimore to pair with free agent signee Prince Amukamara but Adams is the higher rated prospect.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13): Solomon Thomas DE   Stanford

The Jaguars are spending like drunken sailors picking up DL Calais Campbell and CB AJ Bouye in free agency but I think Thomas will be too good to pass up.  The Jags still need a RB but DE is a more valuable position and while there is plethora of good DEs in this draft there are also plenty of good RBs.  Thomas isn’t in Garrett’s league but he isn’t that far off and he’s only a redshirt sophomore so he’s still got some maturing to do.  The Jaguars still need a little help with their pass rush since Dante Fowler Jr. didn’t fix it for them by himself last season.  Thomas would also give them a better all-around DE than last year’s rookie Yannick Ngakoue who then could become more a pass rushing specialist which would benefit everyone.  Thomas looks the part and he worked out well at the Combine, his addition to the Jaguars improving defense might just be the piece that really puts them over the hump.  I really want to give the Jags a LT seeing how they desperately need one but there isn’t one worth the 4^th pick in the draft and they may be getting a veteran to hold down the fort for a year or two (here comes Brandon Albert’s corpse).

5. Tennessee Titans (from LA Rams 4-12): Marshon Lattimore CB   Ohio St.

The Titans have signed SS Jonathan Cyprien and CB Logan Ryan but that doesn’t mean they will ignore their secondary with this pick.  They need a lot of help in the secondary and Lattimore showed his freakish athleticism at the Combine.  He was only a one year starter for the Buckeyes but that just means he has room to get better and that’s a scary thought.  He’s ready to compete right now and in a few years, he has the potential to be one of the best CBs in the NFL.  His size, speed and explosiveness would be a welcome addition to the Titans secondary.

6. New York Jets (5-11): Deshaun Watson QB   Clemson

The coach and GM of the Jets might be making this pick for the next guys in their respective chairs but that’s what happens when a team drafts Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg at QB.  When you go 0-3 at the position you end up looking like the Jets.  It’s quite possible they settle for Jay Cutler as a bridge to the future (that’s a terrible idea by the way).  Watson is an experienced QB and a winning one at that.  He had a very good day at the Combine throwing the ball and perhaps his dynamic playmaking can save Todd Bowles job long enough to turn this thing around (although I doubt it).  The Jets seem to be going scorched earth with the rebuild so taking a shot on Watson is completely understandable.  Something tells me they didn’t cut WR Brandon Marshall just so it would be less awkward when they sign Jay Cutler.  Let the Geno Smi…err… I mean the Deshaun Watson era begin!

7. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Malik Hooker FS   Ohio St.

I feel like I should call them the Los Angeles Chargers of Carson or something, it’s already awkward enough why not go all the way with it?  They were desperate enough to sign Russell Okung to be their new LT so if I were them I might consider grabbing Cam Robinson, Garrett Boles or Ryan Ramczyk.  None of them warrant being picked this high but any of them might be an upgrade at this point.  I think they go for value and take Hooker who would slide very well into their young and aggressive secondary.  They did well with their 1^st round Buckeye last year in Joey Bosa, Hooker would give them a playmaker in the deep middle which they have been missing.

8. Carolina Panthers (6-10): Leonard Fournette RB   LSU

This would be another team that could reach for an OT despite the fact that they are signing Matt Kalil, he’s an upgrade but they could still use some help.  RB Jonathan Stewart has never been the picture of health and his absences become bigger by the day.  He’s now a 30-year old RB so it unlikely he’s all of the sudden going to become more durable.  Fournette is an impressive athlete (his less than stellar vertical jump at the Combine not withstanding) and he’s a workhorse back.  If anyone can get the tough yards behind a suspect offensive line it’s Fournette.  The Adrian Peterson comparisons are unfair but understandable.  Fournette weighed 240 lbs. at the Combine and still ran 4.51 in the 40.  He’s big, powerful and fast and he could give Cam Newton and the Panthers offense what they had on those rare occasions Stewart was healthy.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-9-1): Derek Barnett DE   Tennessee

I had Reuben Foster going here and that is still a possibility if the story of him getting into an argument with a medical staffer at the Combine turns out to be something different but for now I see him falling a bit.  Let’s just say getting into an altercation during the biggest job interview of your life is going to warrant special attention.  Barnett didn’t fully workout at the Combine because he came down with the flu but he went out and did some things like running his 40 and other drills and that says a lot about his makeup.  The Bengals need a pass rusher and while Barnett isn’t the speedy edge rusher like Garrett or even Solomon Thomas he gets it done with a non-stop motor.  The Bengals could use a guy that never quits and plays through pain (or works out through illness as the case may be).

10. Buffalo Bills (7-9): Mike Williams WR   Clemson

So, they worked out a deal to keep QB Tyrod Taylor but it looks like Sammy Watkins might be the only WR left on the roster so it’s time to get some help. Williams would make a nice complement to Watkins.  Or perhaps Watkins would make a nice complement to Williams.  Mike Williams has elite WR talent and he could become Taylor’s preferred #1 WR in short order.  Watkins has a tendency to get beat up and while Williams missed a year at Clemson with a scary neck injury he’s otherwise healthy.  A big, powerful wideout can be a QB’s best friend especially in the red zone and that’s exactly where Williams can excel.

11. New Orleans Saints (7-9): John Ross WR   Washington

The Saints just sent Brandin Cooks to the Patriots for a couple of draft picks, yeah, I don’t know why either.  Their rookie WR from last season, Michael Thomas, was fantastic and they have another good big receiver in Brandon Coleman but they could still use a good speed receiver to replace Cooks.  Ross is as speedy as they come, literally.  The new 40-yard dash record holder from the Combine would look pretty good catching deep balls from Drew Brees.  The Saints need a pass rusher but Tim Williams might be a bit of a gamble here with his background.  His admission at the Combine that he failed multiple drug tests while at Alabama is admirable but it will hurt him a little with teams drafting this high.  The Saints are always looking for a CB, it’s a constant issue, but now that they have the Patriots pick at #32 they can take advantage of the depth in this draft and wait to grab a CB later.

12. Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia 7-9): Marlon Humphrey CB   Alabama

I had Washington CB Sidney Jones here but he tore his Achilles tendon during the defensive back drills at Washington’s Pro Day.  It’s a terrible injury that likely means a major fall in the draft for arguably the best CB in the draft.  He will likely miss all of next season while rehabbing his injury.  Jones was fighting Lattimore for the top spot on the CB list without him it’s Humphrey that moves up.  He’s a big CB that showed far better speed at the Combine than anyone anticipated so he’s worthy of the spot.  The Browns need to get Joe Haden some help at CB, they could go for a safety here too but I think Humphrey is the better value.

13. Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1): Mitchell Trubisky QB   North Carolina

This might be the perfect landing spot for Trubisky because there will be no pressure to perform this season.  The Cardinals have Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald returning for what most assume will be their final year.  This is a chance for the team to finally find a replacement for Palmer and he needs at least the year to learn from him.  Trubisky has all the physical tools you look for in a QB and if something happens to Palmer he could play in a pinch.  They do still have veteran backup Drew Stanton too so they can choose to not play Trubisky at all and he can learn from two long-time veterans.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (from Minnesota 8-8): Gareon Conley CB   Ohio St.

When you end the season with Dwayne Gratz and Jalen Mills at CB you obviously have a need.  The Eagles filled their other big need at WR with free agent additions Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith so CB is priority #1.  Conley went into the season as the Ohio St. CB everyone was talking about and then Lattimore burst onto the scene.  That doesn’t make Conley any less of a prospect and he went to the Combine and showed up in a big way.  He has good size, showed good speed and looked good in the drills.  With the Jones injury and Teez Tabor having a poor showing at the Combine Conley is making a move up the board.  The Eagles could look to address their offensive line but Conley is better value.

15. Indianapolis Colts (8-8): Reuben Foster ILB   Alabama

Unless Foster offed someone at the Combine and no one told us he may fall out of the top 10 but his drop won’t be that significant.  The Colts desperately need playmakers on defense and Foster is the type of LB that can change the temperament of your entire defense.  I haven’t found the whole story on what went down at the Combine but there are two sides to every story and someone is going to buy Foster’s side at some point because he’s simply too good of a prospect to pass up.  Hopefully for him, the person he got into it with, and the team that drafts him they can all put it behind them and move on.  The Colts have signed Jabaal Sheard and John Simon at OLB but they still need an inside guy to run the defense.  Foster would make it an almost complete overhaul of their LB corps and that’s long overdue.

16. Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Cam Robinson OT   Alabama

The Ravens lost RT Ricky Wagner in free agency to the Lions and they don’t have great options on the roster for a replacement.  Robinson is a mauler and in the run game he’s a devastating blocker.  His ability to handle outside speed rushers is why teams are questioning his ability to play LT and think he might move inside to OG.  I think he can be a fantastic RT and Ozzie Newsome loves drafting guys from Alabama.  He might have to make a tough choice though if OLB Tim Williams is still available.  That would be a couple of Alabama players at positions of need for the Ravens, call it Ozzie’s Choice.

17. Washington Redskins (8-7-1): Obi Melifonwu SS   Connecticut

There’s always that one guy that comes flying up the draft board late and this kid looks like the real deal.  Melifonwu is a freakish athlete and would be a defense altering safety.  At 6’4 224 lbs. he’s got great length and speed and he’s a great matchup player for the league’s better TEs.  The Redskins need a playmaker in the middle of the defense, it could be an ILB but Melifonwu would make a great addition instead.  The Falcons made a move like this last year in the draft grabbing Keanu Neal and it worked out pretty well for them.

18. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Corey Davis WR   Western Michigan

The Titans have addressed their secondary in free agency and with the fifth pick in this mock draft, that is their biggest area of need.  Not too far behind that is a big play WR for Marcus Mariota to grow with in this offense.  Tajee Sharpe and Rishard Matthews are really solid possession guys but they lack big play ability.  Davis may be a small school product coming out of the MAC but he’s a big-time talent.  He’s exactly the type of WR you need in the NFL today, big, strong, fast and physical.  He would add a new dimension to the Titans offense.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): OJ Howard TE   Alabama

The Buccaneers need help on defense but OJ Howard might be just a little too tempting to pass up.  A dynamic TE to go along with free agent WR DeSean Jackson and holdover Mike Evans could take Jameis Winston’s game to another level.  I was very tempted to give Bucs either S Jabrill Peppers or an offensive lineman but Howard was fantastic at the Combine and teams see him as a criminally underutilized talent that could be a Pro Bowl caliber player in the NFL.  Jameis Winston could make major strides next season with these offensive weapons around him.

20. Denver Broncos (9-7): Ryan Ramczyk OT   Wisconsin

Russell Okung was not the answer at LT after the Broncos sent Ryan Clady packing.  Okung is on his way out and someone has to block on the left side of the line.  The offense struggled last season because of issues on the line as much as anything.  Ramczyk only played one year at Wisconsin and he’s coming off hip surgery so his medical checks need to check out for him to go in the first round but he would be a day one starter in Denver.  It’s time for the Broncos to get a real solution at LT.

21. Detroit Lions (9-7): Haason Reddick LB   Temple

Reddick is probably the other late rising prospect you haven’t heard of but he started his rise at the Senior Bowl and continued it by looking very impressive at the Combine.  Reddick was a pass rushing DE at Temple but he’s only 234 lbs. so he’ll be a LB in the NFL.  He has shown really impressive athleticism and ability to drop into coverage even though he didn’t do that much at Temple.  The Lions haven’t had much luck at LB with some notable draft busts and DeAndre Levy not being able to stay healthy.  Reddick would give them a top playmaker at LB.  The signing of RT Ricky Wagner addressed their biggest need on the offense.

22. Miami Dolphins (10-6): Forrest Lamp OG   Western Kentucky

This is Mike Mayock’s favorite player to talk about because when Western Kentucky played Alabama earlier last year Lamp more than held his own against the NFL caliber defensive line of the Crimson Tide.  Lamp played LT at Western Kentucky but he’ll likely move inside to guard in the pros because of his less than ideal length.  Don’t be fooled though because if he gets his hands on a guy he’ll win more than he loses.  The Dolphins have jettisoned LT Branden Albert and last year’s first round pick Laremy Tunsil will take over outside leaving his LG spot vacant.  Lamp can step in immediately and Ryan Tannehill will have nothing to fear coming on his blind side.

23. New York Giants (11-5): Dalvin Cook RB   Florida St.

Cook deserves to go higher than this but I’ve had a hard time finding a home for him.  He’s a first round talent and one of the better players in this draft so if he goes somewhere in the top 10 I won’t be the least bit shocked.  Cook is a better all-around RB than Leonard Fournette because he does everything well and is a dynamic playmaker.  Fournette has a size/speed ratio that is impressive and while Cook was fast enough at the Combine he plays faster than he times.  The Giants just cut Rashad Jennings and while Paul Perkins is a nice back he’s not Dalvin Cook.  If Cook goes to a team that knows how to use his talents correctly he might be my favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

24. Oakland Raiders (12-4): Adoree’ Jackson CB   USC

The Raiders CB duo of Sean Smith and David Amerson was fine last season but Smith is 30-years old and there is little to no depth.  Jackson is a smooth athlete with 4.4 speed and he’s just scratching the surface of his abilities.  He hasn’t fully focused on football to this point because he’s also a star track athlete at USC.  Once he goes football full-time with NFL coaching he has the talent to be a top-notch CB.  He could use the year under the tutelage of the veteran Smith to learn the nuances of the position and then really come into his own.

25. Houston Texans (9-7): Jabrill Peppers SS   Michigan

Some people have seen Peppers as a man without a position.  Smart teams see a guy that is a defensive swiss army knife.  He played LB at Michigan this last season out of necessity for the team but his true position in the NFL is strong safety.  The Texans defense was excellent last season even with JJ Watt on the shelf and their safety play wasn’t great.  They could really use a CB to replace the departed AJ Bouye but there is good depth at the position and Peppers is better value than any CB they could take in this mock draft scenario.

26. Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1): Garrett Bolles OT   Utah

If the Seahawks don’t draft at least three offensive linemen in this draft Russell Wilson should sue the team for negligence. They signed Luke Joeckel from Jacksonville but he hasn’t exactly been impressive and starting George Fant at LT is basically willfully allowing the physical abuse of Wilson to continue.  Bolles is a long, athletic OT with good feet and a mean streak.  He would seriously upgrade the offensive line and give Wilson a little peace of mind on his blind side.  Depending on where they want to line up 2^nd year lineman Germain Ifedi and the newly acquired Joeckel they can look for the best offensive lineman in the 2^nd round.  Ifedi could be a RT or OG and so could Joeckel.  Justin Britt found a home at C last season and they would be best to leave him there.

27. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): Raekwon McMillan ILB   Ohio St.

When McMillan declared for the draft it looked like he might be a 2^nd or 3^rd round pick because while he was a very productive LB at Ohio St. he seemed to lack the athleticism of a guy like Reuben Foster.  ILBs don’t go in the first round unless they are superior athletes.  Well, then McMillan decided to go to the Combine and run a 4.61 at 240 lbs. and no one is questioning his athleticism now.  The Chiefs have put off finding a replacement for Derrick Johnson for years, seriously I’ve been talking about it for about five years now.  McMillan would be a fantastic replacement for Johnson because he has the talent and he would step in as a leader like Johnson too.  The Chiefs have other needs but CB is a deep position they can address later and so is the defensive line.

28. Dallas Cowboys (13-3): Taco Charlton DE   Michigan

The last two DEs the Cowboys drafted were Demarcus Lawrence, who can’t stay healthy and Randy Gregory, who can’t stay off drugs.  They pieced together a solid defense last year to complement their impressive offense but they need pass rushing help.  Charlton is a big man at 6’6 277 lbs. and he would make a great addition on the edge.  He can get to the QB but he plays all downs well and they could really use that in Dallas.  The Cowboys could choose to address their CB position as they have some questions there or they could look to find a replacement for the now retired Doug Free at RT or the aging Jason Witten at TE.  TE is a deep position so they should look to grab one later because Witten can’t play forever.

29. Green Bay Packers (10-6): Takkarist McKinley OLB   UCLA

Nick Perry re-signed with the Packers but Julius Peppers is returning to Carolina and Datone Jones has also departed.  The Packers are already too reliant on Clay Matthews to bring pressure.  They need to get a young pass rusher to help Matthews and eventually replace him.  McKinley is a good-looking pass rushing prospect and he fits the OLB mold they need.  He could spend a year learning from Perry and Matthews and while giving them a solid situational pass rusher.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Tim Williams OLB   Alabama

Contrary to what the Steelers believe, James Harrison can’t play forever and with Jarvis Jones leaving in free agency OLB is a major need.  Williams is a very talented pass rusher in space and projects better to OLB in a 3-4 than DE in a 4-3 because of his size.  His admission to teams at the Combine that he failed several drug tests while at Alabama is going to cause some concern.  It’s admirable that he came clean and isn’t trying to hide it but with recent issues with prospects like Randy Gregory it will give teams pause.  Talent wise this would be an absolute steal for the Steelers because Williams is legitimately the second-best pass rusher behind Myles Garrett.  He doesn’t fit every team well because he gets swallowed up by big offensive linemen easily due to his size so he’s a better fit for 3-4 defensive teams.

31. Atlanta Falcons (11-5): Budda Baker FS   Washington

With the free agent additions of DE Jack Crawford and DT Dontari Poe the Falcons have addressed some needs up front on their defense, the secondary still needs some attention.  Keanu Neal was a good addition at SS last season and Budda Baker would make a nice partner for him.  The Falcons will get back CB Desmond Trufant from injury and adding Baker would really improve the backend of their defense.  Baker isn’t the biggest guy and that’s the only knock on him.  He’s an excellent player and he and Neal would form a dynamic playmaking duo at safety.  Dan Quinn knows what it’s like to have a great pair of safeties from his time in Seattle where he had Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.

32. New Orleans Saints (from New England 14-2): Fabian Moreau CB   UCLA

The Saints picked up this pick in the Brandin Cooks trade and now they can use it to take advantage of the depth of the CB class.  An extra first round pick always comes in handy and in this case, they grab the underrated Fabian Moreau (okay, so Mike Mayock loves him but he’s not a household name).  Moreau has been flying under the radar but he had a really good showing in the end of the year events and he looked great at the combine.  The Saints need CBs and even if they sign Malcolm Butler to a restricted free agent offer sheet and the Patriots don’t match it (this is the most likely scenario) they still need a CB.  Moreau would give them a nice one to pair with Butler.