2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

This is my new mock draft; post NFL combine and after the first wave of free agency.  The combine brought some clarity to certain positions and gave guys a chance to enhance their draft stock (i.e. Montez Sweat, Noah Fant) or send their stock plummeting (Jachai Polite).  Free agency has a huge effect on the draft as teams fill needs with veterans thus taking some positions off the board especially in the early rounds.  The clearest examples of early round changes due to free agent signings are likely to be the Green Bay Packers no longer needing OLB help as they signed Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith to huge contracts.  Also, the Bills signed WRs John Brown, Cole Beasley and Andre Roberts along with C Mitch Morse, those are two major areas of need that have been addressed. There are teams that have made some curious moves, I’m looking at you Broncos and Giants.  And some individual signings that were over the top, Nick Foles got $88 million while Landon Collins got $86 million.  I only mention this stuff because it makes me wonder what kind of decision making these teams will make in the draft.  Will Denver continue to confound?  Do the Giants have a plan or are they just throwing darts at a board?  Why did Washington and Jacksonville overpay for Collins and Foles?  What does it all say about their draft strategy?  This is what makes mock drafts so hard and so interesting.  Here we go with 2.0.

1. Arizona Cardinals (3-13): Kyler Murray QB   Oklahoma

I will continue to vehemently disagree with the wisdom of this selection and the fact that it will lead the Cardinals to trading Josh Rosen but there is too much smoke for this to not be the selection.  The Cardinals let Steve Keim make the move to fire his own coaching choice from a year ago Steve Wilks and to hire a guy that got fired from his alma mater in Kliff Kingsbury.  If you’re going to do that you might as well go all in and give him his QB choice.  Murray is short, fast and he will understand Kingsbury’s offense but the Cardinals offense still needs a lot of help.  They got two new O-linemen in RT Marcus Gilbert and OG JR Sweezy so that’s a start but they need more help.  Larry Fitzgerald still needs help at WR (a healthy Christian Kirk will help but free agent Kevin White doesn’t count) and the team could use a starting caliber TE (the corpse of Charles Clay is not it).  They are all in on the Kingsbury train if they go with Murray and while Kingsbury is known for his version of the Air Raid offense, he should really consider how best to utilize RB David Johnson regardless of who lines up at QB.

2. San Francisco 49ers (4-12): Nick Bosa DE   Ohio St.

This may seem like a strange choice considering the 49ers just traded for Dee Ford from Kansas City and gave him a massive contract extension but this team understands where the value is at this point.  No one is happier that the Cardinals took Murray first than the 49ers because it means the best talent in the draft falls in their lap.  Bosa is a star pass rusher and you can never have too many of those.  This means they can let Solomon Thomas line up inside next to DeForest Bruckner and have Ford and Bosa flanking them, that’s a pretty fearsome front four.  The 49ers won’t let need trump talent and Bosa is the best player in the draft, they won’t overthink it they will just send flowers and a thank you card to the Cardinals for passing on the top talent in the draft.

3. New York Jets (4-12): Quinnen Williams DT   Alabama

The Jets have made a splash with a trade for OG Kelechi Osemele and two major free agent signings LB CJ Mosley and RB Le’Veon Bell.  The hiring of Gregg Williams to run the Jets defense means they will likely shift to a 4-3 base look with Mosley at MLB flanked by Avery Williamson and Darron Lee.  The problem is up front where only Leonard Williams is a true talent up front.  Williams played end in the 3-4 scheme but he’s best suited to play DT in the 4-3 alignment.  This pick comes down to Quinnen Williams or Josh Allen and while Allen is a top edge rusher, he’s better suited as an OLB and pairing Quinnen Williams with Leonard Williams in the middle would be a hell of a foundation to build the new defense around.  Quinnen Williams is a freak athlete and he and the other Williams would cause massive headaches for opponents.  They would also keep CJ Mosley clean at MLB which would help him out.  A lot of teams look to build their defense from the inside out and with Williams and Williams at DT, Mosley at MLB and Jamal Adams at safety the middle of the Jets defense would be quite good.

4. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Josh Allen DE/OLB   Kentucky

Jon Gruden says pass rushers are hard to find and it’s even tougher when you trade an elite one like Khalil Mack before the season.  Here Gruden lucks into an elite pass rusher when Allen falls because the Cardinals take Murray first overall.  Allen is a bit like Mack in the fact that he can line up all over and rush from anywhere.  He can stand up and play OLB or put his hand in the dirt and be a DE.  He’s not the biggest DE in the world but the Raiders pass rush was comically bad last season and Allen would go a long way towards fixing that.  The team has spent a lot of money to get the offense some weapons; trading for Antonio Brown and giving him a new deal, signing Tyrell Williams to a huge deal and taking a flyer on JJ Nelson.  Signing OT Trent Brown is a solid investment in Derek Carr’s health even if it means one of their two OT draft picks from last year isn’t sticking at the position.  I’m still not completely certain what Gruden is trying to do in Oakland but he shouldn’t overthink this too much, just take the gift that falls into your lap.

5. Tamp Bay Buccaneers (5-11): Rashan Gary DL   Michigan

If you’re reading the signs in Tampa Bay it looks like the team is going to transition from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense.  They signed OLB Shaq Barrett from Denver and he’s an edge rusher and they also brought in ILB Deone Buchanan formerly of the Cardinals who played under Bruce Arians and Todd Bowls when they were in Arizona together.  There are a couple of aging defensive linemen that look like candidates to move on too.  DT Gerald McCoy is a stellar talent but he’s on the wrong side of 30, costs a ton of money and isn’t a great fit in a 3-4.  Jason Pierre-Paul fits that description too.  Rashan Gary went the combine and showed his incredible athleticism which every loved but it also makes everyone wonder why he wasn’t very productive at Michigan.  Well, he’s a tweener.  He’s not big enough to be a true DT and he’s not fast enough to be a true edge rusher, that actually makes him perfect to play DE in a 3-4.  The team drafted Vita Vea last year in the first round and he’s perfect for the NT position so he and Gary would form a nice tandem upfront for the Buccaneers.

6. New York Giants (5-11): Dwayne Haskins QB   Ohio St.

While the Raiders and Broncos have both made some curious moves it is the Giants that are truly confounding.  They let Landon Collins walk (can’t blame them considering the Redskins overpaid him), they traded Olivier Vernon (he wasn’t a great fit at OLB for their new defense), then they traded their best player who they just signed last year, Odell Beckham Jr. for a 1^st and 3^rd round draft picks and Jabrill Peppers.  It looked like the team was gearing up for a full rebuild but they seem committed to Eli Manning for this next year.  They signed WR Golden Tate who is over 30 to a big contract and his best spot is in the slot where they already have Sterling Shepard.  They also signing Antoine Bethea who is the definition of an aging safety.  I’m giving them Dwayne Haskins because they have to get Eli’s replacement at some point and I can’t tell what the hell they are doing.  Haskins is the best QB available in the draft, I don’t care what Kliff Kingsbury thinks.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Jawaan Taylor OT   Florida

The Jaguars are finally moving on from Blake Bortles and while I agree with the signing of Nick Foles, I’m not sure giving him 4-year $88 million contract was necessary.  Foles has had some success the last few years filling in for Carson Wentz but as a full-time starter teams are going to have more time to prepare for him.  This team needs to lean on Leonard Fournette and their running game (assuming they can keep him healthy) and their defense.  The offensive line will benefit from getting Cam Robinson back from injury at LT but they still need an upgrade at RT.  Taylor is a beast and he will excel at RT opening holes for Fournette and keeping Foles upright.  Taylor looked great at the combine and really made a move up the board, he’s longer and more athletic than Jonah Williams and a more physical player than Andre Dillard.  With a solid offensive line and no more Bortles to mess things up the Jags might actually be a threat in the AFC again.

8. Detroit Lions (6-10): Montez Sweat DE   Mississippi St.

Yes, the Lions signed DE Trey Flowers to a massive free agent contract but while Flowers is a huge upgrade, he’s not really a speedy edge rusher.  Matt Patricia will put him to good use but he needs someone else to help juice up the pass rush.  Sweat is exactly the type of versatile defender Patricia will love because he can rush from all over the field.  He’s a chess piece and while Flowers and incumbent DE Kerry Hyder hold down the edges Sweat will get after the QB.  Sweat showed his elite athleticism at the combine and while his pass rushing moves could use some refinement, he will be an excellent pass rushing specialist from day one.  He’ll grow into a more complete player being coached by Patricia and being around Flowers.

9. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Ed Oliver DT   Houston

The Bills have done some work in free agency especially on the offensive line (C Mitch Morse, RT Ty Nsekhe) and at WR (John Brown, Cole Beasley, Andre Roberts).  One thing they need to look at is DT.  Stalwart Kyle Williams retired after a long career in Buffalo and Star Lotulelei is 29 years old.  Harrison Phillips is a nice player but not really a playmaker.  Oliver came into this season being compared to Aaron Donald, he’s an undersized DT with extreme quickness and a knack for getting into the backfield.  He had some injuries this season and he’s been overshadowed by the rise of Quinnen Williams and Rashan Gary but Oliver is still a top prospect.  He would give the Bills defense a disruptor in the middle and make things a little easier on Jerry Hughes rushing from the outside.  This team made some nice moves (I really like the John Brown/Cole Beasley combo, they will make Josh Allen better) and with the Dolphins in rebuild mode the Bills and Jets can fight it out for second place in the AFC East.

10. Denver Broncos (6-10): Clelin Ferrell OLB/DE   Clemson

John Elway must have lucked into a great defense and Peyton Manning at QB at the same time because from what I can see now he has no idea what he’s doing.  He traded for Joe Flacco, who isn’t any better than the QB he signed last off season, he signed a below average RT Ju’Wuan James to a ridiculously overpriced contract and he gave a three-year deal to a 30-year-old CB/S hybrid.  I can’t quite figure out just how crazy this pick will be.  Elway could take the QB he likes, Drew Lock, but he has to have some PTSD from his previous QB picks, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch.  The team took Bradley Chubb last year to pair with Von Miller but Miller is 30 and is quite expensive.  The team also lost Shaq Barrett and Shane Ray so they have little to no depth on the edge.  Ferrell has some work to do but he’s a fantastic athlete with some nice pass rushing skills.  Truly, I have no idea what Elway will do but that’s because I probably try to hard to make sense of things.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10): Devin White LB   LSU

I’m sticking with my pick of Devin White here because the Bengals LB corps is a disaster overall.  They are bringing back Preston Brown to man the middle but Vontaze Burfict was just cut.  Nick Vigil isn’t great on the other side of Brown either and this team has no depth whatsoever.  White is a tackling machine who could line up next to Brown on either side and he’d be a massive upgrade for the Bengals.  The one thing to keep in mind here is new coach Zac Taylor is the unknown.  He comes from Sean McVay’s coaching staff in L.A. but he’s young and has no real track record so who knows what he’ll want.  If he doesn’t like Andy Dalton this could be a spot for a QB or this could be the dark horse to trade up for Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins, it’s hard to say for sure.

12. Green Bay Packers (6-9-1): TJ Hockenson TE   Iowa

I’ve had the Packers taking an OLB here because Clay Matthews is old and a free agent and Nick Perry can’t stay healthy.  Well the Packers beat me to the punch by cutting Perry lose and signing not one but two 26-year-old edge players Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith.  So much for them drafting Brian Burns.  Instead this team gets Aaron Rodgers some much needed help on offense.  With Randall Cobb off to Dallas the team needs someone to help in the middle of the field and Hockenson can certainly to that.  He’s also a better blocker than his former Iowa teammate Noah Fant which makes him more valuable in the run game and keeping Rodgers healthy when they go max protect.  The Packers still have Jimmy Graham but he’s not the player he once was and he’s never been a great blocker.  The Packers love Iowa guys and Rodgers will love having Hockenson at his disposal.

13. Miami Dolphins (7-9): Jonah Williams  OT   Alabama

The Dolphins are Tanking for Tua or Justin Herbert or Jake Fromm or some other QB they fall in love with this season.  They signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to hold down the fort for this year, not win too many games, and then become the veteran backup the next season.  If their strategy works it would be best to use this draft to set up some help on offense for their new QB next season.  Williams doesn’t have ideal length to play OT but he’s a good technician and with Laremy Tunsil at LT Williams can slide into the RT job.  If he ends up in over his head there, he can slide in at LG next season next to Tunsil.  It’s not going to be a quick rebuild for Brian Flores and the Dolphins so taking some guys with potential who need a little work isn’t a bad idea.

14. Atlanta Falcons (7-9): Greedy Williams CB   LSU

The Falcons have some glaring needs; RT, DT and DE.  While CB doesn’t look like a glaring need with Desmond Trufant and Isaiah Oliver set to start, they really do need some help.  They lost Robert Alford and Brian Poole in the off season and they don’t have much behind Trufant and Oliver.  This may be a case of someone being far to valuable to not take here.  Williams is a big CB with amazing athletic skills.  If he’s still around at 14 he’s a steal.  Dan Quinn cut his teeth as a defensive coordinator in Seattle where they liked their CBs long and tall.  Williams can team with Oliver to give the team a couple of bigger CBs going forward.  The defensive line may be a bigger need but it’s also a deeper position they could address in the next round.

15. Washington Redskins (7-9): Drew Lock QB   Missouri

The Redskins have to decide if they want to start over at QB this year or wait until next season.  The likelihood is that Alex Smith will miss the season and I can’t see him being a viable starter again if he makes it back after that.  The team traded for Case Keenum from Denver and he can hold down the spot for the year but I think the team is ready to grab a guy for the future.  Lock checks all the boxes as far as size, arm strength and ability to make all NFL throws.  He’s not a can’t miss prospect but he’s a pretty good one who is probably good enough to beat out Keenum but won’t be forced to play if he’s not ready.  The Redskins will have time to ease him in as they shouldn’t be expected to compete this year.  Also, they will get back the RB they drafted last year to be their bell cow, Darrius Guice.  Guice will have Adrian Peterson back to compete with but they should share the load and Guice will eventually take over the role.  Lock is a guy that can get the ball deep and keep defenses off the line of scrimmage to open things up for Guice and Peterson.

16. Carolina Panthers (7-9): Brian Burns DE   Florida St.

The Panthers could go a number of directions here with an OT, a WR or a DE.  They re-signed RT Daryl Williams who is coming off an injury and they cut LT Matt Kalil which leaves Taylor Moton to man he left side.  At WR they could replace Devin Funchess with any number of big, powerful WRs in this draft but there is depth there.  Burns would be the type of speedy edge rusher they need on their defense.  Their most effective pass rusher was the ageless wonder Julius Peppers last year but he finally decided to retire.  No one on their defense scares anyone from a pass rushing standpoint and Burns would bring that element as he’s a skilled edge defender.  I won’t be surprised if they take OT Andre Dillard here given Cam Newton’s health issues but they seem to have some confidence in Moton after he filled in well last year when injuries piled up.  DE has been a need for the past few years, maybe this is the year they finally pull the trigger.

17. New York Giants (from Cleveland): Garrett Bradbury OC   NC State

The Giants have actually made two trades with the Browns, the first trade was sending Olivier Vernon to Cleveland for OG Kevin Zeitler.  No matter who lines up at QB for the Giants they have to get better up front.  Last year they signed LT Nate Solder and drafted LG Will Hernandez, now they have traded for Zeitler at RG.  That leaves C and RT as needs up front and Bradbury showed at the combine that he’s the best interior line prospect in the draft and he’ll be a day one starter at C.  Having a line with Solder, Hernandez, Bradbury and Zeitler would really help the Giants offense overall even if they still need a RT.  Saquon Barkley would find rushing lanes much easier to come by and the QB will have far more time in the pocket.  They could go for Dalton Risner or Cody Ford at RT but I like Bradbury’s upside.

18. Minnesota Vikings (8-7-1): Cody Ford OL   Oklahoma

The Vikings very nearly lost their top free agent LB Anthony Barr but he had a last-minute change of heart and returned instead of signing with the Jets.  Now instead of trying to find a replacement for him they can look to fix their biggest hole which is on the offensive line.  They are especially weak at OG and while Ford could play RT the Vikings can draft him with the knowledge, he could be a Pro Bowl caliber OG.  Ford is an absolute beast at 338 lbs. and should make Kirk Cousins life easier and open some huge holes for the run game.

19. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Noah Fant TE   Iowa

The Titans are coming to a crossroads with QB Marcus Mariota.  He will be playing this season on his fifth-year option on his rookie contract so the team will need to decide what to do going forward.  They need to put the best offense around him they can to assess him for the future.  Mariota has always been his best when he uses TE Delanie Walker but Walker missed last season and he’s already 34 years old meaning he is unlikely to return to his top form.  Fant is an elite athlete and he showed it at the combine.  He’ll give the Titans a top pass catching option over the middle and down the seam.  The team also added slot receiver Adam Humphries so if Corey Davis is healthy Mariota will have no excuses moving forward.  The line is solid, the run game is solid and the receiving corps would be seriously upgraded with Fant at TE.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6-1): Devin Bush ILB   Michigan

The Steelers offense is in transition with JuJu Smith-Schuster taking over as the #1 WR with Antonio Brown traded away and while James Connor took over at RB last year, this year there is no waiting around to see if Le’Veon Bell comes back.  The signing of Donte Moncrief and Eli Rogers likely means the team doesn’t intend to draft a WR early (they also have James Washington to go with Smith-Schuster).  They should address their defense and they have failed to adequately replace Ryan Shazier at ILB.  Devin Bush is in the same mold as an undersized yet fast LB and he would be a difference maker for them.

21. Seattle Seahawks (10-6): Nasir Adderley S   Delaware

The Seahawks haven’t been major players in free agency only making a small deal with veteran OG Mike Iupati and their major splash was signing a new kicker.  They have re-signed their own guys like Mychal Kendricks, KJ Wright, DJ Fluker and they franchise tagged their best pass rusher Frank Clark.  They could use a big WR but that has never really seemed like a priority for them.  They seem happy with George Fant and Germain Ifedi duking it out at RT.  Some help in the secondary would be welcomed with the loss of Earl Thomas in free agency and the fact they haven’t adequately replaced Kam Chancellor.  Adderley has flown under the radar but his performance at the Senior Bowl got him noticed and given Deionte Thompson has some question marks (wrist injury, playmaking ability) Adderley looks like a strong candidate to be the first safety off the board.  He isn’t big but he’ll make plays and the Seahawks could use a little of that in the deep middle of their defense.

22. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): DK Metcalf WR   Ole Miss

After Metcalf’s ridiculous performance at the combine in the athletic testing it’s hard to see him falling this far but he’s not the most fluid receiver and he needs work on his technique.  He’s not an experienced route runner and he’s had some injury issues so it’s not impossible to see him going this low.  The Ravens are rebuilding their WR corps for the second year in a row.  John Brown left in free agency and Michael Crabtree was released because his production didn’t match his salary.  New QB Lamar Jackson never had any chemistry with Brown so it’s time to get him his own WR.  Metcalf is a jump ball type of outside receiver so his large catch radius should help Jackson who isn’t the most accurate passer.  The team has three solid TEs and slot receiver Willie Snead so Metcalf’s ability on the outside would be a welcome addition.

23. Houston Texans (11-5): Andre Dillard OT   Washington St.

I’m not sure if Dillard will last this long considering he is the best pass blocking OT in the draft but I do know the Texans should be taking the best OT left at this point, doesn’t matter who it is.  Julie’n Davenport, Seantrel Henderson, Martinas Rankins, and Roderick Johnson, that’s who the Texans currently have at OT on their depth chart.  Dillard steps in immediately as a starter because this line gave up over 60 sacks last season and Deshaun Watson shouldn’t have to endure that punishment any more.  Let’s be honest, Watson can’t endure that punishment much longer if the team hopes for him to be their future at QB.  The Texans were a good team last year despite a bad offensive line but that is the exception not the rule, if the want to stay ahead of the Colts, Titans and Jaguars they need to block better up front.

24. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago): Byron Murphy CB   Washington

The Raiders had a lot of work to do on their roster going into the off season and they did some of it in free agency.  Their WR corps was a mess but the additions of Brown, Williams and Nelson corrected that problem.  I gave them Josh Allen for the pass rush earlier and now they need someone to help cover in the secondary.  I prefer Deandre Baker but Gruden feels like a Murphy sort of guy.  They have Gareon Conley who they hope will get better and Nick Nelson who I’m sure won’t get much better.  Murphy has starter talent and potential to be pretty good down the line.

25. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7): Dalton Risner OL   Kansas St.

The Eagles window to compete for the Super Bowl is still open if Carson Wentz could just stay healthy, however, this team has some age to it and that window won’t be open long if the team doesn’t get some young talent.  Risner could step in right now at LG if Jason Peters can get healthy and stay healthy at LT.  If he can’t Risner could play RT and Lane Johnson can slid to LT now and in the future.  The team has other issues but keeping Wentz upright has to be priority #1.  They do need help at LB but unless one of the Devins (White or Bush) is still around they would be better off waiting until round 2, the value just isn’t there at this point but there is depth into the later rounds.

26. Indianapolis Colts (10-6): AJ Brown WR   Ole Miss

Oh, what a difference Andrew Luck makes.  He made this entire team better somehow and yet they have plenty of areas they could address.   Despite having plenty of cap space the Colts decided against spending a bunch of money, they didn’t trade for Antonio Brown or Odell Beckham and they didn’t sign Le’Veon Bell in free agency.  Marlon Mack was pretty good at RB after he returned last season and they have two pretty good TEs in Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle.  Where they do need help is at WR where TY Hilton carries the load.  They did sign Panthers castoff WR Devin Funchess but I don’t think that will solve the problems.  AJ Brown didn’t blow up the combine like his college teammate DK Metcalf but Brown is the one of the two that was actually productive at Ole Miss.  Brown is the better route runner and he can handle playing outside or in the slot.  He and Hilton would make a nice versatile combo for Luck.

27. Oakland Raiders (from Dallas): Josh Jacobs RB   Alabama

With three first round picks this team can fill plenty of holes on the roster and while LB is a glaring need there simply isn’t great value here.  Whether or not Marshawn Lynch returns for another year the team needs a RB for the long haul.  Jacobs is the best of an average lot at RB and while I would advocate waiting until the later rounds for most teams this is the Raiders 3^rd pick so taking the best RB isn’t a bad idea.  Jacobs has a solid all-around game and he’ll bring some skills they can use right away.

28. Los Angeles Chargers (12-4): Dexter Lawrence DT   Clemson

The team re-signed Brandon Mebane but Corey Luiget and Darius Philon are still both free agents and Mebane is aging.  Lawrence didn’t have a good combine after hurting his leg running the 40 and he ended his college career suspended for failing a drug test.  That’s not a great combo which is why he’s still available this late in the draft.  Lawrence is a behemoth at 6’4 and over 350 lbs. but he moves like a man much smaller.  He can eat up blocks and keep Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram freed up while keeping blockers off of newly signed LB Thomas Davis.  As long as the team is comfortable with his character, he will go in the first round and probably start early for whichever team drafts him.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): Deandre Baker CB   Georgia

The Chiefs offense is set and they even added a bruising RB in Carlos Hyde to complement Damien Williams but their defense was terrible last season. New coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take them away from the 3-4 look to a 4-3 look which involves some major changes.  They traded OLB Dee Ford and cut OLB Justin Houston, those two don’t fit the new scheme.  Letting S Eric Berry go had to be hard but it was necessary given his age and the fact he has missed so much time the last few years.  The team lost CB Steven Nelson in free agency and while he isn’t a big loss, they do need to replace him.  Baker is a better CB than he is an athlete but he’ll be really good across from Kendall Fuller.  This defense can’t be much worse and Baker would help them be much better.  (One MAJOR caveat, if Tyreek Hill is found to have done something illegal in regards to the allegations of child abuse and the Chiefs cut him this pick becomes either WR Marquise Brown or WR Parris Campbell.  This team needs its deep speed WR)

30. Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans): Deebo Samuel WR   South Carolina

The Packers addressed their major defensive deficiencies in free agency with the two OLBs and with safety Adrian Amos.  This first round is about making Aaron Rodgers happy.  With Randall Cobb gone they need a guy that can line up in the slot.  Marquise Brown from Oklahoma is a possibility but I like Samuel better.  Brown is dealing with a foot injury and I think that could give teams pause in drafting him in the first round.  Samuel would be a great Cobb replacement because like Cobb he would excel in the slot but he can line up out wide and be very good too.  He has better size than Brown and while he isn’t as fast, I think Rodgers will appreciate his route running and ability to separate and get open.  The Packers took 3 WRs in last year’s draft but Samuel is better than all of them.

31. Los Angeles Rams (13-3): Jaylon Ferguson OLB   Louisiana Tech

The Rams have some holes to fill with DT Ndamukong Suh being a free agent and they need help on the interior of their offensive line with OG Roger Saffold leaving and C John Sullivan not returning.  Unfortunately, they don’t have a lot of draft picks either.  They need pass rushing help too even after re-signing Dante Fowler Jr. whom they traded their 3^rd round pick for last year.  Ferguson played at a smaller school but he was a dominant pass rusher at LA Tech.  He should be perfect for Wade Phillips 3-4 defense and he will make the Rams defense better.

32. New England Patriots (11-5): Deionte Thompson S   Alabama

The Patriots have some aging players on the defense and that includes both starting safeties Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty.  There has already been talk that McCourty is considering retirement and the Patriots are known for moving on from aging players a year too early instead of a year too late.  McCourty quarterbacks the defensive backfield and Thompson would be a nice addition to bring in and have him learn for a year or two.  Thompson may not be the biggest playmaker but he understands how to line up a defense and he played for Nick Saban, that should be good enough for Bill Belichick.  The team could use a TE like Irv Smith Jr, or a WR like N’Keal Harry or an offensive lineman like Greg Little or Chris Lindstrom but I think they go for the value of Thompson, unless of course Belichick trades this pick…yeah, he’s going to trade this pick.  I really hope he decides to package this pick with one of their 2^nd round picks to move up to take TJ Hockenson or Noah Fant but that’s just me dreaming.