NFC North Draft Review

After a tough year on the field the Detroit Lions had a pretty good draft. Their first four picks should pay dividends pretty early on. Jeff Okudah is a legitimate star at CB, which they desperately need. D’Andre Swift might finally be the answer at RB they have been seeking for the last couple of decades. Julian Okwara and Jonah Jackson have starting potential. Matt Patricia needs this draft to pay off big. The Vikings were clearly looking for quantity over quality. I guess if you throw enough you know what at the wall, some of it is bound to stick. Their top four picks look damn good to me and the just by the law of averages some of the 15 guys they drafted have to work out. The Bears certainly found help with their two second-round picks but it’s a tough go when those are the only two picks you have the top 155 overall selections. I like Kmet and Johnson and they were solid value picks. I’m not even going to begin to try to understand what the Packers were doing. Trading up to take a QB, a move that is almost certainly going to piss off your future Hall of Fame QB, is questionable in and of itself. To follow that up with taking a power back who is sort of the opposite of the way the league is trending is worrisome. When you factor in that your offensive line is not really built for the power running game, it’s a downright dangerous gamble. Finally, you follow that up with drafting a TE that isn’t likely to make an immediate impact and you completely pass on any WR to help out your future Hall of Fame QB and that seems like a dereliction of duty. If Aaron Rodgers gets pissed enough to force his way out of Green Bay or simply retires than the GM and head coach are staking their very young careers on Jordan Love being the next….um…Aaron Rodgers.

Chicago Bears
(43) Cole Kmet   TE   Notre Dame
(50) Jaylon Johnson   CB   Utah
(155) Trevis Gipson   OLB   Tulsa
(163) Kindle Vildor   CB   Georgia Southern
(173) Darnell Mooney   WR   Tulane
(226) Arlington Hambright   OL   Colorado
(227) Lachavious Simmons   OL   Tennessee St.

Immediate Impact: TE Cole Kmet, CB Jaylon Johnson
It’s not as if the Bears didn’t try to address the TE and CB positions in free agency but Jimmy Graham is past his prime and Artie Burns never had one. Cole Kmet was the best TE prospect in a less than impressive TE class. He is big and fast and he certainly looks the part of an NFL TE. He wasn’t as productive at Notre Dame as his skill set would have you think but he should get more opportunities with the Bears. Jaylon Johnson is one of the better CBs in the draft and I think he will be a starter sooner rather than later. After Kyle Fuller the team really doesn’t have much at the position. Beating out Burns should prove fairly easy unless Chuck Pagano and the Chicago defensive staff have some magic potion to unlock Burns’ potential.

Best Value: CB Jaylon Johnson
Beauty was in the eye of the beholder when it came to the CB position after Jeff Okudah and CJ Henderson. Johnson was in the mix as the third guy yet somehow, he fell to 50th overall. There are a number of teams that will be kicking themselves for passing over Johnson for a different CB. I like Johnson and he landed in the perfect situation where he won’t be handed the job but he will go out and earn it.

Sleeper: WR Darnell Mooney
Mooney is a skinny WR at only 175 lbs. but he has a lot of playing time under his belt and he’s proven to be a playmaker. The Bears are in pretty good shape at WR with Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Riley Ridley and even Cordarrelle Patterson but Mooney is a versatile guy who could become their fifth WR, hang on to a roster spot while he tries to fill out a bit and he offers the inside/outside versatility to backup several positions for now. Down the road his playmaking prowess gives him a chance to become a real asset in the passing game.

Overall Analysis
When your draft consists of no first-round picks, two second round picks and then you don’t pick again until the fifth round it’s hard to have a great draft. I love the Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson picks, they got two guys that can help right away. Both guys will have to earn their playing time because there are veterans ahead of them but that just means they will be challenged and that’s not a bad thing. I do think the Gronkowski comparisons are unfair to Kmet, no one is Gronk but Gronk. I think a better projection for Kmet is Kyle Rudolph, and Rudolph is a pretty good TE. When your third pick doesn’t come until #155 overall it’s hard to find true impact players but the Bears traded their first-round pick in the Khalil Mack trade, it would be hard to believe they wouldn’t pull that trigger every time. Everyone else is a developmental guy and I’m not real sure the two seventh round lineman stick around but at that point in the draft you’re just hoping to find a diamond in the rough. My only issue is that the team didn’t really find any legitimate candidates to replace retired OG Kyle Long. They have some run of the mill veterans but they benefited greatly from Long’s presence. When they took Trevis Gipson in round five there were still some legitimate starting caliber OGs left (Netane Muti, Nick Harris and Jon Runyan just to name a few).

Detroit Lions

(3) Jeff Okudah   CB   Ohio St.
(35) D’Andre Swift   RB   Georgia
(67) Julian Okwara   DE   Notre Dame
(75) Jonah Jackson   OG   Ohio St.
(121) Logan Stenberg   OL   Kentucky
(166) Quintez Cephus   WR  Wisconsin
(172) Jason Huntley   RB   New Mexico St.
(197) John Penisini   DT   Utah
(235) Jashon Cornell   DL   Ohio St.

Immediate Impact: CB Jeff Okudah, RB D’Andre Swift
Okudah walks into training camp as the best CB on the team and this team has Desmond Trufant and Justin Coleman, two legitimate NFL veteran CBs. Okudah checks all the boxes of a #1 CB and he will be tested in a conference where he plays Allen Robinson, Adam Thielen and Devante Adams twice a year. Swift was arguably the best RB in this draft and his overall game is outstanding. The team still likes Kerryon Johnson but he can’t stay healthy and Swift is the better overall talent. I think Swift has the starting RB job by week four and he’s the best RB on the Lions’ roster since Barry Sanders. And in case you’re wondering Barry Sanders retired in 1998.

Best Value: DE Julian Okwara
Okwara was on his way to being a first-round pick until he got hurt during the season. Okwara’s loss is the Lions’ gain. He’s a very talented player and it was a pretty cool scene when he got drafted to the Lions on Friday night because that also happens to be where his brother Romeo plays. The bad news is Julian is good enough to take his brother’s starting spot at DE opposite Trey Flowers. Getting a guy that has first round ability in the early third round is very good value.

Sleeper: OG Jonah Jackson
People don’t usually get too excited about interior offensive linemen so I’m calling Jackson my sleeper. He’s not the prettiest looking blocker but he is highly effective. The team has veterans Joe Dahl and Oday Aboushi penciled in at OG. Jackson could beat out either one of them to be a starter and Matthew Stafford would appreciate the help up front and so will D’Andre Swift (and Kerryon Johnson if he stays healthy).

Overall Analysis
Detroit had a really excellent draft with their first four players capable of being starters right away or at least pretty early in the season. Okudah is a star at CB and Swift will take the starting job sooner rather than later. In a pass happy NFL, a top CB is a necessity and while the Lions traded one away this off season (Darius Slay) they drafted another one. Kerryon Johnson is a solid back but Swift has immense talent and will likely be more durable. Okwara is a bit of a ‘tweener, a little undersized to be pure DE but not quite versatile enough to be an OLB. He went to the perfect place because Matt Patricia learned from Bill Belichick that versatile defenders make the best defenders. Okwara should excel under Patricia. I think Jonah Jackson steals a starting job immediately and Logan Stenberg has some holes in his game but he’s a solid prospect who brings some versatility as a backup interior lineman. WR Quintez Cephus and RB Jason Huntley are going to have to earn roster spots by playing special teams and bringing something to the table others on the depth chart don’t. The Lions have Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola and Geronimo Allison as their top four WR, Cephus has one good trait, his physicality. If he shows that as a useful trait he sticks as the fifth receiver. At RB the team now has Swift, Johnson, Bo Scarbrough and Ty Johnson. Huntley is small but fast, can he make that skill more useful than others on the depth chart? Penisini and Cornell have a chance to stick around because the Lions are not all that deep on the defensive line. Penisini is a good run-stopper at DT while Cornell has the versatility to back up at both DT and DE.

Green Bay Packers

(26) Jordan Love   QB   Utah St.
(62) AJ Dillon   RB   Boston College
(94) Josiah Deguara   TE   Cincinnati
(175) Kamal Martin   LB   Minnesota
(192) Jon Runyan   OL   Michigan
(208) Jake Hansen   C   Oregon
(209) Simon Stepaniak   OL  Indiana
(236) Vernon Scott   S   TCU
(242) Jonathan Garvin DE/OLB Miami

Immediate Impact: RB AJ Dillon????
I’m not completely certain how quickly Dillon will make an impact but he has the best shot to do it early. Love is going to be the backup for the foreseeable future unless the Packers picking him completely sends Rodgers into a tailspin and he feels like forcing a trade out of town. I also don’t see Deguara moving ahead of Mercedes Lewis or Jace Sternberger. Dillon brings a different skill set than Aaron Jones but he isn’t going to take Jones’ starting spot this year. Dillon will be the short yardage back and insurance against Jones and Jamaal Williams getting injured.

Best Value: DE/OLB Jonathan Garvin????
Garvin isn’t really big enough to line up at DE in the Packers 3-4 defense and he’s not really quick enough to be a highly effective pass rusher as an OLB. He is a talented kid he just seems to be without a defined position. I think he makes the team and for a seventh rounder that’s pretty solid. This is also my way of saying they didn’t really get anyone beyond where they should have.

Sleeper: OL Jon Runyan
Runyan has a ton of experience from his college days but he played OT at Michigan and he really isn’t suited for it in the NFL. He should spend this year transitioning inside and working to gain strength to be more effective. The Packers are aging on the interior and I think they probably experiment with Runyan at both OG and OC. He showed great athleticism at the combine but he generally doesn’t look as athletic on the field. If he can translate that to the field, he can be good.

Overall Analysis
If I didn’t make this clear I don’t like this draft overall. The Packers were certainly looking towards the future since most of their top picks won’t contribute much this year and the later ones might not at all. The Packers had the most talked about first-round pick when they traded up to get QB Jordan Love. They can control Love for up to five years on his first contract but there is no guarantee Aaron Rodgers is done before that. They may run into the Tom Brady/Jimmy Garoppolo situation. It looks like we won’t know Love’s value for a minimum of 3-4 years. I do like AJ Dillon as a RB but I question where took him, I think there were better all-around RBs available and not a lot of teams are looking for power backs that don’t add much else. Also, with Jones and Williams around Dillon isn’t looking at a lot of carries, that limits his value. The Packers must really have loved something on Deguara’s film because they took him over quite a few TEs that were rated higher and I’m not sure why. They got some LB depth with Kamal Martin and Jonathan Garvin which they needed and they got interior offensive line depth with Runyan, Jake Hansen and Simon Stepaniak, which they also needed. I’m pretty sure they don’t want to count on any of those guys this year but they can hope at least some of them develop. I would say my biggest concern with this draft and I’m fairly certain Aaron Rodgers would agree with me is, where is the help at WR? Any help would have been appreciated coming from the deepest WR draft in modern NFL history.

Minnesota Vikings

(22) Justin Jefferson   WR   LSU
(31) Jeff Gladney   CB   TCU
(58) Ezra Cleveland   OT   Boise St.
(89) Cameron Dantzler   CB   Mississippi St.
(117) DJ Wonnum   DE   South Carolina
(130) James Lynch  DL   Baylor
(132) Troy Dye   LB   Oregon
(169) Harrison Hand   CB   Temple
(176) KJ Osborn   WR   Miami
(203) Blake Brandel   OL   Oregon St.
(205) Josh Metellus   S   Michigan
(225) Kenny Willekes   DE   Michigan St.
(244) Nate Stanley   QB   Iowa
(249) Brian Cole II   S   Mississippi St.
(253) Kyle Hinton   OL   Washburn

Immediate Impact: WR Justin Jefferson, CB Jeff Gladney, OT Ezra Cleveland, CB Cameron Dantzler
The Vikings lost important players this off season and they did a nice job replacing most of them here. WR Justin Jefferson was drafted to step into the role vacated by Stefon Diggs who was traded to Buffalo. Jefferson isn’t exactly like Diggs but he’s a really outstanding WR who can play any of the positions and catches everything. He’s even used to being overshadowed by a teammate after playing opposite Ja’Marr Chase last year. He should complain less than Diggs about getting the ball. CBs Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler should step in next to Mike Hughes to fill the void created by the free agent defections of Trae Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander and Xavier Rhodes being cut. They also picked up an OT in Ezra Cleveland who has loads of potential and should work very well in the Vikings offense.

Best Value: OT Ezra Cleveland
Cleveland was trending up the draft boards late because he’s got great size and his athletic ability makes him a natural LT. He needs some work on his technique and to work on his strength but he can play early. The Vikings are looking to improve their line and one way to do that might be to put Cleveland in at LT and move Riley Reiff inside to LG to replace Pat Elflein who has struggled the past couple of seasons. Cleveland will work well in the zone blocking scheme the team prefers.

Sleeper: DE Kenny Willekes
The Vikings lost Everson Griffin this off season and they need someone to play opposite Danielle Hunter so he doesn’t face triple teams. They drafted three defensive linemen and while Willekes was the last one they took, if I had to bet on one, I’m betting on him. Willekes started out as a walk-on at Michigan St. and proved to be an All-Conference player by the end of his career. He’s not the most athletically gifted guy but no one will out work him and he never stops coming.

Overall Analysis
Generally, when teams go into a draft with 12 picks as the Vikings did this year, they look to package some of them together to move up but the Vikings went the other way. They turned 12 picks into 15 this year and added some for next year. I’m not sure it’s a great strategy because the odds of 15 rookies making your roster is pretty low. The first four picks were spot on, good players that fit major needs and will help immediately. I also really like the James Lynch and Troy Dye picks as they add really good depth on the d-line and at LB respectively. DE DJ Wonnum and CB Harrison Hand also could make the team as depth pieces in need areas but they are developmental projects. WR KJ Osborn might find it a little more difficult to find space on the roster. After that, QB Nate Stanley has a shot to unseat Jake Browning as the third QB but it would take a herculean effort to take the backup job from Sean Mannion, he’s a trusted veteran presence. Kenny Willekes is a pretty solid bet to at least contribute as a high-end backup and a special team’s guy. The rest of the picks were some potential depth pieces for the offensive line and safety spot but are longshots for the roster.

 

 

2020 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 (Last One)

This is my final mock draft for 2020 as the draft starts April 23^rd.  It seems strange to have an actual sporting event even if there is no actual game being played.  I’ve always said the NFL Draft is my favorite sporting event of the year and now every sports fan will be tuned in because there is nothing else to do.  Right now, it’s lying season when it comes to the draft as everyone puts up smokescreens to hide their intentions.  It has been a strange draft prep as teams haven’t been able to bring in players for workouts and can only conduct interviews virtually.  Athletes haven’t been able to have pro days or individual team workouts to show off, this will hurt players that either didn’t attend the combine, didn’t work out at the combine or had a bad combine.  Teams are going to have to rely pretty heavily on their scouting reports generated from game film, perhaps this draft will have the least busts ever.

Round 1

1. Cincinnati Bengals (2-14): Joe Burrow      QB       LSU

This pairing was decided once the Bengals locked up the #1 overall pick last season.  Andy Dalton was never the Bengals long-term QB plan once they let Marvin Lewis go and hired Zac Taylor to be their head coach last off season.  Burrow went from a likely late round draft pick when the college football season started to the presumptive #1 overall pick because of an incredible season at LSU.  A Heisman trophy, a National Championship and a Tua Tagovailoa hip injury later and Burrow was the clear choice for the QB needy Bengals.  Burrow had a senior year for the ages at LSU and now he will return to his native Ohio to be the face of the Bengals franchise.  Burrow checks all the boxes of a top QB prospect with great size, a strong arm, good mobility, exceptional accuracy and a high football IQ.  The Bengals have some very good skill position players for Burrow to work with; RB Joe Mixon, WRs AJ Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross, if he’s healthy.  They need to get some help on the o-line and a new TE would be a great help to a rookie QB.

2. Washington Redskins (3-13): Chase Young      DE      Ohio St.

I had the Redskins trading out of this spot with the Dolphins moving up in my last two mock drafts but it looks like the Dolphins are content to stay at five and see what happens with either Tua or Justin Herbert.  That leaves the Redskins with less options to trade out and that means they stick here and just take the best overall prospect in the draft.  Young is a freak athlete coming off the edge and as new head coach Ron Rivera and new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio look to reshape the Redskins’ defense Young gives them an excellent building block on the line.  I’m not sure if Young will have the immediate impact former Ohio St. alumni Joey and Nick Bosa had but he’s a fantastic prospect who will only get better with great coaching and better defenders around him.  The team will transition from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 defense and Young should work will with veteran Ryan Kerrigan and pair well long-term with Montez Sweat.

3. Detroit Lions (3-12-1): Jeff Okudah      CB      Ohio St.

Detroit could be a spot where teams look to trade up to move ahead of the Dolphins and Chargers to grab a QB.  However, given the unknowns about Tua’s injury because of the pandemic limiting teams’ ability to check him out for themselves I think the appetite to move up may vanish.  If the Lions don’t get a good offer they can stay put and draft the CB they so desperately need.  They traded Darius Slay, who is such an underrated and underappreciated player, and they need a new #1 CB.  They signed Desmond Trufant but he is probably better suited to be a #2 at this point.  Okudah would be a great player to have to cover guys like Devante Adams, Adam Thielen and Allen Robinson, three guys this team sees twice a year.  Matt Patricia has to improve this teams and his defense is a good place to start.

4. New York Giants (4-12): Tristan Wirfs      OT      Iowa

I said before that I expect GM Dave Gettleman to take an offensive lineman and I had Mekhi Becton as that guy but now I’m giving him Wirfs.  The rumors have been the Giants taking Isaiah Simmons and while Simmons would be an understandable pick this smells like a smokescreen to me.  Gettleman has to have Daniel Jones work out at QB if he wants to continue running the team and Jones needs better protection.  Wirfs is an immediate starter at RT and could be the eventual successor to Nate Solder at LT and that could be as soon as a year from now.  I’m switching from Becton to Wirfs because I think Wirfs is farther ahead of Becton in his development and I think Gettleman will trust an Iowa offensive lineman before one from Louisville.

5. Miami Dolphins (5-11): Tua Tagovailoa      QB      Alabama

Miami is engaged in the ultimate smokescreen as we head towards the draft.  They have simultaneously leaked that they are worried about Tua’s injury issues, they might take Justin Herbert instead of Tua and that they might take an offensive lineman instead of a QB here and look to take Jordan Love with one of their later 1^st round picks.  They may be trying to force the Chargers to try to move ahead of them to get a QB which would mean they don’t have to make a choice between Tua and Herbert, they just take whoever is left.  Or they are trying to convince Washington or Detroit to take less to move up by pretending they don’t care.  Either way, I think they take Tua if he’s there.  They didn’t make all the moves they made to end up with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jordan Love at QB.  They need a franchise QB and while Tua’s injury history is scary, he simply has far too much potential to be a franchise changing QB to pass up.  The Dolphins have been starved for a franchise QB since Dan Marino retired and if they pass on Tua their fans may revolt.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Justin Herbert      QB      Oregon

The Chargers are saying they are content with Tyrod Taylor as their starting QB and that’s good but it doesn’t preclude them from drafting Herbert.  Herbert might be best served not being forced into the starting job for a team that is looking to improve quickly.  If Taylor is at least a viable option than Herbert would have to play well enough to beat him out.  I don’t think that’s how it will go but that’s the scenario the Chargers are working on.  I will say, if there is one team that might pass on Herbert despite a real QB need it might be the Chargers.  Taking Isaiah Simmons would make their already formidable defense outstanding, adding his playmaking to Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Casey Hayward, Chris Harris and Derwin James would be scary.  When you have to play against Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs twice a year, having an exceptional defense is enticing.

7. Carolina Panthers (5-11): Isaiah Simmons      LB      Clemson

The Panthers are in a position to reap the rewards of someone great falling in the draft because three QBs go in the top six and Dave Gettleman takes an offensive lineman instead of a defender.  There are three elite defenders in this draft; Young, Okudah and Simmons, the Panthers get the one that’s left.  Simmons is a game changing player that would slide right into the Panthers defense and replace the retired Luke Kuechly.  The Panthers defense needs an infusion of talent wherever they can find it and Simmons is the type of swiss-army knife defender that any defensive coordinator would love to have.  He can rush the passer, stop the run and cover like a corner.  He fits whatever Matt Rhule and his defensive coordinator Phil Snow want to do.

8. Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1): Jedrick Wills      OT      Alabama

The Cardinals pulled off the trade heist of the century when they robbed Bill O’Brien and the Texans in the DeAndre Hopkins trade.  That gives Kyler Murray his #1 WR for quite some time and the team still has Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and some young guys like Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson.  That means they can focus elsewhere; the offensive line needs attention and so does the defense.  DJ Humphries was resigned at LT but the team still needs a RT and Wills made his reputation playing the right side at Alabama.  He would be more comfortable there than at LT so this is an excellent fit.  It’s possible the Cardinals take a defender like Derrick Brown but I think protecting Kyler Murray will be the more important to the team’s success.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10): Derrick Brown      DT      Auburn

The Jaguars need help on their defensive line after cutting Marcel Dareus and trading Calais Campbell along with the fact that Yannick Ngakoue is very unhappy especially after being franchised.  They also need help in the secondary after trading Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye and having their free agent deal with Darqueze Dennard fall through.  Brown is the next best defensive prospect on the board after the top three (Young, Okudah and Simmons).  There has been some talk that CB CJ Henderson is climbing up the boards as the second-best CB prospect so it’s possible the Jaguars might like him better.  For now, I think they go with Brown as he fills a huge need and is still considered a better prospect than Henderson.  The other possibility is an offensive tackle but I think there are prospects they could pick up later to compete with Cam Robinson at LT.

10. Cleveland Browns (6-10): Andrew Thomas      OT      Georgia

The Browns signed RT Jack Conklin and that solves a huge hole on the offensive line but there is an even bigger one at LT that they have to fill or all their good off-season work will be for not.  Baker Mayfield needs some time in the pocket to use his plethora of skill position players and Thomas is the best pure LT in this draft.  In this mock, it comes down to Thomas vs. Becton and while Becton has a very high ceiling it’s Thomas who should have the more immediate impact.  Thomas steps in on day one at LT and he can dominate.  His experience in the more pro-style offense at Georgia should make his transition to the NFL smoother and Cleveland needs their offense to get going now to give Baker Mayfield a chance to succeed.

11. New York Jets (7-9): Mekhi Becton      OT      Louisville

The Jets have two major holes to fill, #1 WR and OT.  They could have their pick of any of the fantastic WRs in this draft including CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy but here they take Becton because he’s the last of the elite OTs and he slides right in at LT.  Becton is still learning and is a little raw but this offense is still a work in progress and Becton has time to grow while he watches Sam Darnold’s blind side.  The WR position is stacked so the team can afford to wait to grab a new WR.  Taking Becton would also allow them to swing free agent OT George Fant to RT and that would improve two positions with one draft choice, that’s just smart math.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9): CJ Henderson      CB      Florida

There is a lot of talk about the Raiders going for a new QB like Jordan Love but I think Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden are smart enough to realize they desperately need help in the secondary.  Their top CBs are Nevin Lawson and Trayvon Mullen, that’s not good in a division that has Pat Mahomes.  Henderson has seemed to separate himself from the rest of the CBs fighting for position behind Jeff Okudah and that’s understandable.  The more teams watch his film the more they will see a great cover guy who doesn’t seem to like to tackle.  Of all the missing traits a CB can have, an aversion to tackling is the most acceptable one.  There have been plenty of CBs in the league that don’t relish tackling that have done just fine, Henderson can hold up in coverage against the best WR, that’s what you draft him to do.

13. San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis): Jerry Jeudy       WR      Alabama

The 49ers picked up this pick from the Colts after dealing DeForest Buckner there so they could afford to re-sign Arik Armstead.  They dealt from a position of strength and now they can use this pick to get the best WR in this draft.  I’m a huge fan of Jeudy and I think his considerable skill set would be amazing in San Francisco.  His precision route running would be a better fit than CeeDee Lamb who is more of a deep ball threat.  When you’re coming off a Super Bowl appearance it means your roster is pretty good.  Having the luxury of the 13^th overall pick after a Super Bowl means you can go luxury shopping, getting the best WR in the draft is a very nice luxury when the one thing you need to do is improve your passing game.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9): Josh Jones      OT      Houston

Taking a RT is still the most likely scenario for the Bucs after signing Tom Brady as their new QB.  Demar Dotson is a free agent they are not looking to bring back which leaves free agent pickup Joe Haeg, who is better suited inside, as the leader for the job.  That’s not good enough when you have a QB that will be 43 this season and wasn’t exactly fleet-of-foot when he was 23.  Jones is a good athlete with nice length and he can step in immediately as a starter.  He still has some rawness to his game and he will benefit from NFL coaching because he has plenty of talent to work with.  The team could look to grab a defender but securing Tom Brady is priority #1.

15. Denver Broncos (7-9): CeeDee Lamb      WR      Oklahoma

The Broncos think they finally found their QB in Drew Lock and they are looking to surround him with a proper offense to find out.  They have WR Courtland Sutton, TE Noah Fant, RB Phillip Lindsay and they signed RB Melvin Gordon.  Sutton stepped up to show the makings of a legitimate #1 WR last year but he needs a complement.  Lamb is a deep ball specialist who can take the top off the defense and will make the intermediate area less crowded for both Sutton and Fant to work.  He will also make the safeties have to play deep which should open up running room for Gordon and Lindsay.  Lamb is one of the best deep ball trackers you’ll ever find and that makes him very valuable an offense overall.  Points come in the passing game and Lamb is a game breaker.

16. Atlanta Falcons (7-9): Javon Kinlaw      DT      South Carolina

The Falcons desperately need a CB and there are rumblings that they are going to make a play to move up to draft CJ Henderson.  Henderson has separated himself from the pack that is behind Jeff Okudah.  Henderson has a high upside and if they make a move it is completely understandable.  If they don’t, and they stay here at 16 they could grab any one of a number of CBs; Kristian Fulton, Trevon Diggs, Jeff Gladney and so on.  The problem is none of them truly stand out from the rest.  I have them taking Kinlaw because he provides another pass rusher up front and he is far more valuable than any CB left on the board.  His presence would make Grady Jarrett, Takk McKinley and Dante Fowler Jr. that much more effective.  They can wait until the second round to address CB at this point and take a chance a guy like Bryce Hall falls to them and turns out to be a #1 CB.

17. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Kristian Fulton      CB      LSU

The Cowboys have taken care of just about everything on their list of needs, if you consider franchising Dak Prescott “taking care of him”.  Well, everything except their CB needs.  I’m not sure counting on the reinstatement of DEs Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory is really addressing that need but they should be okay there overall.  At CB they have Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis and while that’s solid depth they lack anything resembling a #1 CB.  Fulton isn’t necessarily going to step right into the top CB role but he has potential to fill that spot and unless the Cowboys pull off a major trade to move up to get Okudah or Henderson this is about the best they can do.  I like Fulton and he has good CB size and instincts.  Is he going to shut down top WRs like Michael Thomas or Julio Jones? No.  But he can hold his own against guys in their division like Terry McLaurin, Alshon Jeffrey and Golden Tate.

18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): Austin Jackson      OT      USC

The Dolphins spent quite a bit of money in free agency, most of it on the defensive side of the ball.  Then they took Tua Tagovailoa with their first pick in this mock draft, now they have to protect him.  They did sign OG Ereck Flowers and OC Ted Karras but it’s the edges of the offensive line that still need help.  Jackson is a young guy who needs a little time to mature but he has all the makings of an excellent LT.  They need both a LT and a RT so I sort of doubt this is the last offensive lineman they draft but Jackson is a solid start.

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Henry Ruggs III      WR      Alabama

There’s a real chance if Jordan Love is still available here, they Raiders won’t be able to pass him up.  However, Mike Mayock made it pretty clear in an interview that he sees Derek Carr as a pretty good QB and doesn’t plan to replace him.   What they do need to do is get him more weapons in the passing game.  Ruggs III is the third best WR behind Jeudy and Lamb and if he’s still around at 19 he makes a whole lot of sense for the Raiders.  They have Tyrell Williams but he’s more of a big WR who works well in the intermediate area as well as the red zone.  Ruggs III is the definition of deep threat with his electric speed.  The question will be if Carr has the arm to take advantage of Ruggs’ speed.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LA Rams): Trevon Diggs      CB      Alabama

The Jaguars have traded Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye since the trade deadline and now they have Rashaan Melvin and DJ Hayden slated to start at CB, that’s not good.  Head coach Doug Marrone and GM David Caldwell didn’t get fired with Tom Coughlin but that means they don’t have a long leash either.  Caldwell’s might be a little longer because he would likely have the power to jettison Marrone if things go bad but that’s not a great place to be as a GM.  Caldwell has to help Marrone succeed and drafting a zone corner like Diggs would help their defense tremendously.  Diggs is a good corner who should get better with more experience, he hasn’t always been a CB.  As he gets more experience, he should improve quite a bit.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7): Justin Jefferson      WR      LSU

The only thing that’s a bigger lock in this draft than Joe Burrow going first overall is the Eagles drafting a WR.  It might not be Jefferson if they like Laviska Shenault or Tee Higgins better or if they trade up to get one of the top three but they will take a WR.  They needed CB help too but they addressed that in a big way with Darius Slay.  The team is solid just about everywhere else but WR is a major problem spot.  Alshon Jeffrey doesn’t seem like a long-term fit, DeSean Jackson isn’t getting any younger or healthier, Nelson Agholor is now a Raider.  Jefferson has almost become the consensus fourth WR in this draft after Lamb, Jeudy and Ruggs III, and it’s understandable considering his overall skill set.  He can play inside or out, he has reliable hands, and he runs good routes.  He would be a nice security blanket for Carson Wentz and he easily replaces Agholor.

22. Minnesota Vikings (from Buffalo): Jaylon Johnson      CB      Utah

The Vikings have a few holes to fill and another spot or two they should fill but there is no bigger hole than there is at CB.  The team cut Xavier Rhodes for salary cap purposes and lost Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in free agency.  That’s their top three CBs leaving former #4 CB Mike Hughes as their top guy, that’s a problem.  There are a number of CBs that could go at this spot and beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to Johnson, Jeff Gladney, AJ Terrell or even Noah Igbinoghene or Bryce Hall.  The Vikings go with Johnson who comes from a pretty good defense at Utah and can be a top CB.  I would usually say that the depth of the position means the team can wait but the truth is they need more than one CB in this draft so they better start early.

23. New England Patriots (12-4): AJ Epenesa      DE      Iowa

This isn’t just a double homer pick for me, it actually makes sense.  I just don’t buy into the idea that Bill Belichick will draft a QB in the first round and I certainly don’t believe he’ll draft Jordan Love.  The Patriots have lost quite a bit on defense the last couple of years and they have taken quite a few hits in the front seven.  Belichick has never been much of speed rusher type of guy on the front line, he likes power guys that can play the run and use their power to get in the backfield.  Epenesa is that exact type of player.  Belichick also likes guys up front that are versatile, he likes guys who can move inside and out.  Another thing Epenesa will be able to do in that defense.  The Pats could go with one of the better LBs but Epenesa might present too much value and Belichick has always liked hard working Iowa players.

24. New Orleans Saints (13-3): Jordan Love      QB      Utah St.

This would make more sense than the Patriots taking Love.  The Saints are still in Super Bowl mode and they filled their biggest holes with WR Emmanuel Sanders and S Malcolm Jenkins, two good veterans.  They can afford to take Love and give him time to learn.  Brees should have one or two more years and anyone who thinks Taysom Hill is the heir apparent is crazy.  Hill is going to be 30 years old and he’s a gadget player, not a QB.  His value is in his ability to do many things and playing QB full-time is not one of them.  Love needs coaching and Sean Payton is an excellent offensive coach.  Love has all the physical tools to be an NFL starter but he needs to learn the intricacies of the position and no one knows them better than Brees.  Also, Brees has reached the stage where he knows the end is near so he shouldn’t be threatened by Love.  Teams have control over first round picks for five years, Brees knows he isn’t sticking around that long.

25. Minnesota Vikings (10-6): Laviska Shenault      WR      Colorado

There are teams that I’m sure have downgraded Shenault because of his less than stellar workout at the combine and the fact they can’t check out the injury that led to it (core muscle injury that required surgery).  I’m hoping the fact that teams had plenty of time to go back to the game film will make them appreciate this kid.  Shenault did everything at Colorado including playing wildcat QB, RB and being one of the best WRs in the country.  The Vikings need to replace Stefon Diggs and Shenault is another multifaceted receiver who can take the ball the distance every time he touches it, kind of like Diggs.  Kirk Cousins needs someone other than Adam Thielen to throw to and Shenault deserves to be a first rounder.  No offense to Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor or KJ Hamler but if any of those guys go ahead of Shenault those teams will regret it.  The only other viable option here is Tee Higgins, I like Shenault better.

26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston): K’Lavon Chaisson      OLB      LSU

The Dolphins are stacked with three picks in the first round and if they don’t have to trade up to get their QB they will have a chance to set themselves up quite well.  They spent a lot of money on their defense getting CB Byron Jones, LBs Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts, and DE Shaq Lawson.  Brian Flores is going to run a multiple front defense and he still needs someone to get to the QB.  This will be a bit of a fall for Chaisson but he might be a guy who suffers from not being able to work out and having teams have to go back to the film to evaluate.  He flashes elite tools but they just don’t show up as much as you would like to see from such a phenomenal athlete.  The Dolphins have made themselves better but they aren’t looking to be great right now, they just want to make progress, get better and be good going forward.  Chaisson needs some work but the Dolphins can invest time into his development.

27. Seattle Seahawks (11-5): Yetur Gross-Matos       DE      Penn St.

The Seahawks have yet to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney and it doesn’t look like they will.  They also let Ziggy Ansah walk and right now their starting DEs will be LJ Collier and Bruce Irvin.  Collier was their first-round pick last season and didn’t exactly impress his rookie year and Irvin has circled back around to Seattle after floating around multiple teams in the NFL, he’s the definition of journeyman.  Gross-Matos isn’t the most polished pass rusher around but I like his upside over Collier and I like anyone more than Irvin.  The Seahawks could also address their offensive line and I wouldn’t object if they took C/G Cesar Ruiz and I don’t think Russell Wilson would be upset by that either.

28. Baltimore Ravens (14-2): Kenneth Murray      LB      Oklahoma

The Ravens won 14 games last season so clearly, they’re a pretty good team.  The offense could still use an upgrade at WR to pair with Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin.  They could also use a replacement at RG for future Hall of Famer Marshall Yanda who retired after the season.  However, the biggest hole on the team is at ILB where LJ Fort and Chris Board are slated to start with former Packer Jake Ryan recently signed for depth.  For a team that has had guys like Ray Lewis and CJ Mosley leading the way in the middle in the recent past it’s a pretty precipitous drop off to Fort and Board.  Murray is a the top interior LB in this draft and he would be an excellent choice to fill the ILB spot for the future.  Murray is a do-everything LB who doesn’t have to come off he field and he’s a heck of field general for the defense.  If anyone in this draft is going to live up to the legacy of LB for the Ravens, it’s Murray.

29. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Jeff Gladney      CB      TCU

The Titans have a big hole at RT and they need depth on the defensive line but the one spot no one seems to mention that is a pretty big need for them is replacing veteran CB Logan Ryan.  Now, Ryan is still available in free agency so he could be re-signed but the Titans haven’t made it seem like they even want to re-sign him.  Ryan is one of the smarter CBs in the league and he can play inside or outside but he really excels in the nickel.  Gladney isn’t the biggest guy around so he doesn’t bring the length or strength Ryan has but that’s fairly unusual for a nickel back.  Gladney can play the slot pretty well and he could also slide outside and replace Malcolm Butler if need be and that’s a distinct possibility.  Gladney probably isn’t a star CB but he’s a solid starter with some versatility.

30. Green Bay Packers (13-3): Jalen Reagor       WR      TCU

There are plenty of teams that needs a WR or two from this incredibly strong WR class but not a lot of teams that need one as much as the Packers.  They also need a TE but the TE class is pretty poor this year.  The group the Packers have at WR behind Devante Adams isn’t exciting anyone, including the fan base, the coaching staff, and most importantly Aaron Rodgers.  The team has let Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb leave in the past several years leaving Rodgers more and more reliant on Adams to make plays.  Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, Jake Kumerow, Allen Lazard and especially the newly signed Devin Funchess are a pu-pu platter of crap that no one should have to live with.  Jalen Reagor would be a great complement to Adams as he possesses plenty of skills and would fit outside opposite Adams where he can use his deep speed or even play some slot where he can use his quickness.  This team needs to give Rodgers better weapons and stop relying on late round picks and bad free agent signings.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Ezra Cleveland      OT      Boise St.

The 49ers have the luxury of a roster that got them all the way to the Super Bowl and a trade that got them an early pick where they addressed their one major need, WR Jerry Jeudy.  I have had the 49ers interested in S Xavier McKinney before but the re-signing of Jimmie Ward makes that less of a priority.  GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have always been forward thinking and they have an aging LT in Joe Staley.  Staley will be 36 at the end of August and they need a plan for when he calls it a career.  Cleveland is a developmental prospect who has been climbing the boards.  He has the size and athleticism teams want in a LT.  He needs to work on his functional strength and refine his technique, he can’t get by in the NFL on being 6’6 310 lbs. and athletic like he did in the Mountain West.  Give him a year or two to learn behind Staley and he has a chance to be one of the better OTs to come out of this draft.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): Cesar Ruiz      C/G      Michigan

The Chiefs need help at CB but they re-signed Bashaud Breeland and I think they might just sign another veteran or two since there is still some value out there.  I have had them taking a RB before but one other area this team needs help is the interior offensive line.  The offense is fantastic but he one thing that could undermine that is if the offensive line falls apart.  C Austin Reiter and LG Nick Allegretti are not great and Ruiz has risen to the top of the interior OL group.  Andy Reid was once an offensive line coach so he knows the importance a good blocking up front.  Ruiz could start out at LG and eventually move to center or he could push Reiter to LG and take over at center immediately.  Either way he’s an upgrade in the middle of the line.

Round 2

33. Cincinnati: Patrick Queen      LB      LSU

The Bengals can go a lot of ways here and drafting an o-lineman would be a smart investment in Joe Burrow’s safety.  However, the Bengals defense needs its own “QB”, Queen would be a great start at rebuilding their LB corps.

34. Indianapolis: Tee Higgins      WR      Clemson

This is the Colts first pick after trading #13 overall to the 49ers for DL DeForest Buckner.  Buckner fills a huge need up front on the defense so now they can address the offense.  The team signed QB Phillip Rivers t give them a small window to try to compete for a Super Bowl.  Rivers needs weapons to be affective and outside of WR TY Hilton and RB Marlon Mack there isn’t a ton to work with here.  Higgins has been a top WR prospect out of Clemson for a while but he’s slipped a bit in the pre-draft process.  Higgins is big, physical and fast, that’s a good place to start.  He isn’t the most advanced route runner but he has a huge catch radius and he won’t lose a lot of contested catches.  With Hilton drawing the defenses best DB, Higgins could easily find room to operate.  The team would love to grab a WR and get last’s years rookie Parris Campbell going and have a legitimate WR corps for Rivers to work with.

35. Detroit: Ross Blacklock      DT      TCU

The Lions need to address a few areas but the defense should take priority.  After taking Okudah to fill their CB need they shift to the defensive line where they need help everywhere.  Blacklock can step in right away in the middle next to Danny Shelton and give the Lions some versatility up front.

36. NY Giants: Denzel Mims      WR      Baylor

Golden Tate will be 32 this season, Sterling Shepard can’t stay healthy, and while the team likes what they saw out of Darius Slayton none of these guys are very big.  Slayton is the only one over 6’0 and he is under 200 lbs.  Mims is a fast player who is 6’3 206 lbs. and would give Daniel Jones a different kind of weapon.

37. LA Chargers: Lucas Niang      OT     TCU

The Chargers signed Bryan Bulaga and for now he’s penciled in as the starter at LT but they would be best served to find a LT and let Bulaga stay on the right side where he’s excelled for the Packers.  Niang isn’t a surefire bet but he’s better than anyone else they can get here.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chargers make a trade up into the back of the 1^st round to grab a guy like Ezra Cleveland.

38. Carolina: Xavier McKinney      S      Alabama

Carolina is in rebuilding mode so they are in a position to draft the best player available.  It will be a bit of a surprise if McKinney is still around at this point, he has first-round talent.  They are looking for playmakers on defense and between McKinney and Isaiah Simmons they would have two very versatile ones for Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow.

39. Miami: D’Andre Swift      RB      Georgia

The Dolphins signed Jordan Howard but they don’t have much beyond him at RB.  He’s not the most versatile back but he does bring the power.  Swift is a versatile back who can both complement Howard or simply take his job.

40. Houston: Zack Baun      OLB      Wisconsin

The Texans haven’t adequately replaced Jadeveon Clowney at OLB since they traded him last year.  Baun is a versatile LB who will give them some juice off the edge.  JJ Watt is still an effective pass rusher and Whitney Mercilus is okay too but they will be 31 and 30 respectively this season, time for some new blood.

41. Cleveland: Jordan Brooks      LB      Texas Tech

The evaluations of Brooks are all over the map, some think he could go in the first round some think the fourth round.  The Browns lost Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert in free agency and they need a downhill LB who can stop the run.  Brooks has holes in his game but he’s a sure tackler and would be a better option at MLB than anyone the Browns currently have.

42. Jacksonville: Jonathan Taylor      RB      Wisconsin

There are rumors the Jaguars want to move on from Leonard Fournette and are looking to trade him.  Who can blame them?  He’s a malcontent who is routinely injured and coming to the end of his contract and is going to want big money.  Taylor is great value here and he would easily replace Fournette and would likely be more reliable.

43. Chicago: AJ Terrell      CB      Clemson

If the Bears plan on going into the season with Artie Burns lining up as a starting CB in a division where you play Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford and Kirk Cousins twice a year, they are in serious trouble.  They need help at safety and they should look to replace the retired Kyle Long at guard but if a guy like AJ Terrell falls this far it’s a no-brainer to grab him.  The Bears can certainly wait to take a guard later as it is a pretty deep position and you can get a starter in the later rounds.  They may be tempted to take a safety here but they have another pick in this round and they should be able to get a good one then.

44. Indianapolis: Cole Kmet      TE      Notre Dame

The Colts let Eric Ebron go because apparently everyone eventually gets tired of him despite his physical gifts.  Frank Reich likes to use the TE position and Phillip Rivers made a career out of throwing to Antonio Gates.  Jack Doyle is a solid all-around TE but Kmet would give them a dynamic athlete who could be even better in the pros than he was at Notre Dame.

45. Tampa Bay: KJ Hamler      WR      Penn St.

Tom Brady has to love the talent he has outside in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and while Godwin has lined up in the slot at times, they do not have a true slot receiver.  Brady built a legacy making slot receivers great, Wes Welker and Julian Edelman anyone?  KJ Hamler would be an excellent inside complement to Evans and Godwin while also being able to hold his own outside if they want to switch up the alignment from time to time.

46. Denver: Grant Delpit       S      LSU

Not the biggest need on the team with veteran Kareem Jackson at one spot and the franchised Justin Simmons at the other but Delpit is a great value here and Jackson is 32.  Delpit slips because he had a rough year last season at LSU but some of that was due to an injury.  He can be the third safety allowing Jackson and Simmons to move around and eventually replace Jackson.  Good player, great value.

47. Atlanta: Bryce Hall      CB     Virginia

Atlanta needs to get a top CB after going for the best value in round one.  Most of the guys left at CB are not likely to be #1 caliber guys but Hall has that potential.  The only reason he is still around is he is coming off a brutal ankle injury.  If he had been healthy all year, he likely would be challenging to be the best CB not named Jeff Okudah in this draft.  He’s well worth taking a shot here, he could pay off huge.

48. NY Jets: Brandon Aiyuk      WR      Arizona St.

The Jets filled their LT hole in round one, now they look to their other big need, WR.  Robby Anderson left for Carolina and the team needs help there.  Aiyuk isn’t built like Anderson but he has similar skills and is a good deep ball receiver.  He needs some refinement but in the mean time he can be a fantastic return man.

49. Pittsburgh: Isaiah Wilson      OT      Georgia

The Steelers traded their first-round pick for Minkah Fitzpatrick and after the way he turned their defense around last year they don’t have any regrets about it.  That does make this their first pick and they need to fill a couple of holes.  They need a better #2 WR, they should look to fill their NT position after losing Javon Hargrave, and they need a better option than Stefan Wisnieski to replace Ramon Foster at OG.  Wilson could very well be gone by this point but I have him still here because he’s really a RT prospect only.  He isn’t really quick enough to be LT and he’s so massive he might not have the agility to really excel inside.  That said, he has a really high ceiling as a RT, he could be one of the best in the league.  If he fills the RT need in Pittsburgh, they can move Matt Feiler inside to fill Foster’s spot at guard.

50. Chicago: Antoine Winfield Jr.      S      Minnesota

The Bears let Ha Ha Clinton-Dix leave in free agency and while they already took a CB with their first second-round pick they need help at safety.  Right now, Deon Bush is penciled in next to Eddie Jackson but he’s better as the third safety.  Winfield isn’t a very big guy but he’s extremely versatile and he and Jackson would be a pair of dynamic playmakers for Chuck Pagano to deploy in the deep middle.

51. Dallas: Neville Gallimore      DT      Oklahoma

This may seem strange considering the team just signed Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe at DT but McCoy is 32 and Poe will be 30 just before the season.  The only reason the Cowboys would sign two aging DTs is if they are not sure about youngsters Antwaun Woods and Trysten Hill.  Gallimore would be a steal here and can spend the year learning from McCoy and Poe while being an excellent rotational player.

52. LA Rams: Curtis Weaver      OLB      Boise St.

The Rams traded their first-round pick for CB Jalen Ramsey and they can’t really complain because he’s a far better option than anything they would have gotten where they were picking.  However, this team has mismanaged their salary cap overall and Ramsey will cost plenty to retain.  They either lost players to free agency because they couldn’t afford them or they cut guys to save money.  RB Todd Gurley, LBs Corey Littleton, Clay Matthews, and Dante Fowler Jr, along with WR Brandin Cooks were all lost for financial reasons.  They signed Leonard Floyd but he isn’t going to replace the pass rush of Matthews and Fowler so this team has to find someone to get to the QB so Aaron Donald isn’t working alone.  Weaver is a good OLB who can get to the QB and he would immediately start for the Rams.  He’s a stout player who needs some refinement but he would be a steal here, he has been talked about as a possible first round pick.

53. Philadelphia: Lloyd Cushenberry III      C/G      LSU

The Eagles have a very solid offensive line but when you dig a little deeper there are some issues.  During the upcoming season C Jason Kelce turns 33 while RG Brandon Brooks will turn 31.  Throw in the fact that LG Isaac Seumalo is just a guy and there is a definite need inside.  The Eagles were forward thinking last year when they drafted OT Andre Dillard and now, he replaces Jason Peters at LT.  Here they draft Cushenberry early and he could eventually replace either Kelce or Brooks and could actually compete with Seumalo this season.

54. Buffalo: Terrell Lewis      DE/OLB      Alabama

This is the first pick for the Bills because they dealt their first-rounder o Minnesota for WR Stefon Diggs.  Diggs fills a huge need so it’s understandable.  Diggs becomes the #1 WR that Josh Allen needs.  The Bills have done a nice job over the last several years building their roster and they have supplemented good draft picks with solid veteran free agents.  This year they added Mario Addison at DE to give them a little more punch than Trent Murphy provides as a pass rusher, the problem is that Addison will be 33 this year.  Jerry Hughes is also over 30 so the team needs to get younger on the edge.  Lewis isn’t a typical 4-3 DE, he lined up as an OLB at Alabama.  He does have great length and he should be able to add weight and get to a point where he can hold his own up front.  He has some nice pass rush skills that he can utilize as a designated pass rusher in the meantime.

55. Baltimore: Marlon Davidson      DL      Auburn

Free agent DE Derek Wolfe is 30, NT Brandon Williams is 31, and Calais Campbell who came over in a trade with Jacksonville will be 34 and there isn’t a lot of depth behind these three.  Davidson was overshadowed at Auburn by Derrick Brown but he’s a pretty solid prospect on his own.  He should play well as a 3-4 DE.

56. Miami: Matt Peart      OT      UConn

The Dolphins need help on the offensive line and Austin Jackson isn’t going to be the end of it.  Matt Peart could certainly be a RT for them or he could move inside.  At the very least he is going to make Julie’n Davenport earn a starting spot.  Pretty sure Jackson will be the LT, Davenport and Peart can duke it out for the RT spot.

57. LA Rams: Noah Igbinoghene      CB      Auburn

The team has Jalen Ramsey but they did lose a CB this off season in Nickell Robey-Coleman.  It might not seem like the biggest need but Igbinoghene might just be too good to pass up.  He does need some development because he’s still a bit raw.  He hasn’t been a CB that long but he has all the physical tools to excel.

58. Minnesota: Julian Okwara      DE      Notre Dame

The Vikings lost Everson Griffin after they cut him for salary cap purposes and then failing to get him to re-sign at a lower number.  They need a DE opposite Danielle Hunter. They like Ifeadi Odenigbo but he needs a partner to rotate with and Okwara needs some time to grow into the DE spot.

59. Seattle: Justin Madubuike      DT      Texas A&M

The Seahawks have a solid starting duo at DT with Jarran Reed and Poona Ford but they have absolutely no depth behind them.  Madubuike has a lot of good traits and he could eventually be a starter.  The Seahawks could also use his ability to rush the passer considering they don’t have an elite edge guy.

60. Baltimore: Michael Pittman Jr.      WR      USC

Pittman is often one of the forgotten men in this draft at WR because it’s such a deep group.  Pittman doesn’t wow you with his speed or suddenness he just gets the job done.  He has great size and fantastic hands.  His lack of speed shouldn’t be a problem with Marquise Brown lining up opposite him.

61. Tennessee: Robert Hunt      OT      Louisiana

The Titans have a huge hole at RT and if they wait to address it here instead of in the first round it could get dicey.  Hunt is generally seen as a guy that played OT at a smaller school who will move inside in the pros but I think he can play RT.  He would fit in Tennessee’s scheme because he plays with great power and is a strong power run blocker which would fit well with the Titans run heavy offense.

62. Green Bay: Damon Arnette      CB      Ohio St.

Green Bay loves Jaire Alexander and Kevin King has proven to be a legit outside CB.  Josh Jackson has been a disappointment and the team doesn’t have much depth at safety either.  Arnette would give them a guy that can play outside, allowing Alexander to slide into the slot, and he could also play safety if need be.

63. Kansas City: JK Dobbins      RB      Ohio St.

Dobbins would be an excellent addition to an already ridiculous offense.  He will probably be gone by this point but he’s a perfect fit.  They have Damian Williams but they could use the depth.

64. Seattle: Matt Hennessy      C/G      Temple

The Seahawks signed BJ Finney because Justin Britt’s future is up in the air, however, I’m not sure Finney is the answer at center.  If the Seahawks finally invest a little in the offensive line Hennessy would be a great get here.  He’s a technician in the middle who would be quite good at center and bump Finney to compete at guard.

 

 

 

 

2020 Iowa Hawkeye Football

With the exception of the NFL continuing their off season in the midst of the current Covid-19 pandemic, all other sports are shut down and that includes college football’s spring practice.  This would normally be about the time we hear about the Iowa Hawkeyes progress during spring practice and we get ready for their spring scrimmage.  That’s not happening which means I will just have to make an educated guess about the 2020 team and how it’s shaping up, assuming of course we actually get to have a 2020 college football season.  In case you’re wondering I just really have nothing better to do so I’m doing this.  (This depth chart is conjecture at this point, it’s all subject to change)

Offense

Quarterback

Starter: Spencer Petras (Sophomore)

Backup: Alex Padilla (RS Freshman)

Depth: Deuce Hogan (Freshman)

There’s good news and bad new for Spencer Petras.  The good news is that Kirk Ferentz named Petras the starter as soon as last season ended and with no spring practice Alex Padilla won’t have any opportunity to compete for the job until the fall.  The bad news is that without spring practice he can’t lock down the starting job and begin to really develop his chemistry with Iowa’s fantastic receiving corps.  Petras is a big dude at 6’5 225 lbs., he’s not quite as big as Stanley but that’s not a bad thing.  As good as Stanley was over the course of his career, it was the up and down nature of his work week-to-week that was frustrating.  If Petras can be more consistent week in and week out he has an opportunity to have a fantastic career.  He has all the weapons in the world to work with and plenty of talent to get it done.

Padilla came in last year as an early entrant and was the fourth string QB.  With Stanley graduated and Payton Mansell transferring out he is the only other QB on scholarship this spring.  That should have worked to his advantage as he would get the chance to compete with Petras one-on-one but that opportunity is gone.  The likely scenario was Padilla ending up the backup anyway but now by the time fall camp rolls around he will have to compete with incoming freshman Deuce Hogan who will arrive with quite a bit of fanfare.  It should be a spirited competition for the backup role next season.

Running Back

Starter: Tyler Goodson (Sophomore)

Backups: Mekhi Sargent (Senior) Ivory Kelly-Martin (Junior)

Depth: Shad Byrd (RS Freshman) Gavin Williams (Freshman) Leshon Williams (Freshman)

Goodson came in last year as a true freshman and while he didn’t start right away, he did play early.  It took a little while but his talent took over once he really got a feel for the offense and he eventually took over as the starter.  He became the first true freshman to lead Iowa in rushing and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does for an encore.  Goodson has a different gear than most of Iowa’s other backs and he has great vision to find the holes and an uncanny ability to get through them.  He’s going to be the featured player in Iowa’s offense as they break in a new QB and now that they don’t have the 15 spring practices to help get Petras more comfortable as the starter you may see Iowa lean on Goodson even more early in 2020.

Mekhi Sargent was the starter early last season and he just simply wasn’t as effective as he was in 2018 which opened the door for Goodson.  Sargent never really was the work horse as he shared carries with Toren Young and to a certain extent, Ivory Kelly-Martin when he’s been healthy.  With Toren Young not returning for his fifth year the team is looking to Kelly-Martin to be the third RB, he will be if he can stay healthy.  That’s a big if considering Kelly-Martin’s last two seasons.  The team will have other options with Shad Byrd coming off his redshirt season and two true freshman, Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams, joining the team.  The team could be looking for a power back to replace Young and Shad Byrd has a shot to be that guy.  I should probably mention fullbacks Turner Pallissard and Monte Pottebaum.  They are both walk-ons who will get some time at the position but with the deep WR corps and an improving TE position the fullback has taken on less of a role in Iowa’s offense and with Brady Ross graduating that role will likely diminish even more.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Brandon Smith (Senior) Ihmir Smith-Marsette (Senior) Nico Ragaini (Sophomore)

Backups: Tyrone Tracy (Sophomore) Max Cooper (Senior) Oliver Martin (Junior)

Depth: Calvin Lockett (Sophomore) Desmond Hutson (RS Freshman) Diante Vines (Freshman) Charlie Jones (Junior)

If I had told you three years ago that the best position group at Iowa in 2020 would be the WRs you would have laughed your ass off.  Well, here we are and this is the best position group at Iowa and it is really deep with talent.  Both Brandon Smith and Ihmir Smith-Marsette had excellent years and both are looking to have exceptional senior seasons.  Smith was a handful for opponents early last season until an ankle injury slowed him down later in the year.  In the bowl game against USC Smith-Marsette broke out as the star on the national stage as he made USC’s defense look like they were standing still.  These two didn’t do it alone as Nico Ragaini was masterful in the slot and that’s why Iowa now plays with a three-receiver set much of the time.  It’s a little unfair to call Tyrone Tracy a backup because he started a number of games last season when others were hurt.  He basically plays as many snaps as the other three even if he doesn’t technically start the games.  Tracy can play any of the three spots so he’s an invaluable player because he rotates in and keeps everyone playing with fresh legs.  He’s an exceptional playmaker with the ball in his hands and the only thing he has to work on is the consistency of his hands.

The real backups are led by Max Cooper, a guy who could start except for the fact that Ragaini is locked into the slot role and Tracy can fill in there if needed.  Oliver Martin is a well-known name who has found the WR rotation hard to crack.  He’s a talented kid but after transferring in last year from Michigan he just isn’t as well versed in the offense as the guys who have been here longer.  Calvin Lockett and Desmond Hutson are talented youngsters who are just waiting their turn.  I mention Diante Vines and Charlie Jones not because I expect them to really contribute as WRs this season (barring a whole lot of injury issues) but because they may compete as kick/punt returners.  Vines is a playmaker coming in as a true freshman and Jones is a transfer from Buffalo who sat out last season.  I could see the Hawkeyes using these guys in the return game just to get them on the field.

Tight End

Starter: Sam LaPorta (Sophomore)

Backup: Shaun Beyer (Senior)

Depth: Josiah Miamen (RS Freshman) Elijah Yelverton (Freshman) Luke Lachey (Freshman)

Sam LaPorta came on strong late last season and looks like the best TE on the team at the moment.  He isn’t the blocker TJ Hockenson or George Kittle were when they were here but LaPorta was a true freshman last season who still has some physical maturing to do, I think he’ll be fine there.  He really came on as a pass catcher in the back half of the season and having another weapon over the middle really helps Smith and Smith-Marsette work the outside.  I think you are going to see a lot of 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 RB sets by Iowa as they get their best offensive playmakers on the field at once (Brandon Smith, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Nico Ragaini, Sam LaPorta and Tyler Goodson).  This is the best group of skill position players Iowa has had in a very long time.

Shaun Beyer was supposed to be the breakout TE last season but once again he was slowed by injury and was passed up by LaPorta.  Beyer will be a fifth-year senior looking to make a splash and contribute his last year and he wouldn’t be the first Ferentz player to have a great fifth-year.  He is certainly capable if he can stay healthy.  No one is going to mistake this TE group with the one led by Hockenson and Fant a couple of years ago but there is some young talent to be excited about.  Josiah Miamen came in last year with LaPorta, played some but ended up redshirting.  He’s a talented athlete who just wasn’t quite ready last year.  This year’s freshman class features Elijah Yelverton and Luke Lachey.  Yelverton was an Under Armor All-American and Lachey is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Jim Lachey who is most well known for being a member of the Redskins famed offensive line known as the “Hogs”.  These two have plenty of talent and are fantastic athletes.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see either of them earn playing time and the coaches didn’t shy away from using a true freshman last season I don’t think they will this year either.

Offensive Line

Starters:

LT: Alaric Jackson (Senior)

LG: Mark Kallenberger (Junior)

C: Tyler Linderbaum (Sophomore)

RG: Kyler Schott (Junior)

RT: Coy Cronk (Senior)

Backups:

LT: Jack Plumb (Sophomore)

LG: Justin Britt (Sophomore)

C: Cole Banwart (Senior)

RG: Cody Ince (Sophomore)

RT: Tyler Endres (RS Freshman)

Depth:

Mason Richman, Tyler Elsbury, Josh Volk (Freshmen), Noah Fenske, Nick DeJong (RS Freshmen) Coy Kirkpatrick (Junior)

One of the biggest issues that won’t be resolved is Iowa’s offensive line.  Losing Tristan Wirfs is a major blow, having Alaric Jackson decide to return for his senior season is huge.  Jackson was hurt early last season and even though he returned he was never completely healthy.  He returns to try to get healthy and show how good he can be and this year he won’t be overshadowed by Wirfs.  Tyler Linderbaum was fantastic at center and he returns as a rock in the middle.  The guard positions will be a competition in the fall with Mark Kallenberger, Cole Banwart, Kyler Schott and Justin Britt all competing for time.  Schott was a walk-on last year who stepped in and played really well.  The offense was much better with him at RG and Schott earned a scholarship with his play.  He seems like the most likely to start at RG.  Mark Kallenberger was penciled in at RT until Coy Cronk transferred in from Indiana (more on him in a second).  Kallenberger played guard last year and by the end of the season he was starting on the left side.  He is the leader in the clubhouse for the job but he and Schott will have plenty of competition.  I listed Cole Banwart as the backup at center for one reason, Jeff Jenkins was the backup but he gave up football and Banwart is really the only guy on the team with any experience playing the position since he has practiced there in the past.  He will compete for a position at guard but unless the coaches identify a young guy they really like at center, Banwart will get some practice time there.   He missed most of last season with an injury but he has started at guard before so he won’t go away quitetly.  Justin Britt was a true freshman last season and he actually got quite a bit of playing time at OG.  He will also compete for a job but Kallenberger and Schott are older and more experienced players so he’s really going to have to outplay them to start.  Coy Cronk was a three-year starter at Indiana at LT before he was injured last season and missed the year.  He transferred to Iowa and he looks like a good bet to start at RT in place of Tristan Wirfs.  He played the left side pretty well at Indiana but the coaches wouldn’t move Alaric Jackson to the right side for Tristan Wirfs so I would find it hard to believe they move Jackson for Cronk.  Cronk will likely get a challenge from Mark Kallenberger who looked like the heir apparent until Cronk showed up but Kallenberger can play LG and the coaching staff likes to get the five best linemen on the field.

Banwart and Britt are both going to compete to be starters so whoever ends up not starting at OG will make for fantastic depth on the interior of the line.  I listed Jack Plumb and Tyler Endres as the backup OTs but that’s really just a place holder.  There are a lot of guys who could end up being the back ups but the truth is the top three OTs are Jackson, Cronk and Kallenberger.  If there is an injury the coaches will move these three around to fill the spots.  Plumb could be the fourth OT, so could Endres, so could Nick DeJong who was a walk-on last year the coaches really like or it could be a number of other youngsters.  Cody Ince is listed as the other back up at OG but between Schott, Kallenberger, Britt and Banwart he will either have to play out of his mind or there will need to be a number of injuries for him to get on the field.  Iowa also has Mason Richman, Noah Fenske, Tyler Elsbury and Josh Volk.  There is good depth and some nice developmental pieces coming up.  There was a stretch of time where Iowa struggled recruiting offensive linemen, especially offensive tackles, those days appear to be over.

Defense

Defensive Line

Starters:

DE: Chauncey Golston (Senior)

DT: Daviyon Nixon (Junior)

DT: Noah Shannon (Sophomore)

DE: Logan Lee (RS Freshman)/Joe Evans (Sophomore)

Backups:

DE: Zach VanValkenburg (Senior)

DT: John Waggoner (Sophomore)

DT: Austin Schulte (Senior)

DE: Taajhir McCall/Jake Karchinski (Freshmen)

Depth:

Chris Reames (RS Freshman) Isaiah Bruce, Logan Jones, Deontae Craig, Lukas Van Ness, Yahya Black (Freshmen)

Okay, so there’s a lot of conjecture on my part when it comes to the defensive line.  That’s going happen when you lose three out of the four starters from last season (AJ Epenesa, Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff).  That means Iowa is looking for one starting DE to play opposite the only returning starter Chauncy Golston and two new DTs.  It would be helpful if Golston has a breakout year and becomes a dominant pass rusher.  He’s a talented guy but opponents are going to focus on him up front until someone else proves to be a threat.  Daviyon Nixon is a load inside at 6’3 and over 300 lbs.  He played quite a bit last year so he’s not new to this but he needs to be more consistent and he’ll have to play more snaps.  It’s a good thing Nixon is big because for now Noah Shannon feels like the other starting DT and he’s on the smaller side.  Iowa has never shied away from starting an undersized DT (just last year Brady Reiff wasn’t the biggest guy around) but it helps if the other guy is Nixon’s size (kind of like Lattimore last year).  Shannon has played some, but he needs to step up if he’s going to hold off his competition.  There is no clear-cut starter at the other DE spot because Joe Evans is an undersized DE that is really just a pass rushing specialist at this point and Zach VanValkenburg is better suited to a utility role.  I’m listing Logan Lee with Evans as a starter because while he spent last season practicing at DT there were reports the coaches planned to move him to DE and I think he’s talented enough to start.  He won’t have spring practice to work out at DE but I like the idea of him playing there.

As far as the backups go, I mentioned VanValkenburg is better suited to a utility role.  What I mean is he really isn’t a great pass rusher but he’s solid and he can slide inside on certain downs.  I don’t think he’s as naturally talented as some of the other guys but he works hard and plays smart.  Austin Schulte is another unspectacular player that works hard and gives the coaches everything he’s got.  That makes the senior a solid backup but not much more.  The interesting case is John Waggoner. He was a highly recruited DE who hasn’t really shown anything great so far and the reports were that the coaches were going to try him at DT in spring practice, that’s out the door, but I like the idea.  I remember seeing Waggoner last season and thinking he looked really big, he reminded me of Matt Nelson.  A wide-bodied player who is very tall.  He might just find a home at DT and he might be the guy to give Noah Shannon a run for the starting job.  The other DE spot is going to be a competition between two redshirt freshmen, Taajhir McCall and Jake Karchinski for now.  They might have to fight off incoming freshman Deontae Craig come this fall.  Craig looks like a guy who could give the Hawkeyes some juice as a pass rusher and while he might be a bit small to be a full-time starter, if the coaches think he can help they will play him.  The other youngsters have to pack on some weight and figure out where they are going to play.  Chris Reames is tall dude and Iowa has tried those guys at both DT (Matt Nelson) and DE (Anthony Nelson) with success.  Isaiah Bruce and Logan Jones looked ticketed for the inside at DT and Jones should be excellent. Lukas Van Ness and Yahya Black look like DEs for now.  Although there might be a fight over whether Black plays defensive line or offensive line.

Linebacker

Starters: Nick Niemann (Senior) Dillon Doyle (Sophomore) Djimon Colbert (Junior)

Backups: Jestin Jacobs (RS Freshman) Jack Campbell (Sophomore) Barrington Wade (Senior)

Depth: Seth Benson (Sophomore) Logan Klemp (Sophomore) Yahweh Jeudy (RS Freshman) Ethan Hurkett (Freshman) Jay Higgins (Freshman)

The LB position at Iowa is in a state of flux, not necessarily personnel wise but more in the way it’s used.  Nick Niemann and Djimon Colbert bring plenty of experience and they are both talented players but two years ago Amani Hooker changed the game.  Hooker stepped into a hybrid position that played like a LB with coverage skills or a safety with LB skills, take your pick.  Hooker left for the NFL and Iowa looked to fill the spot now known as the Cash position, it wasn’t as easy as it looked.  I’ll get to the Cash position in a minute.  At LB, this left only two spots but last year when Iowa’s initial Cash candidate, DJ Johnson, failed to fill Hooker’s considerable shoes Iowa reverted a bit to a three LB alignment.  Kristian Welch was the MLB but he graduated so now it’s up to Dillon Doyle to fill his spot when Iowa uses a MLB.  Niemann and Colbert will both play when Iowa uses the Cash position but Doyle will fill in the middle when Iowa uses three LB.  Niemann is a senior who has played quite a bit and can play all three LB spots and Colbert is a very athletic and talented player.  This doesn’t mean there won’t be competition for these three and it’s sort of ironic that Iowa is sometimes only using two LBs when they are actually quite deep at the position.

Barrington Wade played quite a bit last season as he stepped in when there were injuries and when some guys struggled.  It took Wade some time to find his way at LB but he proved to be pretty effective last year and if Niemann or Colbert faulter Wade can play either of their spots.  If Doyle doesn’t step up and the coaches feel more comfortable moving Niemann inside and playing Wade that’s another way for him to get on the field.  Jack Campbell got some playing time at MLB last season when Kristian Welch was hurt and he and Doyle filled in.  He will give Doyle a run for his money, if Doyle leaves an opening Campbell could take the job.  Jestin Jacobs redshirted last year while he got healthy and worked to fill out his frame a bit.  He’s a tall, lanky kid with great athleticism that the coaches have to be excited about.  I would guess he’ll spend the year learning the ropes from the veterans and contributing on special teams until the Hawks need him.  Like I said before, Iowa has plenty of depth and it’s a pretty talented young group too.  Seth Benson and Logan Klemp should be pushing for spots in the two-deeps this year and Yahweh Jeudy could too.  Incoming freshmen Ethan Hurkett and Jay Higgins are more than likely going to redshirt unless either of them can really prove they can help on special teams.

Defensive Backs

Starters:

Cash: Dane Belton (Sophomore)

CB: Matt Hankins (Senior)

CB: Julius Brents (Sophomore)/Riley Moss (Junior)

SS: Kaevon Merriweather (Sophomore)

FS: Jack Koerner (Junior)

Backups:

Cash: DJ Johnson (Sophomore)

CB: Terry Roberts (Sophomore)

CB: Riley Moss/Julius Brents

SS: Sebastian Castro (RS Freshman)

FS: Dallas Craddieth (Sophomore)

Depth:

Daraun McKinney (RS Freshman) Jermari Harris (RS Freshman) AJ Lawson (Freshman) Brenden Deasfernandes (Freshman) Reginald Bracy (Freshman)

Last year the Cash position was a bit of a roller coaster.  DJ Johnson started the year at the position and he was not very effective.  The team moved to a more traditional three LB set until some injuries took their toll and then they inserted freshman Dane Belton into the role.  Belton proved to be quite adept at it even as a true freshman and he should be the guy for the position this season, unless Iowa needs him elsewhere.  This is where things start to get interesting.  With the early departure of SS Geno Stone to the NFL the SS spot is a question mark.  Belton would traditionally be looked at to fill the spot but if he’s the Cash then he won’t start at SS.  For now, I have Kaevon Merriweather penciled into the SS spot.  Merriweather started last year as the FS alongside Stone but he got hurt early and was replaced by then walk-on Jack Koerner.  Koerner proved he was quite good there and with Merriweather never fully getting healthy he ended up redshirting since he actually played as a true freshman two years ago.  Now I think it’s possible the Hawkeyes use Merriweather at SS and with Koerner keeping his FS spot.  The CB position should be in good hands even without Michael Ojemudia as Matt Hankins returns for his senior season and Riley Moss and Julius Brents should battle it out for the other starting job.  Brents missed almost all of last season and ended up taking a redshirt like Merriweather after he had to play as a true freshman two years ago.  Moss was the third CB most of last year but he struggled with some injuries also.  If they are both healthy Iowa should have three good CBs and I’m expecting a big senior year out of Matt Hankins.  I also expect Brents to start if he’s healthy but that’s just a hunch.  It is also completely possible that Brents or Moss moves to safety if the coaches aren’t keen on the idea of Merriweather at SS and if no one else steps up there.

The backup jobs should be interesting too.  While DJ Johnson struggled at Cash last year and was replaced, I don’t think the coaches are giving up on him any time soon.  If Johnson could step up there it would allow the team to move Belton to SS, I don’t see him making that kind of progress but he’s still young so anything is possible.  Terry Roberts had to play some as the third CB last year due to injuries and he wasn’t great, hopefully this year he’s the fourth CB at best.  He’s not bad there but if the team has to count on him more than that it would be a long year.  Obviously, the loser of the Brents/Moss competition is the third CB, that’s a pretty good third CB.  I have high hopes for Sebastian Castro at SS, his high school film was pretty impressive.  I think he could give Merriweather a run for the SS spot and end up the starter if he plays up to his potential and proves his understanding of the defense, Phil Parker likes smart DBs.  Dallas Craddieth is a third-year safety who came in with plenty of hype as a four-star recruit but has been passed up by younger players.  The team has to hope the light comes on and he lives up to his considerable talent.  Two redshirt freshman and three true freshmen are going to try to define their spots and move up the depth chart.  Daraun McKinney was a late scholarship offer last year that Phil Parker liked, that’s usually a good sign.  I like the potential of AJ Lawson as a CB down the road.  Reginald Bracy looks like a solid safety prospect.  I’m not completely certain where Harris and Deasfernandes will end up.

Punter

Ryan Gersonde or Tory Taylor

Either Gersonde finally gets healthy and wins the job or the 6’4 225 lbs. 26-year-old out of Australia, Tory Taylor takes the job.  Hopefully one of them is worth a damn.

Kicker

Keith Duncan

Duncan got screwed out of the Lou Groza Award last year as the nation’s best kicker, I expect him to go out and win it this year.

NFL Mock Draft 3.0 (Post New League Year aka Free Agency and Trades)

Free agency and trades always change the draft needs of so many teams and while most of the world has come to a standstill NFL free agency moved forward.  There have been big name free agent moves like Tom Brady to Tampa Bay and Phillip Rivers to Indianapolis and major trades like DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona, Stefon Diggs to Buffalo and DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis.  However, it isn’t just the major free agents that change things, smaller moves can make some positions less important and other moves may make another a major need.  Free agency isn’t over and more moves will change teams’ perspectives.  For example, there are quite a few quality CBs still on the market so a team like the Cowboys, who seem to have a crying need at the position, may choose to fill it with more cost-efficient free agents instead of in the draft.  The QB market moved pretty quickly but there are still a few big names out there and few teams with holes to fill.  Here’s what I see so far after the first wave of free agency.  Oh yeah, and two teams traded their first-round picks for players; Indianapolis traded for DeForest Buckner and Buffalo traded for Stefon Diggs.

Round 1

1. Cincinnati Bengals (2-14): Joe Burrow     QB      LSU

The Bengals have made a few moves in free agency, the biggest was placing the franchise tag on WR AJ Green.  It’s a risk considering his injury history the last several years and the fact it might upset him but they are trying to hold onto him for one reason, Joe Burrow wants them to.  Burrow knows he needs playmakers and when healthy Green is a potential top five WR in the league.  Barring a Godfather-like offer from a team like the Dolphins or Chargers to move into this spot the Bengals are starting their rebuild around Ohio native Joe Burrow.  He has a lot of physical qualities similar to Tom Brady and the Bengals hope he lives up to the billing.

2. Miami Dolphins ***(from Washington)***: Tua Tagovailoa     QB      Alabama

I still think this is the most likely trade early in the draft and free agency has only convinced me more.  The Dolphins come into the draft with three first round picks and that was good news considering the state of their roster.  However, they have spent like drunken sailors in free agency and they have far less needs.  They have signed at least seven likely starters; OG Ereck Flowers, OC Ted Karras, RB Jordan Howard, DE Shaq Lawson, LBs Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts, and CB Byron Jones.  The team has seemingly been attached to Tua since they traded Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills and their “tanking for Tua” plan was off and running.  They were too good to end up with the first pick but a confluence of events puts them in position to get Tua anyway.  If he can get healthy and stay healthy Tua will be the best QB in a Dolphins uniform since Dan Marino, it’s a bit of a gamble but when you’ve been searching or a QB for 20 years, you have to take a shot when you have it.

3. Detroit Lions (3-12-1): Chase Young     DE      Ohio St.

The Lions were bad on defense and Matt Patricia needs to get this right or he’ll be out the door sooner rather than later.  Young is best prospect in the draft regardless of position but because QB is such an important position he falls here to #3, that’s lucky for the Lions.  The pass rush wasn’t great last year and while Trey Flowers is a good overall DE, he’s not an elite pass rusher.  Young has all the tools to be a 15 sack guy.  With the team trading CB Darius Slay and replacing him with free agent Desmond Trufant they are going to need more pass rush to make their defense better.  The team signed Jamie Collins in free agency to play LB and he’s a solid blitzer but Young is a just a different level when it comes to getting to the QB.

4. New York Giants (4-12): Mekhi Becton     OT      Louisville

The Giants addressed a number of their pressing issues on defense in free agency.  They spent a lot of money on CB James Bradberry and signed two free agent LBs from the Packers, Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell.  Add in the franchising of DL Leonard Williams and I think GM Dave Gettleman will look to help out his young QB.  Gettleman likes big lineman and they don’t get any bigger than Becton.  He’s 6’7 364 lbs. and moves like a guy 100 lbs. lighter.  The team still has Nate Solder at LT and they signed Cameron Fleming but Solder might not be around too long and Fleming is probably better suited as a swing tackle and not a starter.  Becton could be the RT as a rookie and eventually replace Solder at LT.  He’s not my top OT but I can see him being Gettleman’s choice.

5. Washington Redskins ***(from Miami)***: Isaiah Simmons     LB      Clemson

This is a difficult decision for the Redskins because they will almost assuredly need a new starting LT and there are some good ones left but after trading down with Miami, they pick up another 1^st round pick so they go for the elite defender here.  Simmons is a star at LB and Washington is pretty thin in the middle of their defense.  Ron Rivera was spoiled in Carolina with Luke Kuechly manning the middle for him, here he gets Simmons to do the same.  CB Jeff Okudah could be a consideration here but the team signed Kendall Fuller so the position isn’t as big of an issue.  If they go offensive line either Tristan Wirfs or Jedrick Wills could be the pick.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Justin Herbert     QB      Oregon

The Chargers signed OT Bryan Bulaga and traded for OG Trai Turner so the offensive line is less of a priority, they also signed DT Linval Joseph and CB Chris Harris so that’s two big holes on defense they filled.  With Phillip Rivers off to the Colts the team is looking to move on at QB and when you’re moving into a new stadium it’s a good idea to have someone at QB to sell tickets.  When you don’t get a big name like Tom Brady your next best bet is selling the hope of a new top draft pick at QB.  Herbert is a lottery ticket; he might be a huge jackpot or he’s a huge bust.  He looks the part of a top QB and the franchise can only hope he takes them beyond an early playoff exit in the not too distant future.

7. Carolina Panthers (5-11): Jeff Okudah     CB      Ohio St.

The Panthers traded for LT Russell Okung and signed QB Teddy Bridgewater to address their two big issues on offense.  They have a couple of big holes to fill on defense with the retirement of MLB Luke Kuechly and the free agent defection of CB James Bradberry. They get lucky with Okudah falling to the seventh spot as he can step in and be the #1 CB immediately.  Bradberry was a good CB who got paid by the Giants like a great CB, if the Panthers end up replacing him with Okudah they won’t even miss him.  I think Okudah has a higher ceiling than the level Bradberry plays at.

8. Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1): Tristan Wirfs     OT      Iowa

The Cardinals pulled off the heist of the year when they got WR DeAndre Hopkins from the Texans and now that they have an elite #1 WR for Kyler Murray they can focus on protecting their QB long enough for him to get Hopkins the ball. They re-signed LT DJ Humphries but the RT spot is still suspect. Wirfs is a beast and while I think he can play LT; I know he can dominate on the right side.  His athleticism would come in handy in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and would solidify the group in front of Murray quite nicely.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10): Jedrick Wills     OT      Alabama

The Jaguars have added some players on defense after trading Calais Campbell and AJ Bouye and cutting Marcel Dareus.  They picked up DL Rodney Gunter and LB Joe Schobert.  Schobert is a big addition as he can man the middle and allow Myles Jack to move back outside where he’s more comfortable.  They can certainly use more help on defense and Derrick Brown would be a solid choice but they are committing to Gardner Minshew at QB after trading Nick Foles and getting better protection up front should be all Minshew needs on offense.  Wills will have to make the transition to LT after playing RT at Alabama but he has the skills and athleticism to do it.

10. Cleveland Browns (6-10): Andrew Thomas     OT      Georgia

The Browns have made some major free agent acquisitions.  On offense they signed TE Austin Hooper and RT Jack Conklin, the top free agents at each position.  Conklin is especially important because the Browns offensive line was a major issue.  However, Conklin is a RT and should stay there meaning they still need a LT.  Thomas is the last of the top four OTs in this draft and he just so happens to be able to play the left side.  He’s one of my favorite players in this draft and with him on the left side and Conklin on the right the offensive line should be a strength in front of Baker Mayfield.  No more excuses for Mayfield or this offense.

11. New York Jets (7-9): CeeDee Lamb     WR      Oklahoma

The Jets will be disappointed to miss out on one of the top four OTs and they might reach for either Josh Jones or Austin Jackson here but there is better value at WR, another position of need for the team.  Personally, I prefer Jerry Jeudy but the Jets lost Robby Anderson and Lamb is a better replacement skill-wise for Anderson.  Lamb is an excellent deep ball receiver with fantastic tracking skills and a knack for getting yards after catch.  Sam Darnold got some help on the offensive line in free agency, OT George Fant and C Connor McGovern, that’s not enough but at least it’s a start.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9): CJ Henderson     CB      Florida

The Raiders have been busy in free agency and it’s been heavily leaning towards fixing their defense but I don’t think they are done.  They have added; DT Maliek Collins, DE Carl Nassib, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, LB Cory Littleton, S Jeff Heath and CB Eli Apple.  Only Nassib is unlikely to start.  Apple was a solid addition at CB but they need more help.  This pick is a bit high and will surprise some people but Henderson looks like the clear #2 CB behind Okudah and the Raiders need help there, lots of it.  They will certainly kick the tires on Jordan Love and they may even look to move up if they really fall in love with one of the top three QBs.  WR is a major need even after the signing of Nelson Agholor but this is a deep WR class, they can wait.

13. San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis): Jerry Jeudy     WR      Alabama

The 49ers picked up this pick from Indianapolis in exchange for DL DeForest Buckner, the Colts needed DL help and San Francisco saves some money and gets a valuable pick, that’s a win-win scenario.  The 49ers found a gem in WR Deebo Samuel last year but then Emmanuel Sanders (who they traded for last year) bolted to New Orleans so Samuel needs some help.  Jeudy is a master technician who runs routes like a machine.  He also showed good speed at the combine so that shouldn’t be a concern.  Kyle Shanahan will love Jeudy’s ability to handle anything he throws at him and he will become a favorite target of Jimmy G.  He’s my favorite player in the draft that isn’t a Hawkeye.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9): Josh Jones     OT      Houston

If you’re going to invest in a 43-year old QB you have to do better than Joe Haeg at RT.  Tom Brady has weapons in Tampa Bay but he’s never been a mobile guy and this offensive line will get him killed.  Donovan Smith has been a fixture at LT for the Bucs, even if he isn’t exactly an All-Pro, but the right side is suspect.  Demar Dotson is a free agent and so far, they have only brought in Joe Haeg, he’s a solid guard and a decent backup OT but you have to do better for Brady.  Jones is a big, athletic guy who will pass block quite well and that will help Brady take advantage of his plethora of offensive weapons.

15. Denver Broncos (7-9): Derrick Brown     DT      Auburn

This would be a surprise if Brown is still here at 15^th overall.  He’s a top 10 talent but with the potential of three QBs and four OTs in the top 10 there isn’t a lot of room because Brown isn’t better than Chase Young, Jeff Okudah or Isaiah Simmons as a defensive prospect.  If Jacksonville passes on him at #9 Brown could easily fall here, d-line isn’t a major priority for the teams in between 10-14.  The Broncos lost several d-linemen off last year’s team and while they traded for Jurrell Casey they need someone to man the middle so Casey can play outside on the 3-man line.  Brown is a beast and would be well suited to play upfront for Vic Fangio’s defense.  This would be quite the coup for Denver as Brown is an excellent player and should pay immediate dividends.

16. Atlanta Falcons (7-9): Kristian Fulton      CB     LSU

The Falcons lost TE Austin Hooper in free agency and then traded for Hayden Hurst to replace him.  They let Devonta Freeman go and then signed Todd Gurley.  Finally, they let Vic Beasley go and they replaced him with Dante Fowler, Jr.  None of those are upgrades unless Todd Gurley somehow regains his form from about three years ago.  The Falcons cut Desmond Trufant and they have yet to get someone to replace him.  Fulton is a very good prospect with a lot of experience and has played in many big games in his career.  He isn’t the flashiest guy but he can step in on day one.  So far, the Falcons are hoping healthy seasons from RT Kaleb McGary and OG Chris Lindstrom will make their offense better and I’m not sure what makes them think their defense will be better.  Right now, they look like they are treading water, when you’re 7-9 treading water isn’t a great strategy.

17. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Trevon Diggs     CB      Alabama

As almost everyone expected the biggest casualty of the Cowboys massive number of free agents was Byron Jones.  Jones made out like a bandit moving on to Miami for the biggest CB deal in the league but it leaves the Cowboys looking for a new #1 CB.  The good news is they kept Amari Cooper (even if it is for a ridiculous $20 million a year) and Dak Prescott comes back (he may be a bit disgruntled if he’s still on the franchise tag next season without a long-term deal).  Losing Jones means Anthony Brown and Chidobe Awuzie are their top two CBs.  In an increasingly pass happy NFL that’s not great.  Diggs is a big corner who’s a little stiff at times and he’s not the elite athlete Jones is but then again Byron Jones is a special athlete.  Diggs has only been a CB exclusively for three years as he used to be a WR (like his brother Stefon Diggs).  He’s still raw at the position but as he grows, I think he can be a top corner, he may never be a lockdown #1 guy but he still has potential.

18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): Austin Jackson     OT      USC

In my early trade scenario, I think the Dolphins give up the #5 pick, #26 pick and a pick next year to move up for Tua.  That means they get to keep this pick.  If they invest all that draft capital in getting Tua they have to get him some protection.  They already signed Ted Karras and Ereck Flowers to improve the interior of the offensive line, now Jackson can step in at LT.  Julie’n Davenport played there last year after coming over in the Laremy Tunsil trade but he’s just not great there, they can move him to he right side to compete for that spot.  Jackson has all the length and athleticism you look for in a LT but he’s still raw when it comes to his technique.  That’s understandable considering he was a true junior and isn’t even 21 yet.  Jackson can grow into the position alongside Tua at QB.

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Jordan Love     QB      Utah St.

This would be a bit strange only because if Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden actually like Jordan Love I don’t think they will have the patience to pass on him at #12 but let’s say they do.  If Love is still here, I can see Gruden liking his physical skills so much he believes he can turn him into his own version of Pat Mahomes.  Love is an intriguing player.  He was very good two years ago with a nice group of players around him at Utah St.  Then all those guys left and he struggled last year.  He looks the part of an NFL QB and while the Pat Mahomes comparisons are completely unfair to anyone, there are physical skills that resemble Mahomes.  If this happens, Derek Carr will be looking for a new home.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LA Rams): Javon Kinlaw     DL      South Carolina

The Jaguars are in the midst of a massive makeover on defense and they need some fresh bodies up front with Calais Campbell traded, Marcel Dareus not returning and Yannick Ngakoue very unhappy on the franchise tag.  They also need help at CB but Kinlaw is a better prospect than any CB still on the board and he can play inside or out and collapse the pocket from any position.  He would start inside next to free agent acquisition Rodney Gunter but could also play DE on some downs when the undersized Josh Allen plays more like an OLB.  This is a transition year for Jacksonville, of course that is their perpetual state.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7): Henry Ruggs III     WR      Alabama

The Eagles filled their biggest need with their trade for the criminally underrated CB Darius Slay from Detroit.  They also re-signed Jalen Mills whom they plan to move to FS to replace Malcolm Jenkins and while they still need some help in the secondary, they have a bigger need on offense now.  With Nelson Agholor leaving, DeSean Jackson aging and Alshon Jeffrey being his usual disgruntled self they need to get Carson Wentz some new blood at WR.  Ruggs is a speed demon who will take the top off of the defense, basically he’s what DeSean Jackson was back when he could stay healthy.  He also happens to have exceptional hands and while he’s a bit skinny he’ adept enough to get open and once he has the ball, no one is catching him.

22. Minnesota Vikings (from Buffalo): AJ Epenesa     DE      Iowa

There are not a lot of teams having a tougher off season than the Vikings.  They lost Trae Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander in free agency and cut Xavier Rhodes, that’s their three top CBs.  They traded Stefon Diggs because he’s been extremely unhappy with the offense and QB Kirk Cousins in particular.  They cut DE Everson Griffen hoping to re-sign him to a restructured deal but he has become unhappy with their offers and is now looking to leave.  They desperately need help at CB but losing Griffen is a killer for their defense.  This is the pick they got in the Diggs trade from Buffalo and they see great value in getting the #2 DE AJ Epenesa all the way down here at #22.  They have another 1^st round pick to use on a CB if they so choose and there are still quite a few free agent CBs they can sign.  Epenesa didn’t have a great combine but he’s a top-notch DE prospect overall and he would pair well with their speedy outside pass rusher Danielle Hunter.  Epenesa can set the edge and he’s a power rusher, giving the Vikings a different look than they get from Hunter.

23. New England Patriots (12-4): Kenneth Murray     LB      Oklahoma

Everyone is asking the same question, what are the Patriots going to do at QB?  I can tell you one thing for sure; Bill Belichick isn’t drafting one here.  Belichick hasn’t ventured into the veteran QB market so far because he isn’t giving up any assets for Andy Dalton or Cam Newton when he knows they both will end up getting cut.  I think he’s waiting until the draft to see what the Raiders end up doing with Derek Carr.  If the Raiders get a QB they like in the draft than Carr becomes available, if he doesn’t than Dalton or Newton should still be available.  For now, the Patriots go with Murray because he’s the best player left on the board and they just lost Kyle Van Noy and Jaime Collins in free agency.  Murray can step right in and start on day one.

24. New Orleans Saints (13-3): Patrick Queen     LB      LSU

The Saints filled their biggest need on offense by signing WR Emmanuel Sanders to play opposite Michael Thomas, he’s the best WR they have had opposite Thomas in his career.  They could look for more depth at WR but it’s a deep position so they can wait.  At LB they have Kiko Alonso in the middle and while he can be solid, he can never seem to stay healthy.  Queen is a tackling machine and could step into the middle pretty quickly.  He would give them a nice building block in the middle of the defense moving forward and he can be the quarterback of their defense for years to come.

25. Minnesota Vikings (10-6): AJ Terrell     CB      Clemson

The Vikings are counting on former top draft pick Mike Hughes to step in as a starter and even if he does, they still need a couple more CBs to field a decent defense.  Terrell isn’t as flashy as Okudah or Henderson but he’s an excellent CB.  He has been the #1 guy at Clemson the last few years and he never backs down from a challenge.  He has excellent size and plenty of speed.  He will be challenged given the fact he likely steps in as the top CB on day one and I think he will rise to the occasion.

26. Washington Redskins (from Miami/Houston): Justin Jefferson     WR      LSU

If the Redskins trade down with Miami and pick up this pick it might be wise to get QB Dwayne Haskins another weapon.  The team hasn’t done much in free agency other than pick up some depth on the offensive line and in the secondary.  They are likely to need a new LT with Trent Williams still insisting on a trade but there isn’t a great option here.  Terry McLaurin proved to be a viable deep threat last year and he works well with Haskins.  Jefferson is a master of the underneath routes and would give Haskins a nice security blanket to look to on 3^rd down and in the red zone.  Jefferson doesn’t wow you with his athleticism but he has a knack for getting open and the Redskins need to give Haskins every chance to succeed.

27. Seattle Seahawks (11-5): K’Lavon Chaisson     DE/OLB      LSU

The Seahawks have shuffled the deck on the offensive line but I’m pretty sure Brandon Shell and Cedric Ogbuehi are not upgrades over Mike Iupati and Germain Ifedi.  They re-signed Jarran Reed at DT which is good and brought back Bruce Irvin at DE, which is not.  Jadeveon Clowney is still sitting out there as a free agent who hasn’t found the market he was hoping to find.  They could still bring him back but even if they do Chaisson is a solid investment at this point.  Chaisson might be more OLB than DE but Pete Carroll has never been one to stick strictly to the definition of DE or pass rushing OLB, he’ll use whatever works.  Chaisson is raw and needs a little time to develop but he can handle being the pass rushing specialist early on and grow into whatever the Seahawks want him to be.

28. Baltimore Ravens (14-2): Xavier McKinney     S      Alabama

The Ravens went to the trade and free agent market to remake their defensive line getting Derek Wolfe and Calais Campbell.  Their biggest loss of the year is RG Marshall Yanda who announced his retirement after a stellar career.  They could look to replace Yanda with someone like Cesar Ruiz or Lloyd Cushenberry III but I think they look to improve the back end of their defense and go with the best player still available in McKinney.  In the pass happy NFL, it pays to have safeties who can cover and McKinney would pair nicely with Earl Thomas to form quite the duo.  McKinney is an athletic guy with good coverage skills, skills that make him a potential CB if a team wants to try him there.  They absolutely should look for an ILB but with Simmons, Murray and Queen off the board the value just isn’t there.  They can pick one up later in the draft.

29. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Ross Blacklock     DL      TCU

The Titans re-signed QB Ryan Tannehill and franchised tagged RB Derrick Henry so their offense gets back two important pieces.  They did lose RT Jack Conklin but the OT spot doesn’t have much value left here.  On defense the team signed OLB Vic Beasley hoping a change of scenery will reinvigorate his career.  One big piece that is missing now is DE Jurrell Casey who they traded to Denver.  Casey has been a star for them for years and trading him creates a huge hole.  Blacklock was fantastic at TCU and he has the skill set to be a 3-4 DE and he would be a nice bookend to Jeffrey Simmons, the Titans top pick from last year’s draft.

30. Green Bay Packers (13-3): Laviska Shenault     WR      Colorado

The Packers have been pretty quiet in free agency.  They signed RT Ricky Wagner to replace free agent Bryan Bulaga, Wagner is cheaper but there’s a reason he’s cheaper.  They also signed Christian Kirksey at ILB and he will replace Blake Martinez who left for a big payday with the Giants.  They also lost TE Jimmy Graham, not that they will notice and backup LB Kyler Fackrell which hurts their depth.  They haven’t done anything to improve the offense around Aaron Rodgers and that has to be priority #1.  Shenault had a poor showing at the combine but that was because he was injured.  He had surgery after the combine on a core muscle injury, once he’s healthy he should be back to his old self.  Shenault is a jack-of-all trades kind of guy and he would be an excellent addition to the WR corps to help take the pressure off of Devante Adams.

31. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Yetur Gross-Matos     DE      Penn St.

The 49ers will return their Super Bowl team largely intact after they re-signed DL Arik Armstead and S Jimmie Ward.  They had to trade DeForest Buckner so they could afford to bring back Armstead but they did a great job getting Indianapolis’ first-round pick for him.  That pick got them the WR they need which means they can pretty much go wherever they want with this pick.  S Grant Delpit is a possibility but with Ward back safety isn’t as pressing of a need.  They don’t need to replace Buckner on the defensive line because they have plenty of depth but Gross-Matos is too good of a value this deep in the first round.  He’s still raw and while he doesn’t bring quite the inside/outside versatility of Buckner he will fit nicely in the rotation at DE.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): D’Andre Swift     RB      Georgia

The Chiefs desperately need CBs but for some reason there is a boatload of veteran free agents at the position that have found a very cold CB market.  Ronald Darby, Logan Ryan, Prince Amukamara and the Chiefs own Bashaud Breeland, just to name a few.  I think Andy Reid will sign one or two (or maybe three) of them to affordable contracts since the market is flooded right now.  That will leave him the opportunity to draft the best player available or make a luxury choice like taking a star RB for his incredible offense.  The Chiefs haven’t invested heavily in the RB position in the draft since Larry Johnson but when you just won the Super Bowl you usually don’t have a lot of needs.  Damien Williams was good at RB but Swift is another level of talent.  He would fit the Chiefs scheme quite well and he’s used to sharing the load so Williams wouldn’t be completely out of the offense.

 

Round 2

33. Cincinnati: Zack Baun     OLB     Wisconsin

Baun may not be a perfect fit in the Bengals scheme but I think he has some versatility they could use.  He could juice up their outside pass rush which lacks a consistent force and still play some of the traditional LB position because they are pretty thin there too.

34. Indianapolis: Tee Higgins     WR      Clemson

The Colts traded their first-round pick for DT DeForest Buckner which fills a huge need for them.  Buckner is a versatile defensive lineman and they need all the help they can get up front.  The team’s big free agent pickup was QB Phillip Rivers and now they have to get him some help at WR.  TY Hilton has been working mostly on his own for several years now and Rivers needs options.  Higgins might be a victim of circumstance since he didn’t work out at the combine and pro days are not happening at this point. He may fall here even though he has first-round talent.  Higgins is big, physical and fast.  Rivers will like his large catch radius and he will draw the defense away from Hilton.  If the team can get anything out of last year’s rookie WR Parris Campbell they might have a pretty good passing offense.

35. Detroit: Grant Delpit     S      LSU

Like I said earlier, Detroit’s defense has been terrible and Matt Patricia has to fix it fast.  They lucked into Chase Young in round one and now they luck into a top safety in round two.  Delpit struggled a bit last season but he has plenty of talent and Patricia could deploy him the same way New England has used Patrick Chung for so many years.

36. New York Giants: Jalen Reagor     WR      TCU

Golden Tate is on the wrong side of 30 and Sterling Shepard never seems to stay healthy so if they Giants want Daniel Jones to succeed, he needs help.  Reagor is a talented receiver who can play both inside and out.

37. L.A. Chargers: Isaiah Wilson     OT      Georgia

The Chargers signed Bryan Bulaga and for now he’s penciled in at LT but that means they still need help on the right side.  Wilson is a beast at 340 lbs.  He’s built to be a top RT.

38. Carolina: Neville Gallimore     DT      Oklahoma

Carolina has lost some depth on their defensive line and Gallimore has first-round ability so this is a value pick.

39. Miami: Jonathan Taylor     RB      Wisconsin

The Dolphins signed Jordan Howard but I’m not convinced he’s enough for an offense that will be relying on either Ryan Fitzpatrick or a still recovering Tua Tagovailoa.

40. Houston: Curtis Weaver     OLB      Boise St.

The Texans pulled off one of the worst trades in NFL history when Bill O’Brien decided to trade WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for RB David Johnson and his bloated contract and a second-round pick.  He didn’t even get as good of a pick as the Vikings got for Stefon Diggs and Hopkins is the more accomplished receiver.  Now O’Brien is overpaying for a RB, not the position you want to be overpaying in the NFL today.  Apparently, he thinks Will Fuller, Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb are good enough at WR.  Here they take Weaver because the team also never adequately replace Jadeveon Clowney after trading him to Seattle.  Weaver is a solid player who should fit their scheme, which probably means O’Brien won’t be smart enough to actually take him.

41. Cleveland: Brandon Aiyuk     WR      Arizona St.

The Browns have Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry but #3 WR Rashard Higgins is a free agent and while they have a boatload of talent at the skill positions, they are not real deep at WR.  Aiyuk is a playmaker and he’s better than anyone they can get at their position of greatest need, ILB.

42. Jacksonville: Bryce Hall     CB      Virginia

The Jaguars have traded Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye since the trade deadline.  Hall would have been one of the top CBs in this draft if he hadn’t missed most of last season with an injury.  I think it’s worth a flyer to see if he can regain that form and be a #1 CB for a team that really needs one.

43. Chicago: Cesar Ruiz     G/C      Michigan

The Bears have had an interesting off season.  They traded for QB Nick Foles who is supposed to put pressure on Mitch Trubisky to play better or just outright take his job.  It seems like a half measure because I’m not sure he’s a huge upgrade if he takes the job and that probably means he doesn’t put a lot of pressure on Trubisky.  They signed Robert Quinn to a huge contract even though he’s on the wrong side of 30 and while he was productive last year in Dallas, he’ll be moving to OLB when he’s really only been successful as a true DE.  He’s replacing the underwhelming Leonard Floyd but for the contract they gave him he needs to play like the DE he was for the Rams and Cowboys and not like the OLB he was for the Rams and Dolphins.  The Bears offensive line had some struggles last year and they lost OG Kyle Long to retirement so they need to replace him.  Ruiz is a solid interior lineman with versatility and he would slot in very well.  It seems like a safe pick but sometimes safe if what you need.

44. Indianapolis: Jaylon Johnson     CB      Utah

The Colts cut Pierre Desir and they signed Xavier Rhodes.  Rhodes is only on a one-year deal and Rock Ya-Sin is the only other outside CB of note (Kenny Moore is very good in the slot).  Johnson was the top CB on a very good Utah defense and he’s a good get in the second round.

45. Tampa Bay: JK Dobbins     RB      Ohio St.

This team has weapons in the passing game but they only have Ronald Jones at RB after Peyton Barber left in free agency.  Dobbins is short but he’s an explosive playmaker and could bring a little of the skill set of RBs Brady had in New England.

46. Denver: Jeff Gladney     CB      TCU

The Broncos traded for AJ Bouye from the Jaguars to fill the void left by Chris Harris’ departure.  They still need help at the other outside CB spot as Bryce Callahan is best suited inside.  Gladney is a bit overlooked in this class but he’s a good player and would be a solid addition.

47. Atlanta: Cole Kmet     TE      Notre Dame

Losing Austin Hooper was a blow to the offense, replacing him with the underwhelming Hayden Hurst isn’t making Matt Ryan feel any better.  Kmet is a big, athletic target who should actually help replace Hooper’s production.

48. NY Jets: Ezra Cleveland     OT      Boise St.

The Jets missed out on the top tier of OTs but they get a really good developmental prospect in Cleveland.  He certainly looks the part of a LT and he has plenty of skills to build on.  They desperately need offensive line help.

49. Pittsburgh: Julian Okwara     OLB      Notre Dame

The Steelers traded their first-round pick last year for Minkah Fitzpatrick, considering the impact he had on their defense the team doesn’t regret that trade at all.  The team isn’t necessarily looking for anything specific.  They could use some help on the interior o-line and their d-line isn’t getting any younger.  However, they really are in a position to draft the best player available and Okwara fits the bill.  He also would be a good third pass rusher behind Bud Dupree and TJ Watt and he could serve as insurance in case they can’t sign Dupree long-term.  This could be a place they look to grab a QB considering Big Ben’s age but I think for now they like Devlin Hodges upside and they won’t want to mess with that.

50. Chicago: Marlon Davidson     DE      Auburn

Davidson was “the other” defensive lineman at Auburn this season as Derrick Brown took most of the spotlight.  He was overshadowed but he’s damn good in his own right.  The Bears could use some depth on the defensive line and Davidson would be a good DE in their 3-4 defense.  This would be a great pick.

51. Dallas: Lloyd Cushenberry III     C      LSU

The Cowboys have had one of the most talented offensive lines for about the last five years.  One of the best players they had was C Travis Frederick and he just announced his retirement.  Cushenberry would be a nice pickup so the team wouldn’t have to rely on Joe Looney at center.

52. LA Rams: Cam Akers      RB      Florida St.

The Rams traded their first-round pick for Jalen Ramsey and that’s a pretty solid player to have, they just have to be certain to hold on to him long-term.  One mistake they are paying for is signing RB Todd Gurley to an expensive contract two years ago and now they just released him even though it was a major financial hit.  They need more than Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson at RB if they are going to stick with Jared Goff at QB.  Akers played on some pretty bad Florida St. teams but he’s a heck of a talent and he brings a myriad of skills to the table.  The team could do way worse with a second-round pick.

53. Philadelphia: Tyler Biadasz    C/G      Wisconsin

The Eagles could use reinforcements in the secondary but they also have to consider that both C Jason Kelce and RG Brandon Brooks are over 30 and they don’t have a lot of depth on the o-line.  Biadasz could fill in either spot if need be and he can be a starter down the line.

54. Buffalo: Terrell Lewis     OLB/DE      Alabama

The Bills traded their first-round pick to the Vikings for WR Stefon Diggs and addressed one of the biggest needs on the team.  John Brown and Cole Beasley were good but the group needed another playmaker and Diggs is that guy.  There other need is at DE where they did sign veteran free agent Mario Addison from Carolina.  Addison is a solid addition and he will fit right in as he used to play in Carolina where his head coach Sean McDermott was the defensive coordinator.  The only problem is Addison is 32 years old which means he’s even older than Jerry Hughes and this team needs to add some youth on the edge.  Lewis is a bit of a hybrid as an OLB/DE type but he can be a designated pass rusher for now as he fills out and can potentially replace Addison or Hughes.

55. Baltimore: Shane Lemieux     OG      Oregon

The Ravens just lost future Hall of Famer Marshall Yanda at RG and their offense is highly reliant on the run game.  They need to be sure they have a solid replacement and Lemieux is a versatile guy that looked really good at the combine.  No one can be expected to be as good as Yanda but Lemieux should be a pretty good starting guard for quite some time.

56. Miami: Ashtyn Davis     S      California

The Dolphins have drafted three offensive players after spending the bulk of their free agent money on defense.  It’s time to invest a little in the future of the defense.  Davis would be a starter at safety pretty quickly, Eric Rowe and Adrian Colbert aren’t exactly setting the world on fire.

57. Houston: Brycen Hopkins     TE      Purdue

The Texans are down one amazing weapon on offense after trading DeAndre Hopkins, Brycen Hopkins (no relation) isn’t going to replace him but he would add a nice receiving option at the TE position.  Darren Fells was alright at TE but they would get a more dynamic receiver in Brycen Hopkins.

58. Minnesota: Denzel Mims     WR      Baylor

The Vikings traded Stefon Diggs and if they don’t want Adam Thielen to be double or triple teamed on every snap, they should get him some help.  Luckily this is an exceptionally deep draft at WR and Denzel Mims is a very talented player still available here in round 2.

59. Seattle: Lucas Niang     OT      TCU

The Seahawks haven’t invested much draft capital in their offensive line over the years and while they did bring in some free agents to help out, they really need to plan for life after Duane Brown at LT, he is 34.  Niang is a guy with plenty of size and potential, give him a year to learn from Brown and he might be the future at LT.

60. Baltimore: Justin Madubuike     DL      Texas A&M

The Ravens invested heavily this off season in their defensive line signing Derek Wolfe and trading for Calais Campbell.  They join Brandon Williams to form quite the starting trio.  The only problem is Campbell and Williams are both aging players.  They need some youth and Madubuike is a versatile guy who would give them some good depth.

61. Tennessee: Noah Igbinoghene     CB      Auburn

The Titans lost Logan Ryan leaving them with Adoree Jackson and Malcolm Butler as their top two CBs.  Jackson is probably best suited on the inside and Butler hasn’t been great for a while.  Igbinoghene is a talent and he could start on the outside for them.

62. Green Bay: Hunter Bryant     TE      Washington

Green Bay wasn’t very good at TE last year and that was with Jimmy Graham, and Graham has moved on.  Bryant is more pass catcher than blocker but they held on to veteran Mercedes Lewis so he can do the dirty work.

63. Kansas City: Troy Pride Jr.     CB      Notre Dame

The Chiefs don’t have a ton of needs but CB is one.  Even if they sign a veteran (or two) they could use some youth.  Pride is a talented athlete and while he may not have elite skills, he is good enough to start on the outside in the NFL.

64. Seattle: Jeremy Chinn     S      Southern Illinois

Chinn is a bit under the radar since he played at Southern Illinois but the Seahawks like big safeties and they might see a little Kam Chancellor in this kid.  He’s 6’3 219 lbs. and he can come up and hit.  He’s pretty good at making plays on the ball too even though he isn’t the best pass defender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, it’s 2 rounds because I just can’t help myself.

This mock draft comes post combine and pre free agency, while I’m not a huge fan of making major changes to teams’ draft boards because of workouts it does happen and there is some valuable information gathered during the combine.  Anybody who bemoans the validity of the combine is simply missing the point, if teams didn’t value the information gathered at the “underwear Olympics” they wouldn’t have the event.  Yes, teams that overvalue one or two of the physical tests are doomed to make bad choices but, in some cases, they start to see the reality they were missing on game tapes.  Tristan Wirfs is the perfect example of teams assuming he isn’t a great athlete and deeming him unable to play a certain position but physical testing showed them, they need to go back to the game film and reassess their previous findings.  Most testing at the combine simply confirms what teams already know, sometimes that’s good for the player, sometimes that’s bad.  What the combine really does is puts players in an equal environment for comparison.  Heres’ my Mock Draft 2.0.  Free agency starts in a week and that should blow this thing all to hell.

Round 1

1. Cincinnati Bengals (2-14): Joe Burrow      QB      LSU

Burrow didn’t work out at the combine and he really only met a few teams high enough up to draft him but he’s going to Cincinnati unless someone gives up a King’s ransom in draft picks for him.  That’s not going to happen so Burrow goes home to Ohio and the Bengals getting the fresh start for the franchise they need.  Andy Dalton gets shipped off to another team and Zac Taylor gets his QB of the future.  I like Burrow.  He fits the mold of a good to great NFL QB.  He has great size, arm strength, accuracy and touch.  He’s the best thing to hit Cincinnati since WKRP.

2. Miami Dolphins **(from Washington) **: Tua Tagovailoa      QB      Alabama

I don’t normally predict trades but this one just makes too much sense.  The Dolphins have been after Tua all year and as long as his medical check on hip comes back fine, I think they will move up to make sure no one trades into Detroit’s spot and steals Tua away.  The Redskins need players and while it’s tough to pass on Chase Young, I think the Dolphins will make an offer they simply can’t refuse.  I think they give the Redskins two of their picks in the first round of this draft and more, how much more I can’t say but they want to get this deal done and get their QB.  The Redskins are not one DE away from turning things around and dropping to the #5 pick means they pick up extra draft picks and still get one of the three elite defenders in this draft (Young, Jeff Okudah or Isaiah Simmons) or potentially the offensive tackle they will need to replace Trent Williams.

3. Detroit Lions (3-12-1): Chase Young       DE         Ohio St.

Matt Patricia will be dancing a jig if this prediction comes true.  The Lions signed Trey Flowers last year from the Patriots but Flowers has never been a major sack guy.  Young has the potential to be at least a 15 sacks per year type of player.  The Lions defense was awful and the best pass rusher in the draft and the best overall defender would go a long way towards helping Patricia fix that side of the ball.  Having their pick of the best defensive players in the draft is a pretty good problem to have but Young is the one that can most affect the game overall and Patricia needs this defense to play better or he’s looking for a new job soon.

4. New York Giants (4-12): Isaiah Simmons      LB          Clemson

The Giants have changed coaching staffs once again and this time they are going with former Bill Belichick disciple Joe Judge.  He was a special team’s coach but he learned all kinds of things from Belichick and one thing he learned from Belichick is you should build a defense with multi-dimensional players.  There is no better multi-dimensional player than Simmons.  He can play about five positions including all three LB positions and both safety spots.  He can also be used as a blitzer from any of those spots and that makes him immensely valuable.  Simmons is the swiss-army knife of defensive players and it’s only unfortunate for the Giants that there’s only one of him.  I think in Joe Judge’s estimation Simmons will be more valuable to him than CB Jeff Okudah which is why the Giants go with him.

5. Washington Redskins **(from Miami)**: Tristan Wirfs       OT              Iowa

The Redskins passed up a chance at Chase Young to drop down here to five in the trade with Miami and pick up more picks.  As much as Ron Rivera would like Young, he knows this team needs more than just a DE and two picks in this first round plus more (I wouldn’t be surprised if they get Miami’s #1 next year).  The team could obviously pick the remaining elite defensive player in Jeff Okudah but I think they make a different calculation here.  LT Trent Williams wants out of Washington and now the team seems more than willing to grant his wish.  He’s 31, had some health issues and didn’t play last season, moving on seems prudent considering this team isn’t likely to compete while he’s still around.  Wirfs blew up at the combine and showed the type of athleticism teams missed when watching him on tape.  He can play LT and I think the new Redskins regime gets a new long-term answer at LT for their offense.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Mekhi Becton       OT         Louisville

I know the prevailing wisdom is that the Chargers take a QB here to replace Phillip Rivers and right now everyone seems to have them slated to take Jordan Love, I’m not convinced.  I think the Chargers are looking at a possibly signing a veteran or just going with Tyrod Taylor and drafting someone in the second or third round.  I’m not sure opening a new stadium with a rookie who isn’t Burrow or Tua at QB is the way they want to go.  If they can trade up for Tua they might but I think Miami outbids them.  They just traded starting LT Russell Okung to Carolina for a new starting OG Trai Turner.  They needed a new RT already which makes OT a huge priority.  Becton is a mountain of a human being with excellent athleticism and he should slot in to LT immediately.  I could see this team going with Taylor at QB for now and drafting someone like Jalen Hurts in round two hoping he can compete with Taylor.

7. Carolina Panthers (5-11): Jeff Okudah       CB          Ohio St.

The Panthers defense needs work and this would be a lucky break for them if Okudah falls this far.  He is certainly worthy of going higher than seventh overall but the needs of other teams push him here, it reminds me a little of Jacksonville lucking into Josh Allen last year.  The Panthers need help at all levels on defense and with James Bradberry set to be a free agent there is a ready-made spot for Okudah to step in and start.  The team could go with DT Derrick Brown but I see Okudah as better value here, getting a #1 CB is never easy and having one fall into your lap should never be taken for granted.

8. Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1): Derrick Brown       DT         Auburn

There is a lot of discussion about the Cardinals taking a WR but with the depth of the class and the fact they still have Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk and last year’s rookies Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson I think they can go elsewhere.  That elsewhere is the defense that needs reinforcements everywhere.  Brown is the best defender left on the board and he would slot in nicely on a line that isn’t exactly teeming with playmakers.  Brown would help take some of the pass rushing load off of OLB Chandler Jones and he’s a good run stopper.  The team could lose some depth on the d-line in free agency so Brown is a solid choice all around.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10): Jedrick Wills Jr.       OT         Alabama

The Jaguars have a number of needs on defense and really only one need on offense.  They are not satisfied with the health or performance of Cam Robinson at LT and the value of Wills is higher than any defender they can get here.  Wills played RT at Alabama and a lot of that was due to the presence of Alex Leatherwood at LT.  Wills will have to make an adjustment to move the left side but he possesses the athleticism to make the transition.  It’s a matter of him picking up the footwork and technique of the left side.  It’s possible the Jags go for a guy like DT Javon Kinlaw or DE AJ Epenesa because there are no other defenders that might rate this high but Wills is a higher rated prospect overall and fills a need.

10. Cleveland Browns (6-10): Andrew Thomas       OT         Georgia

The Browns are one of the teams considering a trade for Washington’s Trent Williams but even if they get him, they could still use Thomas, they aren’t exactly stacked on the offensive line.  Thomas is also the last of the top OT left after this early run.  Four OTs gone in the first ten picks just shows you how important protecting your QB is in the pass happy NFL.  Thomas is one of my favorite players in this draft and even though he may have fallen behind Wirfs, Becton and Wills in the pecking order that doesn’t mean he isn’t a legitimate 10-year starting LT with Pro Bowl caliber talent.  I would feel quite confident plugging him in at LT and not worrying about the position for the next decade, the Browns have been searching for that since Joe Thomas called it a career.

11. New York Jets (7-9): CeeDee Lamb       WR        Oklahoma

The Jets will be highly disappointed if there is an early run on OTs like I have in this draft.  They desperately need to address the o-line and now they have to make a calculation, do they take the top WR on the board or draft the fifth best OT.  WR is a big need too and taking either Lamb, Jerry Jeudy or even Henry Ruggs III is better value than the next OT.  Lamb is a top-notch deep threat that Sam Darnold would welcome with open arms.  I like Jeudy better but many teams have Lamb ahead of him and he would fill the void left by the likely departure of Robby Anderson in free agency.  Lamb would actually be an upgrade in terms of consistency.  The team will clearly have to address offensive line later but they also have some money to spend in free agency and are also a potential landing spot for Trent Williams in a trade from Washington.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9): Justin Herbert       QB         Oregon

As much as I’m sure some fans would like Tom Brady to be the Raiders QB when they open up in Vegas, I just don’t see the fit for either side.  Brady has other options that are closer to winning and don’t have to go through Patrick Mahomes just to win their division.  Also, while Gruden may like Brady’s winning ways, I’m not sure his current skill set is what Gruden wants on the field.  If the team is turning the page on Derek Carr they need to start over with a new, shiny toy at QB to excite the fan base in Vegas.  Herbert passes the eyeball test, he’s big, athletic and has a big arm.  There is plenty of WR depth in this draft to get Herbert some new targets and team already has a good o-line and great RB which is a perfect combo for an incoming rookie QB who needs a little time to adjust.

13. Indianapolis Colts (7-9): AJ Epenesa       DE         Iowa

The Colts are almost certainly going to sign a veteran QB to either replace or at least compete with Jacoby Brissett.  The rumor is that Phillip Rivers is coming to reunite with Frank Reich and Nick Sirianni, two coaches he played for before back in his San Diego days.  If the Colts are in win-now mode with Rivers I think they have to address the defensive line.  Justin Houston is 31 and not nearly as effective if he has to play too much, and Jabaal Sheard is a free agent.  AJ Epenesa didn’t have a good combine performance but the game film is there. With Kemoko Turay, an undersized DE manning one side they would be smart to grab Epenesa who could back up both Turay and Houston and bring some size on running downs and be a power rusher to complement their speed on the edge.  A lot of mock drafts have them taking a WR and while I love Jerry Jeudy the team still doesn’t know what the have in last year’s rookie WR Parris Campbell, it’s too early to give up on him and this draft has plenty of depth at WR.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9): Javon Kinlaw       DT         South Carolina

The Buccaneers have a number of free agents including their QB Jameis Winston but I don’t see Bruce Arians looking to start over with a rookie when he has an offense that is poised to perform now.  The other place this team has free agents is all over their front seven.  They are likely to franchise tag Shaq Barrett after his breakout year as a pass rusher but that means they could lose guys like Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, Beau Allen and Carl Nassib. They need some new blood and Kinlaw is ready made to play on day one.  He would fit well at DE in their 3-man front and be a cheaper and younger replacement for Suh.  Kinlaw is a bit of a steal at this spot because he’s a very talented d-lineman and the Bucs would be lucky to have him.

15. Denver Broncos (7-9): Jerry Jeudy       WR        Alabama

The Broncos think they found their QB of the future in Drew Lock and now it’s time to build the offense around him.  They have WR Courland Sutton, TE Noah Fant, RBs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsey.  They could address the offensive line but Jeudy is too good to pass up.  He’s arguably the top WR in the draft and his technical proficiency is an ideal complement to Sutton and Fant in the passing game.  Jeudy is a master route runner and Lock will love the fact that he is always exactly where he’s supposed to be.  The team has a lot of free agents on the defensive line but they would have to reach a bit for a guy like Neville Gallimore or Ross Blacklock to fill that need, taking Jeudy is the smart move.

16. Atlanta Falcons (7-9): K’Lavon Chaisson       OLB/DE               LSU

The Falcons are letting Vic Beasley walk after years of hoping he would be the star pass rusher they needed.  There was lots of promise but he never broke through to be consistent.  The team also has an important free agent at LB in De’Vondre Campbell.  Chaisson is another undersize pass rushing LB but he brings one element the Falcon love, speed.  They have to get better on defense if they want to get back to being a playoff team and with Tampa Bay and Carolina in transitional stages and Drew Brees aging in New Orleans, they team needs to make a move soon.  Chaisson may be a bit of a gamble but he could pay off huge.

17. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): CJ Henderson       CB          Florida

The Cowboys have signed extensions with guys like DE Demarcus Lawrence, RB Ezekiel Elliott and RT La’el Collins, now they have to sign Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper and pretty soon the money is going to run out.  The one big free agent they are most likely to lose is CB Byron Jones, someone is going to pay him more than they can afford (the Eagles would love to steal him from their chief rival).  That would leave a gigantic hole in the back of their defense and while Henderson isn’t Jones, he is the second-best CB in the draft and his rookie deal won’t break the bank.  Henderson is long and fast and he will hold his own immediately and he will step in as their #1 CB.  That’s the best they can ask from this draft.

18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): Josh Jones       OT         Houston

I think the Dolphins pull off their Tua trade by giving up the 26^th pick in the draft not this one.  But if they do, that pick necessitates this one.  If you’re going to draft a QB with an injury history you better draft some guys to protect him, especially when your offensive line is as bad as Miami’s was this last season.  Jones is the fifth OT drafted but he’s definitely worthy of being a starting LT in the NFL.  The Dolphins have lots of holes to fill but making sure Tua is successful is the most important part of their rebuild.

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Henry Ruggs III       WR        Alabama

The Raiders got their new QB earlier, now it’s time to get him a new toy to play with.  Ruggs is the definition of a deep speed receiver and that’s what this team needs.  They have Tyrell Williams who is the big WR at 6’4 and they have Hunter Renfrow, he covers the slot. Ruggs would be the guy to go deep and open up the middle for Renfrow to work inside, TE Darren Waller to find some space and for Williams to play the intermediate area.  Herbert has a big arm and he would be wasting it if the team doesn’t find a player that can take the top off the defense.  Ruggs isn’t your average deep threat either, he catches almost everything and he can be equally deadly on the inside and the outside.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from St. Louis): Trevon Diggs       CB          Alabama

The Jaguars defense was fantastic a couple of years ago but it feels longer.  The team traded Jalen Ramsey during the season and have now agreed to trade AJ Bouye to Denver this off season, all of the sudden their CB position looks really rocky.  Diggs is a good athlete with a heck of a pedigree coming out of Alabama.  He also has NFL genes as he’s the younger brother of Vikings WR Stefon Diggs.  Trevon doesn’t wow you like Okudah and he isn’t as fast as Henderson but he’s a damn good CB and the Jags need more than one of those in this draft, might as well start here.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7): Justin Jefferson        WR        LSU

The Eagles have two glaring issues going into the off season.  In the secondary they have a boatload of free agents and at WR Nelson Agholor is almost certainly out and Alshon Jeffrey may have worn out his welcome.  I think the team will look to spend some money at CB with Byron Jones their top target and then maybe bring back a player or two.  At WR Justin Jefferson is a guy that isn’t the biggest, isn’t the fastest and isn’t at the same level as the top three but he just gets it done.  Even with All-World WR Ja’Marr Chase leading the way at LSU Jefferson was still a go-to guy at crunch time.  When you need a first down, he’s there.  He will make Carson Wentz’s life a lot easier.

22. Buffalo Bills (10-6): Yetur Gross-Matos       DE         Penn St.

Everyone seems to think this team needs to get Josh Allen some WR help but that is a deep position they can address later.  At DE the team relies on Trent Murphy, who has never set the world on fire and Jerry Hughes, who isn’t getting any younger.  DE is not the deepest position in this draft and Gross-Matos has a skill set Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier might appreciate.  He isn’t the most refined pass rusher but being around veterans like Hughes and Murphy could really aid his development.  Playing for smart defensive minded coaches like McDermott and Frazier wouldn’t hurt either.

23. New England Patriots (12-4): Tee Higgins       WR        Clemson

I’m operating under the assumption that Tom Brady returns to New England but even if he doesn’t it’s not like this team is drafting Jordan Love or Jacob Eason in round one, if there is no Brady, they are signing a veteran.  Assuming Brady is back they have to get him some weapons, hence the reason they use a second consecutive 1^st round pick on a WR.  Last year it was N’Keal Harry, he’s a big, physical power WR, Higgins is big and physical but he has actual deep speed, a skill that is not Harry’s forte.  The Patriots passing game problems stem from the fact that no one takes the top off the defense.  They could use Higgins deep speed and playmaking ability to open up the offense for Harry to work the intermediate area and Edelman and their host of RBs to work underneath.  The defense needs some help but if Brady comes back it will be because they promised to get him some help in the passing game.

24. New Orleans Saints (13-3): Kristian Fulton       CB          LSU

In the pass happy NFL, it’s a little scary when you have a couple of impending free agents at CB like the Saints do; Eli Apple and PJ Williams.  They need to get Marshon Lattimore a new running mate and there just so happens to be one not too far away.  Fulton can step in right away opposite Lattimore and hold his own, as good as he is he wasn’t the top CB at LSU by season’s end (seriously, Derek Stingley Jr was a freshman who is unbelievable) so he knows what it’s like to have teams throwing at him to avoid throwing to the other side.  Fulton may not have elite athleticism of Jeff Okudah or the speed of CJ Henderson but he’s plenty good and will be a consistent starter.

25. Minnesota Vikings (10-6): AJ Terrell       CB          Clemson

A run on CBs early would be bad for the Vikings seeing that they have two free agents in Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander and Xavier Rhodes might have to be a cap casualty after a down year and a high salary.  Terrell didn’t test like Okudah and Henderson but he’s a natural CB with great instincts and great size for the position.  He started for two years at Clemson as the #1 corner so he’s used to playing against top competition.  He struggled in the National Championship game in the first half against LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, there is no shame in that, what was impressive was how he bounced back in the second half and played quite well.  CBs need confidence and a short memory, Terrell has both.

26. Washington Redskins **(from Miami)**: Laviska Shenault       WR              Colorado

I think the Redskins pick up this pick from Miami in the earlier trade.  While you would think Ron Rivera would want to get some defensive help the organization has to make a decision on whether or not they want to move forward with Dwayne Haskins at QB.  I’m working under they assumption they are going with Haskins for at least this year and that means getting him some help.  Wirfs was the first pick to stabilize Haskins protection, now he needs weapons.  WR Terry McLaurin was good last year as a deep threat and he clearly has a connection with Haskins, now they need someone underneath.  Shenault is a jack-of-all-trades type of WR and can even line up in the backfield.  He didn’t have a great combine but he was dealing with a core muscle injury that required surgery.  He should be fine well before the season starts and Washington would be lucky to get him.

27. Seattle Seahawks (11-5): Julian Okwara       DE         Notre Dame

I’m throwing a bit of a wildcard into the mix here and that’s generally what the Seahawks do, at least lately, in the first round.  Recently, they took DE LJ Collier and RB Rashaad Penny in the first round and here they take Okwara.  Okwara is a talented player who missed a lot of last season with a broken leg so he was sort of out of sight, out of mind.  The team could have massive defections on the defensive line including DEs Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah as well as DT Jarran Reed.  They will be counting on Collier to step up at one DE spot but he didn’t show much as a rookie.  Collier is a power rusher while Okwara is smaller and will use more speed.  Okwara might actually be better as a 3-4 OLB but the Seahawks have never been married to convention on their defense.  Okwara hasn’t gotten a lot of love as a potential 1^st round pick but before he was injured, he was showing the type of development that could get him there and the Seahawks don’t care what other teams think of a prospect.

28. Baltimore Ravens (14-2): Kenneth Murray       LB          Oklahoma

At 14-2 the Ravens had a fantastic season and the lion’s share of the credit goes to MVP Lamar Jackson, now it’s time to help him out but not like you think.  The team could certainly use another WR but at this point a guy like Jalen Reagor isn’t head and shoulders above someone you can get a bit later.  Murray is the best LB not named Isaiah Simmons in this draft and the Ravens played Josh Bynes entirely too much in the middle of their defense last year.  This is a team with a legacy of Ray Lewis and CJ Mosley at ILB, Murray is the type of talent and leader who could take that mantle.  While getting Jackson another weapon on offense sounds nice, getting the defense some help in the middle would take some pressure off the offense.

29. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Zack Baun       OLB       Wisconsin

The Titans have three major free agents in QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Derrick Henry and RT Jack Conklin, losing any of the three would mean those positions would be high on the priority list.  If they have them back then OLB jumps to the top of the list.  Cameron Wake is 90 in NFL years (he’s 38 in regular human years), Harold Landry hasn’t proven to be a difference maker yet and while Kamalei Correa had a nice run in the playoffs, he’s a free agent and a little too inconsistent to count on.  Baun isn’t a household name outside of Wisconsin but he has a great overall skill set.  He can rush the passer as an OLB but he also plays quite well as an overall LB.  He’s not flashy, he’s just good.  I’m pretty sure that’s the Titans team slogan.

30. Green Bay Packers (13-3): Jalen Reagor       WR        TCU

Over the last several years the Packers have let go of WRs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and have tried to replace them with the likes of Geronimo Allison, Equanimeous St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and even Allen Lazard.  It’s time to get Aaron Rodgers and Devante Adams some help.  Reagor is a master in the slot and he can play outside too.  He would become a dangerous weapon for Rodgers and take a whole lot of pressure off of Adams.  The team could go for an OT replacement if they lose RT Bryan Bulaga or they could take a TE but Reagor addresses a huge need and he would make Rodgers happy.

31. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Xavier McKinney       S              Alabama

The 49ers secondary was the beneficiary of a great pass rush but they could really use some help in coverage.  Jimmie Ward was their FS but he’s a free agent and he’s clearly behind DE Arik Armstead and WR Emmanuel Sanders in the pecking order to be re-signed.  McKinney is a great fit in San Francisco because he’s such a versatile player and his best position to use that versatility is at FS.  Former safety John Lynch is making this pick as GM and he will love McKinney’s skill set.  The 49ers made it to the Super Bowl and they aren’t that far from winning it so while I wanted to give them an OT to groom behind 13-year veteran LT Joe Staley, they need someone who will be more impactful since they don’t have a lot of draft picks this year.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): D’Andre Swift       RB          Georgia

The rich get richer on offense.  The Chiefs are likely to franchise DT Chris Jones, they can’t afford to lose him.  They also need to re-sign either Bashaud Breeland or Kendall Fuller at CB or they are in a world of trouble there.  The problem is that at CB the best available here are Bryce Hall, Jeff Gladney or Damon Arnette, those guys aren’t nearly as valuable as the best RB in the draft.  Personally, I like Jonathan Taylor more than Swift but Swift is the more proven pass catcher and that fits the Chiefs offense a bit better.  The Chiefs aren’t a team that has cared to invest in the RB position, current starter Damien Williams was a cheap free agent who replaced mid-round draft pick Kareem Hunt.  However, when you’re the team that just won the Super Bowl and you don’t have a ton of glaring holes to fix, you can draft the best available player, that’s Swift.

Round 2

33. Cincinnati: Austin Jackson       OT         USC

The Bengals are investing in a rebuild around Joe Burrow so they better get him some protection.  They drafted Jonah Williams last year and he missed the season with an injury, he can come back and take the RT spot.  Cordy Glenn is their incumbent LT but he’s 30, injury prone and they are looking to trade or cut him.  Austin Jackson is a little raw but has all the makings of a starting LT.

34. Indianapolis: Jordan Love       QB         Utah St.

The Colts are almost assuredly going to sign a veteran QB (the money is on Phillip Rivers) but he isn’t a long-term answer.  Love is the type of player that could use a redshirt year and this would be a great scenario for the Colts. (I really believe Love goes in the first round somewhere, I just couldn’t find a spot for him)

35. Detroit: Neville Gallimore       DT         Oklahoma

The Lions luck into Chase Young in round one and then have Gallimore fall into their laps here.  Their starting DT duo of A’Shawn Robinson and Mike Daniels are both free agents so having a first-round caliber DT falling to them here works out great.

36. New York Giants: Curtis Weaver       OLB/DE               Boise St.

The Giants defense will be changing to a multiple front look with Joe Judge coming in and bringing Patrick Graham to run the defense.  Simmons is the swiss army knife in the middle of defense, Weaver can be that from the edge. He’s not a traditional DE or OLB so he’ll be little of both.

37. Los Angeles Chargers: Jalen Hurts       QB       Oklahoma

Hey, look what I predicted earlier.  I think the Chargers may go for broke here and bet big on Hurts being their version of Lamar Jackson.  For now, they can count on Tyrod Taylor to be the placeholder at QB but Hurts is a lottery ticket and this team is looking to make a splash in Los Angeles.

38. Carolina: Patrick Queen       LB          LSU

The Panthers lost All-Everything MLB Luke Kuechly to retirement, if they are lucky enough to have Patrick Queen fall to them here after Okudah falls to them in round one they will officially be the luckiest team at the draft.  Queen is first-round quality and would fill a huge need.

39. Miami: Jonathan Taylor       RB       Wisconsin

The Dolphins have no RB to speak of at the moment and Taylor would give them a bell cow to rely on while breaking in Tua at QB.  Taylor is my favorite RB in this draft and even though that team needs more help on the o-line, Taylor will still be effective.

40. Arizona: Cesar Ruiz       C/G       Michigan

The Cardinals re-signed LT DJ Humphries but center AQ Shipley is a 33-year old free agent and Ruiz showed great movement skills at the combine.  He should really solidify the middle of the line in front of franchise QB Kyler Murray.

41. Cleveland: Grant Delpit       S            LSU

Morgan Burnett is on the wrong side of 30 and Damarious Randall is a free agent, that makes safety a very thin position.  Delpit came into the year as a possible 1^st round pick.  Some of his limitations (he’s not the surest tackler) showed through so he ends up here.

42. Jacksonville: Ross Blacklock       DT         TCU

The Jaguars have some issues on defense and in the front seven they cut DT Marcell Dareus and DE Calais Campbell will turn 34 next season.  Blacklock is versatile d-line prospect who can make some plays, which is what they need.

43. Chicago: Cole Kmet       TE          Notre Dame

The Bears have a few needs but none are bigger than helping out QB Mitch Trubisky if they really are going to stay with him.  Even if they decide to sign a QB as competition for him they could use a little help on offense.  Trey Burton is a good TE when he’s healthy, he’s just never healthy.  Kmet is a big, athletic guy who can really bring something to the table offensively.  He would be a nice safety valve for the QB, whoever it is, and that would open some things up for Allen Robinson at WR and the run game.   They could certainly look to replace the retired Kyle Long at OG but you can get quality guards later.  Kmet is actually the highest rated TE on the board, that’s good value at 43^rd overall.

44. Indianapolis: Denzel Mims       WR        Baylor

The Colts need to get some help for TY Hilton at WR and for whomever they have at QB.  Mims was a highly productive WR at Baylor who went to the combine and showed elite athleticism.  He would be a nice complement to Hilton and could grow as a #1 WR to pair with Jordan Love long-term.

45. Tampa Bay: Isaiah Wilson       OT         Georgia

RT Demar Dotson is a free agent and they don’t have a lot of depth on the o-line to begin with.  Wilson is a mammoth OT who showed really excellent athleticism at the combine.  He’s a natural RT and could step in immediately.

46. Denver: Justin Madubuike       DT         Texas A&M

The Broncos have all three of their starting defensive linemen heading for free agency, it’s unlikely they can bring all three back.  They run a 3-4 defense and Madubuike would fit in pretty well and has some versatility.

47. Atlanta: JK Dobbins        RB          Ohio St.

The Falcons have Devonta Freeman at RB but they could look for a partner or potentially an upgrade.  Freeman was at his best sharing the load with Tevin Coleman before he left but he might actually end up just being replaced by a guy with fresher legs like Dobbins. Dobbins isn’t big but he plays big when he needs too.  He’s very talented and this team could use him.

48. New York Jets: Ezra Cleveland       OT         Boise St.

The Jets missed out on the top tier of OTs in the first round so they went with the WR they need, here they get an OT from the next group.  Cleveland is a bit raw but he has all the athletic traits you need to turn him into a very good starting LT.  Sam Darnold would welcome him to an offense that needs help up front.

49. Pittsburgh: Terrell Lewis       OLB       Alabama

The Steelers have a big free agent in OLB Bud Dupree that they want to bring back and they may even franchise him if they must to keep him.  Even if they are able to keep Dupree and continue to pair him with TJ Watt, they are pretty lacking at OLB behind those two.  Lewis is a multi-dimensional player that could help out at the LB spot in a lot of ways.  He falls a little bit here as he could go much higher but he lacks one elite skill, he’s good at a lot of things but isn’t elite at any one in particular.

50. Chicago: Bryce Hall       CB       Virginia

The Bears let Prince Amukamara go and they need some help at CB.  Hall missed most of the season with an ankle injury and he didn’t work out at the combine.  His ankle should be fine and if he had played all season, I think he could have been first round pick.  This pick could be a huge steal.

51. Dallas: Brandon Aiyuk       WR        Arizona

The Cowboys have free agents coming out of their ears and while there are plenty of high-profile ones, including WR Amari Cooper, the overlooked issue is the it’s not just Cooper who’s a free agent at WR.  Both Tavon Austin and Randall Cobb are also that means they need help even if they re-sign Cooper.  Aiyuk has first round potential so stealing him here would be a coup.  Maybe he’s Coopers replacement if he leaves, if not he’s a heck of a #3 WR with Cooper and Michael Gallup in front of him.

52. Los Angeles Rams: Lloyd Cushenberry III       C/G       LSU

The Rams biggest free agent to re-sign is LT Andrew Whitworth even though he’s 38 because they don’t have an alternative.  Even if they bring him back, they need help on the interior of the line because Austin Blythe is a free agent and they had to trade for Austin Corbett last year just to try to piece together the interior of the line.  Cushenberry would be an upgrade at center and could play guard if they want to keep Brian Allen in the pivot.  They should re-sign Blythe since he played well at multiple positions for them but he might price himself out of LA if he gets a solid offer elsewhere.  This is the Rams first pick since they traded their #1 for Jalen Ramsey and with all of the issues they had last season, fixing the o-line should be priority #1.

53. Philadelphia: Antoine Winfield Jr.       S            Minnesota

I have the Eagles making some moves in free agency to fill their CB issues but that might not leave room for re-signing FS Rodney McLeod.  Winfield isn’t the biggest guy but he is tough and physical and would fit in right away.  He can make some plays and playing with a veteran like Malcolm Jenkins would be a good place for him.

54. Buffalo: Chase Claypool       WR        Notre Dame

The Bills have two talented WRs in John Brown and Cole Beasley but they share one common trait, they are small in stature.  The team needs a bigger WR to give Josh Allen a different type of target.  Claypool is 6’4 229 lbs. and he blazed his forty at the combine.  That’s the type of athlete they need to make their offense more well-rounded.

55. Atlanta: Brycen Hopkins       TE          Purdue

The Falcons are staring at a future without Austin Hooper at TE if he gets a big deal in free agency.  Matt Ryan likes using his TE and even if they bring Hooper back it couldn’t hurt the offense to have another pass catcher at TE.  Hopkins has plenty of work to do on his overall game but he could be very good in the passing game.

56. Miami: Marlon Davidson       DE         Auburn

Davidson has been the “other” defensive lineman from Auburn because Derrick Brown has taken up so much of the spotlight but Davidson is an excellent player.  He would fit really well in the Dolphins defense under Brian Flores.  He would be a good 3-4 DE with lots of versatility to move around.

57. Houston: Jeff Gladney       CB          TCU

The Texans don’t have a lot of draft capital to work with so they need to address some very specific needs. Both Jonathan Joseph and Bradley Roby are free agents at CB and Joseph is aging.  Gladney isn’t a household name but he is a very good-looking prospect.  He might even be gone long before this as there isn’t a lot of separation between the third CB prospect and Gladney being the seventh.   Houston could also go shopping for more help at offensive line but I think Gladney is better value here than taking an interior offensive lineman that probably wouldn’t start right away.

58. Minnesota: Jacob Eason       QB       Washington

This pick may seem out of left field but Kirk Cousins is entering the last year of his three-year guaranteed deal he signed with the Vikings as a free agent.  The team hasn’t gone as far as they would like and it might be time to plan for a new chapter.  Even if they want to bring Cousins back, he is going to be 32 this next season.  Eason is a wildcard for sure, he could be the next John Elway or he could be the next Kyle Boller.  Minnesota is buying a lottery ticket.

59. Seattle: Jaylon Johnson       CB          Utah

The Seahawks need to address the offensive line but they have never really prioritized that so I’m not going to assume they will here.  They have Shaq Griffin and Tre Flowers starting at CB but they don’t have much depth.  Johnson was a big-time player on a team with a damn good defense.  He isn’t a big name but he has plenty of game.

60. Baltimore: Josh Uche       OLB       Michigan

The Ravens could potentially lose pass rusher Matt Judon, although they are trying to re-sign him, but even if they keep him, they could use Uche.  Judon could use a running partner and the Ravens ask their OLBs to do more than just rush and Uche has a good all-around game.

61. Tennessee: Cam Akers       RB          Florida St.

The Titans have every intention to re-sign Derrick Henry and even if they do, they still need to get someone to give him a break.  Akers was a true talent on a team that wasn’t very good the last few years and I think he’ll be a better pro than he was at Florida St.  When Henry goes out of the game Dion Lewis just isn’t good enough to run the offense through, Akers is.

62. Green Bay: Lucas Niang       OT         TCU

OTs Bryan Bulaga and Jason Spriggs are both free agents and even if they bring Bulaga back they need depth and starting LT David Bakhtiari is a free agent next season.  They have to protect Aaron Rodgers if they expect him to use his new shiny WR Jalen Reagor.  Niang isn’t a big name but he’s a good developmental OT.

63. Kansas City: Noah Igbinoghene       CB          Auburn

The Chiefs have some holes to fill in the secondary and while Igbinoghene is raw he has plenty of talent.  The kid has come a long way considering he wasn’t even a CB until two years ago.  If he has to be a starter right away, it could be painful.  If they can ease him in, he could end up being really good.

64. Seattle: Tyler Biadasz       C/G       Wisconsin

I wouldn’t doubt Biadasz and I would actually draft him higher than this but he does have some limitations in terms of getting outside and getting to the second level.  He is strong as an ox and in an interior fight he’ll win every time but outside the box he can struggle.  The Seahawks need some new blood on their o-line and when Justin Britt got hurt last season they struggled at center.  Biadasz and play guard or center so he’s a great pick up for them, Russell Wilson will agree.