This Mock Draft is 2 full rounds, yeah, I don’t know where I found the time either. ENJOY!!!
We are two weeks away from the start of the NFL Draft with Trey Wingo leading ESPN’s coverage (Yay, I might actually watch ESPN’s coverage for the first time in a long time). Right now is when the really silly season of smokescreens and stupidity reign. The latest rumor this week is that the Browns are wavering on drafting Myles Garrett #1 and are thinking about drafting a QB. HA!HA!HA! If you believe that one I’ve got a really nice piece of oceanfront property in Arkansas to sell you. The Browns would like to entice someone to move up but that’s not going to happen either. There is talk Mitch Trubisky is going in the top 10, which is probably a rumor started by five teams in the top 10 that are trying to get Houston or some other team to make a move up the board so they can trade down and get more picks. There are rumors about Marshon Lattimore’s hamstring being in a constant state of strain, all kinds of guys are immature at this point I’m sure and by the middle of next week some top prospect will be accused of hiding Jimmy Hoffa’s body. Here’s a few things I think could happen. If Cleveland likes a QB they could use their #12 pick and one of the four picks they have between rounds 2 and 3 to move up to say Tennessee’s spot at #5 to grab Trubisky or Watson or CJ Beathard for all we know. I’m fairly certain Patrick Mahomes II will get drafted before DeShone Kizer and I’m projecting him before Deshaun Watson. I think it’s possible Davis Webb leapfrogs Kizer too. Christian McCaffrey will be the 2nd RB off the board, I have him going 11th to New Orleans. There is a distinct possibility Dalvin Cook slides out of round 1 and goes after Joe Mixon and maybe Alvin Kamara but I think that would be a mistake. I think CJ Beathard gets drafted in round 5, I think Desmond King goes in round 2 (projected in this mock draft to Carolina) and I think Jaleel Johnson and George Kittle go in rounds 3 or 4. And for those of you wondering I’m fine with the Patriots trading draft picks away because Belichick gets guys that should be better than they were where they were and then he gets them to live up to their potential. He made guys like Jabaal Sheard and Kyle Van Noy good players, I can’t wait to see what he does with Kony Ealy, Dwayne Allen and especially Brandin Cooks. He’s also fairly hit-or-miss on draft picks.
Mock Draft 3.0 (I’ve got a final project due in two weeks so this is probably the last one)
- Cleveland Browns (1-15): Myles Garrett DE Texas A&M
There are not a lot of certainties in this draft but this is one. It’s also a certainty that after 18 years since their return to the NFL the Browns still need a QB and there isn’t one here worth taking. There are three types of players that get drafted #1 overall; Quarterbacks, guys who protect Quarterbacks and guys that rush Quarterbacks. There is no one in the either of those first two categories that warrants going first overall so it comes down to the pass rushers and Garrett is head and shoulders above the rest. He’s a freak athlete and the only thing that slowed him down last season was an ankle injury. There had been a little bit of a question about if he competes on every play and this is where his pro day workout came up big for him. Garrett had a fantastic workout at the combine and he could have stood on his numbers there (especially in the 40) but he did the workout at his pro day and even improved his 40. That is not something most top prospects would consider doing and don’t think for one second teams didn’t notice, including the Browns.
- San Francisco 49ers (2-14): Solomon Thomas DE Stanford
The 49ers are moving to a 4-3 defense and previous 1st rounders DeForest Bruckner and Arik Armstead are not edge bending pass rushers. Solomon Thomas has been flying up the draft board and he’s very good off the edge. He’s still maturing and refining his skills but he’s a potential star. It may take him a little longer to dominate than Garrett but the 49ers have a major rebuild underway so he’s got time. The team has holes all over so drafting for need isn’t really a strategy they can employ, take the best prospect and Thomas looks like he’s the next best one.
- Chicago Bears (3-13): Jonathan Allen DL Alabama
The Bears have remade their front seven over the last few years with some free agent signings and a couple of draft picks and Allen would be the last major piece. He’s perfect fit at DE in their 3-4 scheme and he would wreak havoc up front and free up the OLBs. I’ve had them going back and forth between Allen and SS Jamal Adams and Adams is still a viable option along with Malik Hooker the FS out of Ohio St. If there was an offensive lineman worth this spot that would be a superior choice since the Bears starting OTs are Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie. They are going with Mike Glennon at QB and giving him a chance to sink or swim so QB is not happening here. They aren’t committed to Glennon for the long term (they avoided making Brock Osweiler sized mistake with Glennon’s contract) but they are hoping he’s the answer. Getting him some offensive line help after the 1st round should be a priority.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13): Leonard Fournette RB LSU
If the top three defensive linemen are gone by pick number four then football czar Tom Coughlin and GM David Caldwell are going to have to make a tough decision. The signings of CB AJ Bouye and SS Barry Church filled their two big defensive needs and they would have to reach for a guy like Derek Barnett if they want to take a defensive lineman. There isn’t an offensive lineman worth this spot either. Fournette is highly talented and would give them someone to take the pressure off of Blake Bortles and the passing game. TJ Yeldon and Chris Ivory just weren’t enough last year and they didn’t bring much consistency. Fournette would add a different dimension to the offense and he actually showed more skills at his pro day when it comes to the passing game than anyone thought he had.
- Tennessee Titans (from LA Rams 4-12): Malik Hooker FS Ohio St.
The Titans have two picks in the first round of the draft, this one coming courtesy of the Rams trading up for Jared Goff last year so they will be able to address two major needs so expect the secondary and wide receiver to be their focus. The free agent signing of CB Logan Ryan and the depth at the CB position could lead the Titans to taking Hooker over his Ohio St. teammate CB Marshon Lattimore. They signed Jonathan Cyprien at safety but he’s more of a box safety and Hooker would be better covering the deep middle. Either defensive back would be a good choice here as the Titans have multiple needs in the secondary even after signing Ryan and Cyprien. Hooker is a still developing prospect so his best football is still ahead of him, that’s a scary thought for teams that will have to deal with him for the next decade in the NFL.
- New York Jets (5-11): Marshon Lattimore CB Ohio St.
The Jets desperately need a QB of the future, actually they need one for the present and the future but I don’t think it’s coming here anymore. Lattimore is a talented prospect that doesn’t have a ton of experience as just a one-year starter but he could be special. The Jets reunion with Derrell Revis didn’t go as well as the first time and now he’s headed out of town and they need a new CB1. Lattimore can grow into the role as this team rebuilds. I don’t think any of the QBs are worth this high of a pick but if one is going in the top 10 it’s probably happening here. The Jets signed Josh McCown to be a placeholder at best and if they don’t grab a QB in this draft they may have to stage a QB battle between Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg and if they both fall flat they can hand the reigns to McCown for a year. Any of those scenarios probably leads to a new head coach and a new GM picking a QB very high in next year’s draft, at least it looks like there will be some QBs worthy of a high pick next year.
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Jamal Adams SS LSU
The Chargers are changing up their defense with new coordinator Gus Bradley taking over and switching to a 4-3. This is good news for last year’s rookie standout DE Joey Bosa because he’s a great fit but it calls into question what they are doing with franchised OLB Melvin Ingram. Ingram is best suited as a 3-4 pass rushing OLB, he’s a bit small to be a 4-3 DE and his skillset has never been as an OLB in a 4-3. They could use another DE and Derek Barnett could certainly be the pick here. However, the secondary is starting to come together with CBs Casey Hayward and Jason Verrett playing really well and grabbing a dynamic safety like Adams would fit right in. Bradley was once the defensive coordinator of the Seahawks when they had Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas at safety so he’s familiar with the value a good safety brings. There are plenty of rumors of the Chargers looking to grab Phillip Rivers heir apparent but that makes little sense to me. If this team can’t make some strides and they finish the season picking high in next year’s draft they might be able to draft either USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen, what could be better for a team that just moved to LA to grab one of the two marquee QBs from the city.
- Carolina Panthers (6-10): Derek Barnett DE Tennessee
The Panthers could use help on the offensive line but as I’ve discussed it’s just not the right value this high in the draft. I’ve had them taking Leonard Fournette and if he gets past Jacksonville this is still a great landing spot for him, since that isn’t the case in this draft I’m going with Barnett. The Panthers brought back Charles Johnson, Mario Addison and their blast from the past Julius Peppers but none of those guys are long for the NFL world. Addison is 29, Peppers is 37 and Johnson is 30 and coming off of back surgery, reinforcements are needed. GM David Gettleman likes to build at the line on defense and while Barnett isn’t flashy he is effective. He’s young and he’s relentless so he could give the old guys a break and learn from them at the same time. I do think the Panthers will go for a RB early but if Fournette is gone they would have to reach for Dalvin Cook or Christian McCaffrey, something tells me owner Jerry Richardson won’t sign off on Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon.
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-9-1): Reuben Foster LB Alabama
The dust seems to have settled on Foster’s incident at the combine where he got into some sort of argument with someone. There hasn’t been much more info and it seems like it won’t affect his draft status. That’s good news for the Bengals especially if the top four defensive linemen are off the board (Garrett, Thomas, Allen and Barnett). They could use a DE opposite Carlos Dunlop or a DT to replace Domata Peko but since there isn’t a great one here they can’t pass on Foster. They signed Kevin Minter from Arizona and he’s still young at 26 and he stays healthy, but he’s a thumper in the middle and not a guy that chases people around. He will help their run defense but he’s limited otherwise. Vontaze Burfict is also 26 but he’s had a hard time staying healthy and Vincent Rey is pushing 30 and his effectiveness may start to wane soon. Foster is a fast athlete with great instincts that could move outside this year (Minter is on a one-year deal) and really help on all downs. There has been some concern about Foster’s maturity and perhaps mixing him with Burfict is a recipe for disaster but Marvin Lewis has mostly kept Burfict under control (he’s still a knucklehead sometimes but he’s not a crazy man off the field). So, Lewis might be just the guy to help Foster along.
- Buffalo Bills (7-9): Mike Williams WR Clemson
I’m sticking with this pick because if the Bills want Tyrod Taylor to succeed at QB he needs someone to throw to not named Sammy Watkins. All of their other WRs from last year are gone so there is a huge void and Williams is just the guy to start filling it. He’s big and physical and brings a dimension Watkins doesn’t fill. This could very well be a place where OJ Howard sneaks into the top 10 and I can’t really argue with that as it does some of the same things Williams does in terms of helping out Taylor. However, as big and athletic as Howard is he did not produce in college like Williams did in the passing game so I would take Williams and let him do his thing. Watkins would be more effective (as long as he can stay healthy anyway) with someone else taking away some of the coverage. I really like Williams potential, for his sake I hope his talent would help Taylor more than Taylor’s limitations might hurt Williams.
- New Orleans Saints (7-9): Christian McCaffrey RB Stanford
There’s always one team that pulls something out of their ass on draft day and I’m going with the Saints this year. I think they will get a trade done with New England for CB Malcolm Butler but it won’t include this pick (I would love it if it would but no such luck). The Saints sent Brandin Cooks to New England because he wasn’t the guy they thought they could make him. Sean Payton made Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles major offensive weapons but Cooks has a different skillset so it didn’t work out. McCaffrey is that sort of player, a RB that is really comfortable catching the ball out of the backfield, playing out of the slot and yet being enough of a threat running the ball to keep teams honest. In Payton’s offense with Drew Brees throwing it around McCaffrey can be a star. Getting Butler in a trade would fill their major need at CB which would allow GM Mickey Loomis to grab an offensive weapon.
- Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia 7-9): Marlon Humphrey CB Alabama
It’s possible the Browns go QB here but I don’t think they will. They can seriously upgrade their defense with Garrett at #1 and grabbing a player for the secondary here. Humphrey can come in and line up opposite veteran Joe Haden and he can hold his own. He’s a good athlete with good size for the position and his time at Alabama means he won’t be intimidated going up against top competition. Humphrey has something every good CB needs, a short memory. If he gets beat, and he will, he’ll forget about it by the next play and line up ready to go. He’s young but that never slowed him down at Alabama either. Garrett and Humphrey would go well with some of the other young talent on the defense and would give new coordinator Greg Williams a start on turning them into an elite unit.
- Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1): Jabrill Peppers SS Michigan
I really want to give the Cardinals either a QB for the future with Carson Palmer staring retirement in the face or a WR to replace Larry Fitzgerald who is also coming to the end of his Hall of Fame career. The only problem is that Palmer and Fitzgerald aren’t returning this year to mentor their replacements they want to win. Head coach Bruce Arians isn’t getting any younger either so they should be looking for someone to help them out. They lost a number of veterans on defense to free agency like safety Tony Jefferson. The Cardinals have some experience with swiss army knife like safeties having Tyrann Mathieu at one spot and Deone Bucannon playing ILB after starting out as a safety. Peppers would fit right in and give them the ability to continue to move pieces all over the field. He could even play a little CB if needed.
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Minnesota (8-8): Gareon Conley CB Ohio St.
The Eagles have a pretty clear need at CB after addressing their lack of talent at WR in free agency with Alshon Jeffry and Torrey Smith joining Jordan Matthews as targets for Carson Wentz. This could be a potential landing spot for the first offensive lineman off the board given the fact that LT Jason Peters is 35 and RT Lane Johnson has served a suspension for PEDs. Cam Robinson, Ryan Ramczyk or Garett Bolles are all possibilities. Conley was a top CB prospect coming into the year before his teammate Marshon Lattimore overshadowed him but he’s still a pretty good looking player. As far as CB goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder because it’s a deep draft and guys like Conley, Humphrey, TreDavious White, Kevin King, Adoree’ Jackson and a few others have grades all over the map. I like Conley and he’s the right fit for Philly.
- Indianapolis Colts (8-8): Malik McDowell DL Michigan St.
The Colts new GM Chris Ballad used to work in Kansas City with Andy Reid so he may have a penchant for going with linemen early. They signed Jabaal Sheard and John Simon to line up at OLB but they still need help on the defensive line. Kendall Langford is 31 and the other starter is newly signed Margus Hunt who was a disappointment in Cincinnati. McDowell isn’t my favorite player as he was quite inconsistent in college. He’s a bit of a tweener in the fact that he’s 6’6 and 300 lbs. so he’s a little tall to be a DT and not quite fast enough to be an edge rusher. That would make him perfectly suited to line up at DE in the Colts 3-4 defense and help free up Sheard and Simon to rush the passer. They could use some help on the offensive line or they could grab Dalvin Cook at RB because Frank Gore can’t play forever but I think McDowell fits a major need for them.
- Baltimore Ravens (8-8): OJ Howard TE Alabama
This pick could come down to three players from Ozzie Newsome’s alma mater; OT Cam Robinson, OLB Tim Williams or Howard. If the team isn’t confident James Hurst can replace Ricky Wagner at RT than Robinson could be the pick. If they think they need a speed rusher to replace Elvis Dumervil than Williams will be the guy. Howard could help them clear up a crowded roster position at TE. Veterans Dennis Pitta and Ben Watson make more money than they are worth on the field, Crockett Gillmore is injury prone and Maxx Williams has yet to make a mark, which leaves Nick Boyle who is still trying to find some consistency. If they grab Howard he immediately becomes a playmaker for Joe Flacco and he’s a good blocker to boot. Pitta and Watson could be jettisoned for salary cap reasons and Williams would be shown the door too. A TE depth chart of Howard, Boyle and Gillmore would be pretty solid.
- Washington Redskins (8-7-1): Mitchell Trubisky QB North Carolina
The draft positioning of the QBs is the wildcard of this whole thing. Cleveland, San Francisco and the Jets all need QBs now, the LA Chargers, New Orleans and Arizona are staring at the end of the road or their guys so anything is possible. The Redskins have Kirk Cousins on a one-year franchise deal for the second year in a row and neither side looks like they want to make the marriage last long-term. The Redskins have plenty of other needs but a splashy 1st round pick like Trubisky is right up owner Daniel Snyder and team President Bruce Allen’s alley. If GM Scot McCloughan hadn’t been fired I would have given them either LB Hassan Reddick or WR John Ross but with Snyder and Allen back calling the shots there is no place for good sense in Washington, DC…yeah, I know, they fit right in.
- Tennessee Titans (9-7): Corey Davis WR Western Michigan
The Titans have been building their offense for the past couple of years with QB Marcus Mariota at the helm. The offensive line is solid especially with OTs Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin. The running game has Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Delanie Walker has been a Mariota favorite target for past few years and WRs Rishard Matthews and Tajee Sharpe are very good possession guys. The one major piece they lack is a big downfield threat and #1 WR. John Ross would offer them a speed demon that would take the top off the defense but Davis is a special talent. He isn’t as fast as Ross (literally no one in the NFL is) but he’s got better size and is plenty fast and he would look great outside giving Mariota a true #1 target.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): Dalvin Cook RB Florida St.
Doug Martin will start the season on a drug suspension and he hasn’t exactly been the picture of consistency lately. Charles Sims has his moments but has yet to seize the starting RB spot even with Martin’s issues holding him back. Jacquizz Rodgers is a great 3rd down back but he can’t carry the load. The Buccaneers once employed a former Florida St. RB named Warrick Dunn and that worked out pretty well for them. Cook is a dynamic offensive player who looks far better on the football field than he does running around in shorts. Despite a little bit of a reputation off the field and less than stellar workout numbers, he’s a player.
- Denver Broncos (9-7): Ryan Ramczyk OT Wisconsin
The Broncos offensive line was less than spectacular last season and while LT Russell Okung wasn’t good, losing him in free agency isn’t really helping matters. The signing of OG Ronald Leary is a nominal upgrade on the interior but bringing in Menelik Watson from Oakland at OT is no solution on the outside. If they line up Donald Stephenson at LT this year they might as well get their QBs some Kevlar suits now and save themselves the trouble. Ramczyk is coming off of hip surgery and he was only a one-year starter at Wisconsin after transferring in from a lower division. That said, he’s got all the things you look for in a LT. He’s big, long and powerful and exactly what the Broncos need to get their offense back on track. They may have to look at using more than one pick on the offensive line but Ramczyk is a good place to start.
- Detroit Lions (9-7): Hassan Reddick LB Temple
The Lions need another pass rusher to go opposite Ziggy Ansah, they need a CB to play opposite Darius Slay and they need help at LB after trading away Kyle Van Noy last season and finally giving up on DeAndre Levy ever being healthy again. There’s a theme here, they need defense. At this point they just need to take the best defender and that’s Reddick. He’s been steadily moving up the draft boards and his versatility is key. He can be an ILB or and OLB, he can be a pass rusher (he was one at Temple) and he can blitz like crazy. He’s shown the right skills to be able to cover TEs or RBs too, he’s the total package. The Lions defense needs playmakers and Reddick is just that. It’s possible the Lions finally look to solve their RB issues here but I think the value is Reddick and they can get a solid RB later.
- Miami Dolphins (10-6): Forrest Lamp OG Western Kentucky
The Dolphins offense made major strides last season under first year head coach Adam Gase and it would be a shame for it to take a step back. They traded Brandon Albert away this offseason and that means second year man Laremy Tunsil will slide from LG to LT and I think that’s a net gain for Miami. Tunsil has elite LT ability but that means his LG spot will need to be filled. Forrest Lamp played LT at Western Kentucky but everyone expects him to move inside to OG in the pros and he would make for an outstanding tandem with Tunsil protecting Ryan Tannehill’s blindside and opening holes up for Jay Ajayi. It’s not a flashy pickup but it’s how you win games. It’s a deep defensive draft so they can address their defensive needs later.
- New York Giants (11-5): Garett Bolles OT Utah
Ereck Flowers has been a disaster at LT because he just isn’t the type of athlete you need there and Eli Manning isn’t exactly fleet of foot at QB so there are sacks-o-plenty happening on offense. The team brought in WR Brandon Marshall to work with Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard to create an elite passing attack but if Manning is on his back that’s not going to work very well. Bolles would upgrade two positions because he can step in at LT which would move Flowers to his more natural RT position and that’s a two-for-one upgrade. With the addition of DJ Fluker in free agency he can play inside at OG and now they may finally have the makings of a good offensive line. The last few years of Eli Manning’s career shouldn’t be spent getting run over by DEs and Bolles could solve that problem.
- Oakland Raiders (12-4): Zach Cunningham LB Vanderbilt
While they continue to work on that clone of Derek Carr they are hoping for, the Raiders should address a different gaping need. Their run defense wasn’t great last season and they need a tackling machine like Cunningham manning the middle of the defense. He doesn’t look like your classic “thumper” in the middle because he’s more of a long, lean type but he’s comparable to Derrick Johnson of the Chiefs and he’s been really good for a really long time. They are building a very good defense around Khalil Mack and Cunningham would be a fantastic piece.
- Houston Texans (9-7): Patrick Mahomes II QB Texas A&M
When there is no consensus as to who is the top QB and what order the QBs should go in it really comes down to team preference. If Trubisky is the first QB off the board that really won’t shock anyone but if Mahomes goes before Deshaun Watson that’s going to get some attention. Mahomes is a gunslinger, think Brett Favre, and while I’m sure Bill O’Brien likes Tom Savage enough he’s not going to rely on a guy that has health issues long-term. O’Brien needs a guy with a big arm and unshakeable confidence and that is Mahomes. Watson is a good athlete and a good QB but he doesn’t fit the skillset Houston is looking for so they go with Mahomes.
- Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1): Cam Robinson OT Alabama
The Seahawks signed former Jacksonville first round pick Luke Joeckel and they are apparently planning on giving him a shot at LT, that’s not a great plan but they are desperate. Most scouts see Robinson moving either inside to OG or over to RT after playing LT at Alabama and that’s understandable. Either way this pick works because the Seahawks need help at about three different spots on the line at least. If Joeckel flames out like he did in Jacksonville Robinson is a nice backup option at LT, if Joeckel works out then Robinson can either play RT or move inside to LG next to Joeckel.
- Kansas City Chiefs (12-4): Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
The Chiefs have some needs, like help on the defensive line, getting younger at LB and finding someone to line up opposite Marcus Peters at CB but they could look to grab a guy that could be their future at QB. Alex Smith is 32 so he’s still got time in the league but he’s not a dynamic playmaker and some believe he is holding the Chiefs offense back. Watson isn’t dissimilar from Smith when he was coming out of Utah many moons ago. He plays in a spread offense, didn’t play under center at all, he’s athletic and his passing is still a work in progress. Watson is slightly shorter than Smith and a better overall athlete but he may need similar work on his game to that which Smith has already been through. Andy Reid has penchant for drafting for his lines early but if Watson is available he may need to think of the future of the franchise now rather than later.
- Dallas Cowboys (13-3): Obi Melifonwu SS UConn
The Cowboys secondary wasn’t exactly teeming with talent before and free agency has taken its toll. CB Brandon Carr, CB Morris Claiborne and SS Barry Church are all gone. Melifonwu emerged from the combine turning heads with his freakish athleticism and size. The Cowboys already have one former UConn freak athlete at safety in Byron Jones and adding another one would be a major piece of rebuilding the secondary. I’ve been a big proponent of them grabbing a pass rushing DE because they have struck out many times at the position lately but the secondary is just as big of an issue now. Melifonwu offers a bit better value than the DEs available right here but if they were to grab Taco Charlton or Takkarist McKinley I certainly couldn’t blame them.
- Green Bay Packers (10-6): Takkarist McKinley OLB UCLA
The Packers have lost Julius Peppers and Datone Jones in free agency and Clay Matthews isn’t getting any younger. They re-signed Nick Perry but he’s only had one good year. If the Packers want their defense to succeed they need a pass rush and McKinley fits their scheme well. They could use a CB and certainly they need someone other than Ty Montgomery at RB but McKinley is too good to pass up. It is entirely possible McKinley doesn’t make it this far and if that’s the case one of the many CBs would be a good bet or perhaps they will pull the trigger on Tim Williams from Alabama.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Raekwon McMillan ILB Ohio St.
The Steelers defense has always been built on its linebackers and with James Harrison aging, Lawrence Timmons heading for Miami and Jarvis Jones leaving for Arizona it’s time for them to bring in some reinforcements. McMillan is a hardnosed, run-stuffing LB who would look very good lined up inside next to the speedier Ryan Shazier. The two former Buckeyes would complement each other well given their skillsets. McMillan feels like a Steelers throwback LB and he fills a hole right in the heart of their defense. After many years of passing on CBs the Steelers finally took one last year in Artie Burns but that position is still a position of need so CB is a possibility.
- Atlanta Falcons (11-5): Taco Charlton DE Michigan
The Falcons have added DT Dontari Poe and DE Jack Crawford this offseason but they need someone who can really rush the passer off the edge and Charlton is a good place to start. He’s a good all-around DE and while no one will confuse him for Myles Garrett off the edge he’s better than the guys the Falcons have at the moment. After the stunning collapse of their defense in the second half of the Super Bowl they need some reinforcements. Poe, Crawford and Charlton would make a nice addition up front and the return of a healthy Desmond Trufant at CB will be a welcome sight too.
- New Orleans Saints (from New England 14-2): TreDavious White CB LSU
I’m hoping the Patriots reacquire this pick in a trade for Malcolm Butler but even if they don’t and they settle for less the Saints could still use another CB if they get Butler. White’s draft grade is all over the place and he could go as high as #14 overall or be a third rounder at this point. He’s skilled and experienced and he can be an immediate starter in the NFL if necessary. With or without Butler the Saints need CB help because their presumed starters at the moment are Delvin Breaux and PJ Williams and they both were injured last season. If New England gets this pick back for Butler I hope Belichick doesn’t draft a CB this high because his track record at doing that isn’t very good. I was actually okay with him giving this pick up for Brandin Cooks but if he is ready to let Butler walk then I want him to get it back, and then draft David Njoku the TE from Miami.
Round 2
- Cleveland Browns: Budda Baker S Washington
The Browns secondary needs a lot of help and adding Marlon Humphrey at CB and Budda Baker at safety would go a long way to fixing the problems. With Garrett rushing the passer and those two patrolling the secondary with Joe Haden the Browns defense could get really good, really fast.
- San Francisco 49ers: John Ross WR Washington
I couldn’t find a place for the fastest man ever at the combine in the first round and I’m sure I’m wrong about that but if he falls it won’t be far. The 49ers signed Pierre Garcon but he’s 30 years old so he’s not a long-term solution at WR. The signed Marquise Goodwin too but he’s not a high volume WR. I don’t know who will be throwing the ball in future for the Niners but Ross would be a nice weapon for someone.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: David Njoku TE Miami
The Jags have spent a lot of money the past two years to build their defense and they have some weapons on offense. They traded Julius Thomas to Miami for OT Brandon Albert (a trade of guys they each needed to get rid of) but that leaves them without much at TE. If drafting Leonard Fournette in the first round is meant to help Blake Bortles giving him a pass catching threat like Njoku down the seam would be another good step.
- Chicago Bears: Kevin King CB Washington
The Bears signed Prince Amukamara to fill one CB slot and they are hoping Kyle Fuller can come back from an injury and fulfill his potential at the other but those are risky propositions. King has been overshadowed by his teammate Sidney Jones (rightfully so considering how good Jones is) but with Jones going down with an Achilles tear he’s not a factor. King is a big CB at 6’3 and is very good prospect and fills a need for the Bears. Offensive line help may have to wait another round, sorry Mr. Glennon.
- Los Angeles Rams: Charles Harris OLB Missouri
The Rams traded their 1st round pick so this is their first pick in this draft. New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will transition them to a 3-4 defense and he needs guys to rush the passer. Robert Quinn is making the move from DE to OLB and they signed Connor Barwin but Phillips can never have enough pass rushers. Harris can make the transition to OLB and really bend the edge for them and that’s a good thing since Barwin is 30-years old and has never been an elite pass rusher.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Pat Elflein C/G Ohio St.
The Chargers offensive line is a mess and while Russell Okung might bring a little stability at LT then interior of the line needs work. Orlando Franklin has been a free agent bust and while Matt Slauson did an admirable job stepping in at center he really shouldn’t be a center. Elflein has some nice versatility as he can be a C or an OG and he’ll likely take over the C job rather quickly.
- New York Jets: DeShone Kizer QB Notre Dame
The Jets need a QB and Kizer needs someone to stop his slide. He’s got a lot of raw ability but he lacks consistency and needs some top-notch coaching. This is the Jets once again buying a lottery ticket hoping to find their QB of the future (think Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg, yeah they are 0-3).
- Carolina Panthers: Desmond King DB Iowa
King played CB in college and a lot of teams see him as a safety in the NFL, the Panthers need help at both. At safety Mike Adams is 36 and Kurt Coleman is pushing 30 and at CB their draft picks from last season haven’t been stellar. King is versatile and he can cover for a lot of other issues in the secondary. His instincts are incredible and he’ll be a playmaker wherever he ends up.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Tim Williams DE/OLB Alabama
The Bengals need a pass rusher opposite Carlos Dunlop and they go back to the Alabama well to find one here. Williams is a quick twitch athlete with an electric first step and he may be the best pure pass rusher outside of Myles Garrett in this draft. He falls a bit because he’s pretty one-dimensional (even if it is an elite dimension he has) and he’s not exactly a choir boy off the field. He admitted to teams at the combine that he failed multiple drug tests while at Alabama. It’s best to come clean about those things but it is going to cost him a bit in the draft. The team that drafts him has to hope he goes the way of Laremy Tunsil and not the Randy Gregory route.
- New Orleans Saints: Carl Lawson DE Auburn
The Saints were last in the league against the pass last season and getting some help in the secondary is a good step but they need to get to the passer too. Cameron Jordan is a bit lonesome when it gets to the opponent’s backfield and that’s what Lawson does well. They have to hope Lawson can stay healthy though because he had trouble with that at times in college.
- Philadelphia Eagles: Joe Mixon RB Oklahoma
Someone is going to pull the trigger on Mixon at some point and I think Philly’s need for a RB and Jeffrey Lurie’s ability to look beyond past transgressions could make this Mixon’s landing spot. Ryan Mathews will be 30 during this season and Darren Sproles will be 34. Lurie once gave Michael Vick a chance after he served jail time so he may find a way to say yes to Mixon.
- Buffalo Bills: Taylor Moton OT Western Michigan
The Bills need someone at RT if they want Tyrod Taylor to succeed at QB. He’s a good athlete but him running around all the time leads to injury. Moton is flying under the radar but he had a good week at the Senior Bowl and he’s best suited for RT where the Bills would need him.
- Arizona Cardinals: Chidobe Awuzie CB Colorado
The Cardinals could really makeover their secondary with Peppers in the first round and Awuzie in the second. Awuzie isn’t a guy that has gotten a lot of attention but he probably has more playing experience than just about anyone (he started games every year of his career). The Cardinals need someone that won’t shrink from the challenge of lining up on the opposite side of Patrick Peterson.
- Indianapolis Colts: Alvin Kamara RB Tennessee
I’m not on the Kamara hype train like a lot of people but he would be a huge addition to the Colts offense. He’s a good RB and they could really use some new blood, of course at this point I’m pretty sure Frank Gore is a vampire.
- Baltimore Ravens: TJ Watt OLB Wisconsin
The Ravens need someone to bring pressure from the OLB that’s been vacated by Elvis Dumervil. Watt looks like a good bet to be an outside pass rusher and he’s the type of guy that will fit in well with the Ravens defense.
- Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Brantley DT Florida
The Vikings went out and signed Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers to address their OT needs. DT Sharrif Floyd’s career is in jeopardy due to an injury and there isn’t a lot of depth past Linval Joseph so grabbing a guy like Brantley would address a big need.
- Washington Redskins: Jarrad Davis ILB Florida
The Redskins are looking to move Su’a Cravens to his more natural safety position and they aren’t exactly deep at ILB to begin with. Davis has had some injury issues at Florida and that’s why he’s still available here. He’s a talented player that could start right away if he can stay healthy enough.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tyus Bowser LB Houston
The Buccaneers are building a young, fast defense and they have Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David in their LB corps. Bowser is a quick athlete with the skills to cover and blitz and he would fill out their starting LB corps very nicely.
- Denver Broncos: Larry Ogunjobi DT Charlotte
Over the last two off seasons the Broncos have lost Malik Jackson and Sylvester Williams at DT and the only guy they signed was Domata Peko so they could use some reinforcements. Ogunjobi looked good at the Senior Bowl when the level of competition was stepped up a bit from his college days. He’s a solid looking prospect they can develop behind Peko who is aging rapidly.
- Cleveland Browns (from Tennessee): Davis Webb QB California
The advantage to having four picks in the top 52 is that the Browns can fill a lot of needs and still grab a good looking QB prospect here in the draft. There are 5 QBs considered 1st tier guys and Webb is the last of them. He’s big and has a cannon for an arm. He will need some time to transition from his college spread offense to the NFL style but he’s got more potential than some of the guys going ahead of him.
- Detroit Lions: Jordan Willis DE Kansas St.
The Lions need someone to take the pressure off of Ziggy Ansah on the defensive line. Willis has flown a bit under the radar because he’s not as flashy as many of the other pass rushers but he’s a talented kid. He’s got speed to bend the edge and he should upgrade their pass rush.
- Miami Dolphins: Fabian Moreau CB UCLA
The Dolphins need another young CB to pair with Xavien Howard from last year’s draft. Byron Maxwell is the veteran they have but he’s pushing 30, coming off an injury at the end of last season and hasn’t always been great. Moreau is an experienced player having started for forever for the Bruins and while he’s been dealing with his own injury he’s too good to pass up.
- New York Giants: Adam Shaheen TE Ashland
The Giants are planning on using a three WR set quite often with the addition of Brandon Marshall to Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard but when they go to the TE it would be nice to have a guy that’s 6’6 278 lbs. Shaheen is a small school prospect but he’s breaking through and shining amongst a deep TE group.
- Oakland Raiders: Adoree’ Jackson CB USC
The Raiders have two big CBs in David Amerson and Sean Smith so Jackson’s lack of size shouldn’t be a problem. He can also take some time to learn since he’s never concentrated on football alone. Learning from some veterans while giving the team some depth is a good combination.
- Houston Texans: Dalvin Tomlinson DT Alabama
The Texans lost Vince Wilfork and that leaves DJ Reader as the only NT on the roster. Tomlinson can line up at any of the three positions on the Texans defensive line and that could be helpful giving them depth behind Reader and cover if JJ Watt’s back injury resurfaces. Tomlinson was the unsung hero of the Alabama defense moving all over the place to fill in.
- Seattle Seahawks: Dan Feeney OG Indiana
If the Seahawks grab an OT like Cam Robinson in the first round they should still grab the next best offensive lineman they can. Luke Joeckel and Germain Ifedi both have the ability to play OT or OG and so does Cam Robinson. If they grab Feeney he would line up at OG, throw in Justin Britt at C and the other three guys could fill in wherever they fit best.
- Kansas City Chiefs: Cordrea Tankersley CB Clemson
Tankersley is a tall, long CB and the Chiefs need someone to line up opposite star corner Marcus Peters. Tankersley has started for Clemson the last two years as they have gone to back-to-back National Championship games so he can handle the pressure.
- Dallas Cowboys: Ryan Anderson DE Alabama
The Cowboys addressed one need in their secondary with their first pick but they need to get some pass rush help. Anderson has been billed as a DE that can move to OLB but he’s used to playing on the line and he’ll be fine despite being a little undersized. He wasn’t as hyped as many of his Alabama teammates but he’s a player.
- Green Bay Packers: Quincy Wilson CB Florida
CB is a deep position in this draft and it’s a popular one in my mock draft. We are coming to the end of the top tier of CBs and the Packers need to grab a quality one. Wilson was less heralded than his teammate Teez Tabor until Tabor’s poor showing at the combine and pro day. Wilson could easily go in the first round if someone loves him more than other CBs and I couldn’t argue against it. Here, he is great value for the Packers who need some help in the secondary.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Tarell Basham OLB Ohio
Basham would be a great understudy to James Harrison and he needs a little time to make the adjustment to OLB from DE. He’s got size and speed and he showed skills at the Senior Bowl that he didn’t really use at Ohio. He was a devastating pass rusher in the MAC where he was physically dominant but he can actually do more than just rush from the edge so I don’t think the transition to OLB would be too much for him.
- Atlanta Falcons: Evan Engram TE Ole Miss
When you have Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel at WR it seems silly to throw to the TE but Engram would give the Falcons’ offense another dimension. The TE depth chart isn’t scaring anyone but Engram is basically a jacked up WR that would either draw coverage away from Jones or make teams pay for not covering him.
- Carolina Panthers: Curtis Samuel WR/RB Ohio St.
Samuel should just be labeled “offensive weapon”. He played some RB at Ohio St. but the Buckeyes had other guys at the position (some dude named Ezekiel Elliott comes to mind) so he was used in the slot and at WR to get him on the field. He can do a lot of things and the Panthers just let Ted Ginn go so there’s a place on the team for a guy like Samuel. He’s not a pure WR and he really isn’t going to replace Jonathan Stewart at RB full-time but he could be a useful tool on offense and special teams.
The Hott Read 