NFL 2018 Mock Draft 1.0

NFL 2018 Mock Draft 1.0

     Welcome to our first mock draft in preparation for the 2018 NFL draft. This is being published the week before the NFL combine, so a lot will change between now and April. We have to go through the free agency and the pro day process still for all of these players, not to mention the NFL combine that is about to happen. Team needs are going to change, and player’s evaluations are going to be pretty volatile for the next couple of months. But it’s never too early to get started on where we think these draft hopefuls will start their NFL careers.

1. Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, Quarterback, USC

The Browns need to hit the reset button badly. They’ve gone 1-31 the past two years. They drafted Deshone Kizer in the 2nd round last year, but that doesn’t prevent them from taking arguably the top quarterback in the draft.

2. New York Giants: Josh Rosen, Quarterback, UCLA

No matter if Eli stays or goes in New York, the Giants are going to need a new quarterback. With a new General Manager and Head Coach coming in it makes sense for them to not wait and pull the trigger on Rosen.
              

3. Indianapolis Colts: Saquon Barkley, Running Back, Penn State

The Colts could go defense here, well they could do anything pretty much because their roster is terrible. But I think they get a playmaking running back to take some pressure off Luck. While Frank Gore seems to have found the Fountain of Youth, he’s going to retire eventually and Barkley might be the best player at any position in the draft.

4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Defensive Back, Alabama

With their second pick in the top 5 Brown’s shore up the defensive backfield. In Fitzpatrick Cleveland is getting a proven leader who can contribute day 1 at any position in the secondary.  

5. Denver Broncos: Josh Allen, Quarterback, Wyoming

This will be the fourth year in a row that the Broncos draft a QB, and their second in the first round. Denver's defense is still among the best in the league, and with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw to there   isn’t a shortage of weapons in Denver. By drafting Allen the Broncos would be telling their Super Bowl caliber defense that their calling the season essentially, and while that’d be a tough decision I don’t see a lot of other options.

6. New York Jets: Connor Williams, Offensive Tackle, Texas
There isn’t any player that I love here for the Jets, but with the top three quarterbacks and Barkley off the board they have to try and get more offensive line help. They could get either Williams or Mike McGlinchey out of Notre Dame. I think they go Williams who is a great athlete and can excels at both run and pass block. He had a better 2016 season than 2017 due to injuries, so he's not a sure thing. But his 2016 tape was the best in this draft class, and if he has a good pre-draft process he can validate going in the top ten.  

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bradley Chubb, Defensive End, North Carolina State

Chubb is the best edge player in the draft. Tampa Bay failed to take the next step in 2017, and their inability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks was a huge reason why. Chubb is also very solid in run support, but his freakish athleticism and pass rushing ability make him perfect for Tampa Bay.

8. Chicago Bears: Calvin Ridley, Wide Receiver, Alabama

Da Bears have had incredibly bad luck at the wide receiver position, and their pass catching group might be the worst in the league. Between Alshon Jeffery leaving for Philadelphia and injuries to seemingly everyone else the Bears can give Mitchell Trubisky the best receiver in the draft in Ridley. Ridley won't ever be a Julio Jones or Antonio Brown due to his size and speed. But he can play immediately and be a really good starter from day one.

9. San Francisco 49ers: James Washington, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State
See above. The 49ers have a couple good receivers, but not anything close to the legit number one receiver Kyle Shanahan's offense needs. Washington is a physical receiver who plays fast enough to take the top off against NFL defenses immediately. He’s not as polished as Ridley, but he has the highest ceiling among receivers in the draft. Washington would be a home run or strike out kind of pick.

10. Oakland Raiders: Josh Jackson, Cornerback, Iowa
The Raiders spent last year’s first round pick on a cornerback as well, but their defensive backfield is still their biggest question mark. Jackson has the best ball skills out of any corner, but will need to run a sub 4.5 40 yard dash to solidify himself as the best corner in the draft.  

11. Miami Dolphins: Quenton Nelson, Offensive Guard, Notre Dame
Getting Nelson this late would be a huge get for the Dolphins. He’s a mauler in the run game and can help open holes for Miami’s running back tandem of Drake and Williams, and also help protect Tannehill, or whoever is playing QB for Miami next year. Nelson is the second best overall player, behind Barkley, in the entire draft


12. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
When Andrew Whitworth left for the Rams the Bengals offense unraveled. Dalton needs all the help he can get, and McGlinchey would add much needed competition to the offensive line group. The Bengals somehow don't have a ton of glaring roster holes, and at the same time need so much immediate help to even make the playoffs this year.  


13. Washington Redskins: Derwin James, Safety, Florida State

With the Alex Smith trade a first round QB is (most likely) off the board, so Washington can go defense here with James. Prior to the start of the year James was thought of as maybe the best player in the country. Florida State ended up having a tanker of a year, and James wasn't the clear cut best player in the country that many expected. But the talent is still there, and he still had a really good year. He has uncanny natural instincts, and is going to test extremely well at the combine. Like Fitzpatrick, James can play all over the field. Especially with the uncertainty of their 2016 draft pick Safety Su’a Cravens career with Washington, Derwin James would be a great pick here.

14. Green Bay Packers: Roquan Smith, Linebacker, Georgia

Green Bay would probably want a cornerback here, but inside linebacker is another position of need, and Smith would be too good to pass up. He was a monster for Georgia this year, and would immediately boost a Green Bay defense that’s trying to hang on for the back end of Aaron Rodgers prime. Plus his presence would allow Clay Matthews to focus on pass rushing from the outside, and letting Smith clean up everything in the middle.   

15. Arizona Cardinals: Baker Mayfield, Quarterback, Oklahoma

Arizona’s still waiting on a new head coach, but right now Mayfield is the pick. Arizona needs a new quarterback, and even though they will likely go after a veteran quarterback in free agency Mayfield would still be a great pick for a team whose current quarterbacks are Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert. This is also the absolute lowest Mayfield is getting drafted.  

16. Baltimore Ravens: Courtland Sutton, Wide Receiver, Southern Methodist

Sutton one of those receivers who is always open no matter how closely he is covered. Baltimore’s receiving core is aging and they could desperately use someone like Sutton to help energize their passing offense.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Orlando Brown, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma

At some point the Chargers are going to need to draft a quarterback, but this is too early to go for Lamar Jackson or Mason Rudolph, so drafting their QB’s insurance policy is the best available move, and Brown is the best available offensive tackle. Brown could use some more development on pass protection, but he has the most upside and I love his physicality.

18. Seattle Seahawks: Will Hernandez, Offensive Guard, UTEP

Seattle needs offensive line help bad, that has been their problem for years. Imagine what Russell Wilson could do if he could have a couple seconds to process something without running for his life. Hernandez would come in as a project, but would have a really high ceiling.

19. Dallas Cowboys: Christian Wilkins, Defensive Tackle, Clemson
Wilkins is the best defensive tackle in the draft, so if he slid this far in the draft and the Cowboys didn’t draft him then we might as well give Philly the 2018 division championship on the spot. Wilkins is great against the run, but he also generates interior pressure on the quarterback, which is huge. And Dallas always seems to have half their defensive line suspended, so they more depth they have the better.

20. Detroit Lions: Arden Key, Defensive End, LSU

With Ziggy Ansah going down for part of the year with a back injury the Lions simply couldn’t do anything in the defensive front. Key has all the tools to be right up there with Chubb, but he didn’t put it all on the field this year, and is arguably the most talented pass rusher in the draft. If the Lions take him they’ll need to understand that he’s a project, but has an incredible high ceiling in the NFL.

21. Buffalo Bills: Da’ron Payne, Defensive Tackle, Alabama

Payne is one of those seemingly nameless faceless monsters that the Tide always seem to put in the draft. They are   still deep enough where Payne wouldn’t have a ton of pressure on him right away, but they definitely need a boost to their defensive front.

22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Rashaan Evans, Linebacker, Alabama

I’m not sure the Bills hang onto this pick, but if they do they could go with another Alabama player again in Evans. He’s stud linebacker who can go sideline to sideline. If the Bills don’t get a quarterback in free agency they’ll probably either try to package these picks or move down. But they do need immediate defensive help, so back to back front seven players would be huge for them.

23. Los Angeles Rams: Denzel Ward, Cornerback, Ohio State

The Rams defense was great this year, but they didn’t have a true lock down corner. Trumaine Johnson is good, but Ward could come in and help the defense not have to put so much attention on the teams opposing top WR’s. In the playoffs part of the reason that the Falcons were able to run so much against them is because the Rams were forced   to put so much attention on Julio Jones. Even though the Rams just traded for Marcus Peters, I still think they draft a defensive back here.


24. Carolina Panthers: Sam Hubbard, Defensive End, Ohio State

The Panthers need some help on offense, especially at tackle and receiver. But with the top players at those positions off the board Hubbard would be a great value pick that they’d have to grab at this spot. Carolina’s front 7 is talented, but aging. Hubbard could add some depth right away, and develop into one of their defensive cornerstones.


25. Tennessee Titans: Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker, Virginia Tech

A better way to define Edmunds than "linebacker" would simply be "football player." The dude is all over the field, usually the back field. Tennessee's pass rush was definitely not their strong suit last year. Edmunds isn't strictly a pass rusher, he'd be able to play as a 3 down linebacker and cover, but he would be an immediate boost to the Titan's pass rush.

26. Atlanta Falcons: Vita Vea, Defensive Tackle, Washington

This all depends on what happens to the Falcon’s current defensive tackle Dontari Poe’s contract situation. If the Falcon’s let him walk then they are going to need a lot of help on the inside. Vea has the ability to take a lot of attention in the middle, which could help Vic Beasley and their other pass rushers.

27. New Orleans Saints: Christian Kirk, Wide Receiver, Texas A&M

Kirk is going to be a slot receiver, which makes the first round a reach. But the Saints have Michael Thomas and a bunch of dudes you'd have no idea are still in the league. Kirk was also one of the top punt returners in the country, which helps justify drafting a slot receiver so high.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Malik Jefferson, Linebacker, Texas

Jefferson reminds me a lot of Thomas Davis of the Panthers in the sense that he’s a true sideline to sideline backer. He’d add a lot of speed to Pittsburgh’s defense, since the Steelers just announced that Ryan Shazier would miss the 2018 season, Jefferson would have the opportunity to compete for playing time right away.


29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Deon Cain, Wide Receiver, Clemson

This is another pick where the contract situation of Allen Robinson will affect what the Jaguars do in the first round. But if Robinson leaves, Cain is a physical receiver who won’t take the top off a defense, but could fit in really well with their current receiving core. 
 
30. Minnesota Vikings: Maurice Hurst, Defensive Line, Michigan

The Vikings defense already is stockpiled with talent, but they aren’t incredibly deep. Hurst would be the best value pick at this spot instead of reaching for an offensive lineman, which is probably their other biggest area of need.

31. New England Patriots: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Edge, Oklahoma

Watching the Patriot’s defense was painful this season, their opponents seemed to be just playing against air a lot of the time. The New England defensive backfield is loaded with talented players like Devin McCourty and Stephon   Gilmore. But it's impossible to cover someone for the amount of time that opposing quarterbacks have to throw against the Patriot's pass rush. Okoronkwo still has a lot of development, he’s only been playing football since his    sophomore year in high school. But he's weighed in at 245 lbs., has been clocked at a 4.5 40 time, and has more than enough upside for Belichick to take a flier on him.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Isaiah Oliver, Cornerback, Colorado

The Eagles need offensive line help more, but they also need cornerback help and Oliver is a big, rangy cornerback who can match up against prototypical number one receivers in the NFL.

 

- Jake Cowden