Yes, I know we’ve been living in a post-Blockbuster world for some time thanks to Netflix, but I mean the Titans-Rams trade that puts Los Angeles at the #1 spot. We’re assuming they take a QB, so I’ve mocked accordingly.
I’ll have short writeups for the early picks and then just list the later rounds. I’ve also projected a couple of trades here.
ROUND 1
1. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Goff, QB, California
Pretty straightforward. I think he’s the best QB in this draft. The Rams are obviously going to take one, so projecting otherwise is silly.
TRADE: San Francisco sends the #7, #37, #68, a 2017 2nd, and a 2017 3rd to Cleveland for the #2 and #141.
2. San Francisco 49ers – Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Whether or not the 49ers move Colin Kaepernick, I think it’s clear they’re ready to move on from him. Wentz seems to fit Kelly’s offense well; its emphasis on pre-snap reads fits the style of decision-making he faced at NDSU. (Or maybe I’m talking out of my ass.)
3. San Diego Chargers – Jalen Ramsey, FS, Florida State
I think they sprint to the podium with this card.
TRADE: Baltimore sends the #6 and #70 selections to Dallas for the #4 and #189 selections.
4. Baltimore Ravens – Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
A rare trade up for Baltimore, who decide not to chance missing out on a foundational prospect even though he’s not especially a need for Dallas or Jacksonville.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
A no-brainer. Reports came back today that his knee did not check out as well as hoped, but I wrote this last night, and I’m not changing it now.
6. Dallas Cowboys – Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
With Randy Gregory’s suspension, I think they’d be fine with Bosa or Jack, hence the trade down. Bosa has enough size that you could move him inside and get all three on the field on passing downs.
7. Cleveland Browns – Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
This probably falls under “least likely to happen” of the picks I’ve made so far, but I still love Treadwell and have him as the #1 receiver in this class and a top-eight prospect. Cleveland doesn’t have anything better than a #3 receiver on roster right now (we can’t count Josh Gordon until he’s back), and they’ve got to improve their talent there, period.
8. Philadelphia Eagles – Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Word is they love him. He’s available. Do I have to draw you a map?
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
If he can settle in at LT, this moves Donovan Smith to RT and shores up their line considerably, an important factor for their young franchise QB.
10. New York Giants – Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
Another prospect I feel is being underrated for being an inch too short despite great film and athleticism. A real win for the Giants here.
11. Chicago Bears – DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
I’m not as high on Buckner as most, but I think he’ll be the pick here if he’s still on the board, and he’s an ideal 3-4 DE in John Fox’s defense.
12. New Orleans Saints – Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
The word is teams don’t like him as much as we do, which I don’t understand. He passes both the production and the athleticism tests. I’d love this pick here. Cam Jordan 2.0? Yes please.
13. Miami Dolphins – Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
They need a linebacker. The top two guys left on my board play positions they don’t need. This seems like something they’d do.
14. Oakland Raiders – Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
Provide some inside pass rush help to complement Khalil Mack.
15. Tennessee Titans – Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
Slide him in at right tackle, keep Taylor Lewan at left tackle, and your line is that much better.
16. Detroit Lions – Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
Neither Golden Tate nor Marvin Jones are #1 receivers. They’ve got to get someone with that kind of ceiling at the position.
17. Atlanta Falcons – Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
Is he an edge rusher or an off-ball linebacker? Atlanta needs both, and they’ve been increasingly linked to him as we get closer to the draft.
18. Indianapolis Colts – Noah Spence, EDGE, Eastern Kentucky
They need young pass-rushing help badly. Well, they need a lot of things badly due to Ryan Grigson’s poor roster management, but let’s go with this one.
19. Buffalo Bills – Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
A good player, one I’ve increasingly heard linked to the team, for a need.
20. New York Jets – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
They couldn’t execute a Rams-style mega-trade, but they still get a quality developmental prospect here. I like Lynch’s upside, especially if they can give him two years to sit and learn.
21. Washington Potatoes – Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
They love to build in the trenches, I like Billings as a prospect, and I’ve never heard of the guy listed as their starting nose tackle.
22. Houston Texans – Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
Speed and big-play ability to complement DeAndre Hopkins’ do-it-all game.
23. Minnesota Vikings – Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Finally, the reliable, big-body #1 target Teddy Bridgewater needs.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Ole Miss
On talent, arguably a top-five prospect. It’s the mental and off-field parts that raise concerns, but who better to work with those than Marvin Lewis?
25. Pittsburgh Steelers – Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Their secondary needs serious help, and Alexander is another guy I feel is being underrated for his size. (The Steelers don’t seem to mind smaller CBs– see Senquez Golson last year.)
26. Seattle Seahawks – Jonathan Bullard, DL, Florida
Oh, boy. Look out, NFC West. He’s a guy whose position is unclear but whose pass-rushing skills are not, and Seattle will find a way to move him around a la Michael Bennett.
27. Green Bay Packers – Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama
Seems likely they’ll address the hole created by B.J. Raji’s sabbatical. The only question is with whom.
28. Kansas City Chiefs – Chris Jones, DL, Mississippi State
I think of him more as a 4-3 DT than one of the 5-techs in a 3-4, but he’s too talented to pass here.
29. New England Patriots – Pick Forfeited
No justice, no peace!
29. Arizona Cardinals – William Jackson III, CB, Houston
A really talented guy at a position of need. Again, not a lot of analysis necessary here.
30. Carolina Panthers – Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
The question of whether OT or WR was a bigger need for his team was answered resoundingly in the Super Bowl.
31. Denver Broncos – Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
They simply cannot go into the regular season with Mark Sanchez as their best QB. Cook isn’t exactly the kind of guy I would see as a fit for this offense, but I think he’s the most ready to step in and could start out as a Jay Cutler-lite type. I like certain aspects of Cook’s game, but his overall accuracy is troubling. Given the Broncos’ defense, I’d expect this to be a heavy running team that relies on Cook to bail them out of the occasional third down.
ROUND 2
- CLE – Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
- TEN – Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
- DAL – Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
- SD – Kenny Clark, DL, UCLA
- BAL – Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
- CLE – Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
- JAX – Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE, Oklahoma State
- TB – Vernon Butler, DL, Louisiana Tech
- NYG – Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
- CHI – Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
- MIA – Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
- TEN – Javon Hargrave, DL, South Carolina State
- OAK – Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
- TEN – Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia
- DET – A’Shawn Robinson, DL, Alabama
- NO – Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas State
- IND – Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
- BUF – Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
- ATL – Joshua Garnett, G, Stanford
- NYJ – Su’a Cravens, LB/S, USC
- HOU – Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
- WAS – Deion Jones, LB, LSU
- MIN – Jerald Hawkins, OT, LSU
- CIN – Keanu Neal, FS, Florida
- SEA – Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M
- GB – Shilique Calhoun, EDGE, Michigan State
- PIT – Vonn Bell, SS, Ohio State
- KC – Artie Burns, CB, Miami-FL
- NE – Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
- NE – Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
- CAR – Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
- DEN – Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford
ROUND 3
- TEN – Joshua Perry, LB, Ohio State
- CLE – Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
- SD – Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
- DAL – Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor
- CLE – Darian Thompson, FS, Boise State
- JAX – Nick Martin, C, Notre Dame
- DAL – Willie Henry, DL, Michigan
- NYG – Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
- CHI – Vadal Alexander, G/T, LSU
- MIA – Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Maryland
- TB – Jalen Mills, CB/S, LSU
- OAK – Jeremy Cash, SS, Duke
- TEN – Charles Tapper, DE/DL, Oklahoma
- PHI – Tavon Young, CB, Temple
- NO – Hassan Ridgeway, DL, Texas
- PHI – Christian Westerman, G, Arizona State
- BUF – Vernon Adams, QB, Oregon
- ATL – Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State
- IND – Kentrell Brothers, LB, MIssouri
- NYJ – Le’Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech
- WAS – Jack Allen, C, Michigan State
- HOU – Austin Johnson, DL, Penn State
- MIN – Sheldon Day, DL, Notre Dame
- CIN – Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia
- GB – Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA
- PIT – John Theus, OT, Georgia
- SEA – Joel Heath, DL, Michigan State
- NE – Kamalei Correa, EDGE, Boise State
- ARI – Landon Turner, G, North Carolina
- CAR – Spencer Drango, G/T, Baylor
- DEN – Dominique Alexander, LB, Oklahoma
- DET* – Kyle Murphy, OT, Stanford
- NE* – Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana
- SEA* – Maurice Canady, CB, Virginia
- DEN* – Paul Perkins, RB UCLA
* – compensatory pick
** – Kansas City forfeited the original #91 selection, between Seattle and New England, for tampering in the Jeremy Maclin signing.
ROUND 4
- CLE – Sebastian Tretola, G, Arkansas
- PHI – Kyler Fackrell, EDGE, Utah State
- DAL – Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
- SD – Charone Peake, WR, Clemson
- JAX – Miles Killebrew, SS, Southern Utah
- BAL – Zack Sanchez, CB, Oklahoma
- SF – Mike Thomas, WR, Southern Mississippi
- CHI – Jordan Jenkins, EDGE, Georgia
- MIA – Cyrus Jones, CB, Oklahoma
- TB – Eric Striker, OLB/EDGE, Oklahoma
- NYG – Travis Feeney, LB, Washington
- LA – Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
- NO – C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame
- LA – Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts
- OAK – Kenny Lawler, WR, California
- ATL – Sean Davis, FS, Maryland
- IND – Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas
- BUF – Bronson Kaufusi, DE/DL, BYU
- NYJ – Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia
- HOU – Jacoby Brissett, QB, North Carolina State
- WAS – Jonathan Jones, CB, Auburn
- MIN – Connor McGovern, G, Missouri
- CIN – Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU
- PIT – Devon Cajuste, WR/TE, Stanford
- SEA – DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech
- GB – Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota
- KC – Graham Glasgow, G, Michigan
- CHI – Harlan Miller, CB, SE Louisiana
- ARI – Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
- CAR – D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech
- BAL – Connor Wujciak, DL, Boston College
- GB – Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
- BAL – T.J. Green, FS, Clemson
- SF – Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State
- BAL – Nick Vigil, LB, Utah state
- DAL – Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron
- DEN – Dean Lowry, DL, Northwestern
- GB – Denver Kirkland, G, Arkansas
- CLE – Tyrone Holmes, EDGE, Montana
- BUF – Adolphus Washington, DL, Ohio State
There you have it. Leave notes on what you hate, why I’m an idiot, thoughts on my mother, etc. etc. in comments.
Recent Comments