As the college football season hits its peak after Week 4, let’s take a look at the complete first round for the NFL Mock Draft in 2018.
There’s been some shakeup at the top of NFL Draft Boards since the start of the 2017 college football season. More than anything, certain quarterbacks have fallen, like Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph, and some have risen, like Washington’s Jake Browning.
Not many injuries impacted what will happen in the 2018 NFL Draft in Week 4. However, every week counts for players vying for draft stock in the first round of the NFL Draft. Especially when many of these players were getting their first taste of conference action this season.
Up until the conclusion of Week 5 of the NFL season, we will continue to use the Sportsline 2017 season simulation for draft order. Yet, things are starting to take shape in terms of the NFL standings just after the conclusion of Week 3’s action.
Some of the teams, like the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons (two teams that faced off in last year’s Super Bowl), are still looking great. The Falcons are even undefeated. Other teams that could contend for the Super Bowl this year include the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Things will continue to change and evolve as injuries, breakout stars, and NFL circumstances take shape. For example, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes did not look like first round picks to start the 2016 season, yet they were the two of the highest drafted quarterbacks.
Morevoer, there will always be surprise picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. One of those surprise picks seems to always be a quarterback. Now, let’s take a look at the first round 2018 NFL Mock Draft after Week 5 of the college football season.
The Cleveland Browns could always use an additional playmaker in the secondary. Right now, they have former Michigan product Jabrill Peppers to go alongside of former TCU Horned Frog Derrick Kindred. Peppers does have the talent level to compete among the most athletic corners in the country.
Florida State safety Derwin James would bring another level of play to the Browns’ defense. The offense will be set for the immediate future if former Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer continues to play well.
The stock of the Noles is not high right now after their upset loss at the hands of the NC State Wolfpack. However, James will continue to be among the best players on any NFL Draft Board. Florida State’s defense is chalked full of NFL talent.
If Cleveland does draft James, then they would have the versatility on hand to either take some time to develop James and Peppers, or possibly move Peppers to a different position. Too much versatility is never a bad thing.
The NFC West is a confusing division right now. One of the teams expected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams, is actually one of the best so far. However, the San Francisco 49ers are proving to have few options on offense.
Part of the reason for them struggling so much on offense is the lack of a consistent quarterback. Brian Hoyer is the starter right now with Iowa product C.J. Beathard backing him up. Running back Carlos Hyde is their best offensive player right now.
USC sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold seems as ready for the NFL as any in the country at his position. Getting drafted by the 49ers would allow him to stay in-state which could help him become comfortable quicker.
Darnold has had an up and down season so far. However, USC is without a blemish on their schedule including wins over the Stanford Cardinal and Texas Longhorns. Darnold came in clutch especially in the Texas win.
If the New York Jets are not able to get their hands on Sam Darnold, they will look for the next best option. That next best option would be UCLA’s junior quarterback Josh Rosen. Yet, Rosen’s season has started to go downhill the last two weeks.
Losses to the Memphis Tigers and Stanford Cardinal have put UCLA in a rough position. Rosen is easily on pace to set a career record in touchdown passes and passing yards. Much of that relies on Rosen staying healthy for the rest of the season.
The depth that the Jets have at quarterback right now is almost laughable. Veteran Josh McCown is the starter with Baylor product Bryce Petty and Penn State product Christian Hackenberg backing him up.
Hackenberg was drafted to be a project for the Jets. And it ended up not panning out, at least yet. Petty was more a product of the system with Baylor’s high-powered offense they ran under former head coach Art Briles.
With how good former Cal quarterback Jared Goff has been this year, the Los Angeles Rams need to start thinking about how they will protect him moving forward. Finding more running room for running back Todd Gurley should be a priority as well.
The Rams could actually have a chance to win the NFC West this year. And while their draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft might not end up being this high, the look toward an offensive lineman should remain.
Texas offensive tackle Connor Williams is the best lineman available in the draft right now. There’s always talent on the Longhorns’ roster, and Williams is the most NFL-ready out of every player. That includes players like linebacker Malik Jefferson and wide receiver Collin Johnson.
LA should either look at an offensive lineman or a wide receiver. They drafted Goff No. 1 overall in 2016 for a reason and their investment might start to pay off soon. The Rams need to keep building around him and Gurley.
Secondary will be a priority for teams in the NFL Draft. If Derwin James goes No. 1 overall, then Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick could be the next one to go. Both James and Fitzpatrick can be immediate boosts to whatever teams take them.
The Chicago Bears could really use a boost to their secondary. Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper are their current starting cornerbacks and neither one measures up to the talent level of Fitzpatrick.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban relies on Fitzpatrick to lead the Tide defense, and he does not disappoint. Since the Bears got their first win in Week 3, it could be a sign that they need to pick a player that could help them “win now”.
Considering quarterback Mike Glennon helped the Bears to notch their first win of the season over the Pittsburgh Steelers, in overtime, the offense could finally be moving in the right direction. Wide receiver and defense are the biggest needs with this team.
NC State product Philip Rivers is running out of time as the starting quarterback with the Los Angeles Chargers. This is his 14th year in the league and the end of his career is near, much like Ben Roethlisberger with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Eli Manning with the New York Giants.
The offensive line is still a need for the LA Chargers. The AFC West is a division heavy with pass rushers including Von Miller and Khalil Mack. You have to protect your quarterback with skilled offensive lineman like Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey.
Right now, McGlinchey and Connor Williams are competing for the right to say they’re the best offensive lineman in the NFL Draft. McGlinchey is a four-year starter that has the experience and mobility to immediately make an impact.
The Chargers would be very lucky to have a player like McGlinchey slip down to them at whatever spot they draft at. Don’t be surprised of the Chargers end up taking an offensive lineman, no matter where they draft in the first round.
The Miami Dolphins need help at quarterback. Mounting injuries to current starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill have shown that he is not the solution to their offensive problem. Star running back Jay Ajayi is losing out because teams can stack the box against the Dolphins.
Right now, Miami has former Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler starting behind center. Cutler is at the point in his career where he is not the long-term, or even the short-term, answer for any franchise.
That’s where Wyoming’s Josh Allen comes into play. The most concerning part about Allen is his lack of solid performances against Power Five competition. Allen is great against fellow Mountain West opposition but struggles against some of the better defenses in college football.
Some team will take the chance on Allen in the top 10. Why not the Dolphins? They need a young quarterback just as bad as any team in the NFL. Allen is an intriguing enough prospect for teams to look past his struggles.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could use some help on the defensive line. LSU’s Arden Key is a top-five type prospect that could fall out if quarterbacks start being taken earlier than expected. Nearly every team in the top 10 also has a use for Key.
At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Key has the size needed to immediately succeed at the NFL level. Yet, he has missed three games this year and the LSU pass-rush is suffering because of it. Key could come in and take over for William Gholston on the left side of the line.
The Bucs did take a chance on Noah Spence already at defensive end. They do have some options available at defensive end. However, they do not have a game-changer like Key to plug and play to give the defense a boost.
Before Penn State running back Saquon Barkley can focus on the NFL Draft, he needs to focus on the season at hand. Penn State nearly lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes last weekend before a game-winning touchdown pass helped the Nittany Lions escape in the dying seconds.
You could plug Barkley into almost any NFL offense and he could be successful. Ultimately, Barkley might be the most talented player in this NFL Draft. Yet, running backs just aren’t selected in the top 5 much anymore.
The Detroit Lions need a rusher just as bad as any NFL squad. The injury prone Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick have split time over the last two years. Barkley would come in and give the Detroit offense a whole new dynamic.
Barkley and LSU running back Derrius Guice are the two best rushers in this draft. Barkley should be the first one off the board come draft-time. How much teams value the running back position in this draft will determine where they fall.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten off to a surprising start this year. Many left former UCF quarterback Blake Bortles for dead before his huge performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, resulting in a 44-7 victory.
If Bortles ends up being the quarterback that the Jags build around, they need to give him some receivers to work with. They already gave him a Pro Bowl caliber running back in Leonard Fournette.
Oklahoma State’s senior wide receiver James Washington is a potential All-American this year, and his numbers support that. Washington has already caught 19 passes for 520 yards and four touchdowns through four games.
What Washington gives NFL teams that other receivers will not is his ability to take the top off a defense. He’s a man among boys when it comes to catching the deep ball. He makes it look so easy that NFL teams will be ready to get him in the top 15, if not the top 10.
Alongside the start of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills starting out 2-1, and being tied for the lead in the AFC East was extremely unexpected. However, we’ll see if the Bills are able to continue this level of play for the rest of the season.
Former Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor is putting together a good season. The Bills drafted East Carolina product Zay Jones in the 2017 NFL Draft. Receiver Jordan Matthews starts opposite of him and the Bills could use a better option.
That’s where Texas A&M All-American wide receiver Christian Kirk fits in. Kirk is the type of talent that can stretch a defense vertically and also pose a threat horizontally. He’s a different type of receiver than Jones.
Anytime you can add the type of player that adds a new dynamic to your offense, you jump at that chance immediately. That’s the opportunity that the Bills have in drafting Kirk, if they’re able to get their hands on him.
It makes sense for the Indianapolis Colts to finally draft an offensive lineman in the first round. Most NFL fans, whether they’re Colts fans or a fan of another team, enjoy watching superstar quarterback Andrew Luck actually play.
The only position group that would prove worth it for the Colts to draft is offensive line. When Ohio State safety Malik Hooker slipped to the Colts in the 2017 NFL Draft, it was hard to pass up. And, with the type of season Hooker is having, it seems like a good pick.
Once Luck returns, we’ll see why the Colts should still have selected an offensive lineman over Hooker. It’s the most important position for the Colts right now, as they build around one of the best talents at quarterback in the NFL.
Washington’s Trey Adams is a guy that could jump into the top 10 when it’s all said and done. Connor Williams and Mike McGlinchey project higher than Adams right now, but how he protects Jake Browning to finish out the year will determine where he falls next year.
The Philadelphia Eagles defense has played great through three games this year, helping out second year quarterback Carson Wentz get them off to a 2-1 start to stay tied in first place in the NFC West.
LSU product Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby currently fill the two cornerback spots for the Eagles. They’re thin behind Mills and Darby and USC cornerback Iman Marshall could come in and be a project that the Eagles could develop behind two good talents starting in the secondary right now.
Cornerback will be a position that continues to develop as the college football season progresses. Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and Louisville’s Jaire Alexander are also big names among defensive backs that could fall off the board early.
Injuries to Alexander has limited his action early in the season with Louisville. He could end up falling because of that and Marshall is a very attractive prospect due to the raw talent and coverage skills he possesses.
The New Orleans Saints defensive line did a great job against a mobile quarterback in Week 3 in the Carolina Panthers Cam Newton, on their way to a 34-13 victory. After two straight losses to start the season, that’s a very encouraging sign.
The secondary got an upgrade with the drafting of former Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore in last year’s Draft. Now it’s the defensive line’s turn. The Saints do not need anymore help on offense, they need to continue building the defense.
Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne immediately brings in a huge physical presence that could anchor down the middle of the Saints defensive line. Third year defensive tackle Tyeler Davison is not a starting caliber lineman in this league, and Payne could come in and take his spot.
If the Saints were able to add a player like Payne just one year after adding Lattimore, the defense would have a drastically different look. As superstar quarterback Drew Brees nears the end of his NFL career, the defense for the Saints could take over.
Current options for the Denver Broncos in the backfield include former Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and C.J. Anderson. Both Charles and Anderson are not getting any younger and are not permanent options for the Broncos moving into the future.
LSU running back Derrius Guice plays in a different style offense with the Tigers than the Broncos run. However, that could ultimately end up helping out Denver’s offense. Guice is one of the most physical runners in college football and was able to help LSU fans forget about Leonard Fournette.
While Guice was held out of LSU’s last game against the Syracuse Orange, he does not have a big injury history in college which bodes well for his draft stock. Chances are that Guice ends up falling in the middle of the first round.
He’s just too intriguing of a prospect for more than half of the NFL team to pass him up. Adding a running back like Guice or Saquon Barkley brings in a player that contributes to an offense as soon as they touch the field.
Many underestimate how much talent the Alabama Crimson Tide have on offense this year. Led by star sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Tide have talent at every position and could actually be one of the top five offenses in the country.
One of those talents that will go in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft is former five-star wide receiver Calvin Ridley. SEC receivers could be in high-demand in the first round and we’ll see where Ridley and Christian Kirk fall.
The Washington Redskins could use a boost to a very loosely-held together receiving corps. Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor is their primary target. And while Pryor is extremely athletic and showing up corners already, the Redskins could use a complement to him.
The other options for the Redskins outside of Pryor currently are former Duke receiver Jamison Crowder, Ryan Grant, and former first round pick and TCU product Josh Doctson. This is a very attractive destination for Ridley.
The Notre Dame offensive line is filled with NFL level talent, with guys like Mike McGlinchey and offensive guard Quenton Nelson. One of the first guards off the board will also be Nelson, when it’s all said and done.
The New York Giants will either go with drafting a quarterback or an offensive lineman. Eli Manning’s time in New York is running out fast as the Giants passing game has just been horrendous this year.
Not to mention how much they have struggled without star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. If the Giants are not able to get a top-tier quarterback to develop to take Manning’s place in this draft, then taking their biggest need in the offensive line is huge.
If the Giants cannot look forward to replacing Manning in 2018, they can at least help protect him a little bit better. The Notre Dame product can give this offensive line a boost against some of the better NFC pass rushes in his rookie year.
Where top cornerbacks like Florida State’s Tarvarus McFadden, Iman Marshall, etc. fall is anyone’s best guess. A lot depends on the year for how much in-demand that position is for NFL defenses. One of those defenses in need of adding a cornerback is the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans are on the way up in the AFC South, and could use a lock-down corner against some of the better passing attacks in the division. Even if teams like the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts finish lower than the Titans, they’ll pose a tough test in 2018 as well.
One of the scariest things for the Titans is the emergence of the Jaguars offense. Few expected Blake Bortles and the Jaguars to even compete in the AFC South, let alone be tied for the division lead after three weeks. McFadden can help the Titans shore up their secondary as soon as he joins this defense.
The biggest position of need for the Oakland Raiders is the linebacker spot. Barring Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin, this front seven needs a lot of help. The Washington Redskins also exposed some bigger holes in the entire Oakland defense in Week 3.
This team has one of the brightest futures in the NFL, thanks to guys like quarterback Derek Carr, receiver Amari Cooper, and defensive end Khalil Mack. However, they need to continue drafting well to stay competitive in a very good AFC West.
Competing with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos can wear on a franchise. If Oakland continues to build their defense and develop a strong group of linebackers, they’ll be just fine in their division and could be in the playoffs for the foreseeable future.
USC’s Cameron Smith is the best linebacker in the PAC-12, if not in the entire country. He’s not only a great talent, but also a leader that can be the glue that holds together every level of a defense like he is with the Trojans.
Senior quarterback Mason Rudolph was considered among the best options for first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft until Week 5 of the college football season happened. The Oklahoma State Cowboys entered their matchup with the TCU Horned Frogs as favorites.
Rudolph and the Pokes put up a lackluster effort resulting in a 13-point loss. If Rudolph plays up to his potential for the rest of year, he could play his way back into possibly being drafted into the top 10. Yet, he is a good fit with a team like the Arizona Cardinals.
The scheme that the Cardinals run on offense is about as similar as an NFL playbook gets to the spread offense at the college level. The transition for Rudolph would not be as difficult as it would with a normal pro-style offense.
Size and deep ball make Rudolph an appealing candidate for any team looking to draft him. Yet, the turnovers and inconsistent play against top-tier competition could make some scouts hold out when it comes down to draft time.
One of the stronger parts of the Cincinnati Bengals defense is their line. However, their defensive line is also starting to get very expensive. They could use a player like Boston College’s Harold Landry to lead them into the future, and be a bit more cost-efficient.
Landry could end up falling in the top 10 or dropping to the second round. It really depends on how NFL teams feel about his body of work at a sub par program like BC. Defensive end will be a very interesting position to watch on draft boards.
The Bengals nearly notched their first win of the season against the Green Bay Packers. They might end up picking in the top 10 by the time the 2018 NFL Draft comes around. Landry would still be a great pick in the top 10 for the Bengals.
Once again, the Cleveland Browns have more than one first round pick. The rebuilding process continues after they drafted Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett last year No. 1 overall. They could continue to build the defensive line with a talent like Christian Wilkins.
Clemson’s defensive line competes with the Ohio State Buckeyes for the best in the country right now. It would be hard to even say that Ohio State has a better defensive line than Clemson. Wilkins, Austin Bryant, Dexter Lawrence, and Clelin Ferrell will all be playing on Sunday.
However, Wilkins and Lawrence are the most talented of the bunch and will end up falling in the first round of some NFL Draft in the near future. Defensive end is set for the Browns with Garrett and Oklahoma State product Emmanuel Ogbah, so it’s time to build the middle of the line up.
The opinion among NFL teams surrounding junior Louisville quarterback and former Heisman winner Lamar Jackson seems to vary. Jackson is similar to former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in the sense that they are both very polarizing players.
It’s hard to take your focus off how athletic and elusive Jackson is on the highlight film. However, scouts will see past all the plays that Jackson makes and find some holes in his pocket passing. But even Jackson’s pocket passing has improved.
The thing that makes the Minnesota Vikings and Jackson such a good fit is the youth, speed, and overall athleticism present on this offense. Florida State product Dalvin Cook and emerging wide receiver Stefon Diggs can help the Vikings develop into a good offense in the NFC North.
Whichever team ends up taking Jackson is also taking a huge risk. While he did win the Heisman, he showed in Week 3 against Clemson that he cannot do everything himself and still has a lot of work to do.
There’s quite a few positions that the Carolina Panthers could use some help at. The entire secondary is one of their biggest needs. It would not be surprising to see them build around quarterback Cam Newton either.
Daryl Worley and James Bradberry start at the cornerback position for the Panthers currently. There is not much depth behind Worley and Bradberry either. This sticks out as a huge red flag for the Panthers defense moving forward.
LSU defensive backs are never a bad move to go with. Kevin Toliver is the next man up as the leader in the LSU secondary. Through two games, Toliver has not made much noise. And most of that is due to opposing teams throwing away from him.
Toliver missed the season opener for LSU against the BYU Cougars. And his injury history could end up scaring away some teams. However, the Panthers are a team known to take risks on their cornerbacks.
The Green Bay Packers have to add depth to their defense in the upcoming NFL Draft. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has enough weapons to work with on offense. And they already have a multitude of rookie running backs on the roster.
Defensive depth is the biggest area of need for the Packers. That showed in their Week 3 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Green Bay struggled to get any sort of pass rush going against quarterback Andy Dalton, and the game finished with a closer result than expected.
Ohio State’s Tyquan Lewis is the leader of the Buckeye defense and is a true edge-rusher that could make a huge difference for the Packers. Lewis would be able to stay in Big 10 country and replace one of the less effective defensive ends or fill in a pass rushing linebacker spot.
The Buffalo Bills can continue their build around the offense after picking up wide receiver Christian Kirk, by picking up Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman Orlando Brown. The size that Brown brings to the table should make NFL scouts salivate.
If the Bills move forward with Tyrod Taylor behind center, they need to protect him better. That does not only mean putting more weapons around him. But that also means they need to shore up the offensive line.
Taylor’s protection in recent years has been laughable at certain points. Building up the offensive line is important even if the Bills move in a different direction than Taylor. Brown is a valuable piece that is more than likely to fall in the first round, no matter what.
Another Ohio State stud from their talented front seven falls in the mid to late 20s of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. Defensive end Sam Hubbard is one of multiple NFL level talents that the Buckeyes have on their defensive line.
The Dallas Cowboys showed against the Arizona Cardinals that they do at least have options on the defensive line. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence showed out in a big way against the Cardinals and is having himself a massive season through three games.
However, there’s no guarantee that Lawrence is the long-term solution for the Dallas pass rush, given his problems with suspension and injury last year. Even if Lawrence is the long-term answer for the Cowboys, adding Hubbard to the mix would make their pass rush possibly the most feared in the NFC East.
The Atlanta Falcons do already have a Pro Bowl talent in the front seven in terms of pass rushing in former Clemson product Vic Beasley. However, the defensive line itself could still use some beefing up.
Brooks Reed and Courtney Upshaw do not do the Falcons justice if they want to compete for Super Bowls for the foreseeable future. NC State’s Bradley Chubb would allow them to immediately upgrade the defensive line.
Chubb is the type of player that can takeover games for both run and pass defense. The size and strength that Chubb brings to the table means that he is not limited to just rushing the passer. He can anchor down and stop rushers at the line as well.
It will be interesting to see what the Falcons do with their first round pick since they’ll likely make a run at the playoffs again after a 3-0 start. Adding more offense would not be a good pick as they have holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball.
It’s staring to become clear that the former Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco is not the answer for the Baltimore Ravens anymore. Their offense has not given their franchise enough to even make the playoffs in recent years.
Lack of effective rushers in combination with rapid decline from Flacco have resulted in a Ravens squad that lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars by more than 30 points in Week 3. Looking for solutions to the quarterback problem needs to start in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham has experience in more than one offensive system and is starting to even show proficiency with the Tigers. Head coach Gus Malzahn can churn out NFL talents at quarterback when they’re successful at Auburn.
It would be a bold pick for the Ravens, but they need to start exploring other options. And the quarterback pool could start thinning out in the later picks in the first round. However, if Stidham declares early for the NFL Draft, he will be an intriguing prospect to say the least.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could really use some talent to build around Ohio State product Ryan Shazier on defense. Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds brings an intelligence level and closing speed that few linebackers in this draft can match.
While Shaizer can terrorize opponents in both the run and pass game, Edmunds can lock down the middle of the field as a sure tackler. There’s a good chance that Edmunds does not end up falling in the first round.
Yet, any team that would pick him up in the first round would be making a very wise pick. This Virginia Tech defense has a lot of NFL talent on it, including cornerback Brandon Facyson, who could also wind up falling in the first round.
The Steelers do not have many glaring holes on their roster. That is why they will be picking so late in the first round. Ben Roethlisberger’s decision as to when he will retire will determine much of how the Steelers will pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
This pick is less specifically tied to Ohio State offensive lineman Jamarco Jones than it is the dire need for the Seattle Seahawks to protect their face of the franchise in quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks have given Wilson a solid group of skilled position players to surround him.
However, the one thing that the Seahawks have not done for Wilson is protect him with a solid offensive line. If nothing else, the Seattle offensive line has actually gotten worse over the last few years.
It’s time to rebuild this offensive line and show Wilson that the Seahawks can help him win another Super Bowl sometime soon. Other players that could be picked here include Clemson’s Mitch Hyatt and Mississippi State’s Martinas Rankin.
Jones is a solid talent and Ohio State offensive lineman are having a good run in the NFL right now. They really cannot go wrong with picking a good talent along the offensive line, no matter which specific player it is.
The New England Patriots could really use a pass rusher to slot alongside defensive end Trey Flowers. Lawrence Guy will not get it done for the Patriots long-term. Imagine them adding a five-star talent like Florida State defensive end Josh Sweat.
The number of ways that the Patriots can look here gives them quite a few options. However, Sweat is athletic and can find into their defensive scheme almost seamlessly. Even with Florida State getting upset by NC State over the weekend, it was not due to their defense.
Next: One-loss teams that still have a shot at the CFB Playoff
This Florida State defense could end up having the most players of any defense in the country get picked in the NFL Draft. Sweat is just one of many players that could end up falling in the first round. Through two games, Sweat has 1.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. Those numbers will continue to rise at a faster pace as the season goes along and the Noles get more comfortable in their current circumstances.