College football is already in midseason form, but for some players, their NFL Draft prospects are equally important. Here is the latest Mock Draft after Week 5.
Four weeks of college football is just enough of a sample size to start drawing the line between which 32 players are worthy of becoming first round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. There was some shake up week over week and the order of selection remains fluid. The most notable difference from last week’s mock draft? There’s a new No. 1 overall selection.
The quarterback position reigns supreme once again, but the issue of supply and demand contrasted with talent makes it a hard nut to crack. There are a dozen NFL teams that would love a quarterback to fall into their laps, but the pool they have to choose from is decidedly shallow. The gunslingers that hope to keep themselves in contention for the higher picks will have more opportunities to prove themselves as conference play begins, but there a several that will probably be drafted much higher than their talent warrants.
Two NFL teams are without a first round pick in 2018. The Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs parted with their first round selections a year ago in order to draft what they hope will be the quarterback of the future. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes is warming the bench as expected, but Texans’ rookie Deshaun Watson has already won his first pro game.
So, without further delay. Here’s how our Post-Week 5 edition of Round 1 of our 2018 NFL Mock Draft.
Darnold is a great prospect, but by no means is he the best available player available at the number one overall selection. At least not right now. That, while it may be true, can’t fix the wayward quarterback situation in San Francisco.
Since the departure of Colin Kaepernick the 49ers quarterback carousel has been laughable. The incumbent, Brian Hoyer, is backed up by Iowa product CJ Beathard.
Bethard wasn’t asked to do too much in college. He had a strong defense behind him and a powerful running game. The 49ers have a workhorse running back in Carlos Hyde, but the defense has a lot of work to do. The 49ers don’t need a game manager, they need a game winner. For all his faults, Darnold’s come-from-behind victory against Texas will be an important feather in his cap come draft day.
The benefit of the double is starting to expire for the Trojans signal caller. Darnold completed just 15-of-29 passes for 164 yards and no touchdowns in a loss to Washington State in Week 5. With nine touchdowns and eight interceptions on the season, Darnold needs to right the ship otherwise he’ll start to drop down the boards quickly.
Last year it was Myles Garrett, this year it’s Arden Key that is right in the midst of the race for the No.1 overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft. The only thing that’s going to keep the SEC from obtaining consecutive No.1 overall pass rushers is a quarterback deficiency at the top of the charts. Frankly, the odds are weighted heavily towards that being the case.
The Bears, at least right now, don’t have a quarterback problem. Mike Glennon is the guy in Chicago right now and last year’s second selection, Mitchell Trubisky, is eagerly waiting in the wings. While Trubisky was a relative unknown at this point in the draft process a year ago, Key is already becoming a household name.
Key, who is slowly working his way back from injury, entered Week 5 with 16.5 sacks on his career but just half a sack in 2017. To be fair, that came in limited action against Mississippi State.
Since then, Key had registered modest stat lines in games against Syracuse and Troy. He has yet to take over a game this season, once he does, his spot at the top will be much more secure.
To say the Colts were lucky when Andrew Luck fell into their lap a few years ago would be an understatement. With Luck still on the mend the season is beginning to slip away in Indianapolis. Scott Tolzein and Jacoby Brissett don’t give anyone much confidence that this ship is going to turn around unless Luck comes back fully healthy. Even if he does, it still might not be pretty.
That’s in part because of the woeful protection afford to the Colts’ gunslinger. You might be hurt too if you were forced to wait behind the porous offensive line in Indianapolis. To rectify that issue and protect a hopefully soon-to-be healthy Andrew Luck, the Colts will grab Mike McGlinchey out of Notre Dame.
The consensus top tackle prospect in this year’s draft class, McGlinchey is going to be off the board quickly. The Colts have their quarterback, they just need help keeping him upright.
It might not be the flashy pick, but it’s the necessary one. Drafting Phillip Dorsett isn’t looking like such a great pick right now, is he? It doesn’t matter how many skill players they Colts pile around Luck, if he doesn’t have time to get the ball to them it’s not going to matter.
Is there a chance that the Jets have learned their lesson? Despite their need at the quarterback position, this is a team that is in the midst of a long road to rebuilding. One player is not going to instantaneously turn them into Super Bowl contenders, especially when they play in the same division as Tom Brady.
For that reason, the Jets are not going to reach for a quarterback in 2018. As cliché as it sounds, New York is going to select the “best player available” and that’s safety Derwin James. Entering the 2017 season, James found his name near the top if not at the top of just about every preseason list. Sports Illustrated named him the best player in college football.
Florida State hasn’t had much time on the field for James to back up those claims. Yet, even in limited action, James has done his part to keep his name at the top of draft boards.
James added four more tackles in the Noles victory over Wake Forest. Don’t be too concerned with quite days at the office for James, because that means he’s effectively shutting down the opposition.
Texas might not be back, but Malik Jefferson is going to put Texas back into the first round of the NFL Draft. The Longhorns have had just one player selected in each of the 2016 and 2017 drafts. There first pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, Malcolm was one of two Texas players to be drafted in the first round since 2011.
The Bills have one of the better defensive lines in the NFL. Shaq Lawson, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hugh are a fearsome four. But once you get past the front four the defense starts to get thinner.
Lorenzo Alexander is the leader of the Buffalo linebacker unit right now, but the 12 year NFL vet isn’t going to play forever. Having time to study under a two-time Pro Bowl selection would be huge for Jefferson.
Jefferson picked up one sack, one tackle for a loss, a quarterback hurry and six tackles in the Longhorns Week 5 victory over Iowa State. It was the Texas defense that stood tall on the road and gave them their first Big 12 win of the season.
The Cleveland Browns have slowly pieced together enough talent to avoid the top spot of the draft this season, but they still are locks for the top 10. Last year they spent their early picks on the defensive side of the ball choosing Myles Garrett out of Texas A&M (No. 1 overall) and Jabril Peppers out of Michigan (No. 25 overall).
As Deshone Kizer continues to progress in the offense the Browns are going to have to get him more help. The best man for that job is Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley is a legitimate candidate for the 2017 Heisman Trophy. These days it’s hard for a running back to earn a mention for the prestigious award, but right now Barkley could very well be the front-runner. Having him in the backfield would be a huge get for a Browns’ offense that needs to find ways to move the football.
You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Nittany Lions’ Week 5 game for Barkley. He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Hoosiers were able to limit him to 107 yards combined between rushing and receiving. When a 100 yard day is your floor, you’re pretty good.
Two tackles in the first seven picks? That’s right. For whatever the reason, the offensive line in Cincinnati still needs some shoring up. The Bengals have a good (not great) pair of bookends in Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. It’s the guards that need to be strengthened.
Connor Williams is a giant. At 6-foot-6, 320 pounds he’s not a candidate to slide into the interior of the offensive line. Ogbuehi, on the other hand, started 19 games in college at guard before transitioning to tackle in his final season. That versatility should allow the line to assimilate Williams into the fold.
The Bengals offense seemingly has all the other pieces, but it’s the line that hasn’t come together, yet. The backfield duties are split between a trio of solid running backs while Andy Dalton has a good amount of talented pass catchers. However, that assumes he can get the ball to them.
Speedster John Ross, AJ Green and red zone favorite Tyler Eifert don’t have much value at all if Dalton is under duress. Adding a big man like Williams to an offensive line that already has some good pieces should put the Bengals over the top.
Marvin Jones Jr. and Golden Tate are holding down the fort in Detroit. Since the departure of Megraton, the Lions have pieced together the receiving corps as best they could. It doesn’t do much good to have the highest paid quarterback in the NFL without an elite wide receiver (or two) to pair him with.
Think about it, Tom Brady has Julian Edeleman, Aaron Rodgers has Jordy Nelson, Matt Ryan has Julio Jones. Lions signal caller Matthew Stafford could have Texas A&M ace Christian Kirk. An excellent pass catcher, Kirk also doubles as one of the most dangerous kick return threats in college football. He already owns the Texas A&M record for punt return touchdowns and he’s played in less than two and a half season’s worth of games.
Kirk is a threat with the ball in space. He can take the top off of the defense, but he’s also capable of snagging a bubble screen and turning it into a massive gain. A threat to score on every play, adding Kirk to an already strong offense would be a huge boost for the Lions.
Kirk did not have a big night in the Aggies Week 5 win over South Carolina, but that’s more of a product of their success on the ground. Kirk is two weeks removed from a five catch, 110 yard, 3 touchdown performance (one via a kickoff return) against Arkansas.
The Blake Bortles experiment is going to be over soon. Jacksonville made Bortles the third overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. It was a questionable move at the time. After all, the Central Florida quarterback hadn’t faced my defensive tests in college, let alone an NFL-caliber secondary.
After a few years in the league it’s become abundantly clear that Bortles lacks the poise and talent to be a starting quarterback at the highest level. Rather than take a shot at another small school guy like Josh Allen, the Jags will pick the biggest name still on the board, Josh Rosen.
Tom Coughlin, the former head coach of the New York Giants, is the current EVP of football operations in Jacksonville. He and Eli Manning won two Super Bowls together. If anyone knows the value of a quarterback, it’s Coughlin.
Rosen is a natural fit. So far this season he’s thrown for 2,135 yards with 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He likes to sling it and he’d be much better equipped to do so with the deep receiving corps of the Jags.
The heir apparent to Brees is going to have to be found at some point, but with some of the better quarterback prospects off the board at this point the black and gold will look to strengthen their defense. Since “Bounty gate” the Saints defense has been in shambles.
Every game New Orleans plays has become fully reliant on the arm of Drew Brees. Winning games 49-40 isn’t a recipe for success, not in the NFL. That makes Alabama defensive back Minkah Fiztpatrick the perfect piece to plug into the Saints’ defense.
On a defense that has a lot of holes, versatility is the name of the game. Fitzpatrick has lined up at just about every position in the defensive back field for Alabama. He has the size and speed to play corner and safety at the next level. Where he ends up will depend primarily on the team that drafts him.
Fitzpatrick is coming off his best statistical game of the season against Ole Miss. He had eight tackles and a sack while holding a pass-happy Rebels offense to just 165 yards through the air.
Eli Manning is not having his best year. He has the pedigree, but success has started to fade for the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback. The offensive line is a mess, there is no running game and the Giants need a lot of help. Finding the next man to take over at quarterback is at the top of the Giants’ list.
Early on in 2017, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen was the darling of NFL scouts and draft pundits. Then the games started and Allen was less than impressive against the better teams he faced. He completed 57.5 percent of his passes against Iowa, throwing for 174 yards without a touchdown and two interceptions. Against Oregon, Allen completed just nine passes (37.5 percent completions) with another interception and no touchdowns.
The success hasn’t been consistent, but that won’t stop the Giants or any other NFL team from believing they can “fix” Allen. He stands at 6-foot-5 with a great arm, the prototypical measure of what an NFL quarterback is supposed to be.
Week 5 was a step in the right direction for Allen. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns. It was the Cowboys best offensive outing of the season, thanks in large part to Allen being able to effectively navigate the offense.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Baltimore Ravens’ defense was one of the most feared units in football. Players like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs paroled the defensive backfield, capable of dropping into coverage, but even more skilled at bringing down the ball carrier. With those two gone, the new crop of Ravens’ linebackers could use a shot in the arm.
USC has received a lot of national attention during the offseason. With a Heisman contender at quarterback and one of the biggest brands in the nation, it was finally time for the Trojans to contend for another championship. While the offense has done it’s part, it’s been the Trojans’ defense, led by Smith, that has found ways to make the plays when the mattered most.
Baltimore selected C.J. Mosley with their first round pick in 2014, but he needs some added help. That’s where junior linebacker Cameron Smith comes in. Smith has been a fixture in the Trojans’ defense since his freshman year in 2015. Smith is one of, if not the best linebackers against the run in college football.
In a losing effort against Washington State in Week 5, Smith picked up six tackles, one for a loss. The Trojans front seven held the Cougars to 122 rushing yards, thanks in large part to the quickness and tenacity of Smith.
The Los Angeles Rams have done a good amount of work on the offensive side of the ball in recent years. They have a young core of players led by quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley and receivers Tavon Austin and Cooper Kupp. Now it’s time for them to turn their attention to the defensive side of the ball.
Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn lead a vicious front seven that continues to give opponents fits. However, if they’re not able to get to the quarterback the secondary has had its fair share of issues. Jaire Alexander out of Louisville should serve as the lock-down corner they need. Defensive coordinators know all too well that you can never have enough corners, so with Alexander still available in the middle of the first round the Rams absolutely have to pounce.
Alexander was knocked out of the Cardinal’s Week 1 contest with a knee injury. Since then he’s been officially listed as day-to-day. There’s not much information available to suggest when he will suit up next for the Cardinals again.
Louisville has missed him dearly. Against North Carolina and Clemson the Cardinals surrendered a combined 700 yards passing and four touchdowns through the air. They haven’t had just one interception as a team since their opener against Purdue.
What happened to the Steel Curtain? Pittsburgh has looked lethargic on defense so far this season. They did a decent job keeping the Browns and the Vikings off the board, but letting Chicago march up and down the field against them served as one more reminder that something is awry in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers need depth on the edge. Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward are a fantastic pair of rushers off the edge, but they are going to be stronger for longer if they have someone behind them to play some meaningful snaps. Last season the Carolina Panthers spent a third round pick on Texas A&M pass rusher Daeshon Hall to spell Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson.
There aren’t many pass rushers in college football that are more pro-ready than NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb. He was instrumental in a huge upset victory over Florida State in the Week 4. He racked up a pair of sacks and seven tackles in the win.
Chubb added a pair of sacks in Week 5 as the Wolfpack defeated Syracuse 33-25. He’s now a 5.5 sacks for the season and hasn’t been slowed down by anyone yet.
When Cam Newton entered the NFL in 2011 he redefined the quarterback position at the professional level. His mobility was something that NFL defenses had not had to account for up to that point. That elusiveness masked some deficiencies in the wide receiving corps in Carolina.
Now, after taking a few hits and putting plenty of film in front of defensive coordinators, Newton has been forced to rely more on his receivers. Kelvin Benjamin‘s battles with injuries and the brick hands of guys like Ted Ginn Jr leave the Panthers will little help beyond the faithful Greg Olsen. When Olsen went down with an injury earlier this year followed by Benjamin it became painfully evident that the Panthers need a game-breaking receiving threat.
Courtland Sutton is in the midst of challenging former Mustang Emmanuel Sanders for some of the school’s receiving records. At the rate he’s going he’d be well on his way to breaking those records if he stayed were going to be around for one more season. That’s not bad for a guy that converted from a defensive back his freshman season.
Sutton already had a four touchdown day against North Texas this season, but he was equally impressive in a Week 5 win over UConn. Sutton grabbed seven balls for 112 yards and two scores.
The Logan Thomas experiment in Arizona never panned out. Unless the Cardinals intend on ever starting Drew Stanton or Blaine Gabbert they need to start thinking about their future. NFL-caliber quarterbacks don’t grow on trees and Carson Palmer is aging, fast.
Up until the Cowboys’ disappointing, head-scratching and unexplainable loss to TCU in Week 4, Mason Rudolph was being mentioned in Heisman Trophy discussions. There is still plenty of time in the 2017 season for him to reenter the race, but for now a bit of luster has faded from the 6-foot-5, sturdy quarterback.
There’s no doubt that Rudolph has benefited from an elite receiving core including James Washington who should also be a first round pick along with Rudolph. However, his accuracy and intelligence are his alone. Through nearly two and half seasons as a starter for Oklahoma State he has thrown 65 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. When you have David Johnson in the backfield you don’t need someone to throw for 500 yards and five touchdowns. Although for the record, Rudolph did torch the Pitt defense to the tune of 497 yards and five touchdowns.
Rudolph rebounded from a loss to TCU with a five touchdown game against Texas Tech in Week 5. Two of those scores came on the ground where he rushed 11 times for 50 yards. He might not be Lamar Jackson, but he’s not a statue in the pocket and that helps his value.
The “wait, he just did what?” mind-blowing play of Saquon Barkley have dominated the talk of State College, PA this season. Barkley deserves the recognition for his growing highlight reel of incredible plays, but he’s not going to carry the Nittany Lions to a College Football Playoff National Championship on his own.
Penn State’s defense has been just of an important piece of their post season expectations as Barkley, if not more so. The value of that defense was on full display in their thrilling come-from-behind win at Iowa. The Hawkeyes led from wire to wire but were never fully able to pull away, leaving the door open for Trace McSorely and Barkley to lead the game-winning touchdown drive as the clock hit zero.
Marcus Allen is the leader of that vaunted Penn State defense that has surrendered 47 points in five games and has two shutouts under their belt so far in 2017.
Allen notched a sack and two tackles for a loss in the Nittany Lions’ win over Iowa. He added a forced fumble and six more tackles against Indiana.
The Dolphins need help in the secondary. Allen will be a fixture in the defensive backfield for a long while, making him a slam dunk decision mid-way through the first round.
Everson Griffen is a gamechanger, but he can’t do it all on his own. That’s what the Minnesota Vikings have had to learn the hard way in 2017. Griffen has four sacks to his name through the first four weeks of the NFL season. The rest of the Vikings’ defense has one.
The linebackers and secondary have had to pick up the slack, but that’s not a formula that has proven to lead to long-term success. Without pressure up front Minnesota is going to continue to struggle.
Meanwhile, 6-foot-5, 340 pound Vita Vea is holding down the front lines for Washington Huskies’ front seven that looks impressive once again. The Huskies have pulled out to a perfect 5-0 record without a ton of help from quarterback Jake Browning. It’s been the Huskies suffocating defensive unit that has allowed six touchdowns through the first five weeks of the season.
Vea could have been a first round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, but instead he decided to return to school. Scouts are raving about this guy’s quickness and pursuit.
A force in the middle of the line, Vea manages to both take up blockers and get involved at the line. He added three more tackles against Oregon State on Saturday.
This is Cleveland’s second pick of the first round. They acquired it on a draft day trade with the Texans last year which enabled Houston to land who they hope will be their quarterback of the future, Deshaun Watson.
More first round picks means more opportunities to bolster the offensive side of the ball. Deshone Kizer needs all the help he can get if he’s going to turn this offense around. The addition of Saquon Barkley earlier in the 2018 draft leaves the receiver position as the most pressing gap on the Cleveland offense.
Browns pass catchers seem to be few and far between these days. Corey Coleman has battled injuries over the past two years. Josh Gordon hasn’t been able to stay on the field because of suspensions.
That’s where Oklahoma State star receiver James Washington fits right in. Washington was a preseason All-Big 12 selection and has backed up the hype with a fantastic 2017 campaign.
Washington has been kept out of the endzone in just one of the Cowboys’ five games this season. Last week, on the road at Texas Tech, he caught a season high nine passes for 127 yards and a touchdown.
The amount of uncertainty in the Washington front office right now is overwhelming. Will they finally shell out the cash to keep starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in town? Or will they try to find another diamond in the rough in the 2018 NFL Draft?
No matter who is under center next season they’re going to need some help. When Rob Kelley went down with an injury earlier this season the Washington backfield began to look pretty sparse. Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine don’t have the talent to put the team on their back and carry them to a win. Derrius Guice does.
The next man up after former first round pick Leonard Fournette, Guice was not content with merely playing second fiddle. Fournette set the LSU single game rushing record against Ole Miss in 2016, rushing for 284 yards. In the regular season finale, Guice one-upped his backfield partner, racking up 285 yards against Texas A&M.
Guice is a gamebreaker. Something that Washington desperately needs. Right now, however, Guice is on the mend. He did not play in LSU’s upset loss at home against Troy in Week 5. He’s served a limited role in the offense in recent weeks, but when he’s healthy, he’s a home run hitter.
The Tennessee Titans spent the last offseason decking out their offense, adding weapons for quarterback Marcus Mariota. They brought in Eric Decker and drafted Corey Davis with their first round pick in 2017. Those newcomers, combined with tight end Delanie Walker and the two-headed backfield of Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry has already made its impact on the NFL this season.
With half the puzzle sorted out it’s time to address the defense. The Titans have to contend with the Texans and the Jaguars in the AFC South, and shootouts don’t come often against those defenses. To further bolster their own front seven, Tennessee will select Harold Landry out of Boston College.
Landry has been a one man band in BC for a while now. The Eagles aren’t competing for an ACC Title anytime soon, but that hasn’t stopped the talented defensive end from making a name for himself. He’ll pair quite nicely with Jurrell Casey on the Tennessee defensive line.
Landry picked up his second sack of the season in Boston College’s win over Central Michigan in Week 5. That puts him up to two this season. He’ll have to step it up if he wants to crack double digits once again
The Tampa Bay secondary is what won them their last Super Bowl. Super Bowl XXXVII was billed as a slugfest between the best offensive in the NFL, Rich Gannon‘s Oakland Raiders, against the best defense in the league, Tampa Bay. The Bucs won in dominant fashioned, intercepting Gannon five times and returning three of them for touchdowns. That hasn’t been lost on the men in charge in Tampa Bay.
It’s for that reason that the Bucs aren’t afraid to load up in the defensive backfield. Vernon Hargreaves III was the team’s first round pick in 2016 followed by Justin Evans in the second round last year. They’ll set up their secondary for years to come by drafting Florida State standout Tarvarus McFadden.
McFadden burst onto the scene with eight interceptions during his sophomore season. That led the nation and made the loss of fellow secondary member Derwin James. With both of them back, the Seminoles secondary has not been the reason for their 2017 woes.
An active member of the Noles first win of the season, McFadden picked up five tackles and two pass deflections in Week 5. With just three games of his season in the books there will be plenty of wiggle room as far as his draft stock his concerned.
It was Mitch Trubisky that seemingly came out of nowhere to become the first quarterback selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. Trubisky was selected over Deshaun Watson. As CBS college football writer Barrett Sallee frequently says, an NFL franchise took Trubsiky over Watson on purpose.
Sam Darnold, who wasn’t starting for USC at the beginning of last year, seems to have supplanted another electrifying quarterback atop this year’s draft boards. Lamar Jackson, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, does not appear to be the first quarterback that will have his named called by the commissioner in 2018.
He better fits the profile of Johnny Manziel than Andrew Luck, but that doesn’t mean he’s not ready to progress as a passer at the next level. “Pocket Lamar” as some have taken to calling him, has focused on improving his passing acumen this season as head coach Bobby Petrino intentionally cuts down the designed runs.
Jackson will try to pattern his game after guys like Russell Wilson and Marcus Mariota. Both can run, but they’re making a living with their arms. Phillips Rivers needs a successor, and Jackson would benefit tremendously under a year or two of his tutelage.
Against Murray State in Week 5 Jackson posted an efficient 18-of-26 for 249 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He also carried the ball seven times for 100 yards and a score.
The Eagles signed veteran running back LeGarrette Blount to share the load with Darren Sproles in the backfield this season. Sproles suffered a pair of painful injuries and is out for the season. That conceivably meant Blount would see more touches, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Sproles (34) and Blount (30) are on the back end of their careers. Wendell Smallwood, the next man up, is more of a pass catching threat than a run-between-the-tackles kind of guy. The Eagles need a true, three down running back.
Alabama has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to their backfield. Bo Scarbrough along with Damien Harris and Najee Harris are all 5-star recruits sharing carries to keep the entire unit fresh. Scarbrough hasn’t been run into the ground in school, but he’s still proven he can take over games with his physicality.
Scarbrough is averaging roughly six yards per carry over the course of his collegiate career. At 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, he has a few inches on Blount (6-foot-0) but has kept his weight down, making him agile and tough to tackle in the open field. This is a slam dunk pick for the Eagles who need a running threat to complement the continued development of Carson Wentz.
An early entrant, Orlando Brown is continuing to develop as an offensive tackle prospect. He might not have the natural quickness of McGlinchey or Williams, but he has the measurables that send NFL GMs off the wall.
Brown checks in at 6-foot-8 and a whopping 360 pounds. It doesn’t really matter which pass rusher you put on the other side, there’s not many that are going to go through this mountain of a man.
Seattle desperately needs someone, anyone up front to hold down the line. It’s early on in the 2017 NFL season, but Russell Wilson already looks to be running for his life frequently. It’s starting to look like trading Max Unger away to the New Orleans Saints sent their offensive line into chaos.
Brown should be a part of that solution. He’s raw, but talented. He might only have been a 3-star recruit out of high school, but he picked the Sooners over Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Chances are that if Saban wanted you, you’re probably pretty good. Brown certainly has the genes. His father played in the NFL for more than a decade with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. An NFL body and NFL blood will keep Brown climbing further and further up the draft boards.
The Raiders secondary is ineffective, at best. It doesn’t matter who they trot out there, the entire unit is getting shredded on a weekly basis. There are only three secondaries in the NFL allowing a better passer rating against them than the Raiders.
David Amerson and Sean Smith are clearly not the answer. New draftee from Ohio State, Gareon Conley. is continuing to grow into the role, but this is going to need more than one fresh body to repair the hole in the defensive backfield.
Ohio State has been an NFL cornerback factory of late. In addition to Conley last season, the Buckeyes also had Eli Apple selected in the first round of the 2016. Denzel Ward looks to have the best chance of continuing that legacy.
Ward wasn’t thought to be a first round lock entering the season. He doesn’t have the track record that Conley and Apple did at this point, however, he has speed. You can’t teach speed. That’s what gives a slightly undersized (5-foot-10) defensive back like Ward a shot at becoming a viable NFL corner.
Through Ohio State’s first five games of the season, Ward has nine pass deflections and an interception. As those numbers continue to climb so will his spot on draft boards this coming spring.
Dak Prescott took the NFL by surprise in 2016. His mobility combined with the presence of Ezekiel Elliot in the backfield made the Cowboys’ offense one of the most effective units in the nation. That offense has taken a step back with the element of surprise no longer in Dallas’ favor.
Dez Bryant has the talent to change a game, but he hasn’t been able to take over as many games as he once did. Part of that is due to injuries. But it’s also hard for Bryant to get separation without a threat on the other side of the field. Jason Witten isn’t getting any younger and Ezekiel Elliot doesn’t do much in the passing game. Dallas needs to add a new weapon to their offense.
Deon Cain will be the next in a long line of Clemson wideouts to play on Sundays. Following in the footsteps of guys like DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant is not a bad place to be.
Cain was overshadowed in the Clemson offense in 2016 by last year’s No. 7 overall pick, Mike Williams. With Williams now in Los Angeles, Cain broke out with a tremendous junior year.
Through the Tigers first five wins, Cain is averaging 15.8 yards per reception. He has one touchdown catch on the season, but that might be partially due to the effectiveness of the Tigers rushing attack.
There aren’t many tight ends that find their way into the first round of the draft. With so many teams with so many needs it takes a special player to warrant a selection that high.
Last year was an anomaly. Three tight ends were drafted in the first 32 picks. The Buccaneers took O.J. Howard (Alabama) at No. 19, the Giants picked Evan Engram (Ole Miss) at No. 23 and the Browns picked the final tight end of the first round, David Njoku (Miami).
If tight ends are (usually) a rare find in the first round, how much more uncommon are FCS players? What about a FCS tight end? San Diego State product Dallas Goedert, who fulfills both categories, could be a sneaky good selection here.
Goedert was graded as the best tight end prospect in the country by NFL Draft expert Todd McShay. Yes, even above Wisconsin’s Troy Fumagalli and Penn State’s Mick Gesicki.
At 6-foot-4, 258 pounds, Goedert has the size and speed to give NFL defenders nightmares. Think Gronk-lite. Covering Goedert in space will be a challenge from day one for just about everyone on the next level, making him an excellent choice at the back half of the first round.
Listed as the starter at defensive end in their 3-4 scheme, the Packers selected Dean Lowry with a fourth round compensatory selection in 2016. He was never a blue-chip prospect coming out of Northwestern and he has yet to do anything truly spectacular in his time with Green Bay.
In 19 career games, Lowry has 13 combined tackles and two sacks. That’s not going to break a game open and get the offense back on the field. Pro Football Focus has graded Lowry at 47.5 in 2017. 100 is perfect, so that’s far from the mark.
Green Bay needs someone who can take over the game and make a big play. How then, at the back end of the first round, could they pass up the reigning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the year, Ohio State defensive end Tyquan Lewis?
It was a bit surprising when Lewis elected to return for his senior season a year ago. If there was any doubt remaining as to whether or not Lewis was deserving of a first round selection he put those concerns to bed this year.
Having a mobile quarterback helps, but Tyrod Taylor running for his life doesn’t make for a very reliable offense. Starting left tackle Jordan Mills out of Louisiana Tech is a journeyman player. He’s spent time in four different organizations since entering the league in 2013 and was signed to the Bills roster off the Lions practice squad in 2015.
Mills’ versatility is a point in his favor. He has some experience playing ever position except for center and would be an excellent depth piece if paired with an elite talent. The No. 1 ranked JUCO lineman in 2015, Martinas Rankin would be a great piece for the Bills. At worst, he competes with Mills for a start on the first team before becoming valuable depth. At best, he could go on to a long career in the NFL.
Rankin saw time at center during spring practices and has experience at guard too. Perhaps his most notable performance was a sack-free outing against Texas A&M in 2016. Both of the Aggies’ defensive ends that day, Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall, are playing in the NFL right now. Anyone that can shut out that tandem is worth a shot. He brings the added experience of blocking for his current mobile quarterback, Nick Fitzgerald.
The Atlanta Falcons made a deep playoff run in 2016 thanks in large part to a dominant offensive attack. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and a pair of elite running backs were able to outscore almost everyone, right up until the second half of the Super Bowl.
There isn’t quite the same star-studded list of names on the defensive line. In 2017 the Falcons are relying on a handful of veteran defensive ends, Brooks Reed and Courtney Upshaw. An infusion of fresh, young talent is much needed.
The second defensive end from Ohio State projected to selected in our 2018 Mock Draft, Sam Hubbard is the perfect fit for the Falcons at the end of the first round. While he might lack a step (and just a step) on his teammate Tyquan Lewis, Hubbard projects as a solid starter for years to come.
He has power and good awareness, even without the same level of recognition and esteem given to his teammate. The ceiling on Hubbard might be a bit lower, but the floor is extremely high. Hubbard has 12 sacks through three seasons at Ohio State with a career high of 6.5 as a freshman in 2015. Hubbard is a safe pick, and if you’re drafting this late in the draft, it’s probably because you’ve not made many prominent first round mistakes.
In somewhat of a surprise, the defending Super Bowl Champions have one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL. It really doesn’t make a ton of sense why that would be the case. The Patriots brought in Stephon Gilmore and he along with Malcolm Butler and Eric Rowe are paired with safeties Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty. On paper that looks like a more than formidable unit.
Games aren’t won on paper. The Pats have been shredded through the air and need a playmaker to bolster their secondary. All Texas A&M senior safety Armani Watts does is make plays. So far he’s already won two games in his career with overtime interceptions. Those are the kind of intangibles that Bill Belichick will notice.
Intangibles don’t mean anything without numbers to back them up. When he was healthy in 2015, Watts led the Aggies in tackles. He battled injuries at the end of his 2016 campaign, but has returned this season better than ever.
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Watts enters this week’s mock draft after being a fringe candidate through the first few weeks of the season. His overtime interception to beat Arkansas as well as his SEC leading three interceptions through the first five weeks speak volumes about the instinctiveness of Watts. He’s going to make plays on the next level.