The college football season is progressing rapidly and it’s time to take a look at our updated 2018 NFL Mock Draft following Week 6.
Man, oh man, the college football season is really starting to heat up and top teams are positioning themselves as contenders and some have been exposed as pretenders. With that, top players are making bids to be selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Although the draft is still months away, it’s never too early to look at where some of the nation’s top players may end up. After a wild and whacky Week 6 of the season, we have compiled our latest NFL mock draft for the 2018 class. Who will go No. 1 this week?
We are using the latest Super Bowl odds for the draft order this week.
Are you surprised that Sam Darnold is back at No. 1 in the mock after struggling against Washington State just a week ago? You shouldn’t be. Although Darnold has been knocked for his turnover issues this season, you have to look at the overall body of work.
Let’s face it, San Francisco needs a quarterback for the future. While Brian Hoyer has been playing OK in 2017, he’s not going to be around for the next 5-10 years. It’s time for the 49ers to take a chance and pick a quarterback with a bright future.
Darnold could be that guy. Why not pick the homegrown prospect who has been atop many Heisman watch lists and is No. 1 on some experts’ big board. As long as he can clean up his turnover issues, like he somewhat did against Oregon State, he will be looked at with the No. 1 pick to the 49ers.
Through six games, the Trojans are 5-1 and Darnold has passed for 1,705 yards and is completing about 65 percent of his throws. He doesn’t get rattled under pressure and has the tools to be an elite NFL passer. Will he cut down those turnovers?
Florida State’s season hasn’t gone quite as planned. The Seminoles are just 1-3 on the year after losing Deondre Francois in the season opener. It’s crazy how much losing a quarterback can affect a team’s overall outlook, especially since the Seminoles’ defense is one of the best in the country.
That defense is led by star safety Derwin James who, surprisingly, came into the season as a Heisman candidate. He missed most of the 2016 season with an injury and came back ready to dominate on 2017 as a redshirt sophomore.
Through three games played, he has accounted for 18 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and two passes defended. He looks the part of this year’s top-rated safety in the draft and he has the feel of a once-in-a-generation talent in the defensive backfield.
There really isn’t a comparison for him, but he’s an athletic, hard-hitting safety who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 211 pounds. He had 91 tackles as a true freshman along with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The Browns picked Jabrill Peppers last year, but he won’t solve the defense’s issues by himself.
I’m throwing a curveball with the No. 3 overall pick to the New York Jets. Surprisingly, the Jets have won three consecutive games, improving to 3-2 on the season, but clearly the Super Bowl odds before Week 5 didn’t care about how hot they were.
Back to the actual selection, though. I’m going to say the Jets finally draft a reliable quarterback that will fix their issues under center. Josh McCown hasn’t been too shabby this season, passing for just over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns in five games, but he’s 38 years old.
It’s time to truly look at the future of the quarterback position and realize that neither Bryce Petty nor Christian Hackenberg, barring a drastic turnaround, will lead this team to the playoffs anytime soon.
Mason Rudolph may have just established him as the true No. 2 quarterback in this top-heavy class of gunslingers. He had a bye in Week 6, but has amassed 1,909 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in five games this season. He has thrown for over 300 yards each week and is completing 68 percent of his throws. Stud.
If Mason Rudolph is the second best quarterback in the class, then Josh Rosen is 2B to his 2A. The two gunslingers are close in overall rank, in my opinion, and it’s truly a toss-up. It’s all about which quarterback fits which system better, and I could see Josh Rosen playing well with the Chargers.
The Manhattan Beach, Calif., native is just a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles, where his new home with the Chargers could be. He would be the second California-native to stay in his home state to play NFL ball, if my mock were to come to fruition.
Why would the Chargers look to Rosen with the No. 4 overall pick when they have Philip Rivers? Well, the former No. 4 overall pick by the Giants in 2004 is going to be 36 in December and he’s only got a few years left in the tank. Does anyone believe Cardale Jones in the future of this franchise?
There may be some out there who believe in Jones as the future, but Rosen would instantly pass him on the depth chart and become the quarterback in-waiting.
Rosen has come back from an injury with a vengeance this season, passing for 2,135 yards, 17 touchdowns and five picks. He has a tendency to play “hero ball” but his strong arm and clutch gene could go a long way.
The Bengals could use a lot of things right now, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but they are focused on improving their pass rush. Cincinnati has struggled on offense this year, but there are quality pieces in place with Joe Mixon and AJ Green helping out Andy Dalton.
Harold Landry would be a nice pass rush addition for the Bengals as he’s been one of the best in college football for the past few years.
Although his numbers may be down a little this year, think of it this way: he’s being keyed on by opposing offenses as the only major threat on the Boston College defense. He’s still put up 25 total tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks through five games for the struggling Eagles.
Landry would be a welcomed addition to the defense and he has a history of success in the pass rush game. In fact, he had 38 tackles for loss and 20 sacks in the two previous seasons. In my eyes, he’s the best pass-rushing threat in this draft class.
If you’re the Chicago Bears, what do you do with the No. 7 overall pick? Do you go defense and fix that side of the ball or do you go offense and give last year’s first-round pick Mitch Trubisky some weapons?
It’s a tough choice, but in order to build around a young quarterback, you need to give him the necessary pieces to help build his confidence and give him a safety blanket. He already has Jordan Howard behind him in the backfield and a budding star in Tarik Cohen as a pass-catching back, but he could use a boost at receiver.
Kevin White, a top-10 pick from a few years ago, has failed to live up to expectations because of constant injuries. He’s already set to miss the 2017 season. Kendall Wright was added this offseason, but his production has decreased each year since 2013.
Why not go with the next great receiver to come out of Alabama? The last two have panned out well as Amari Cooper, although he’s struggling right now, and Julio Jones are stars in the NFL.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior is considered the top wide out in the class even though his production took a dip in 2016. He’s currently on pace to surpass his 2016 receiving yards total with 390 through six games and he has two touchdowns with 29 receptions. The Bears could use a potential superstar at receiver.
What a weird season it’s been for the LSU Tigers. They started the year ranked in the top-15, but were bounced after a loss to Mississippi State by 30 points and then an upset loss to Troy at home. Moreover, star defensive end/linebacker Arden Key hasn’t been completely healthy yet.
Key started the season on the bench, nursing an injury, but he returned three weeks ago and has put up nine total tackles and a half-sack. He hasn’t quite been himself since returning from injury, but he is still considered an elite pass rusher — just look at his stats from last season.
The Colts have also had a rough season without a healthy Andrew Luck, improving to just 2-3 after a win over San Francisco in overtime, but they could use more of a defensive presence. Key could be a game-changer right away, as long as he stays healthy.
Although he’s a completely different player than Myles Garrett, there was debate before the season about whether he’s a better pro prospect coming out of college than last year’s No. 1 pick. Key might be the best available player in this spot, defensively.
The Bills have some decisions to make in the near future. They currently have four running backs on the roster who are all at least 28 years of age.
That might not seem like an issue considering Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have and are currently excelling in the league at the age of 40, but the shelf life of an NFL running back is around 29-30 years old. It’s short-lived, to say the least. These guys take a beating on a regular basis.
LeSean McCoy has been one of the better backs in the league over the past handful of years, but he’s currently 29 years old and constantly has injury concerns. The Bills could go with the best running back in the draft class, Saquon Barkley, with this top-10 pick.
Barkley is a freak of an athlete. He is a monster in the weight room as one of the strongest players on Penn State’s roster and he has speed on the field. He’s deadly in open space. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound Heisman candidate currently has 649 yards and six touchdowns on the season. He’s also a threat to catch the ball.
The Saints need as much defensive help as they can get. IN fact, New Orleans ranks 28th in the country in terms of yards allowed, but they are ninth in the league in total sacks. However, they rank right in the middle of the NFL in terms of rushing yards allowed which could improve dramatically with Christian Wilkins clogging up running lanes.
The junior defensive tackle stands 6-foot-4 and weighs right around 300 pounds and can be disruptive in the middle of the line. Heck, he has been so far for Clemson this season as the Tigers have one of the best defensive lines in the entire country.
Through five games, he has 20 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He looks the part of an elite NFL defensive tackle and you can bet the Saints need more of a presence in the trenches.
New Orleans picked Sheldon Rankins in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, but why not bolster that unit up front with another first-round pick of potentially the best defensive lineman in the class? Wilkins seems to be getting better by the week as his draft stock is soaring.
The Dolphins could definitely use some help in the secondary this season. Unfortunately, rising star Tony Lippett suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason and left the Dolphins with a major void at one of the cornerback positions. It’s showed through five weeks.
Miami currently ranks No. 22 in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game by allowing 350 yards per game through the air. Obviously, that’s not going to cut it in today’s NFL, but that just goes to show fixes need to be made on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason.
Why not target a guy who plays on the best defense in college football? Minkah Fitzpatrick has been solid this season for the Crimson Tide, collecting 23 total tackles and two pass deflections, but has yet to record his first interception of the year. The junior has shown playmaking ability during his career, though, picking off eight passes and scoring four defensive touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide have been grooming first-round caliber defensive backs each season and Fitzpatrick is just the latest, and the best in this year’s draft class. He’s strong at the point of attack and can play both safety and cornerback. That versatility would be perfect for the Dolphins’ defensive backfield.
Who’s had a worse season than Florida State through six weeks? The Seminoles were a top-five team in college football to start the season, but a loss against Alabama and injury to Deondre Francois completely dashed their national title hopes?
Now Florida State is 1-3 and completely reeling. Still, the defense has plenty of hope with guys like Derwin James and Tarvarus McFadden patrolling the secondary. The latter is one of the best cornerbacks in the nation and stands 6-foot-2, 198 pounds.
Despite the fact that his team is struggling to reach the end zone, the Seminoles are doing a solid job keeping teams out of the end zone — except on the final play against Miami in Week 6. The Rams’ front-seven has been solid this season, but the secondary ranks just 27th in the league against the pass.
McFadden is one of the longer, more athletic defensive backs in the class and he possesses the ball skills to be a top-tier defensive back in the NFL. He’s a little more on the raw side, but he has big play ability. He had eight interceptions and six pass deflections a year ago. He has three pass deflections this year.
Is anyone convinced that Carson Palmer is going to break out of this mini funk that he’s been in during the 2017 season? He’s 37 years old and will be 38 in December, so his days as an NFL quarterback are numbered.
Through the first five weeks, the Cardinals are just 2-3 with both wins coming in overtime and he has completed about 59 percent of his passes for over 1,500 yards and six touchdowns, but he also has five interceptions. He just doesn’t look like his old self.
It might be time to find his replacement and Washington State’s Luke Falk could be that guy. He’s a Pac-12 gunslinger, like Palmer, and has the ability to sling the ball 40-50 times per game like the Cardinals’ quarterback has done this season.
Moreover, Falk is accurate and that’s something that can’t be overlooked these days. He’s completing abut 72 percent of his passes this season, a career-high, for 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns. He only has two interceptions as well.
This could be a perfect replacement as Falk has been getting better each season and looks polished enough to excel in the NFL with a year under Palmer’s wing.
Da’Shawn Hand’s stock might be dropping ever so slightly, especially after his recent injury to the MCL which will sideline him until at least November. Injury concerns, while serious, are taken into consideration by NFL teams, but when the prospects are as talented as Hand and the injuries aren’t that serious, it shouldn’t affect the long-term stock.
When Hand returns, he will continue to be one of the most intimidating presences in the country. He’s listed as a defensive lineman, but he’s a natural defensive end. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at about 288 pounds. He’s extremely strong and uses that big frame to his advantage.
Jacksonville leads the league in sacks through five weeks but is dead-last in rushing yards allowed per game. Tell me how that’s possible. The defensive line can generate a pass rush, but allows too many big running lanes. Hand can clog that up.
The senior has played four games this season and has recorded 11 total tackles. He has just one sack to his name this season, but had nine in the previous two seasons combined. He’s got a world full of potential, but I don’t think he’s truly scratched the surface yet.
The Cleveland Browns need help just about anywhere they can get it. The Browns have yet to win a game in 2017 and it’s a mixture of bad offense, mediocre defense and average special teams. This organization is just looking to upgrade every single area even though it thought it had selected its quarterback of the future last season in DeShone Kizer.
The jury is still out on Kizer, but there’s no way the Browns, despite the fans clamoring for it, pick a quarterback in the first round yet again. That’s why I think they go defense for the second time in the first round as they get this pick from the Houston Texans and pick a stud linebacker from the Lone Star State.
Malik Jefferson may be the most complete linebacker in the country and he roams the middle of the defense for the Texas Longhorns. They haven’t had the best start to their 2017 season, but the Longhorns can rest easy knowing that Jefferson is a solid as they come in the middle of the defense and that side of the ball keeps this team in games, for the most part.
Jefferson was a five-star recruit out of high school and committed to play for Charlie Strong’s Longhorns but he has been replaced by Tom Herman. Not much has changed, though, as the 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker has 33 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack through four games.
Jaire Alexander was injured in the first game of the season against Purdue and it looked to be somewhat serious. Mum was the word on when he would return or what the injury was, but he was listed as “day-to-day” as he reportedly avoided a major injury.
The potential All-American cornerback from Louisville returned to action with the Cardinals in Week 6 only to watch his team get torched through the air by Ryan Finley. He has just two total tackles on the season, but he’s going to improve each week he’s healthy. There shouldn’t be any concern there.
The junior cornerback needs to work on his tackling before he can excel at the next level and he stands just 5-foot-11 and weighs 192 pounds. He’s not the biggest guy on the field, but he can stay hip-to-hip with most receivers and is as smothering as cornerbacks come.
In 2016, he was one of the ACC’s best defensive backs, finishing the season with five interceptions, nine passes defended and 39 tackles. He may not have much of a sample size this season, but once he’s healthy, watch out. The Panthers have a strong secondary, but why not bolster it?
You might look at sacks allowed as the main area of importance when evaluating an offensive line’s effectiveness, and if that were the case, you would say that Baltimore has done an excellent job up front this season, but that’s only half the truth.
The Ravens have protected Joe Flacco in the pocket quite well, but they haven’t been quite as dominant as they would have liked. They are averaging a solid 4.5 yards per rush, but going younger in the trenches should always be a priority.
Baltimore could add the best young offensive linemen in the class with the No. 16 overall pick and, honestly, it would be the safest possible selection. Mike McGlinchey has been as reliable as they come at the offensive tackle position and can excel in both run and pass protection with his surprising athleticism.
The 6-foot-8, 310-pound behemoth of a tackle would anchor the left side of the Ravens’ offensive line for a while, if that’s where the need is. Could he pass as a solid right tackle? Sure, but he’s a future Pro Bowler at left tackle.
If you’ve watched the Washington Redskins over the past couple of years, you would realize that the offense isn’t the issue. Kirk Cousins has done a fantastic job of making the Redskins relevant again and the team has added top targets such as Terrell Pryor and Josh Doctson via free agency and the draft.
Also, Washington drafted Samaje Perine and the running back situation is improving with the rookie, Rob Kelley and Chris Thompson sharing the load.
The defense, on the other hand, ranks in the middle of the league in both passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed per game. How can that be fixed? With the addition of a solid linebacker, of course. Jerome Baker could be that guy.
The athletic outside linebacker has been dubbed the best true linebacker Ohio State has had since Darron Lee and that would be quite the steal for the Redskins at No. 17.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker has 23 total tackles, two for loss and a sack this season and has shown off his coverage skills with two passes defended.
Derrick Nnadi is a big boy. In fact, the senior defensive tackle from Florida State stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at about 312 pounds. He’s a monster of an interior defensive lineman, and that’s exactly what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need at this point.
Tampa Bay ranks dead-last in the NFL in terms of sacks and Nnadi could eat up some blocks and free linebackers for some blitzes to improve that number. The Buccaneers need some help up front even though they do have talent in the defensive trenches, and Nnadi could be the answer.
The Seminoles have somewhat of a pipeline to nearby Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers have selected a number of Florida State players in recent years, led by former Heisman winner Jameis Winston at quarterback. They seem to value local talent.
Nnadi would be the third Seminole to be taken, all on the defensive side of the ball, in the first round if my mock were to play out this way. He has 19 total tackles and 4.5 for loss in 2017, but is still looking for his first sack.
When was the last time the Giants fielded an effective running back in the backfield? Heck, it may date all the way back to Brandon Jacobs’ stint, but its time to give this backfield a true home run threat.
The Giants selected Wayne Gallman from Clemson in the fourth round last season, but he might just be a hold-over until the 2018 NFL Draft. It might be worth looking into a guy like Derrius Guice.
Gallman has potential to be a solid runner, but is he an every-down type of back? That remains to be seen. Orleans Darkwa has been up-and-down and Paul Perkins, a 2016 selection from UCLA, has had a rough year.
Leonard Fournette has even said that Guice could be better than he was at LSU and he showed it during the 2016 season while filling in for his predecessor. He rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns on 7.6 yards per carry.
Guice is off to a slow start in 2017, but he has all the talent to become a top-tier NFL back. Hey, the last time the Giants picked an LSU prospect in the first round, it paid off nicely — although Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a broken ankle on Sunday.
A Kansas football player getting selected in the first round of the NFL draft? No, this isn’t a sign of the apocalypse, Dorance Armstrong is just that good. The junior end has been soaring up draft boards based on his potential and he would make a nice fit on the Lions’ defensive line.
Armstrong has been frustrated with his lack of production, stat-wise, this season, though. Through five games, he has accounted for 31 total tackles and just one sack after finishing with 10 sacks and over 20 tackles for loss last year.
The reason for this dip in production? He’s no longer a secret weapon on defense so opposing Big 12 offenses are keying in on him, knowing that the Jayhawks aren’t likely to beat them with anyone else on that side of the ball. Still, 31 tackles for an end through five games is solid.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound end is an athletic freak at the position and would pair nicely with Ziggy Ansah on the Lions’ front. He’s got the potential to be an all-pro, but he just needs to figure out a way to counter double-teams, which is easier said than done.
Ohio State’s secondary was getting absolutely torched in the first couple of games to start the 2017 season, but it has rebounded quite nicely. In fact, the Buckeyes’ defense is looking like that of years past and it’s thanks to guys like Denzel Ward who have been consistent all year.
The Eagles’ secondary, on the other hand, has been the team’s major weakness through the first five games of 2017. In fact, the Eagles rank 30th in the league in passing yards allowed per game with just about 285. Add Ward to the mix and that will improve.
Coming off an interesting performance in which he was called for targeting and wrongly ejected from the Maryland game on a hit that should have been a clean forced fumble and a touchdown, Ward is still improving each game as the team’s first-year starting corner.
As a sophomore in 2016, the then-sophomore had 23 tackles and nine pass deflections and through five games this season, he’s already accounted for nine passes defended and has 15 tackles with a pick. He’s getting better by the wee, and that’s a scary thought.
Arguably the most impressive aspect of Minnesota’s team on a yearly basis is its defense. The Vikings constantly give opponents fits and that hasn’t changed in 2017. They rank ninth in the league in sacks and third against the run. The defensive line is scary, but imagine adding a piece like Maurice Hurst.
The Michigan defense is the best in the nation, currently ranked No. 1 in total yards allowed per contest. The run defense is the cream of the crop, and it’s all thanks to that impressive defensive line.
Hurst, a senior defensive tackle, is off to his best start to a season yet. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound tackle from Westwood, Mass., has thrived on Don Brown’s defense over the past two seasons. As a junior, he accounted for 33 tackles, 11.5 for loss and five sacks. So far this season, he has 23 tackles but no sacks yet.
Despite the fact that he hasn’t found his way to the quarterback yet, his draft stock continues to rise. He causes havoc in the run game and eats up blocks. Hurst would be a great value pick here.
The Broncos currently have two options at tight end and neither has really stepped up as an elite pass-catcher to go along with a solid run-blocker. Virgil Green was a seventh-round pick a number of years ago and he’s backed up by 2015 third-round selection Jeff Heuerman. They have a combined nine receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown this year.
That needs to change. That’s where Mike Gesicki comes in. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior is regarded as the top tight end in this draft class, and I’d ave to agree.
While all young collegiate tight ends could use some work in the run game, he’s relatively polished in his fourth year with the Nittany Lions. He caught 48 passes for 679 yards and five touchdowns last season and could be that red-zone target for Trevor Siemian and Co.
Through six games in 2017, he hasn’t quite broken out yet, but he has 22 receptions for 176 yards and four scores. Penn State has been dedicated to getting Saquon Barkley the ball, so Gesicki is sometimes forgotten. He’s worth a look in the first round from a team like the Broncos.
In my last edition of the NFL mock, I didn’t have Micah Kiser going in the first round, which now seems like a silly mistake, or oversight, on my part. He has been showing steady improvement over the first five games of the season and those who have called him slow to react have been looking foolish.
No, Kiser isn’t going to be the first guy to the ball each and every time, but he’s an aggressive linebacker who has the ability to completely blow up a play.
The Titans have been upgrading their offense consistently over the last few drafts, picking guys like Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry, Corey Davis and Jack Conklin, but now it’s time to focus on the defensive side of the ball.
Tennessee currently ranks in the bottom third of the league in both passing defense and rushing defense and has one of the lowest sack totals. Adding a blitz-heavy linebacker like Kiser would be wise. He has five sacks this season, on pace to break his previous career-high of 7.5. He’s also a tackling machine with 55 takedowns in five games.
What did we say earlier about Clemson’s defensive line? Yes, the Tigers’ front is lethal and probably the best in the country — yes, even better than Alabama’s. The Tigers have been more than impressive this season with their pass rush — just ask Auburn — and Clelin Ferrell is one of the main culprits.
Oakland currently has one of the best defensive ends in all of football by the name of Khalil Mack, but it wouldn’t hurt to add a guy like Ferrell to bolster that front-seven.
In six contests this year, Ferrell has helped to lead the Tigers to one of the best defenses in college football by recording 21 total tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and pass deflection. He’s an athletic 6-foot-5, 260-pound former four-star prospect who has been developing nicely.
The redshirt sophomore had a huge 2016 campaign with 44 total tackles, 12.5 for loss and six sacks to break onto the scene and is following that up with another decent year. He’s looking like a fringe first-rounder, but he has the potential of a top-15 pick.
In my last mock, I had Christian Kirk going in the top 10. While I still think he may just be the best receiver coming out of college this year, I get the feeling that scouts are valuing Calvin Ridley from Alabama slightly more.
The Seahawks could actually go offensive line here, but it’s about time they use a first-round pick on a receiver who could realistically turn into an all-pro. They currently have Doug Baldwin as the No. 1 target while Paul Richardson has taken over that second receiver spot and Tyler Lockett is third.
Russell Wilson could use an elite target to complement Baldwin and Jimmy Graham at tight end. That’s where Kirk comes in.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound quick slot-type has caught 27 passes for 316 yards and five touchdowns this season, and that’s with a true freshman quarterback. He’s also a heck of a return man with a kickoff brought back to the house this season.
Add that dynamic playmaking ability to the Seahawks’ offense and special teams and you have another reason to fear this team.
Quite the opposite of Christian Kirk, Courtland Sutton is more of a possession receiver and a guy who can go up and win those 50-50 balls. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior from SMU has put together an impressive start to his 2017 campaign.
In fact, he has caught 31 passes for 489 yards and seven touchdowns with three 100-yard games under his belt. He was held without a single yard on one reception against TCU in Week 3, but other than that, he has been effective.
The redshirt junior had the opportunity to come out after last season, but decided to stay one more year and boost his draft stock. He’s doing just that. He had over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, though.
Buffalo just picked Zay Jones from East Carolina in the second round last year and added Jordan Matthews in the offseason, but there just aren’t enough targets for Tyrod Taylor. Sutton could instantly alleviate some pressure on offense with that big frame.
Not to be confused with the all-time great running back from USC who starred in the NFL, Marcus Allen has made a nice name for himself in Happy Valley over the last few years. He has been an absolute tackling machine for the Nittany Lions and has become the premier safety in the Big Ten.
Dallas drafted a defensive back from the Big Ten just last season in Michigan’s Jourdan Lewis and he may have gotten beaten for the game-winning touchdown against the Packers on Sunday, but he’s a promising rookie corner.
Allen would be a nice addition to that young secondary and he would surely improve the safety position. He’s a physical tackler and is tremendous as reading the quarterback’s eyes and making a play. He showed that earlier this season when he blew up a screen pass for a safety.
The Cowboys rank No. 20 in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game and that’s something Allen could help fix just like he did with Penn State’s defensive backfield. He had 110 total tackles last season and currently has 34 through six games in 2017 with his first career pick.
There are major issues brewing on the Steelers’ offense, but there’s no easy fix. One step in the right direction could be adding a top-tier wide receiver and another would be finding a replacement for an aging Ben Roethlisberger.
I’ve actually flipped back and forth between a Lamar Jackson at this spot and Deon Cain, but the receiver seems to be more likely at this point. Unless Roethlisberger retires unexpectedly this offseason, the Steelers could look to add pieces in the receiving corps to make his life easier.
Offensive line could be another option, as well as tight end, but Cain would be a nice choice here. Although Pittsburgh already has the NFL’s top wide out in Antonio Brown, Cain could be a nice complementary piece — along with a rising Juju Smith-Schuster.
Roethlisberger is coming off one of his worst career games against the Jaguars on Sunday and you can bet he probably wishes he had Cain lined up on the opposite side of Brown. Cain has 17 catches for 244 yards and two scores this year, but his potential is through the roof.
Honestly, Connor Williams may have been the top offensive lineman in this draft class, but his potential season-ending knee injury could cost him some position this year. Still, the Packers, who are top-five in the league in sacks allowed, could afford to take a chance on some offensive line help.
Aaron Rodgers is a valuable commodity, so why not protect it? Williams will be healthy, most likely, by the combine this year, if he does decide to go. If he chooses to forgo his senior season for the draft, the Packers should seriously consider this pick.
Williams stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 315 pounds at left tackle. He avoided knee surgery and could return at some point this season, which is good news for scouts. His knee is in better shape than originally thought and if he can go out and show it’s not bothering him, he can improve that stock.
The junior is a heck of a run-blocker and was a major reason as to why D’Onta Foreman was so successful last season. He could improve his pass protection, but he has strength and is usually keeping defenders in front of him. He rarely, if ever, gets burned around the edge.
There really are no holes in the Falcons’ game. There’s always a need for offensive line depth in the NFL, especially when you’re trying to keep an MVP candidate like Matt Ryan healthy. Clemson’s Mitch Hyatt could be a solid option here.
The 6-foot-5, 305-pound junior from Georgia came to Clemson as a five-star prospect and has lived up to the billing. He’s a capable pass protector who is also solid in the run game, but isn’t the strongest tackle in the class. He could work on that upper body strength to keep up with the grunts in the NFL.
Since the Falcons don’t have one glaring need, they could afford to spend the first round pick on a project at tackle. He’s battle-tested in big games such as Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma, along with ACC matchups against Florida State, and can hang with the big boys.
The former Army All-American would be a nice addition to this offensive line which has surrendered just eight sacks this season. He could learn behind some solid veterans up front for a year or two.
I’ll admit it, I haven’t been keeping close enough tabs on Ronnie Harrison as I should have been. The Alabama strong safety might just rival Derwin James as the best in the 2018 draft class, although the latter is a bit more dynamic.
Harrison is a hard-hitting safety with solid coverage skills. He’s aggressive in the pass game and sometimes gets away with hand checks and grabs, but he makes it look so smooth that it works. That’s something that could pay off at the next level.
The junior safety is a solid tackler, finishing with 83 total takedowns in 2016 as a sophomore and he had two picks and seven passes defended as well. So far in 2017, he has 31 total tackles, two interception and a pass defended. He’s truly rising on draft boards, and for good reason.
Quarterbacks don’t like to go up against Alabama because the defensive line puts pressure on and when they do get passes off, guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Harrison are there to defend them. The Patriots could use some defensive help.