NFL Mock Draft

This is one of my favorite times of the year, NFL Draft season. Watching the tape, breaking down the best college players, putting together mock draft after mock draft that will never be accurate. Making the bold predictions that I usually get so wrong I just forget I even mentioned them. That’s happened more times than I’ve been right.

This year is one of those years where I honestly have no idea what is going to happen, and it’s mainly within the first five picks. The Cleveland Browns have two picks in the top five (1 and 4). The New York Jets traded up to get the third pick overall. The Denver Broncos are lurking at number five but do they move up? There are so many questions that no one has the answers to, and likely the teams at the top don’t even have those answers right now.

The draft is where you build your team with players who you have no idea what you’re going to get because the transition from the college level to the pro ranks is so intense that some players fade out before they even get started.

The top five picks in the draft could see 3, maybe 4 quarterbacks chosen. That’s 3 or 4 quarterbacks that in my mind aren’t worthy of going that high, let alone in the top 10.

(Photo from chatsports.com)

The object of the draft is to get the best players available, not the player who is a ‘good fit’ or a logical pick. For example, with the Browns holding the top pick many are wondering what direction they’ll go; do they take a shot at their next franchise quarterback? Or do they take the best player in the draft, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley? That franchise quarterback might not even be in the top 10 of best players in the draft but again, it’s the logical thing to do. Taking a running back number one is almost unheard of and coincidentally the last running back to be selected number one overall was another Penn State running back, Ki-Jana Carter in 1995.

The top question is, what do the Browns do with their first two picks? Many believe they will select USC quarterback Sam Darnold number one. Darnold has been the top quarterback on many draft boards since before the 2017 college season even started. With the fourth pick it’s very likely that Barkley won’t be around so where do they go? The Jets are bound to take a quarterback. That leaves two intriguing players, North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson. Either pick would help solidify both the offensive and defensive line.

 The New York Giants are next and it seems inevitable that they’d take Barkley if the Browns don’t, right? You wouldn’t dare skip a generational type of player, right? Even if it’s a running back? If you’re going to draft a running back that high, it almost seems like the Giants are the best landing spot. You have a Hall of Fame quarterback in Eli Manning and a potential Hall of Fame wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr on the offensive side of the ball who will just naturally command the spotlight and would take some of it away from Barkley. That’s not to say he wouldn’t get some of that spotlight should he be their guy, but it won’t be nearly as bright of a light as it would be in Cleveland where he would be immediately become the face of the franchise for a team that desperately needs it. They drafted defensive end Myles Garrett last year with the number one pick, but Barkley would come in and be able to play all four downs and ignite the offense.

Regardless of how the first five picks shape out, the NFL Draft always provides drama and excitement. I’ve taken the liberty of putting together the 346^th mock draft you’ll see before the draft next week with about 100 more to come.

Note: these picks are what I believe the teams SHOULD do, not what I think they WILL do. Big difference. Also note, I did not factor in any trades that might occur.

1.     Cleveland Browns: RB, Saquon Barkley, Penn State

2.     New York Giants: DE, Bradley Chubb, NC State  

3.     New York Jets: Quarterback, Sam Darnold, USC

4.     Cleveland Browns: Offensive guard, Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame

5.     Denver Broncos: S, Derwin James, Florida State

6.     Indianapolis Colts: CB, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

7.     Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB, Denzel Ward, Ohio State

8.     Chicago Bears: DT, Vita Vea, Washington

9.     San Francisco 49ers: OLB, Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech

10.  Oakland Raiders: WR, Calvin Ridley, Alabama

11.  Miami Dolphins: ILB, Roquan Smith, Georgia

12.  Buffalo Bills: QB, Josh Rosen, UCLA

13.  Washington Redskins: OT, Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

14.  Green Bay Packers: DE, Harold Landry, Boston College

15.  Arizona Cardinals: QB, Josh Allen, Wyoming

16.  Baltimore Ravens: ILB, Rashaan Evans, Alabama

17.  LA Chargers: WR, D.J. Moore, Maryland

18.  Seattle Seahawks: OT, Connor Williams, Texas

19.  Dallas Cowboys: WR, Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

20.  Detroit Lions: DT, Da’Ron Payne, Alabama

21.  Cincinnati Bengals: DE, Sam Hubbard, Ohio State

22.  Buffalo Bills: OT, Kolton Miller, UCLA

23.  New England Patriots: CB, Josh Jackson, Iowa

24.  Carolina Panthers: WR, Courtland Sutton, SMU

25.  Tennessee Titans: OLB, Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

26.  Atlanta Falcons: CB, Jaire Alexander, Louisville

27.  New Orleans Saints: TE, Mike Gesicki, Penn State

28.  Pittsburgh Steelers: QB, Lamar Jackson, Louisville

29.  Jacksonville Jaguars: WR, James Washington, Oklahoma State

30.  Minnesota Vikings: RB, Derrius Guice, LSU

31.  New England Patriots: OLB, Malik Jefferson, Texas

32.  Philadelphia Eagles: DE, Marcus Davenport, UTSA