Jordan Katz-NFL Media Mock Draft
Here at Draftstock.net we believe in giving you the best content that we can give you. Our mock draft motto is always to mock what we would do in each scenario if we were in the war rooms with the 32 NFL teams.
However, I’ve come to realize that some of you may be wondering what your team are most likely to do on draft day. It’s hard to know which media rumors are true, and which are smoke screens. Since the major media outlets report all the information they’re given, it’s very easy for teams to manipulate smoke screens around draft time.
For those that don’t know, a “smoke screen” is a rumor that teams will feed the media to see if they can get a team to trade up for a certain player. For example, a few years ago there was a rumor that a team in the top ten was going to select Ryan Nassib. Many mock draft experts proceeded to put Nassib in their top tens, but alas he fell to round four, like he should’ve.
Upon request from some readers, I’ve decided to do a media based mock drafts. These will be more like the traditional mock drafts you see on NFL.com or ESPN. The one difference is that I will include trades, because those are rumors as well.
I will try to decipher which rumors hold merit, and which ones won’t happen. Hopefully I can help each of you get a better grasp for what your team might do on draft day.
ROUND ONE
1) Tennessee Titans- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- Our first smokescreen rumor is Jalen Ramsey to the Titans at the first overall selection. In the post merger era, there has never been a defensive back selected with the top pick. The Titans are kicking this around to see if a team like the Jaguars will overpay to move up a few spots for their top player. I think the Titans are forced to stay here, and in that case they will take Tunsil.
2) Cleveland Browns- Deforest Buckner, DE Oregon- Paul DePodesta is from the “moneyball” mantra, which means at every draft spot you select your best player available. The signing of Robert Griffin III signaled to me that the Browns aren’t fans of the quarterbacks in this draft.
Buckner has a ton of talent, and the Browns are desperate for defensive line help. They also could use about 40 more guys on their roster that can play in the NFL.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars via San Diego Chargers- Jalen Ramsey, CB/FS Florida State- In my personal mock draft I had the Chargers trade down because I think it’s in their best interest, and apparently they agree. The Chargers have been trying to pawn off the third overall pick for a while. With Ramsey, Carson Wentz, and Jared Goff on the board, the offers will be pouring in.
My guess is Jacksonville will be the most lucrative option. The Chargers stay in the top five, and get a top second round pick. The Jaguars get a game changer in Ramsey.
4) Dallas Cowboys- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- I know the rumor is that Bosa’s stock has fallen and he might wind up outside the top ten, but I just don’t see Dallas passing on him. Randy Gregory failed a drug test and Greg Hardy isn’t coming back. They need someone opposite Demarcus Lawrence and Bosa’s tape is phenomenal.
5) St. Louis Rams from San Diego Chargers via Jacksonville Jaguars- Jared Goff, QB California- It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a team trade down twice, but the Chargers are in a perfect position to do so. They slide down a little for a team to come up and take Ramsey, and then slide down again for a team that wants to make a major move for a quarterback.
The Rams are a quarterback away from becoming a potential playoff team. I think they’ll look to be aggressive in this draft if one of the top two QB’s slide a bit.
6) Baltimore Ravens- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- I think Ozzie Newsome will be flooded with trade offers from teams that are looking to jump the Niners and Eagles to take a quarterback, but Newsome rarely trades down. He believes in taking the best player available.
Stanley is a starting tackle from day one, making him an immediate contributor to the Ravens offense.
7) San Francisco 49ers- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State- Wentz could thrive in Chip Kelly’s system if given the opportunity. If he got the chance to sit the first year as well, he could turn into something really special.
8) Philadelphia Eagles via Miami Dolphins- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- The Eagles have to take a cornerback or a quarterback with this selection. Both QB’s are off the board, so they go with the top cornerback available in Hargreaves.
9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- Conventional wisdom would say that the Buccaneers need an edge rusher, but I doubt they pass on Jack if he falls this far. The Panthers recent success has been predicated on the strength of their linebacking core. Jack’s athleticism playing opposite Lavonte David would make for a nasty duo.
10) New York Giants- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State- The Giants are the ultimate wild card team after their big splashes in free agency. There are rumors of them still taking an edge rusher, and rumors that their pick will be on the offensive side of the ball.
I think whatever the Giants do will catch some people off guard. They do need a right tackle, and many think Taylor Decker is worthy of a top 10-15 selection. Therefore, maybe the Giants reach a couple of spots to fortify their offensive line.
11) Chicago Bears- Shaq Lawson, EDGE Clemson- I believe Lawson is better served as a 4-3 defensive end, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a 3-4 edge rusher. He’s equally as talented when he rushes standing up as he is with his hand in the dirt. The Bears defense really needs someone that can consistently get to the quarterback, so Lawson makes sense here.
12) New Orleans Saints- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- The Saints need just about everything on the defensive side of the ball. I think Alexander is very high on their board because of his ability to play nickel corner. The Saints like Delvin Breaux, so if they don’t need Alexander out wide right away, he can be a nickel corner right away.
13) Washington Redskins from Miami Dolphins via Philadelphia Eagles-Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- If they made a handbook on how to properly draft running backs in the modern NFL, trading up for one would be what not to do.
However, Washington needs a franchise back to alleviate pressure from Kirk Cousins. It’s also not every day that a running back like ‘Zeke Elliott comes along.
Miami is in a great position to trade down here because they could use some depth players later on in this draft. I could definitely see ‘Zeke falling on draft day and if he does, look for Washington to move up.
14) Oakland Raiders- Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- Based on what I’ve seen from media reports as well as individual workouts and interviews, this pick seems like a slam-dunk. Ragland would help the Raiders run defense immediately.
15) San Diego Chargers via St. Louis Rams- Sheldon Rankins, DE/DT Louisville- In weak draft class teams tend to gawk at athleticism. Rankins is a definitive athlete, but he also has the tape to back up this selection.
16) Detroit Lions- Jack Conklin, OT Michigan State- The Lions need to protect Matt Stafford better in 2016. Conklin is low on my personal board, but a lot of scouts and mock draft experts have him as a top 30 selection.
17) Atlanta Falcons- Darron Lee, OLB Ohio State- Dan Quinn’s motto since arriving in Atlanta has been “eat, sleep, compete, repeat.” To that effect, Darron Lee is a leo linebacker that hustles (ran a 4.43 at the combine), and competes every day.
18) Indianapolis Colts- Noah Spence, EDGE Western Kentucky- The Colts have to do a better job of getting to the passer in 2016. Spence has a lot of talent on tape, but his dismissal from Ohio State will have teams concerned. His draft slot on draft day will be determined by the amount of edge rushers that go early.
19) Buffalo Bills- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State- Rex Ryan needs an edge rusher to replace Mario Williams and take double teams away from Jerry Hughes. Ogbah’s speed off the edge would make him a very solid player in this defense.
20) Cleveland Browns via New York Jets- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss- The Browns haven’t had a number one receiver since Braylon Edwards. If any quarterback is to succeed in Cleveland in the near future, the Browns must get that QB some weapons.
The Jets are a team that not many will expect to move down, but based on their cap situation, they could use to move out of round one. This, of course, is assuming they can still get the player they desire.
21) Miami Dolphins via Washington Redskins- William Jackson III, CB Houston- There’s always a surprise move in the first round that mock draft pendants don’t see coming. He might not go this high, but I think that surprise player is William Jackson. He had a great combine, he shows terrific ball skills on tape, and his length will allow him to jam smaller receivers without losing a step.
22) Houston Texans- A’Shawn Robinson, NT Alabama- Vince Wilfork is over the hill and Christian Covington is a rotational player, not a starter. This pick seems like a layup.
23) Minnesota Vikings- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- Minnesota has visited with Doctson on a number of occasions. I don’t take too much stock into visits with a team, but when it’s at a position of need it needs to be a factor.
24) Cincinnati Bengals- Corey Colmean, WR Baylor- Coleman is the kind of receiver that flourishes in Cincy’s offense. He’s talented with the ball in his hands and he can stretch the field. What he could add to the offense is a third down target. His route running could help take double teams away from Tyler Eifert in the middle of the field.
25) Pittsburgh Steelers- Andrew Billings, NT Baylor- The Steelers never select a first round corner, which means their next pressing need would be to address the nose tackle position. Billings is a huge presence in the middle of a defense, and eats blockers as well as anyone in the draft.
26) Seattle Seahawks- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- Pete Carroll doesn’t shy away from character issues. Don’t expect draft day to be any different if he’s staring at a top five talent with this selection.
27) Green Bay Packers- Jarran Reed, DE/DT Alabama- Reed is very good at getting leverage at the point of attack. He’s a solid run stopper, something the Packers need.
28) Kansas City Chiefs- Cody Whitehair, OT/OG Kansas State- As I said in my personal mock draft, this pick makes too much sense. The Chiefs need offensive line and Whitehair is a prototypical zone blocking guard.
29) Arizona Cardinals- Jaylon Smith, OLB/ILB Notre Dame- I think the Cardinals will either take a quarterback here on draft day, or the best available player if someone slides farther than they should. Smith has top five talent, but the questions regarding his rehab force him to fall into Arizona’s lap.
30) Carolina Panthers- Justin Simmons, FS Boston College- Simmons is the big riser after a phenomenal stretch of workouts during the draft process. The Panthers need to be more consistent in the secondary in 2016, so this seems like a natural fit.
31) Dallas Cowboys via Denver Broncos- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State- Based on the Jets sliding out of the first round, and being in the market for the quarterback, Dallas has to jump up for their back up/future starter.
It’s anyone’s guess as to which quarterback of the “next tier,” they prefer, but I think Hackenburg stands the most to gain from sitting multiple seasons.
TRADES
1) Jacksonville Jaguars trade the #5 and the #38 to the San Diego Chargers for the #3 and the #179.
2) Los Angeles Rams trade the #15, #43 and a 2017 2nd round pick to the San Diego Chargers for the #5 and the #102.
3) Washington Redskins trade the #21 and the #53 to the Miami Dolphins for the #13 and the #186.
4) Cleveland Browns trade the #32 and the #65 to the New York Jets for the #20 and a 2017 5th round pick.
5) Dallas Cowboys trade the #34 and a 2017 5th to the Denver Broncos for the #31.
ROUND TWO
32) New York Jets via Cleveland Browns- Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis- Based on the uncertainty still surrounding Ryan Fitzpatrick, I think the Jets are leaning towards trading down for a QB.
33) Tennessee Titans- Eli Apple, CB Ohio State- The Titans need secondary in this draft, and many feel Apple is a day one starter.
34) Denver Broncos via Dallas Cowboys- Joshua Garnett, OG Stanford- I think that the Broncos will eventually work out the contract situation with Colin Kaepernick. Therefore they slide out of the first round and grab Garnett to play right guard.
35) San Diego Chargers- Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana- Spriggs is an athlete and the Chargers need to get younger and quicker on the offensive line.
36) Baltimore Ravens- Leonard Floyd, EDGE Georgia- When in doubt, give the Ravens the best player available. On many people’s board, Floyd is the best player available.
37) San Francisco 49ers- Kamalei Correa, EDGE Boise State- The Niners need a defensive overhaul, so they take the best defensive player available.
38) San Diego Chargers via Jacksonville Jaguars- Keanu Neal, SS Florida- Neal is probably the most complete in the box safety in the draft. The Chargers snag him with the extra pick they acquired from trading down.
39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson- The Buccaneers continue their dominant offseason by grabbing two of my top 10 players with their first two picks.
40) New York Giants- Braxton Miller, WR Ohio State- The Giants love receivers that move the sticks on third down, which is what Miller will be at the next level.
41) Chicago Bears- Jonathan Bullard, DE Florida- Bullard has the strength and ability to be a 3-4 defensive end. Combine that with his solid move set from the interior and you get a perfect fit for the Bears.
42) Miami Dolphins- Shilique Calhoun, EDGE Michigan State- The Dolphins do have Cameron Wake and Mario Williams, but they need some youth up front for the future. Calhoun could replace Wake as early as next season (Wake is a free agent).
43) Minnesota Vikings via San Diego Chargers from Los Angeles Rams via Philadelphia Eagles- Vonn Bell, SS Ohio State- Many project Bell to be a starting strong safety, so the Vikings come up a few picks to get a future replacement for Andrew Sendejo.
44) Oakland Raiders- Karl Joseph, FS/SS West Virginia- The Raiders signed Reggie Nelson, but they still need someone to play opposite him. Joseph is popular amongst draft pundits because of his elite athleticism.
45) Los Angeles Rams- Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame- I know there’s a lot of buzz around Fuller right now, but I don’t see him as a day one pick just yet. Having said that, he’s a steal for the Rams in round two because of his deep threat ability.
46) Detroit Lions- Vernon Butler, DL Louisiana Tech- Butler has the versatility to play 4-3 defensive tackle with ease. His run stopping ability would be the attraction for the Lions at this selection.
47) New Orleans Saints- Chris Jones, DE/DT Mississippi State- Jones has great athleticism and gets good leverage at the point of attack. He should help the Saints run defense immediately.
48) Indianapolis Colts- Artie Burns, CB Miami Florida- I’m assuming at some point the Colts will opt to address their horrendous secondary. Maybe its this year?
49) Buffalo Bills- Su’a Cravens, OLB/SS USC- Cravens’ versatility and toughness would be a weapon in Rex Ryan’s defense.
50) Atlanta Falcons- Hunter Henry, TE Arkansas- The Falcons need a target in the middle of the field for Matt Ryan. The offense flowed much better when Ryan had Tony Gonzalez as his safety valve. Henry might not be a great blocker, but he has very good hands and runs solid routes.
51) New York Jets- Germain Ifedi, OT Texas A&M- Many believe the Jets will take Ifedi at 20, but he’s very raw. Because of this, I feel that he will be someone who falls to the second round on draft day.
52) Houston Texans- Ryan Kelly, C Alabama- The Texans lost Ben Jones to free agency, which puts them in the market for a center come draft day.
53) Miami Dolphins via Washington Redskins- Shon Coleman, OT Auburn- The Dolphins should continue to acquire offensive line depth during the draft. Coleman has the length to be a starting tackle in the future.
54) San Diego Chargers via Minnesota Vikings- Landon Turner, OG North Carolina- The Chargers continue to bolster their offensive line from the extra picks that they have acquired in this mock draft.
55) Cincinnati Bengals- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State- Johnson would wreak havoc next to Geno Atkins in the middle of the Bengals defense. His ability to win one-on-one matchups would prohibit teams from doubling Atkins on every down.
56) Seattle Seahawks- Jerald Hawkins, OT LSU- The Seahawks have significantly more needs than people realize, and offensive line is a major one. Hawkins has the length and strength to be a solid right tackle one day.
57) Philadelphia Eagles via Green Bay Packers- Connor Cook, QB Michigan State- Cook seems like a prototypical west coast quarterback at the next level. The Eagles jump back into the second round to grab their quarterback of the future.
58) Pittsburgh Steelers- Cyrus Jones, CB Alabama- Jones is a smart, instinctive corner with decent technique. He has to develop a bit, but his upside is very good for someone who is undersized.
59) Kansas City Chiefs- Sterling Shepard, WR Oklahoma- Shepard is a guy who would thrive in a west coast system. He’s quick, and his route running ability is tremendous.
60) New England Patriots- Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB West Virginia- Kwiatkoski is a three year starter who is fundamentally sound in the middle and was a leader for the Mountaineers in college. Sounds like a classic Patriots pick, right?
61) Chicago Bears from New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals- Derrick Henry, RB Alabama- The Bears might think highly of Jeremy Langford, but he’s not an every down feature back. Henry would provide an immediate punch on short yardage situations, and he could become the every down back of the future.
62) Carolina Panthers- Harlan Miller, CB Southeastern Louisiana- Regardless of whether or not the Panthers are able to bring back Josh Norman after this season, they still need depth at the cornerback position. Miller is a guy that many feel, with time, could turn into a true number two cornerback.
63) Denver Broncos- Nick Martin, OG/OC Notre Dame- Martin has the versatility to play multiple spots on the offensive line, which is something Head Coach Gary Kubiak looks for.
TRADES IN ROUND TWO
1) Minnesota Vikings trade the #54, #160 and a 2017 3rd to the San Diego Chargers for #43 and a 2017 7th round pick.
2) Philadelphia Eagles trade the #77 and a 2017 3rd to the Green Bay Packers for the #57.
3) Chicago Bears trade the #72 and the #106 to the New England Patriots for the #61 and the #204.
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