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Jordan Katz 2018 Top Five By Position

Posted on January 4, 2018 Updated on March 1, 2018

This is my own personal list for my top five players by position. These rankings may not reflect the order that I have them in my recent mock draft. My mock draft is based on team needs as well as scheme fits.

Quarterbacks:

1) Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

2) Josh Rosen, UCLA

3) Sam Darnold, USC

4) Josh Allen, Wyoming

5) Lamar Jackson, Louisville

Running Backs:

1) Saquon Barkley, Penn State

2) Derrius Guice, LSU

3) Sony Michel, Georgia

4) Ronald Jones II, USC

5) Kerryon Johnson, Auburn

Wide Receivers:

1) Anthony Miller, Memphis

2) Dante Pettis, Washington

3) Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

4) Michael Gallup, Colorado State

5) Calvin Ridley, Alabama

Tight Ends:

1) Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State

2) Mark Andrews, Oklahoma

3) Mike Gesicki, Penn State

4) Troy Fumagali, Wisconsin

5) Hayden Hurst, South Carolina

Offensive Tackles:

1) Connor Williams, Texas

2) Orlando Brown, Oklahoma

3) Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

4) Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan

5) Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State

Interior Line:

1) Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame

2) Braden Smith, Auburn

3) Billy Price, Ohio State

4) Will Hernandez, UTEP

5) Frank Ragnow, Arkansas

EDGE Rushers:

1) Bradley Chubb, NC State

2) Arden Key, LSU

3) Marcus Davenport, UTSA

4) Hercules Mata’Afa, Washington State

5) Dorance Armstrong, Kansas

Interior Defensive Lineman:

1) Vita Vea, Washington (Nose Tackle)

2) Da’Ron Payne, Alabama

3) Taven Bryan, Florida

4) Harrison Phillips, Stanford

5) Derrick Nnadi, Florida State

Non-Edge Linebackers:

1) Roquan Smith, Georgia (ILB)

2) Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech (OLB)

3) Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma (OLB)

4) Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State (ILB)

5) Tegray Scales, Indiana (OLB/ILB)

Cornerbacks:

1) Carlton Davis, Auburn

2) Denzel Ward, Ohio State

3) Jaire Alexander, Louisville

4) Josh Jackson, Iowa

5) Isaiah Oliver, Colorado

Safeties:

1) Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

2) Derwin James, Florida State

3) DeShon Elliott, Texas

4) Ronnie Harrison, Alabama

5) Terrell Edmunds, Virginia Tech

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Jordan Katz- 2018 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Two Rounds

Posted on January 4, 2018 Updated on January 12, 2018

Finally… Jordan Katz HAS COME BACK to the land of Mock Drafts! Now that the regular season has finished, it’s officially the offseason for 20 NFL teams. This year’s offseason packs more of a punch than normal years because of the amount of quarterbacks on the market. Not only will guys like Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith most likely be free agents, but there’s a ton of quarterbacks worthy of high selections. Quarterback play dictates the success of each team and this year will be full of quarterback changes.

This year’s draft has a ton of talent elsewhere too. Offensive line is loaded, the playmakers on offense and defense are better than people think, and there are some explosive edge rushers.

As always with my mock drafts, this is my personal opinion of what each team should do at each selection. Unlike other mock drafts you may see online, I like to include potential trades. Mock Drafts should be your own evaluation of the players and team needs. If that’s the case, why not throw in a trade if it makes sense?

A few notes before getting started. For the sake of the mock draft, I assumed Kirk Cousins returned to Washington. The entire offseason will change the minute Cousins signs somewhere. However, without any information as to where he could wind up, I had him re-sign.

The second note of importance is that Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are not in my first two rounds (I currently have a 3rd round grade on both). While some in the mock draft community love these two, I think they both have a lot of technical work that they need to improve on. Neither are particularly accurate either.

The best time of the year is upon us: Mock Draft season. Let’s get to it!

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- In my opinion, Rosen is the top quarterback in the draft right now. Rosen, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are very close on my personal board, but what separates Rosen from the other two is his physical attributes. He’s got NFL size and mobility, he’s the best pure passer in the draft, and he did it all with very little talent around him. If the Browns don’t grab a quarterback this year, I think Roger Goodell has to make them fold as a franchise.

2) Denver Broncos via New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB USC- The Giants are in the same position the Dallas Cowboys were in a few years ago. They’re a talented team that underachieved, and now they sit with a top five pick. Just like Dallas, that gives you two options; take the best player available or trade down. While the Cowboys wound up with their quarterback of the future in that draft, many people forget the plan was for Tony Romo to play a few more seasons, not for Dak Prescott to start day one.

That year I suggested it was in the Cowboys best interest to trade down. It’s very rare that you get a free opportunity to acquire draft assets. So, with the Giants content on playing Eli for a few more seasons, I would have the Giants trade down.

With plenty of offers to choose from, the Giants trade down to the Broncos pick. This keeps them in the top five, and gets the Broncos their franchise quarterback on a cheap contract.

Editor’s Note: Despite his down year, Darnold still translates well for the NFL. He’s got an NFL arm, good size, mobility and he can make any throw. I believe the kinks will get worked out and he will become a quality NFL quarterback.

3) New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- Once again, the Jets enter a draft not having a franchise quarterback. Mayfield is tailor-made for a west coast system. He’s got a bigger arm than people think, he’s incredibly accurate, and most importantly for the Jets, he’s a true leader. The Heisman Trophy winner would thrive under the bright lights of the “Big Apple.”

Editor’s Note: Regardless of how much their owner wants Saquon Barkley, the Colts need so much that they have to trade down and acquire assets.

4) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- Let’s make this simple; Saquon Barkley is the best prospect in this draft. He’s the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. He’s a better pro prospect than Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Christian McCaffrey. If the Browns can land him at four, that could go a long way towards expediting their rebuild that’s been going on since 1999.

5) New York Giants via Denver Broncos: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- The Giants have to find an offensive line this year if they want any chance of competing next season. Nelson is the top offensive lineman in the draft. His game is complete and he’s a team captain, something the Giants organization loves.

6) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Connor Williams, OT Texas- Hey Indy, quick thought on the future of your franchise. If you want Andrew Luck to succeed, then maybe it’s time to GET HIM AN OFFENSIVE LINE!

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bradley Chubb, DE NC State- The Buccaneers need a number of things this offseason, and at the top of that list is an edge rusher. Chubb is a fluid athlete with the ability to dip and bend effortlessly around the edge. His instincts and ability to win at the point of attack make him a three down player, something the Bucs desperately need up front.

8) Chicago Bears: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- Jamal Adams 2.0 this year will be Minkah Fitzpatrick. He’s got the talent to go higher, but because of needs he may fall into some team’s lap. Fitzpatrick has the ball skills to play safety and the press cover ability to line up at corner. Easy pick for a team that needs a game changer in their secondary.

9) San Francisco 49ers: Arden Key, EDGE LSU- Arden Key came out of the gate slow this year. However, when he got back to his normal playing weight, scouts were able to see the athleticism and move-set that made Key a top pick preseason.

The Niners have to get Jimmy Garoppolo some targets this offseason, but in my opinion, there are no top ten caliber receivers in this class just yet. Having failed to trade down, the Niners take the best player at a position of need.

10) Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, ILB Georgia- Smith plays downhill with aggression, he’s a terrific tackler, and he’s a rangy linebacker. The Raiders need an anchor in the middle of their defense. Smith would have an immediate impact on a team that allowed the second most yards per game on the ground.

11) Miami Dolphins: Tremaine Edmunds, OLB/EDGE Virginia Tech- Edmunds is an athletic freak with the ability to play in off coverage as well as rush the passer. His tape is impressive for someone that is still developing. Edmunds could dominate as a LEO linebacker at the next level.

12) Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- The Bengals offensive line struggled during the 2017 season. McGlinchey is a plug and play right tackle from day one. He is great at attacking defensive lineman on running downs, getting his hands on quickly and gaining leverage to dictate where the lineman goes.

13) Green Bay Packers: Braden Smith, OT/OG Auburn- Just like the Colts, the Packers are desperate for a solid offensive line. Yes, some of the Packers issues are more about injuries than a lack of talent, but there’s still work to be done. Smith is a terrific run blocker, and his athleticism will make him a successful guard at the next level.

14) Washington Redskins: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- James might be the enigma of the first round. He has got a ton of talent, but his effort was nowhere to be found in 2017. If that’s a concern for GM’s, he could fall out of round one with a bad combine. If he has a good combine, it should put the effort rumors to bed, seeing as half of Florida State’s squad was injured this year.

15) Arizona Cardinals: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma- Brown had a really strong 2017 campaign where he showed all the traits of a pro bowl left tackle. He’s more athletic after cutting weight, which has improved his footwork drastically. The Cardinals are desperate for a quarterback of the future, but with the big three off the board (and me not being a fan of Josh Allen) it’s better to take talent at a different position than reaching for a quarterback.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Miller, WR Memphis- Allow me to introduce you to the best receiver in this draft and the one no one is talking about. Miller runs picturesque routes; he is one of the quickest receivers in the draft. He makes catches with his hands first, he can high point the ball extremely well, and he makes a ton of contested catches. The All American from Memphis would give Joe Flacco a legitimate target, something the Ravens desperately need.

17) Atlanta Falcons via Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- It’s a crime shame that Wilkins fell this far. His hands are incredibly fast, he’s terrific at gaining leverage and controlling gaps, and in case you thought his game had weaknesses, he’s got the move-set and athleticism to dominate as an interior pass rusher. Atlanta will be in need of a defensive tackle after Dontari Poe leaves, so they trade up to land a game changer in the middle.

18) Seattle Seahawks: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- I know the Seahawks need offensive line, but one of the reasons their offense stalled at times this year was a lack of a true running game. Guice is an incredibly talented back with the ability to change the dynamic of the Seahawks offense.

19) Dallas Cowboys: Dante Pettis, WR Washington- With the rapid decline of Dez Bryant, pass catcher has become priority number one for the ‘Boys. Pettis’ deep threat ability could provide a true home run threat to the Cowboys passing game. It would also help alleviate coverage from 88, which could help him bounce back in 2018.

20) Detroit Lions: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- Credit to former Draftstock contributor Mike Reynolds for this call. Back in late October, Mike told me to look out for Davenport as a first rounder, and boy was he right. Davenport is long and athletic with the move-set to match. He dips and bends around the edge with ease as well. He would be an immediate upgrade to a team that has to rush the passer better in 2018.

21) Buffalo Bills: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M- What a tremendous job Sean McDermott and his staff did this year in Buffalo. Despite an offense that doesn’t scare you on paper and a young defensive unit, McDermott has the Bills back in the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. If the Bills want to make it back to back appearances in 2018, then they will need to get more weapons for Tyrod Taylor.

Kirk is an explosive route runner with good hands and a quick release. His presence would give the Bills a chain mover on the outside.

22) Los Angeles Chargers via Atlanta Falcons- Chukwuma Okorafor, OT Western Michigan- Priority number one for the Chargers this offseason is upgrading the offensive tackle position. In a year with plenty of offensive line prospects to go around, this puts them in an excellent position to trade down, acquire assets, and still select a quality lineman.

Okorafor “checks all the boxes,” in terms of his measurements and athletic ability, but he’s still fairly raw in terms of his technique. What makes him an attractive prospect, in my opinion, is the fact that he’s already played both tackle positions despite picking up the game of football at a later age. That shows a knowledge and passion for the game that you can’t teach.

23) Tennessee Titans: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Tennessee needs to get younger and more athletic up front in 2018. Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo are both free agents after next season, and the Titans need to start saving money to re-sign Marcus Mariota. Ferrell has a quick first step and terrific athletic ability off the edge. I like him better in a 4-3, but he’s got the versatility to play both systems in the NFL at a high level.

24) Carolina Panthers: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- Do not sleep on this cornerback class. As a group, they may not have the size and athleticism of years past, but there are plenty of guys with the technique to succeed at the next level. Ward has good ball skills and he is terrific when trailing receivers. He’s one of the best athletes in the entire draft class as well. Pairing him with James Bradberry would make for an underrated secondary tandem in Carolina.

25) Buffalo Bills via Kansas City Chiefs: Vita Vea, NT Washington- The Bills were 29th in the NFL in rushing defense. They have to clean that up if they want to take the next step defensively in 2018. Vea is a space eating monster with the athleticism to rush the passer if left isolated. He would have an immediate impact on the middle of the Bills defense.

26) New Orleans Saints: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama- It’s hard for Alabama defenders to be “under the radar,” during draft season, yet this year they all are going unnoticed. Harrison is a hard hitting safety with freaky athleticism. He also shows enough knowledge and ball skills in coverage to be a multi-dimensional safety at the next level. Kenny Vaccaro is a free agent this year, so finding a cheap option to replace him makes sense for a team that needs to re-sign Drew Brees.

27) Jacksonville Jaguars: Billy Price, OG/OC Ohio State- Price translates well at guard and center at the next level. He’s intelligent, good at the point of attack, and he sees the second level well in the running game. Price would add more stability to an improving offensive line in Jacksonville.

28) Los Angeles Rams: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- Even if the Rams sign Trumaine Johnson to an extension, they still need a number two corner in the offseason. Alexander is my top cover corner in the draft, but his size (he will most likely measure in at 5’10) and his health concerns put him below Davis and Ward on my big board. Despite these concerns, if Alexander opts to enter the 2018 NFL Draft, his ball skills and technique should make him a top 40 selection with ease.

29) Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashaan Evans, ILB Alabama- This is a bit of a reach for me, but the Steelers are so desperate for an inside linebacker. With the uncertainty of whether Ryan Shazier will ever play in the NFL again, the Steelers need a run stopping signal caller in the middle of their defense. Evans can be just that.

30) Minnesota Vikings: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- Payne’s athleticism and quickness off the ball would allow him to thrive next to a space eater like Linval Joseph. After the loss of Sharrif Floyd, the Vikings need to find someone to play next to Joseph in order to keep their defense “tip top,” in 2018.

31) Philadelphia Eagles: Martinas Rankin, OT Mississippi State- Philadelphia needs to bolster their offensive line this offseason. Jason Peters is an aging veteran coming off of an injury and Halapoulivaati Vaitai didn’t show the ability to be his replacement.

I’m a big fan of offensive lineman that possess good technique and have played multiple positions because it shows the knowledge needed to play the game at the next level. That is Martinas Rankin.

32) New England Patriots: Josh Jackson, CB Iowa- Whatever we collectively thought New England’s secondary was going to be this year, it surely was not. Now the Patriots are set to lose Malcolm Butler to free agency, with Eric Rowe and Jonathan Jones set to be free agents the year after. Jackson is a lengthy corner with great ball skills and a really good understanding of technique in tight coverage as well as off coverage. He’s a perfect fit in New England.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Denver Broncos trade the #5, #37 a 2019 1st and a 2019 3rd to the New York Giants for the #2 overall pick.

2) New York Jets trade the #6, #50 and a 2019 1st round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for the #3 and a 2019 3rd round pick.

3) Atlanta Falcons trade the #22, #86 and a 2019 3rd round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for the #17 and the #161

ROUND TWO

33) Cleveland Browns: Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado

34) New York Giants: Brian O’Neill, OT Pittsburgh

35) Indianapolis Colts: Hercules Mata’Afa, EDGE Washington State

36) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: DeShon Elliott, FS Texas

37) New York Giants via Denver Broncos: Ronald Jones II, RB USC

38) New York Jets: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB Oklahoma

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Reid, FS Stanford

40) Chicago Bears: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama

41) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Ryan Finley, QB NC State

42) Oakland Raiders: Holton Hill, CB Texas

43) Miami Dolphins: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP

44) Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Edwards, FS/SS Kentucky

45) Green Bay Packers: Frank Ragnow, OG/OC Arkansas

46) Washington Redskins: Tegray Scales, OLB/ILB Indiana

47) Arizona Cardinals: Jarrett Stidham, QB Auburn

48) Baltimore Ravens: Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State

49) Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Jefferson, ILB Texas

50) Indianapolis Colts from New York Giants via Seattle Seahawks: Kendall Joseph, ILB Clemson

51) Dallas Cowboys: Josh Allen, OLB Kentucky

52) Detroit Lions: Wyatt Teller, OG Virginia Tech

53) Buffalo Bills: Mitch Hyatt, OT Clemson

54) Atlanta Falcons: Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State

55) Tennessee Titans: Harrison Phillips, DL Stanford

56) Carolina Panthers: Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State

57) Kansas City Chiefs: Mason Cole, OL Michigan

58) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Quenton Meeks, CB Stanford

59) Jacksonville Jaguars: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma

60) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Jamarco Jones, OT Ohio State

61) Pittsburgh Steelers: Bryce Love, RB Stanford

62) Minnesota Vikings: Uchenna Nwosu, OLB USC

63) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: DJ Moore, WR Maryland

64) New England Patriots: Dorance Armstrong Jr., EDGE Kansas

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2018 NFL Mock Draft, Arden Key, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore Ravens, Bradley Chubb, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Connor Williams, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quenton Nelson, Roquan Smith, Sam Darnold, San Francisco 49ers, Saquon Barkley, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Final

Posted on April 26, 2017 Updated on April 26, 2017

The Draft has finally arrived! In just a few hours we will officially begin the 2017 NFL season. Most teams started forming their rosters for 2017 during free agency, but the draft is where teams rebuild and reload. The draft is where every team, regardless of their record from the previous season, is renewed with a sense of hope. Hope that the the players added will help their team take massive strides in the upcoming season. Hope that the players they draft will help them achieve the ultimate goal; winning a championship.

This mock draft is my final one for 2017. Each pick is based on what I would do at each spot. A trade is only made if I felt it was a good deal for both sides. These selections are based on my personal rankings and my personal evaluation of team needs. I didn’t analyze every selection because, if you’ve followed my mock drafts thus far, you know the players I like as well as the players I don’t. Thanks to those who kept up with my content, I really appreciate it.

*If you’re looking for my predictions mock draft, click on the link (https://draftstock.net/2017/04/19/2017-nfl-media-mock-draft/)

ROUND ONE

1- Cleveland Browns- Myles Garrett, EDGE Texas A&M

2- San Francisco 49ers- Mitchell Trubisky, QB North Carolina

3- Chicago Bears- Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State

4- Jacksonville Jaguars- Solomon Thomas, DE Stanford

5- Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams- Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU

6- New York Jets- Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin

7- Los Angeles Chargers- Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State

8- Carolina Panthers- Leonard Fournette, RB LSU

9- Cincinnati Bengals- Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama

10- Buffalo Bills- Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan

11- New Orleans Saints- Taco Charlton, DE Michigan

12- Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles- Jonathan Allen, DE/DT Alabama

13- Miami Dolphins via Arizona Cardinals- Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky

14- Denver Broncos from Philadelphia Eagles via Minnesota Vikings- OJ Howard, TE Alabama

15- Indianapolis Colts- Zach Cunningham, OLB/ILB Vanderbilt

16- New York Giants via Baltimore Ravens- David Njoku, TE Miami Florida

17- Washington Redskins- Montravius Adams, DE/DT Auburn

18- Tennessee Titans- Evan Engram, WR/TE Ole Miss

19- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Budda Baker, FS Washington

20- Philadelphia Eagles via Denver Broncos- Gareon Conley, CB Ohio State

21- Detroit Lions- Haason Reddick, OLB/ILB Temple

22- Arizona Cardinals via Miami Dolphins- Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson

23- Baltimore Ravens via New York Giants- TJ Watt, OLB Wisconsin

24- Oakland Raiders- Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State

25- Houston Texans- Obi Melifonwu, FS/SS UCONN

26- Seattle Seahawks- Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama

27- Kansas City Chiefs- Jarrad Davis, OLB/ILB Florida

28- Dallas Cowboys- Adoree Jackson, CB/FS USC

29- Green Bay Packers- Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee

30- Pittsburgh Steelers- Tre’Davious White, CB LSU

31- Atlanta Falcons- Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn

32- Los Angeles Rams via New England Patriots from New Orleans Saints via New England Patriots- Mike Williams, WR Clemson

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1- Miami Dolphins trade the #22, the #54 and the #206 to the Arizona Cardinals for the #13.

2- Denver Broncos trade the #20, #82 and a 2018 3rd to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #14 and a 2018 5th.

3- New York Giants trade the #23 the #87 and a 2018 3rd to the Baltimore Ravens for the #16.

4- New England Patriots trade Malcolm Butler and a 2018 3rd to the New Orleans Saints for the #32. The Patriots then trade the #32 to the Los Angeles Rams for the #37 and the #112.

ROUND TWO

33- Cleveland Browns- Sidney Jones, CB Washington

34- San Francisco 49ers- Zay Jones, WR East Carolina

35- Houston Texans via Jacksonville Jaguars- Patrick Mahomes II, QB Texas Tech

36- Chicago Bears- Cam Robinson, OT Alabama

37- New England Patriots via Los Angeles Rams- Derek Rivers, EDGE Youngstown State

38- Los Angeles Chargers- Jordan Willis, EDGE Kansas State

39- New York Jets- Fabian Moreau, CB UCLA

40- Carolina Panthers- Tarell Basham, DE Ohio

41- Cincinnati Bengals- Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee

42- New Orleans Saints- DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame

43- Philadelphia Eagles- Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford

44- Buffalo Bills- Rasul Douglas, CB West Virginia

45- Arizona Cardinals- Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Colorado

46- Indianapolis Colts- Marcus Maye, FS Florida

47- Baltimore Ravens- Chris Godwin, WR Penn State

48- Minnesota Vikings- Pat Elflein, G/C Ohio State

49- Washington Redskins- Jabrill Peppers, SS/LB/RB Michigan

50- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Garett Bolles, OT Utah

51- Denver Broncos- Dion Dawkins, OT/OG Temple

52- Cleveland Browns via Tennessee Titans- DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame

53- Detroit Lions- Chidobe Awuzie, CB/FS Colorado

54- Arizona Cardinals via Miami Dolphins- John Ross III, WR Washington

55- New York Giants- D’Onta Foreman, RB Texas

56- Oakland Raiders- Jaleel Johnson, DT Iowa

57- Jacksonville Jaguars via Houston Texans- Dan Feeney, OG Indiana

58- Seattle Seahawks- Taylor Moton, OT/OG Western Michigan

59- Kansas City Chiefs- Damontae Kazee, CB San Diego State

60- Dallas Cowboys- Charles Harris, EDGE Missouri

61- Green Bay Packers- Malik McDowell, DE/DT Michigan State

62- Pittsburgh Steelers- Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama

63- San Francisco 49ers via Atlanta Falcons- Quincy Wilson, CB Florida

64- Carolina Panthers via New England Patriots- Amara Darboh, WR Michigan

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1- Houston Texans trade #57 and a 2018 2nd to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #35.

2- San Francisco 49ers trade the #66 and the #198 to the Atlanta Falcons for the #63.

ROUND THREE

65- Cleveland Browns- Marcus Williams, FS Utah

66- Atlanta Falcons via San Francisco 49ers- Josh Jones, FS/SS NC State

67- Chicago Bears- Alex Anzalone, OLB/ILB Florida

68- Jacksonville Jaguars- Ryan Anderson, OLB Alabama

69- Los Angeles Rams- Chris Wormley, DE/DT Michigan

70- New York Jets- Jake Butt, TE Michigan

71- Los Angeles Chargers- Chad Hansen, WR California

72- New England Patriots via Carolina Panthers- Desmond King, CB/FS Iowa

73- Cincinnati Bengals- Elijah Qualls, NT Washington

74- Philadelphia Eagles- Teez Tabor, CB/FS Florida

75- Buffalo Bills- Delano Hill, FS Michigan

76- New Orleans Saints- Raekwon McMillian, ILB Ohio State

77- Arizona Cardinals- Tyler Orlosky, G/C West Virginia

78- Baltimore Ravens- Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE Villanova

79- Minnesota Vikings- Eddie Jackson, SS Alabama

80- Indianapolis Colts- Trey Hendrickson, EDGE Florida Atlantic

81- Washington Redskins- Anthony Walker, ILB Northwestern

82- Philadelphia Eagles via Denver Broncos- Ryan Switzer, WR North Carolina

83- Tennessee Titans- Cameron Sutton, CB/FS Tennessee

84- Pittsburgh Steelers via Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jordan Leggett, TE Clemson

85- Detroit Lions- Bucky Hodges, TE Virginia Tech

86- Minnesota Vikings from Miami Dolphins- Eddie Vanderdoes, DT UCLA

87- Baltimore Ravens via New York Giants- Jourdan Lewis, CB Michigan

88- Oakland Raiders- Duke Riley, OLB LSU

89- Houston Texans- Adam Shaheen, TE Ashland

90- Seattle Seahawks- Daeshon Hall, EDGE Texas A&M

91- Kansas City Chiefs- Davis Webb, QB California

92- Dallas Cowboys- Tyus Bowser, OLB Houston

93- Green Bay Packers- Semaje Perine, RB Oklahoma

94- Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Pittsburgh Steelers- Vince Beigel, OLB Wisconsin

95- Atlanta Falcons- Dorian Johnson, OG Pittsburgh

96- New England Patriots- Larry Ogunjobi, DT Charlotte

97- Miami Dolphins (Compensatory Selection)- Bryan Cox Jr., DE Florida

98- Carolina Panthers (Compensatory Selection)- George Kittle, TE Iowa

99- Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Selection)- Will Holden, OT Vanderbilt

100- Chicago Bears via Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection)- Kenny Golladay, WR Northern Illinois

101- Denver Broncos (Compensatory Selection)- Demarcus Walker, DE Florida State

102- Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection)- Ar’Darius Stewart, WR Alabama

103- New England Patriots from Cleveland Browns (Compensatory Selection)- Lorenzo Jerome, SS St. Francis PA

104- Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection)- Wayne Gallman, RB Clemson

105- Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection)- Nathan Peterman, QB Pittsburgh

106- Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection)- Jarron Jones, DT/NT Notre Dame

107- New York Jets (Compensatory Selection)- Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE UCLA

TRADES IN ROUND THREE

1- Pittsburgh Steelers trade the #94 and the #135 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the #84.

2- Chicago Bears trade the #111 and the #147 to the Tennessee Titans for the #100 and the #214.

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Jordan Katz: 2017 Big Board (Top 75)

Posted on April 25, 2017

1- Myles Garrett, EDGE Texas A&M

2- Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama

3- Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU

4- Solomon Thomas, DE Stanford

5- Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State

6- Taco Charlton, DE Michigan

7- Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin

8- Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State

9- Leonard Fournette, RB LSU

10- Jonathan Allen, DE/DT Alabama

11- Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan

12- Sidney Jones, CB Washington (Injured)

13- Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky

14- Jake Butt, TE Michigan (Injured)

15- OJ Howard, TE Alabama

16- Adoree Jackson, CB/FS USC

17- Mitchell Trubisky, QB North Carolina

18- Zach Cunningham, OLB/ILB Vanderbilt

19- Budda Baker, CB/FS Washington

20- Montravius Adams, DT Auburn

21- Gareon Conley, CB Ohio State

22- Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State

23- Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn

24- David Njoku, TE Miami Florida

25- TJ Watt, OLB Wisconsin

26- Tre’Davious White, CB LSU

27- Obi Melifonwu, FS/SS UCONN

28- Jarrad Davis, ILB/OLB Florida

29- Jabrill Peppers, FS/SS/LB/RB Michigan

30- Haason Reddick, ILB/OLB Temple

31- Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee

32- Tarell Basham, DE Ohio

33- Evan Engram, TE Ole Miss

34- Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford

35- Mike Williams, WR Clemson

36- Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee

37- Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson

38- Fabian Moreau, CB UCLA

39- Zay Jones, WR East Carolina

40- Derek Rivers, EDGE Youngstown State

41- D’Onta Foreman, RB Texas

42- Chris Godwin, WR Penn State

43- Rasul Douglas, CB West Virginia

44- Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Colorado

45- Jordan Willis, EDGE Kansas State

46- Jaleel Johnson, DT Iowa

47- Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama

48- Damontae Kazee, CB San Diego State

49- Marcus Maye, FS Florida

50- Patrick Mahomes II, QB Texas Tech

51- Cam Robinson, OT Alabama

52- Jordan Leggett, TE Clemson

53- John Ross III, WR Washington

54- Chidobe Awuzie, CB/FS Colorado

55- Pat Elflein, OG/C Ohio State

56- Malik McDowell, DE/DT Michigan State

57- Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama

58- DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame

59- Amara Darboh, WR Michigan

60- Quincy Wilson, CB Florida

61- Chris Wormley, DT Michigan

62- Marcus Williams, FS Utah

63- Desmond King, CB/FS Iowa

64- Dan Feeney, OG Indiana

65- Charles Harris, EDGE Missouri

66- Elijah Qualls, NT Washington

67- Ryan Switzer, WR North Carolina

68- Dion Dawkins, OT/OG Temple

69- Ryan Anderson, OLB Alabama

70- Bucky Hodges, TE Virginia Tech

71- Daeshon Hall, EDGE Texas A&M

72- Chad Hansen, WR California

73- Garett Bolles, OT Utah

74- Taylor Moton, OT/OG Western Michigan

75- Alex Anzalone, OLB/ILB Florida

This entry was posted in Uncategorized.

2017 NFL Media Mock Draft

Posted on April 19, 2017 Updated on April 19, 2017

Welcome to the only edition of my Media Mock Draft for 2017. This will be more of a conventional mock draft. In this one, I try to predict what every team will do in each spot. If a team is looking to trade out of their pick, I tried to make a trade happen with the teams that are interested in players on the board, not the teams that I felt should move up. For example, if a quarterback needy team had to move up to ensure they got their guy, they attempted to do so, regardless of what I thought of the quarterback. In short, this is not based on my individual analysis on players. Each selection is based on pre-draft visits and reports among scouts and reporters on what they think teams should take. I also take into account the fans perspective, because sometimes they can play a role (even though they never should).

Now every player does not have to have visited with the team they get drafted by. Plenty of players are drafted without having visited privately with the team that picks them. However, visits can be a good indication as to which way a team is leaning come draft day.

For those curious as to where the information comes from, teams release their visits with players during the draft process. After gathering the information, we have to determine which rumors are true, and which are smoke screens. I won’t get every pick right, but hopefully I will squash some of the rumors that make no sense. Let’s get started.

Round One

1) Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, EDGE Texas A&M- We squash the first smoke screen of the draft with this pick. I believe that the Browns are very high on Mitchell Trubisky. I believe that they want him bad.

However, there is… cue Vince McMahon’s music… “NO CHANCE,” the Browns take him over Myles Garrett.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, DE Stanford- I think the Niners hold the keys to this draft. If they decide to trade this pick, the domino effect will be massive, regardless of what team trades up and who they select.

If they choose to stay put, then the player they select will create the same domino effect. Whether that’s Marshon Lattimore, insert quarterback here, or Solomon Thomas (I think they go Thomas to complete their transition to 4-3), the Niners will determine the outcome of this draft.

3) Chicago Bears: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT Alabama- Allen and the Bears have been matched up for a while now. The Bears used a pre-draft visit on Allen and they met with him at the combine as well. Based on the Bears infatuation with DeShone Kizer, I sense they’ll draft their quarterback of the future on day two, and address a different need in round one.

4) Cincinnati Bengals via Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB LSU- This is a weird call, but let’s play this out. The Jags could definitely stay here and take Fournette. However, I have a feeling they are one of the few teams with Joe Mixon at the top of their running back boards. If that’s the case, then the Fournette rumors are a smoke screen.

It’s no secret the Bengals would love to pick Fournette and stabilize their running game. Jeremy Hill can be a UFA after the upcoming season, and he’s under-performed as of late. Therefore, the Jags use Fournette to swap places with the Bengals and add some draft capital.

5) Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams: Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State- This is an easy fit. The Titans added Logan Ryan, but they still need a corner to play on the other side.

Where this pick could become interesting is if the 49ers take Lattimore at the two. In that case, I would expect Tennessee to take Malik Hooker.

6) Cleveland Browns via New York Jets: Mitchell Trubisky, QB North Carolina- It’s time to squash the second rumor of this draft; the Jets selecting a quarterback in round one.

I think the Jets are talking up Trubisky and Deshaun Watson to get one of the Browns, Cardinals or Texans to come up and take this spot. The Jets have a ton of roster holes and they need more assets in this draft to help address those needs.

7) Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State- The Chargers haven’t met with Malik Hooker, but he’s one of the best players in the draft at a position of need for the Chargers. I’ll take my chances on this one.

8) Washington Redskins via Carolina Panthers: Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU- Jamal Adams recently visited with the Panthers, and they could easily draft him here. The more likely alternative option is that the Panthers are using Adams’ recent fall on draft boards as leverage to move down and gain a few assets in a very talented draft.

Enter the Washington Redskins. Washington needs a second playmaker in their secondary, and it’s no secret that Adams is still an extremely good prospect. Washington trades up to land a game-changer in the secondary, while Carolina slides down and still lands a player they covet.

9) Jacksonville Jaguars via Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama- Foster can anchor the middle of the Jaguars defense from day one. They can save money by cutting Paul Posluszny and improve their front seven, all in one selection.

10) Buffalo Bills: Cam Robinson, OT Alabama- Third rumor of the draft going by the wayside here. Get ready for an offensive lineman to go in the first ten picks. Even though this year’s offensive line class isn’t good, every team needs offensive line in excess. If there’s anyone who can be an everyday starter, you better believe they’ll be drafted highly this year.

11) New Orleans Saints: Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE UCLA- I think the “Vic Beasley,” LEO pass rusher is going to become a lot more common among NFL defenses, and that’s the rational behind this pick. For the Saints, Takk McKinnley will serve that role and attempt to cause havoc opposite Cameron Jordan.

12) New York Jets from Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Kevin King, CB Washington- After trading backwards, the Jets land one of the fastest risers in the draft. King is a fourth rounder on my personal board because I think his technique is average at best.

Despite this, many think he has the size, length and athleticism to dominant in the NFL.

13) Arizona Cardinals: Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson- The Cardinals have to get a quarterback of the future in this draft. This QB class has actually become underrated by the media as time has gone on. Most will still be over-drafted, but the talent level among them is solid. If Watson makes it out of the top ten, the Cardinals would be wise to scoop him up at 13.

14) Denver Broncos from Philadelphia Eagles via Minnesota Vikings: Garett Bolles, OT Utah- Once we hit the middle of the draft, trades become more about teams jumping others to get players they covet. The Broncos need help at both tackle spots, so they jump a few teams to ensure they land Bolles.

15) Indianapolis Colts: Gareon Conley, CB Ohio State- Unless there’s a tackle on the board that the Colts love, they should go defense with this pick. Conley’s slight dip in draft value makes him the perfect selection at 15.

16) Baltimore Ravens: John Ross, WR Washington- Following his 4.22 at the combine, many felt that John Ross would be the first wide out off the board. This is a rumor I actually agree with. The Ravens have met with him on a number of occasions, therefore they choose him over Corey Davis and prove the experts correct.

17) Carolina Panthers via Washington Redskins: OJ Howard, TE Alabama- This is a bold call on my part, but I don’t buy the rumors that OJ Howard will be a top 15 pick. He’s a terrific prospect, but I think NFL teams know that he has a lower ceiling than the top tier tight ends in the NFL.

Having said that, Howard is a terrific prospect and a perfect fit for the Panthers.

18) Tennessee Titans: Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan- The Titans are in a terrific position to grab two game changers in round one, a pass catcher and a defensive back. Those opportunities don’t come often, so expect Tennessee to capitalize on it.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Haason Reddick, OLB/ILB Temple- Reddick’s versatility will have him a highly coveted prospect in the middle of round one. If he makes it to Tampa Bay, a team that needs a strong side pass rusher, he should come off the board.

20) Philadelphia Eagles via Denver Broncos: Chidobe Awuzie, CB Colorado- Awuzie is going to surprise on draft day. Scouts love his versatility and aggressiveness. Having traded down a few spots, the Eagles land the player they probably would’ve selected at 14.

21) Seattle Seahawks via Detroit Lions: Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky- The Seahawks are going to have to move past the Dolphins and Giants in order to get one of the top offensive lineman in this draft. Fortunately, Detroit can trade out of the 21 and still get the player at the top of their board.

22) Dallas Cowboys via Miami Dolphins: Obi Melifonwu, FS/SS UCONN- Having just watched the top guard, and the Dolphins top target, go off the board, the Dolphins sell this pick to the highest bidder (their next target is a bit further down the board).

The Cowboys need secondary help desperately, and someone they love is bound to fall. In this case, it’s Melifonwu.

23) New York Giants: Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin- The Giants pick is simple. If OJ Howard is off the board, then insert the best available offensive lineman here.

24) Oakland Raiders: Zach Cunningham, LB Vanderbilt- For those wondering why this isn’t a running back, the Raiders love DeAndre Washington. He showed flashes of feature back potential last year. Combine that with the impending addition of Marshawn Lynch, and the Raiders choose to address middle linebacker instead.

25) Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes, QB Texas Tech- The Texans are currently starting Tom Savage. “But Jordan, Patrick Mahomes in round one?” The Texans are currently starting Tom Savage. “But Jordan, what about their need for a safety like Jabrill Peppers or Budda Baker?” The Texans are currently starting Tom Savage.

The only way the Texans don’t pick a quarterback in round one is if they’ve traded out of round one (cough, Jimmy Garoppolo, cough).

26) Detroit Lions via Seattle Seahawks: Taco Charlton, DE Michigan- Taco Charlton, like Jonathan Allen, is another enigma in this draft. I can see Charlton going anywhere from 11 to 31. If he winds up in the back end of round one, he becomes the steal of day one.

27) Kansas City Chiefs: Tre’Davious White, CB LSU- The Chiefs need to solidify their number two cornerback, but they also need to upgrade at the nickel cornerback position. Fortunately for them, Tre White accomplishes both goals.

28) Miami Dolphins via Dallas Cowboys: Jarrad Davis, LB Florida- Outside of Kiko Alonso, the Dolphins linebacking core is a mess. Davis gets to stay in Florida and provide stability to the Dolphins linebacker unit.

29) Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford- Okay, so there’s a very good chance that McCaffrey is a top 20 pick. However, here’s the counter argument. Running backs don’t have the same value they used to. While McCaffrey is a better runner between the tackles than he’s ever been given credit for, he’s still at his best in the pass game. Scheme is as important for him as anything else, and that’s why he could fall on draft day… but he probably won’t.

30) Pittsburgh Steelers: TJ Watt, EDGE/OLB Wisconsin- Watt was a fast riser the past few months, and now he’s almost assured a top 40 selection. The Steelers did piece together a decent pass rushing unit last year. However, in order for this defense to take the next step, they need an edge rusher that can change games.

31) Atlanta Falcons: Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee- The Falcons could go a number of different ways with this selection. If they opt to keep the pick, expect them to go best player available, regardless of need.

32) Philadelphia Eagles via New England Patriots from New Orleans Saints via New England Patriots- Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State- All the talk surrounding the New England Patriots is them trading Jimmy Garoppolo to get themselves into round one. However, they have a second trade chip that is much more likely to move; Malcolm Butler.

The Saints still need a number one cornerback, and they still have interest in Malcolm Butler. I think that when push comes to shove, the two sides will find a way to get a deal done involving the 32nd pick.

Having jumped back into the first round, the Patriots then proceed to do the most Patriots thing ever; trade down. Dalvin Cook will fall on draft day, but his tape is too good for him to fall out of round one. I expect a team like Philadelphia to try to scoop him up in the back end of round one.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1- Cincinnati Bengals trade the #9 and the #41 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #4 and the #148.

2- Cleveland Browns trade the #12, #52 and the #108 to the New York Jets for the #6, a 2018 6th round pick and Sheldon Richardson.

3- Washington Redskins trade the #17 and the #49 to the Carolina Panthers for the #8 and a 2018 6th round pick.

4- Denver Broncos trade the #20, #82 and the #101 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #14,

5- Seattle Seahawks trade the #26 and the #102 to the Detroit Lions for the #21.

6- Dallas Cowboys trade the #28, #92, and a 2018 6th round pick to the Miami Dolphins for the #22 and the #178

7- New Orleans Saints acquire Malcolm Butler and a 2018 3rd round pick from the New England Patriots for the #32. The Patriots then trade the #32 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #47 and a 2018 3rd round pick.

Round Two

33) Cleveland Browns: Marcus Maye, FS Florida- Maye has the tools to be a day one pick. Cleveland takes him at the top of round two to boost their secondary.

34) San Francisco 49ers: Adoree Jackson, CB/S USC- Adoree Jackson will be in the green room at the NFL draft, which means his camp expects him to be picked either on day one, or very early on day two.

35) Jacksonville Jaguars: Taylor Moton, OT Western Michigan- Eat, sleep, overdraft offensive lineman, repeat. That will be the theme of the first two days.

36) Chicago Bears: DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame- Kizer appears to be very high on the Bears board. It would surprise me if Chicago didn’t take him on day two.

37) Los Angeles Rams: Evan Engram, WR/TE Ole Miss- The Rams have to get another playmaker on offense in this draft.

38) Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Willis, EDGE Kansas State- Willis had a phenomenal showing at the combine, and his draft stock has only risen since.

39) New York Jets: Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn- The Jets could do a number of different things with this second round pick, especially if they added more assets along the way. However, if an edge rusher falls, like Lawson, I expect them to go in that direction.

40) Carolina Panthers: Tarell Basham, DE Ohio- This might be a little too high for Basham, but he’s a perfect scheme fit with the Panthers.

41) Jacksonville Jaguars via Cincinnati Bengals: Malik McDowell, DT Michigan State- I think the question about McDowell’s motor will keep him out of round one.

42) New Orleans Saints: Davis Webb, QB California- In my opinion, Davis Webb is the most interesting developmental quarterback in the draft. Sit him behind Drew Brees for two years and reap the benefits.

43) New England Patriots via Philadelphia Eagles: Derek Rivers, EDGE Youngstown State- If the Patriots can get into the top 50 this year, I think they’ll try to take an edge rusher. New England doesn’t have many weaknesses, but they need to pressure the QB better in 2017.

44) Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, WR Clemson- It wouldn’t shock me if Mike Williams fell out of the top 50, but I think the Williams supporters saw enough at his pro day to still make him a valuable second round pick.

45) Arizona Cardinals: Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama- Because the DB class is so good, there are bound to be several that fall into the second and third round. In this case, the Cardinals steal Marlon Humphrey.

46) Indianapolis Colts: Tyus Bowser, OLB Houston- Many draft experts and scouts love Tyus Bowser’s athleticism. I think his tape is inconsistent but he’ll be a day two pick for sure.

47) New York Giants via Baltimore Ravens: David Njoku, TE Miami Florida- I think the tight ends could fall in this draft because there’s so many that are good. If that happens, the Giants will fly up the draft board for whomever they covet.

48) Minnesota Vikings: Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee- Despite signing Latavius Murray, the Vikings need a running back of the future.

49) Carolina Panthers via Washington Redskins: Chris Godwin, WR Penn State- The Panthers need a deep threat to replace Tedd Ginn. Godwin has tremendous upside and he could be the steal of the draft among offensive weapons.

50) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jabrill Peppers, SS/LB Michigan- Peppers is another draft enigma. He could be a top 20 pick, or he could fall into the third round. Regardless of where in the draft he winds up, Tampa Bay is a team I expect to covet the Michigan product.

51) Denver Broncos: Bucky Hodges, TE Virginia Tech- Hodges isn’t a great blocker, but as a “move Tight End,” he should excel in the NFL.

52) New York Jets from Cleveland Browns via Tennessee Titans: Budda Baker, FS Washington- In a loaded secondary class, it would behoove the Jets to come out of this draft with multiple starters in the secondary.

53) Detroit Lions: Duke Riley, OLB LSU- Riley is quite similar to his former teammate Deion Jones. As a 4-3 weakside ‘backer, many feel he will be a solid pro.

54) Miami Dolphins: Dan Feeney, OG Indiana- Feeney is the forgotten man among this offensive line class. He should be a plug in play right guard from day one.

55) Baltimore Ravens via New York Giants: Charles Harris, EDGE Missouri- I think Harris is better served in a 4-3, but many think he can play in any situation.

56) Oakland Raiders: Chris Wormley, DT Michigan- Wormley gives the Raiders an athletic pass rusher next to the space-eater Dan Williams.

57) Chicago Bears via Houston Texans: Quincy Wilson, CB Florida- The Bears move up to land a potential number one cornerback.

58) Seattle Seahawks: Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Colorado- Witherspoon has the height and length that the Seahawks look for in their corners. Many feel that this a layup in round two.

59) Kansas City Chiefs: Raekwon McMillian, ILB Ohio State- If the Chiefs go into the season starting Ramik Wilson, they’re asking for disaster.

60) Dallas Cowboys: Fabian Moreau, CB UCLA- Had Moreau not torn his pectoral at his pro day, he would’ve been a first round selection.

61) Green Bay Packers: Elijah Qualls, NT Washington- Qualls is the space eater that the Packers defense is desperately missing.

62) Pittsburgh Steelers: Rasul Douglas, CB West Virginia- The Steelers defense still needs help in the secondary. In my opinion, Douglas has number one cornerback potential, and he would be a great scheme fit in Pittsburgh.

63) Atlanta Falcons: Dion Dawkins, OG/OT Temple- Atlanta still needs a right guard to solidify their offensive line as one of the best in football.

64) Carolina Panthers via New England Patriots: Josh Jones, FS/SS NC State- Josh Jones has the versatility to play both safety spots, which should help him go early in this draft.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1- New York Giants trade the #55, #140 and #167 to the Baltimore Ravens for the #47.

2- Chicago Bears trade the #67 and the #111 to the Houston Texans for the #57.

Round Three

65) Cleveland Browns: Sidney Jones, CB Washington

66) San Francisco 49ers: Zay Jones, WR East Carolina

67) Houston Texans via Chicago Bears: Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama

68) Jacksonville Jaguars: Joe Mixon, RB Oklahoma

69) Los Angeles Rams: Will Holden, OT Vanderbilt

70) New York Jets: Pat Elflein, OG/OC Ohio State

71) Los Angeles Chargers: Ethan Pocic, OL LSU

72) New England Patriots via Carolina Panthers: D’Onta Foreman, RB Texas

73) Cincinnati Bengals: Desmond King, CB/FS Iowa

74) Philadelphia Eagles: Damontae Kazee, CB San Diego State

75) Buffalo Bills: Alex Anzalone, OLB/ILB Florida

76) New Orleans Saints: Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE Villanova

77) Arizona Cardinals: Amara Darboh, WR Michigan

78) Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Orlosky, C West Virginia

79) Minnesota Vikings: Xavier Woods, SS Louisiana Tech

80) Indianapolis Colts: Antonio Garcia, OT Troy

81) Washington Redskins: Anthony Walker, ILB Northwestern

82) Philadelphia Eagles via Denver Broncos: Isaac Asiata, OG Utah

83) Tennessee Titans: Jake Butt, TE Michigan

84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marlon Mack, RB South Florida

85) Detroit Lions: Delano Hill, FS Michigan

86) Minnesota Vikings from Miami Dolphins: Jaleel Johnson, DT Iowa

87) New York Giants: Caleb Brantley, DT Florida

88) Oakland Raiders: Howard Wilson, CB Houston

89) Houston Texans: Justin Evans, SS Texas A&M

90) Detroit Lions via Seattle Seahawks: Kennay Golladay, WR Northern Illinois

91) Kansas City Chiefs: Nathan Peterman, QB Pittsburgh

92) Miami Dolphins via Dallas Cowboys: Teez Tabor, CB/FS Florida

93) Green Bay Packers: Trey Hendrickson, EDGE Florida Atlantic

94) Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Reynolds, WR Texas A&M

95) Atlanta Falcons: Cameron Sutton, CB/FS Tennessee

96) New England Patriots: Roderick Johnson, OT Florida State

97) Miami Dolphins (Compensatory Selection): Vince Biegel, OLB Wisconsin

98) Carolina Panthers (Compensatory Selection): Julie’n Davenport, OT Bucknell

99) Philadelphia Eagles from Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Selection): Ryan Anderson, OLB Alabama

100) Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): Jourdan Lewis, CB Michigan

101) Denver Broncos (Compensatory Selection): Wayne Gallman, RB Clemson

102) Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection): Aviante Collins, OT/OG TCU

103) Los Angeles Chargers via New Orleans Saints from New England Patriots via Cleveland Browns (Compensatory Selection): Chad Hansen, WR California

104) Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection): Danny Isidora, OG Miami Florida

105) Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection): Nico Siragusa, OG San Diego State

106) Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection): Demarcus Walker, DE Florida State

107) New York Jets (Compensatory Selection): Adam Shaheen, TE Ashland

TRADES IN ROUND THREE

1- Los Angeles Chargers trade the #113 and the #151 to the New Orleans Saints for the #103 and #196.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jamal Adams, John Ross, Jonathan Allen, Kansas City Chiefs, Leonard Fournette, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore, Miami Dolphins, Mitchell Trubisky, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Oakland Raiders, Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Reuben Foster, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Solomon Thomas, Takk McKinnley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2017 NFL Mock Draft 3.0- Post NFL Combine

Posted on March 7, 2017 Updated on March 8, 2017

The 2017 NFL Combine was one of the most impressive combines I’ve seen during my time covering the NFL Draft. So many ridiculous performances, and only about half of those were from the Defensive Backs.

The combine often causes scouts and mock draft experts to re-arrange their big board as well as their mock drafts. The reason is not because the combine outweighs game tape. It’s because the combine can expose players weaknesses, as well as reiterate players strengths. Therefore, it’s time for my third mock draft of the year.

While I’ve made a lot of changes when it comes to players and their grades since my last mock draft, the rules of the draft remain the same. This is my evaluation of what I would do if I was in control of all 32 teams. I only made a trade if it made sense for both teams to make the move. Also, if you’re team was desperate for offensive line help, I caved and gave it to them. My condolences in advance.

Round 1

1) Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, EDGE Texas A&M- Garrett demonstrated this weekend why he’s the clear cut number one overall selection. He’s an athletic specimen and a star at the next level.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Mitchell Trubisky, QB North Carolina- There’s a lot of talk over the combine that Deshaun Watson had, but I think day two of the combine is easily the most overrated day in Indianapolis. Outside of footwork, there’s not much you learn from guys throwing and catching in workout clothes. Trubisky’s tape is worthy of a first round grade, so he remains my top quarterback off the board.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars via Chicago Bears: Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU- A rare one spot trade down, but it makes sense. Chicago is desperate for more picks in a very talented draft class, and Jacksonville will address a lot of their needs in free agency. Jacksonville needs a second game changer in their secondary and trading up to ensure they land Jamal Adams is worth it.

4) Chicago Bears via Jacksonville Jaguars: Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State- I’m not as concerned about Hooker’s injuries as some are. I also don’t care that safeties are often not top ten picks. Both Hooker and Adams have incredible range, and Hooker’s ability to play “centerfield,” is unlike anyone I’ve scouted.

5) Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams: Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State- The Titans are most likely getting a big name wide receiver before the draft, so their number one need becomes cornerback. Fortunately for them, Lattimore is one of the most technically sound corners in recent memory.

6) New York Jets: Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin- First off, I tried to trade out of this pick for Gang Green, but the asking price was too high for teams to move up. If I was in charge of the Jets, I would execute a rebuild instead of a reload. Based on this, the Jets select the top offensive tackle in the draft, even with the injury concerns.

7) Philadelphia Eagles via Los Angeles Chargers: Leonard Fournette, RB LSU- Fournette won’t play at the 240 pounds he weighed in at over the weekend. However, he proved just how athletic he truly is. The Eagles wow the Chargers with value to move up and select a game changing running back to compliment Carson Wentz.

8) Carolina Panthers: Solomon Thomas, DE Stanford- The Panthers took a massive step backwards in 2016 because they lacked the pass rush they had the year before. Solomon Thomas has unique athleticism for someone his size, and his game tape is impressive for someone playing out of position a lot (Stanford used him often as a 3-4 DE). He’s a perfect fit for the Panthers defensive front.

9) Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT Alabama- Allen has a few medical concerns, but according to a few doctors I spoke to, their belief is that Allen can still have a strong NFL career. If that’s the case, Cincinnati would hit a home run if they put his disruptive game style next to Geno Atkins.

10) Buffalo Bills: Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson- Watson may not be worthy of a top ten selection for me, but quarterbacks are a tricky analysis. You have to judge when to take a chance on a quarterback based on your team and the player’s skill set. Buffalo should be able to retain Stephon Gilmore, which means their top need is at quarterback. Watson would thrive with the Bills offense, so while this is a bit of a reach, I love the fit.

11) New Orleans Saints: Taco Charlton, DE Michigan- Still love this fit. Taco Charlton is one of my favorite guys in this draft because of his ability to gain leverage on opposing offensive lineman. He’d be a great compliment to Cameron Jordan.

12) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Sidney Jones, CB Washington- With the top two quarterbacks off the board, Cleveland continues to address other needs. Jones’ ability to press, along with his length and his athleticism, will allow him to succeed in the NFL for a long time.

13) Arizona Cardinals: Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama- Foster will have some questions to answer about the incident in Indianapolis, but it shouldn’t affect him too much. When you put the game tape on, there’s no way this guy isn’t one of the top ten players in this draft. His range is incredible, and he’s got a great motor on the field. Arizona is in a best player available situation, and Foster also happens to be a scheme fit.

14) Los Angeles Chargers from Philadelphia Eagles via Minnesota Vikings- Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee- The Chargers are able to slide backward, add a second rounder, and still land the edge rusher they desperately need. Barnett is as fundamentally sound as any edge rusher in this draft. This is a perfect match.

15) Indianapolis Colts: Zach Cunningham, ILB/OLB Vanderbilt- The Colts need anything on defense you can think of, but a signal caller would go a long way towards helping them immediately. Cunningham has great length and athleticism, and can immediately help the back seven of the Colts defense.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan– Ozzie Newsome goes offense in the first round again? Don’t scoff at it. Davis has elite jump ball ability to go along with his terrific route running. He’d be an excellent compliment to Breshad Perriman.

17) Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, DE/DT Michigan State- As long as a team can get McDowell to compete on ever down, he’s well worth a top 20 selection. McDowell has length, athleticism, and the ability to gain consistent leverage when he wants. If Jay Gruden tamed Desean Jackson, he should be able to do the same with McDowell.

18) Tennessee Titans: OJ Howard, TE Alabama- Marcus Mariota definitely needs a big time target, but based on the type of quarterback he is, it might help him more if that top target is a tight end. Howard paired with Delanie Walker would add a different dimension to a team poised to break out in 2017.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State- Cook had a terrible combine, and it has made a lot of scouts question his value in the NFL. The tape is still incredible, so I think he’s still worthy of a top tier selection. However, if his pro day is another struggle, that may raise more red flags.

20) Denver Broncos: Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky- Forrest Lamp is going to be an all pro guard in the NFL. I love his athleticism and his ability to control the point of attack. He may go higher than this on my final mock draft, but for now he’s a still at 20 for the Broncos.

21) Detroit Lions: Adoree Jackson, CB/FS USC- Jackson is one of my favorite players in this draft. He may not have the most technically sound footwork, but he’s a ball-hawk extraordinaire. I’ll ride with Jackson as a first round talent until the end this year.

22) Miami Dolphins: Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn- What makes so many of the edge rushers so good in this draft class is how good they are technically. They may not all have Myles Garrett’s athleticism, but they have a good move set and their technique allows them to gain leverage on opposing tackles. Lawson isn’t the best athlete, but his ability to use his hands to direct O-Lineman is excellent. He’s an NFL player on tape.

23) New York Giants: Cam Robinson, OT/OG Alabama- The Giants need offensive line help so badly, that they overdraft Cam Robinson. A lot of people would love this value pick, but I think Robinson is a day two right tackle or a day two guard.

24) Oakland Raiders: Montravius Adams, DT Auburn- Adams is so disruptive on the interior. Putting him with Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin might honestly be illegal in most states. A great way to take pressure of a secondary is to develop a dominant pass rush. The Raiders have done that with this selection.

25) Houston Texans: Obi Melifonwu, FS/SS UCONN- Shoutout to my fellow DraftStock contributor (Mike Reynolds) on this one. Obi Melifonwu was on his radar as a top two round selection way back in October. After the combine Melifonwu had, if he’s not a round one guy I’d be stunned.

26) Cleveland Browns via Seattle Seahawks: Budda Baker, CB/FS/SS Washington- Seattle is desperate for offensive line. Because the big three are gone, they can easily move down and get the player they desire. Cleveland shouldn’t overdraft a quarterback just because it’s a quarterback driven league, but they should use their extra picks to get back into the first round for a player they covet.

Baker is going to be a big time player at the next level. He doesn’t possess the best ball skills just yet, but he flies to the football and makes impact plays defensively. With Jones at the 12 and Baker at the 26, the Browns have rebuilt their secondary.

27) Kansas City Chiefs: Jarrad Davis, OLB/ILB Florida- Davis is much higher on my personal board than most. I think he’s a complete linebacker and can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4. The Chiefs start Ramik Wilson. Any questions?

28) Dallas Cowboys: Mike Williams, WR Clemson- Williams’ decision to not run the 40 brings his ability to separate from defenders at the next level into question. I think he’ll be okay because of the way he uses his size, but until he proves his speed, he falls a bit in this draft.

29) Green Bay Packers: Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama- Tim Williams didn’t have a good combine, but I still believe in the player I saw on film. Putting him opposite a premier edge rusher like Clay Matthews will allow him to flourish in the NFL.

30) Pittsburgh Steelers: TJ Watt, EDGE/OLB Wisconsin- The Steelers are in need of a second edge rusher, but they also need linebacker depth in general. Watt is incredibly versatile. He can be a 4-3 outside linebacker, a 3-4 weak-side linebacker, or a straight edge rusher. Pittsburgh will use his versatility well.

31) Atlanta Falcons: Jabril Peppers, ATH Michigan- Dan Quinn loves players that compete on every down, and Jabril Peppers does just that. I still believe in Peppers’ ability to be a SS in the NFL, but his offensive ability will also be valuable to a lot of NFL teams.

32) New England Patriots: Hasson Reddick, OLB/ILB Temple- Reddick can rush the passer off the edge, but in the NFL he will be asked to be a complete linebacker. Fortunately for him, there’s no greater teacher than “The Hoodie,” in New England.

Trades in Round One

1- Jacksonville Jaguars trade the #4, #68, #110 and a 2018 4th to the Chicago Bears for the #3, #221 and a 2018 6th round pick

2- Philadelphia Eagles trade the #14 and the #43 to the Los Angeles Chargers for the #7 and the #113

3- Cleveland Browns trade the #33, #53 and the #108 to the Seattle Seahawks for the #26 and the #58

Round 2

33) Seattle Seahawks via Cleveland Browns: Garett Bolles, OT Utah- Bolles isn’t polished yet but he’s a good athlete with solid upside.

34) San Francisco 49ers: John Ross III, WR Washington- 4.22?! He might have some focus drops but you can’t teach that speed.

35) Jacksonville Jaguars: Tre’Davious White, CB LSU- Tre White is a steal here for a team well on their way towards a dominant secondary.

36) Chicago Bears: DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame- Kizer could benefit from sitting a year, and hopefully Chicago will do that if they pick him.

37) Los Angeles Rams: Dion Dawkins, OT/OG Temple- Dawkins had a very good combine. He showed athleticism that I didn’t think he had based on his tape.

38) Los Angeles Chargers: Desmond King, CB/FS Iowa- I still think King can be an NFL corner. If he does convert to safety, he’s a smart enough player to make a smooth transition.

39) New York Jets: Gareon Conley, CB Ohio State- Conley has great length and athleticism. If his technique catches up to his physical traits, lookout.

40) Carolina Panthers: Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee- Kamara is a terrific runner in space, but he’s better between the tackles than people think.

41) Cincinnati Bengals: Quincy Wilson, CB Florida- Wilson will need a solid pro day after a bad combine. Despite this, his tape still has him as a top tier player in this draft.

42) New Orleans Saints: Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama- Humphrey has a tendency to gamble too much. He’s much better when he mirrors receivers and stays disciplined. New Orleans needs a turnover guy though, and Humphrey has that ability.

43) Los Angeles Chargers via Philadelphia Eagles: Zay Jones, WR East Carolina- Zay Jones is the big winner this draft season. He’d fit right in with the Chargers offense and help take pressure off of Keenan Allen.

44) Denver Broncos via Buffalo Bills: David Njoku, TE Miami Florida- Denver moves up to land a game changing tight end in Njoku.

45) Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Mahomes, QB Texas Tech- As someone who loves to play backyard football, you can’t help but root for the “backyard artist,” himself.

46) Indianapolis Colts: Teez Tabor, CB Florida- Teez Tabor had a horrendous combine. He looked slow footed during every test. However, his technique shined during the drills, so he has become a very tough evaluation moving forward.

47) Baltimore Ravens: Jourdan Lewis, CB Michigan- Lewis will excel as a nickel corner in the NFL. Fortunately for Baltimore, that’s what they need.

48) Minnesota Vikings: Pat Elflein, OG/OC Ohio State- Elflein would be a third round guy for me in a normal offensive line year. However, this isn’t that year.

49) Washington Redskins: Elijah Qualls, NT Washington– Qualls eats blockers as well as anyone in this draft, a necessity for a strong nose tackle.

50) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Williams, FS Utah- I think a lot of people are sleeping on Marcus Williams this year. I love his ability to hawk the ball on tape.

51) Buffalo Bills via Denver Broncos: Chris Godwin, WR Penn State- Buffalo trades down and still gets the receiver they would’ve taken in their original spot.

52) Seattle Seahawks from Cleveland Browns via Tennessee Titans- Taylor Moton, OG/OT Western Michigan- Moton is a mixed bag. He has good athleticism and a strong frame, but his footwork is often clunky. I think Seattle should be able to utilize his strengths and make him a solid pro.

53) Detroit Lions: Tarell Basham, DE Ohio- Basham showed elite athleticism in Indy. This guy could become an elite pass rusher in a few years.

54) Miami Dolphins: Evan Engram, TE Ole Miss- Engram is a game changer in the pass game. If a team uses him as a hybrid between a receiver and a tight end, the sky is the limit.

55) New York Giants: Caleb Brantley, DT Florida- Brantley is disruptive as a one tech or a three tech. His versatility will compliment Snack Harrison in the middle of the Giants defense.

56) Oakland Raiders: D’Onta Foreman, RB Texas- Foreman is a mammoth and a skilled runner between the tackles. He’d be a great fit in Oakland.

57) New England Patriots via Houston Texans: Jordan Willis, EDGE Kansas State- Jordan Willis could be the winner from the weekend in Indy. New England trades up to land the pass rusher they need.

58) Cleveland Browns via Seattle Seahawks: Davis Webb, QB California- Webb is another developmental quarterback. Much like Mahomes and Kizer, if the Browns are patient with Webb, he can turn into an NFL starter.

59) Kansas City Chiefs: Damontae Kazee, CB San Diego State- Kazee needs to improve his footwork, but he’s a beast when the ball is in his vicinity.

60) Dallas Cowboys: Cordrea Tankersley, CB Clemson- Tankersley is a solid corner in all forms of coverage. Dallas needs stability in the back end of their defense.

61) Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford- McCaffrey in the Packers offense is a match made in heaven.

62) Pittsburgh Steelers: Curtis Samuel, WR/RB Ohio State- Samuel’s speed and ability to space will make him a matchup problem in the NFL.

63) Atlanta Falcons: Jaleel Johnson, DT Iowa- Johnson fell down my board a bit, but that’s not a reflection on his talent. He eats space and gets good leverage on opposing lineman.

64) Houston Texans via New England Patriots: Jarron Jones, NT Notre Dame- Jones is the only other nose tackle with a day two grade or better for me, so Houston slides down and still gets their guy.

Trades in Round Two

1- Denver Broncos trade #51 and #101 to the Buffalo Bills for the #44

2- New England Patriots trade the #64, #137 and #163 to the Houston Texans for the #57 and the #243.

Round 3

65) Cleveland Browns: Antonio Garcia, OT Troy

66) San Francisco 49ers: Rasul Douglas, CB West Virginia

67) Chicago Bears: Julie’n Davenport, OT Bucknell

68) Chicago Bears via Jacksonville Jaguars: Jake Butt, TE Michigan

69) Los Angeles Rams: Malachi Dupre, WR LSU

70) New York Jets: Jordan Leggett, TE Clemson

71) Los Angeles Chargers: Eddie Jackson, SS Alabama

72) Carolina Panthers: Chidobe Awuzie, CB/FS Colorado

73) Cincinnati Bengals: Dan Feeney, OG Indiana

74) Philadelphia Eagles: Chris Wormley, DT Michigan

75) Buffalo Bills: Cameron Sutton, CB/FS Tennessee

76) New Orleans Saints: Raekwon McMillian, ILB Ohio State

77) Arizona Cardinals: Fabian Moreau, CB UCLA

78) Baltimore Ravens: Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE UCLA

79) Minnesota Vikings: Alex Anzalone, OLB/ILB Florida

80) Indianapolis Colts: Lorenzo Jerome, SS St. Francis PA

81) Washington Redskins: Justin Evans, SS Texas A&M

82) Denver Broncos: Carlos Watkins, DE/DT Clemson

83) Tennessee Titans: Dawuane Smoot, EDGE Illinois

84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ryan Anderson, OLB Alabama

85) Detroit Lions: Bucky Hodges, TE Virginia Tech

86) Minnesota Vikings from Miami Dolphins: Bryan Cox Jr., DE Florida

87) New York Giants: Nathan Peterman, QB Pittsburgh

88) Oakland Raiders: Marcus Maye, FS Florida

89) Houston Texans: Gerald Everett, TE South Alabama

90) Seattle Seahawks: Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Colorado

91) Kansas City Chiefs: DJ Jones, NT Ole Miss

92) Dallas Cowboys: Adam Shaheen, TE Ashland

93) Green Bay Packers: Dorian Johnson, OG Pittsburgh

94) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Myrick, CB Minnesota

95) Atlanta Falcons: Daeshon Hall, EDGE Texas A&M

96) New England Patriots: John Johnson, FS Boston College

97) Miami Dolphins (Compensatory Selection): Ethan Pocic, OG LSU

98) Carolina Panthers (Compensatory Selection): Ar’Darius Stewart, WR Alabama

99) Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Selection): Demarcus Walker, DE Florida State

100) Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): Eddie Vanderdoes, DE/DT UCLA

101) Buffalo Bills via Denver Broncos (Compensatory Selection)- Aviante Collins, OT TCU

102) Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection): Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE Villanova

103) New England Patriots from Cleveland Browns (Compensatory Selection): George Kittle, TE Iowa

104) Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection): Brad Kaaya, QB Miami Florida

105) Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection): Josh Jones, FS/SS NC State

106) Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection): Cooper Kupp, WR Eastern Washington

107) New York Jets (Compensatory Selection): Jeremy McNichols, RB Boise State

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2017 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Dalvin Cook, Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jamal Adams, Jonathan Allen, Kansas City Chiefs, Leonard Fournette, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore, Miami Dolphins, Mitchell Trubisky, Myles Garrett, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Oakland Raiders, Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Reuben Foster, Ryan Ramczyk, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Solomon Thomas, Taco Charlton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2017 NFL Mock Draft 2.0- Post Super Bowl

Posted on February 7, 2017 Updated on February 9, 2017

Following an incredible Super Bowl comeback, it’s time for my second Mock Draft of the 2017 Draft season. For this Mock Draft, I’ve gone three rounds with my opinions of what I think each team should do at each selection. As far as trades are concerned, I only did trades in round one, and I only made trades when the team could get appropriate value according to the Trade Value Chart.

This draft is still based on my rankings and my value of players. It’s also based on my team needs for each team. This doesn’t mean that each team took their top need in the first round. Team needs give General Managers a “road map,” of what they need, but it’s not always the route they take. Sometimes the best player on the board is one you can’t pass on. Balancing when to draft based on team need and when to draft based on best player available is what separates the average General Managers from the great General Managers. I tried to find that balance for every team.

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE/OLB Texas A&M- Myles Garrett remains the top selection simply because he’s the best player in this draft. I can’t see Cleveland passing on his talent for any reason.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, QB North Carolina- I’m concerned about the rumors that Trubisky is going to measure in at 6’1. The lack of size could make him fall a bit in my rankings.

However, Trubisky still has franchise quarterback material. He’s accurate, he’s athletic, and he’s got a bigger arm than people realize.

The combine matters more than it should, and unfortunately for Trubisky, it will make or break his draft stock.

3) Chicago Bears: Jonathan Allen, DE Alabama- The Bears are in an interesting draft spot because of how much they need. They can create buzz around Deshaun Watson in order to trade down and acquire more assets. Unfortunately for them, I still don’t have a first round grade on Watson, so they’re stuck selecting at the third spot.

Fortunately for them, Jonathan Allen is worthy of a top selection because of his ability to use his hands and be disruptive in all facets of the game.

4) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU- Adams is one of my top three players in this draft. I think his technique is great and he’s a complete safety with the ability to play in every coverage. Putting Adams with Ramsey has the makings of a great secondary in the future.

5) Tennessee Titans via LA Rams: Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State- The Titans need secondary help at this selection. Between Adams, Lattimore and Malik Hooker, they’re going to get it. Lattimore has number one cornerback written all over him. His technique is flawless. Lattimore’s backpedal is strong, his hips swivel quickly and fluidly, and he can trail with the best of them.

6) New Orleans Saints via New York Jets: Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama- If Marshon Lattimore and Mitch Trubisky are off the board, I would trade down if I were the Jets. There are plenty of valuable players at the top of this draft, and the Jets can create enough buzz in order to be able to move this pick.

New Orleans needs defensive help desperately. To ensure they get a game changing defensive player, they move up a few spots to land Reuben Foster.

7) Los Angeles Chargers: Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama- If the Chargers lose Melvin Ingram to free agency, edge rusher becomes their top priority. Tim Williams needs to improve versus the run, but his ability to rush the passer is as good as anyone in this draft.

8) Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB LSU- Something tells me the Panthers are going to do something weird in this draft. If it were me, I’d draft the best player available and not think twice. On my board, that best player is Fournette. Fournette’s ability to run through the tackles would gel nicely with the Panthers offensive strategies.

9) Cincinnati Bengals: Teez Tabor, CB Florida- Some may be off the bandwagon, but I’m still a huge Teez Tabor fan. He’s aggressive in man to man coverage, and he’s a ball hawk extraordinaire. Somehow the Bengals need secondary help yet again (assuming they lose Dre Kirkpatrick to free agency), so Tabor makes sense for Cincinnati at this pick.

10) Buffalo Bills: Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan- The Bills need another playmaker opposite Sammy Watkins, regardless of who their quarterback is. Davis might be the best route runner in the draft, which is impressive because his route running is not his best quality. He’s a game changer with he ball in his hands, and his speed along with his size make him a match-up problem for opposing defenses. Davis would change the dynamic of the Bills offense from day one.

11) New York Jets via New Orleans Saints: Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin- The Jets cannot come out of this draft without a tackle of the future. Ramczyk might have torn his labrum during Wisconsin’s bowl game, but he’s still the best offensive lineman in the draft by far.

12) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State- Malik Hooker’s comparison to Ed Reed is very real and not at all overblown. While he’s still very raw, there’s no one in this draft that has his zone coverage potential. He can roam in cover one with the best of them, and can help the Browns force more turnovers (30th in the NFL in takeaways), a stat they need to be better at in 2017.

13) Arizona Cardinals: Sidney Jones, CB Washington- The Cardinals draft depends on what they decide to do at quarterback. If they determine they must have a young quarterback with their first pick, you could see the Cardinals trading out of this pick to acquire future assets and still get that quarterback.

If I were in charge, I wouldn’t neglect the need for a number two cornerback. Not having solid coverage opposite Patrick Peterson drastically changed the dynamic of their defense. Jones is a terrific scheme fit for the Cardinals because his technique is solid and he trails receivers well.

14) Indianapolis Colts: Zach Cunningham, ILB Vanderbilt- As long as the Colts take defense at this pick, their selection is fine by me. Cunningham has good coverage ability and can be a signal caller in the middle of the Colts defense.

15) Philadelphia Eagles via Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State- Like I said in my first mock draft, the Eagles rebuild is complete with the drafting of Dalvin Cook.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Quincy Wilson, CB Florida- Wilson has ideal size and length for a corner, and his skill set is incredibly solid. Wilson has good technique, solid ball skills, and the makings of a very good press cover corner. He might not have the wow factor of Lattimore or Tabor, but the Ravens would love a player of his talent at this selection.

17) Detroit Lions via Washington Redskins: Taco Charlton, DE Michigan- Taco Charlton has no business being on the board right now. He’s a complete 4-3 defensive end with a terrific pass rushing move set. Detroit is in desperate need of an edge rusher opposite Ziggy Ansah, and because Washington can move down and still get the player they covet, this trade makes sense.

18) Tennessee Titans: Mike Williams, WR Clemson- The Titans need to get Marcus Mariota some true weapons in order to take the next step. Williams is 1A to Corey Davis in this draft. He uses his body well, he’s the best jump ball player in the draft, and while he doesn’t run the cleanest routes, he’s a savvy route runner. He knows how to use his size when he cuts out of his break.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jabril Peppers, ATH Michigan- Peppers is falling on most draft boards because of his size, or lack thereof. However, Jabril Peppers is a football player, and I think there is something to be said for that. If you don’t think he’s a great safety because of his coverage ability, he can play more of a big nickel role. If you doubt his ability to shed blockers, he can be a running back. He’s a football player, and that has a ton of NFL value.

20) Denver Broncos: OJ Howard, TE Alabama- OJ Howard is the big winner of the Senior Bowl because he somehow managed to distance himself from a loaded tight end class. Whoever wins the job this year between Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian needs a safety valve in the middle of the field.

21) Washington Redskins via Detroit Lions: Malik McDowell, DE/DT Michigan State- Washington executes sliding down and still getting Malik McDowell to sure up their defensive front. McDowell has the character concerns, but he will dominate the combine in Indianapolis. His length and quickness can make him a mismatch nightmare in the NFL.

22) Miami Dolphins: David Njoku, TE Miami Florida- The Dolphins are losing both tight ends to free agency. Rather than re-signing one of them, it makes more sense for Miami to draft one of the star tight ends in this draft. Njoku is more of a complete tight end than people think. He would become a valuable weapon for Ryan Tannehill.

23) New York Giants: Solomon Thomas, EDGE Stanford- It’s no secret that the Giants need offensive line help, but there’s not an offensive lineman worth selecting here. I tried to trade down for the Giants, but they couldn’t receive enough value to move the pick.

However, Solomon Thomas is a good consolation prize. He might not be the most explosive athlete, but he gets good leverage on opposing linemen, and he excels as a finesse rusher versus bigger lineman. Thomas sets up linemen with his hands and directs them to where he wants them to go. Jason Pierre-Paul is most likely leaving in free agency, so Thomas could fill a necessary void at defensive end.

24) Cleveland Browns via Oakland Raiders: Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson- I love the idea of the QB needy teams trading back into the first round for Kizer or Watson. Teams want that fifth year option on their rookie quarterbacks, so trading back in rather than selecting one too high makes sense if you’re willing to take the gamble that you can pull it off.

Watson is on the rise on my personal board, and he could be a top 15 pick later on in draft season. If his deep ball accuracy continues to improve, he could find himself in my top ten come April.

25) Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, OT Alabama- This is the only selection I made that isn’t based on my own ratings. Robinson would be a reach pick, but Houston is so desperate for offensive line help that they make the reach.

26) Seattle Seahawks: Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky- Forrest Lamp is another guy who could be a top 15 pick in a few months. I love his athleticism and footwork for a guard. I think he’s got the potential to turn into a Pro Bowl guard at the next level.

27) Kansas City Chiefs: Budda Baker, CB/FS/SS Washington- The Chiefs should be able to re-sign Eric Berry, but they still need secondary pieces to keep their defense at an elite level. Budda Baker has the technique to play at every spot in the secondary (fluid hips, quick feet, exc), and the ball hawk ability to be a difference maker. Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton would love a chess piece like Baker in his defense.

28) Dallas Cowboys: Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee- The Cowboys had a very successful 2016 campaign, but they need defensive pieces if they want to make it to the next level. I’m not as high on Barnett as others, but I do think his speed around the edge and his instincts will make him a very good pro.

29) Green Bay Packers: Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn- Lawson’s ability to get pressure with his hand in the dirt or standing up will have him coveted by teams in the back end of the first round. The Packers need all the defensive help they can get, so this pick seems obvious.

30) Pittsburgh Steelers: Charles Harris, EDGE Missouri- I’m not a huge fan of Charles Harris, but he’s easily the best of the “second tier,” of edge rushers in this draft. I’m not sure his move set will translate to the NFL level, but there are plenty who disagree with me on that. Time will tell.

31) Atlanta Falcons: Montravius Adams, DT Auburn- Montravius Adams remains one of my favorite players in this draft. His versatility and athleticism would make him a perfect fit in the middle of Dan Quinn’s defense.

32) New England Patriots: TJ Watt, OLB Wisconsin- TJ Watt is the prototypical Patriot. He doesn’t do anything spectacular, but he’s a play making, run stopping linebacker with great football instincts. Even if Dont’a Hightower gets a long term extension, the Patriots still need play-makers in their linebacking core.

TRADES

1- New Orleans Saints trade the #11 and the #42 to the New York Jets for the #6 and a 2017 4th round pick

2- Detroit Lions trade the #21 and #85 to the Washington Redskins for the #17 and the #183

3- Cleveland Browns trade the #33, #97 and a 2018 3rd round pick to the Oakland Raiders for the #24 and a 2018 5th round pick

ROUND TWO

33) Oakland Raiders via Cleveland Browns- D’Onta Foreman, RB Texas
34) San Francisco 49ers- Malachi Dupre, WR LSU
35) Jacksonville Jaguars- Dan Feeney, OG Indiana
36) Chicago Bears- Jarrod Davis, OLB//ILB Florida
37) Los Angeles Rams- Obi Melifonwu, FS/SS UCONN
38) Los Angeles Chargers- Pat Elflein, OG/OC Ohio State
39) New York Jets- DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame
40) Carolina Panthers- Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama
41) Cincinnati Bengals- Caleb Brantley, DT Florida
42) New York Jets via New Orleans Saints- Adoree Jackson, CB/FS USC
43) Philadelphia Eagles- Desmond King, CB/FS Iowa
44) Buffalo Bills- Patrick Mahomes, QB Texas Tech
45) Arizona Cardinals- Davis Webb, QB California
46) Minnesota Vikings- Garett Bolles, OT Utah
47) Baltimore Ravens- Cooper Kupp, WR Eastern Washington
48) Indianapolis Colts- Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE UCLA
49) Washington Redskins- Anthony Walker, ILB Northwestern
50) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- John Ross III, WR Washington
51) Denver Broncos- Chris Wormley, DE/DT Michigan
52) Cleveland Browns via Tennessee Titans- Jourdan Lewis, CB Michigan
53) Detroit Lions- Ryan Anderson, OLB Alabama
54) Miami Dolphins- Deatrich Wise Jr, EDGE Arkansas
55) New York Giants- Dion Dawkins, OG Temple
56) Oakland Raiders- Haason Reddick, OLB/ILB Temple
57) Houston Texans- Jarron Jones, NT Notre Dame
58) Seattle Seahawks- Tre’Davious White, CB LSU
59) Kansas City Chiefs- Taylor Moton, OT Western Michigan
60) Dallas Cowboys- Cordrea Tankersley, CB Clemson
61) Green Bay Packers- Elijah Qualls, NT Washington
62) Pittsburgh Steelers- Zay Jones, WR East Carolina
63) Atlanta Falcons- Dorian Johnson, OG Pittsburgh
64) New England Patriots- Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford

ROUND THREE

65) Cleveland Browns- Curtis Samuel, WR/RB Ohio State
66) San Francisco 49ers- Rasul Douglas, CB West Virginia
67) Chicago Bears- Gareon Conley, CB Ohio State
68) Jacksonville Jaguars- Demarcus Walker, DE Florida State
69) Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams- Marcus Williams, FS Utah
70) New York Jets- Jake Butt, TE Michigan
71) San Diego Chargers- Justin Evans, SS Texas A&M
72) Carolina Panthers- Tarrell Basham, DE Ohio
73) Cincinnati Bengals- Raekwon McMillian, ILB Ohio State
74) Philadelphia Eagles- Amba Etta-Tawo, WR Syracuse
75) Buffalo Bills- Antonio Garcia, OT Troy
76) New Orleans Saints- Dawuane Smoot, EDGE Illinois
77) Arizona Cardinals- Amara Darboh, WR Michigan
78) Baltimore Ravens- Derek Rivers, EDGE Youngstown State
79) Indianapolis Colts- Cameron Sutton, CB/FS Tennessee
80) Minnesota Vikings- Roedrick Johnson, OT Florida State
81) Washington Redskins- Carlos Watkins, DE/DT/NT Clemson
82) Denver Broncos- Ethan Pocic, OG/OC LSU
83) Tennessee Titans- Jordan Leggett, TE Clemson
84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Daeshon Hall, EDGE Texas A&M
85) Washington Redskins via Detroit Lions- Eddie Jackson, SS Alabama
86) Minnesota Vikings via Miami Dolphins- Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee
87) New York Giants- Gerald Everett, TE South Alabama
88) Oakland Raiders- Jaleel Johnson, DT Iowa
89) Houston Texans- Lorenzo Jerome, SS St. Francis PA
90) Seattle Seahawks- Julie’n Davenport, OT Bucknell
91) Kansas City Chiefs- Nathan Peterman, QB Pittsburgh
92) Dallas Cowboys- DeDe Westbrook, WR Oklahoma
93) Green Bay Packers- Wayne Gallman, RB Clemson
94) Pittsburgh Steelers- Damontae Kazee, CB San Diego State
95) Atlanta Falcons- Bryan Cox Jr, DE Florida
96) New England Patriots- Evan Engram, TE Ole Miss

This entry was posted in NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2017 NFL Draft, 2017 NFL Mock Draft, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Corey Davis, Dalvin Cook, Deshaun Watson, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jamal Adams, Jonathan Allen, Leonard Fournette, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Marshon Lattimore, Mitch Trubisky, Myles Garrett, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Mock Draft, Reuben Foster, Ryan Ramczyk, San Francisco 49ers, Teez Tabor, Tim Williams.

Jordan Katz 2017 Top 5 By Position

Posted on January 4, 2017

This is my own personal list for my top five players by position. For edge rushers, I put them at what I feel is their more natural position, be it a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. This goes for offensive lineman as well. If I believe a tackle is better suited at a guard, I put him there. This also may not reflect the order that I have them in my recent mock draft. My mock draft is based on team needs as well as scheme fits.

Quarterbacks:

1) Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina

2) DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame

3) Deshaun Watson, Clemson

4) Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech

5) Davis Webb, California

Running Backs:

1A) Leonard Fournette, LSU

1B) Dalvin Cook, Florida State

3) Christian McCaffrey, Stanford

4) D’Onta Foreman, Texas

5) Jeremy McNichols, Boise State

Wide Receivers:

1) Corey Davis, Western Michigan

2) Mike Williams, Clemson

3) Malachi Dupre, LSU

4) John Ross III, Washington

5) Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington

Tight Ends:

1) Jake Butt, Michigan

2) David Njoku, Miami Florida

3) Jordan Leggett, Clemson

4) OJ Howard, Alabama

5) Gerald Everett, South Alabama

Offensive Tackles:

1) Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin

2) Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

3) Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell

4) Garrett Bolles, Utah

5) Cam Robinson, Alabama

Interior Line:

1) Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame

2) Pat Elflein, Ohio State

3) Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky

4) Dan Feeney, Indiana

5) Mason Cole, Michigan

Defensive Ends:

1) Myles Garrett, Texas A&M

2) Jonathan Allen, Alabama (3-4)

3) Taco Charlton, Michigan

4) Malik McDowell, Michigan State (3-4)

5) Solomon Thomas, Stanford

Defensive Tackles:

1) Malik McDowell, Michigan State

2) Montravius Adams, Auburn

3) Vita Vea, Washington (Nose Tackle)

4) Caleb Brantley, Florida

5) Chris Wormley, Michigan

3-4 EDGE Rushers:

1) Myles Garrett, Texas A&M

2) Tim Williams, Alabama

3) Carl Lawson, Auburn

4) Derek Barnett, Tennessee

5) Harold Landry, Boston College

4-3 Outside Linebackers/Inside Linebackers:

1) Reuben Foster, Alabama (MLB)

2A) Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt

2B) Jarrad Davis, Florida

2C) TJ Watt, Wisconsin

2D) Anthony Walker, Northwestern (MLB)

Cornerbacks:

1) Teez Tabor, Florida

2) Quincy Wilson, Florida

3) Sidney Jones, Washington

4) Marlon Humphrey, Alabama

5) Desmond King, Iowa

Safeties:

1) Jamal Adams, LSU

2A) Jabril Peppers, Michigan

2B) Malik Hooker, Ohio State

4) Marcus Maye, Florida

5) Justin Evans, Texas A&M

This entry was posted in Uncategorized.

I Was Right, I Was Wrong: 2016 NFL Draft Edition

Posted on January 3, 2017 Updated on January 3, 2017

Of all the articles and mock drafts I write, this article is my favorite. Many draft experts will give you their opinions of players, the talented ones as well as the potential busts. However, I believe that all draft experts should own up to the players they missed on. By the same token, if a draft pundit gets an analysis right on a player, they should be able to flaunt it a bit. It’s hard analyzing the draft prospects every year, even if you have a trained eye for attributes.

I’m not a fan of draft grades or draft redos because it doesn’t let the readers and viewers know how the draft expert did with their analysis. With that being said, here’s the early verdict on the players of the 2016 Draft Class, the good, the bad, and the ones who the jury is still out on. Spoiler alert, I had a tough year.

I WAS RIGHT

1) My Power 5 Players– My final player grades of 2016 had a clear cut top five: Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, Ronnie Stanley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Laremy Tunsil. No other player was remotely close to these five. Every single one of these players shined in their rookie year.

Ramsey struggled out of the gate, but he was terrific during the second half of the season. Bosa got a bad rep around draft time for “not being an elite athlete.” I felt this was a blinded point of view. Football players translate, and Bosa is a football player through and through. He proved it all throughout the season. Stanley and Tunsil were standouts on the offensive line, as virtually everyone predicted, and Zeke Elliott was well worth that top 5 selection.

Many felt that these players would become big time pros, but hey, when you’re right, you’re right.

2) Sterling Shepard- Shepard is of my big hits when it comes to last year’s draft. In the months leading up to the draft, many felt Josh Doctson, Will Fuller, and Laquon Treadwell were the top players in the wide receiver class, with Corey Coleman not too far behind. While I agreed that the wide out class was deep, I thought Shepard was being overlooked.

Shepard’s impact on the Giants offense has been undeniable. He’s taken coverage away from Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz, and he’s quickly became one of Eli Manning’s favorite targets. Shepard is someone who should be an impact player in the NFL for a while.

3) Germain Ifedi- It always feels good when you predict a player to bust and you get it right. Ifedi, along with the rest of the Seahawks offensive line, has been absolute garbage this year. They won’t replace him just yet, but don’t expect Ifedi to get much better.

Bonus Pick: Sean Davis and Artie Burns- Get ready Steelers fans, these two are going to be fun to watch. Both players really improved during the second half of the season, especially Sean Davis. He was flying around the ball late in the year. It wouldn’t shock me if these two are Pro Bowlers one day.

I WAS WRONG

1) Christian Hackenburg- Hack headlines my blunders of the 2016 Draft. While I’m hopeful this will turn around, the project looks really bad right now. Hackenburg has failed to develop during practice. He looked so bad that he couldn’t earn a shot to start down the stretch over Bryce Petty. Now the Jets think he might be two years away from potentially starting. If the last statement is true, he might never get the opportunity to start in the NFL.

2) Jack Conklin- Here’s another absolute whiff on my part. I felt Conklin was overrated all throughout the draft process. Needless to say, I wasn’t close. Conklin has solidified the right side of the Titans offensive line, and was a big help in the development of Marcus Mariota. The Titans now have two bookend tackles for years to come.

3) Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson- Treadwell was someone who I thought could be a red zone terror in the NFL. Even when he ran a slow 40 time, I was still confident that he would be a quality receiver in the NFL. Long story short: nope.

Doctson was my top wide receiver from last year’s draft, and someone who I thought had superstar potential. He did tear his achilles in late may, and that could be why he struggled so much. One thing’s for certain, he looked terrible before being placed on injured reserve in October.

4) The Falcons Big Three- I personally felt the Falcons reached on Keanu Neal, and totally whiffed on Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell. Through 16 weeks, these three have proved me wrong.

Neal has been worth the selection, and one of the best defensive rookies this year. Deion Jones has been up and down, but even that is better than I thought he’d be. He has the athleticism to be a quality starter. Lastly, Campbell was one of the most underrated rookies during the second half of the season. He has been an impact player in coverage for the Falcons, and a key piece in Dan Quinn’s defense.

5) Jonathan Bullard and Leonard Floyd- Bullard was one of my underrated players of last year’s draft. I thought going to Chicago was a perfect fit for him. Bullard’s inconsistent effort level would prevent him from seeing the field, and now the Bears are back to square one in terms of their front line on defense.

Conversely, I thought Leonard Floyd was a bust waiting to happen. He had a limited move set, and I didn’t think pure speed would translate. However, Floyd proved to be an impact pass rusher, and could break out in 2017 if he’s healthy.

TO BE DETERMINED

1) Corey Coleman- Coleman was a first round wide receiver in my opinion, but his inconsistent play has many concerned. The emergence of Terrelle Pryor should have made the transition easier for Coleman, but injuries and inconsistent routes kept him from emerging. When he’s right, he’s proved to be a playmaking receiver. Time will tell whether he can develop into a number one wideout.

2) Eli Apple- Apple was dreadful during the first half of the year, as I predicted (I had a fourth round grade on him). Even though he looked lousy, the Giants stayed with him, and his play really improved during the second half of the year. I’m almost willing to chalk up Apple as a miss, but because of his inconsistency, the jury is still out on him.

3) Jared Goff- I was undecided on Goff, and when he went to Los Angeles I became concerned that he wouldn’t succeed because of the environment he was in. Jeff Fisher didn’t do him any favors by starting Case Keenum over him for most of the year, but Goff looked very bad when he took over. Plenty of rookie quarterbacks have struggled their first year and rebounded in year two, but I’m not sure Goff will be one of those players.

This entry was posted in NFL Draft Articles and tagged Artie Burns, Christian Hackenburg, Corey Coleman, Deion Jones, Eli Apple, Ezekiel Elliott, Germain Ifedi, Jack Conklin, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Jonathan Bullard, Josh Doctson, Keanu Neal, Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, Leonard Floyd, Ronnie Stanley, Sean Davis, Sterling Shepard.

Jordan Katz: 2017 NFL Mock Draft 1.0- Two Rounds

Posted on January 3, 2017 Updated on January 3, 2017

With the calendar turning to January, and the NFL regular season coming to an end, it is officially the greatest time of the year… it’s Mock Draft Season! The NFL draft is where teams rebuild and reload. It’s the most important offseason event for every NFL team. The impact that a good draft has on a franchise is much more significant than if a team has a good free agent period. The draft is where dynasties are formed.

As we delve deeper into the draft season, I’ll also add a few “NFL Buzz,” Mock Drafts. In these mock drafts, I’ll try to predict what teams will do, rather than giving the selections I feel teams should make. However, this mock draft is based on my own rankings, as well as my own evaluations of team needs.

Where this mock draft is a little different is the lack of trades. For this draft, I only included trades if they mutually benefited both teams. If one team was forced to trade down, I didn’t take lesser value just to move out of the draft slot. That will change as teams draft strategies become more apparent in the next few months.

Round One

1) Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, EDGE Texas A&M- Garrett is the clear number one overall pick this year. Much like Jadeveon Clowney from a few years ago, Garrett has all the moves, and the athleticism to match.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, QB North Carolina- I know many draft pundits feel there isn’t a franchise quarterback in this draft, but I think Trubisky can be one. His release is quick and smooth, he makes accurate throws both in the pocket and on the move, and he’s smart with the ball. If the Niners can get Trubisky some weapons, he can turn their franchise around quickly.

3) Chicago Bears: Jonathan Allen, DE Alabama- Jonathan Allen made the decision to return to school last year after receiving a second round grade from the draft committee. Needless to say, that decision will pay off big time. Allen polished his move set and dominated college football in 2016. He’ll be an impact 3-4 defensive end at the next level.

4) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen “Teez” Tabor, CB Florida- I think Teez Tabor is being severely undervalued. He checks every box for a top flight corner. Tabor has good size, great speed, and he mirrors receivers very well. He’s also got the ball skills you want in a number one corner. The Jaguars need a cornerback opposite Jalen Ramsey, and Tabor could give them one of the best young quarterback duos in the NFL.

5) Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams: Jamal Adams, FS/SS LSU- I’m not sure if Adams will go this high, but he’s a top five player in this draft. Adams is a phenomenal athlete with good ball skills and the ability to play in multiple schemes and coverage packages. He’s a dynamic player, and the top player in a ridiculously talented safety class.

6) New York Jets: Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin- The Jets have a few major needs this offseason, and one of them is a left tackle of the future. This draft doesn’t have a lot of talent on the offensive line, but it does have one diamond in the rough; Ryan Ramczyk.

Ramczyk is still improving in his technique, but his footwork and his ability to gain leverage at the point of attack are traits of a dominant left tackle in the future.

7) San Diego Chargers: Tim Williams, EDGE Alabama- Williams may not be relevant against the run just yet, but he’s the best pass rusher in this draft by a mile. This may be a slight reach, but Williams has the upside to be one of the top three to five players in this draft. With the Chargers preparing to lose Melvin Ingram to free agency, edge rusher will be a necessity come April.

8) Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB LSU- Carolina has other needs, but don’t think they will pass on Fournette or Dalvin Cook just because it’s not a primary need. Jonathan Stewart has lost a step, and is on the back end of his contract. For Carolina’s offense to run smoothly, they need a premier running back.

Many feel that Leonard Fournette is a generational runner. While I don’t have him rated quite as high as I had Zeke Elliott, there’s no denying Fournette is a special player. He would have a major impact on Cam Newton and the Panthers offense.

9) Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama- Reuben Foster is your prototypical 4-3 middle linebacker. His range from sideline to sideline is incredible, and his ability to find the ball and make plays is reminiscent of the top linebackers in the NFL. The Bengals get a defensive game changer with this pick.

10) Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, WR Clemson- The Bills need a true playmaker opposite Sammy Watkins, regardless of what they plan to do with Tyrod Taylor. Williams is a big body, possession receiver with a great catch radius. He’s not a deep threat, nor will he ever grow into one. However, neither was Plaxico Burress, and the two are very similar.

11) New Orleans Saints: Taco Charlton, EDGE Michigan- Jabril Peppers might get the most attention on the Wolverines defense, but Taco Charlton might wind up being the best pro. Charlton is a monster in the pass game. He uses his hands well, his move set is polished, and he’s got a great first step with the speed to match. New Orleans struggled to get to the passer this year, and it’s no guarantee last year’s second round pick Hau’oli Kikaha is able to return to form after a third knee surgery. Edge rusher is a need for the Saints.

12) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Jabril Peppers, S/ATH Michigan- Peppers has fell a bit because of his inability to play in zone coverage. Despite this, I still think he’s worthy of a top 15 selection. He’s a thumper in the run game, and shows terrific range sideline to sideline.

Unlike some draft experts, I believe he has coverage ability. His hips are a bit tight in coverage, and his backpedal isn’t great.Despite this, I think he has the ability to play nickel in the NFL if he’s taught better technique.

Worst comes to worst, he’s a terrific running back, and some think he’s a potential pro bowler at that position if given the chance (I’m in that camp).

13) Arizona Cardinals: Quincy Wilson, CB Florida- Arizona is in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, but right now, I only have one quarterback with a first round grade.Therefore, Arizona can go best player available at a position of need.

Wilson has the size, length and ball skills to be one of the top corners in this draft, and some think he already is.

14) Philadelphia Eagles via Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State- The Eagles defense and Carson Wentz proved that with a few upgrades on offense, Philadelphia could be a playoff team in 2017. So why not get an explosive, do-it-all running back to take pressure off of Wentz?

15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Indianapolis Colts: Corey Davis, WR Western Michigan- The Colts need approximately 11 new defensive players this offseason, give or take a few. It would behoove them to move down in the first few rounds at some point.The Bucs need a weapon opposite Mike Evans, and need to jump the Tennessee Titans to get him. This is a trade that makes a lot of sense.

Corey Davis is 1A to Mike Williams this year. He attacks the ball in the air, and his route running ability along with his size make him a matchup nightmare. If Davis turns in a good combine, he could overtake Williams as the top wide out in the class.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Sidney Jones, CB Washington- One of the reasons the Ravens missed the playoffs this year was because they lacked a number two corner. When Jimmy Smith went down due to injury, the Ravens secondary wasn’t nearly the same. Sidney Jones is a little slight, but he’s got NFL length, and he uses it well. Jones is good at mirroring receivers, and he uses the boundary as an extra defender, which shows a high football IQ.

17) Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, DE/DT Michigan State– McDowell comes with his baggage (effort is inconsistent and his pad level can get too high), but he’s a matcup problem because of his size and athleticism. He’s got a good first step, and his ability to gain leverage at the point of attack is solid. Washington is desperate for help along their defensive front, so it will be on Jay Gruden to keep McDowell at all systems go all the time.

18) New York Giants via Tennessee Titans: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- Tennessee missed out on Corey Davis, so they can slide down a few spots if an offer was on the table that blew them away. With the Giants desperate for offensive line help, and Quenton Nelson destined to go before they select, this trade also makes sense for both teams.

Nelson is easily the best guard in this draft. He might not have a lot of national buzz, but he’s easily the most polished offensive lineman in the draft.

19) Indianapolis Colts via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zach Cunningham, ILB Vanderbilt- The Colts could use just about anything on defense, but a signal calling linebacker that can cover would be at the top of my list. Therefore, Cunningham is the logical selection.

20) Denver Broncos: Montravius Adams, DE/DT Auburn- Adams is one of my favorite players in this draft. He’s super athletic and very versatile. Because Auburn asked him to move around a ton on the defensive line, he’s got the ability to play multiple techniques at a high level. That gives a defense like Denver’s an extreme amount of versatility.

21) Detroit Lions: Solomon Thomas, EDGE Stanford– Thomas isn’t my best edge rusher on the board, but he’s a perfect scheme fit for Detroit. He’s a true 4-3 defensive end because of his ability to set the edge versus the run, as well as his ability to get off the ball with his hand in the dirt.

22) Miami Dolphins: Malik Hooker, FS Ohio State- Hooker is a little raw, but don’t drop him too far on your draft boards. His coverage ability and ball skills remind me a lot of Ed Reed. Give him time to become more polished in his technique and he could be the top player in this draft.

23) Tennessee Titans via New York Giants: Malachi Dupre, WR LSU- I’ve been waiting for Malachi Dupre to show me why I thought he was a first round pick before the season started. It took a while, but after Les Miles left, I finally saw it. The explosive 6’4 receiver with good hands showed up on tape. So I’m going to say that the real Malachi Dupre has stood up, and he’s here to stay.

24) Oakland Raiders: Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn- Lawson doesn’t have off the chart measurables, nor does he have tremendous athleticism. What Lawson excels at is, quite simply, football. He’s got a big time pass rushing move set, and he sets the edge well. Oakland needs a true edge rusher opposite Khalil Mack in order for their defense to take the next step forward.

25) Houston Texans: Vita Vea, DT/NT Washington- The Texans are desperate for a true nose tackle in the middle of their defense. Vita Vea is one of the few nose tackles in this draft that has the ability to be an impact player. He eats space well, and frees up rushers because he can win one-on-ones. For Houston, that’s a valuable piece.

26) Green Bay Packers: Derek Barnett, EDGE Clemson-Most would think this is a steal of a pick because many have Barnett as a top ten player. While he’s not that high for me, Barnett to Green Bay is a match made in heaven. Clay Matthews and Derek Barnett have some similarities. Both are quick off the edge, both are pass rushing dynamos, and both are versatile enough to drop into coverage. With Matthews there to help Barnett develop, Barnett could thrive in Lambeau.

27) Seattle Seahawks: Pat Elflein, OG/OC Ohio State- The Seahawks need offensive line, and Elflein is the best on my board. This pick is as straight forward as it gets.

28) Pittsburgh Steelers: Harold Landry, EDGE Boston College- Harold Landry isn’t going to be a draft secret for long. He’s developed into a talented edge rusher with a great first step. Landry isn’t completely polished yet, his move set can still be developed. However, Landry is a big time athlete, and showed it all season. He will fly up draft boards after he tests of the charts in Indy come February.

29) Atlanta Falcons: Caleb Brantley, DT Florida- In my opinion, the Falcons have overachieved defensively this year. They have some glaring weaknesses in the middle of their defensive line. Atlanta’s veterans have performed well, but they’re not particularly talented. Caleb Brantley is the run stopper and space eater that Dan Quinn values in the middle of his defense.

30) Kansas City Chiefs: Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama- Marlon Humphrey is an interesting case. On the one hand, he’s shutting down receivers left and right. John Ross struggled when matched up with Humphrey, as did Antonio Callaway a few weeks ago. On the other hand, Humphrey has a tendency to get his head caught in the backfield a lot. He’s a hit or miss player in zone coverage because of this. Scheme and coaching are key for Humphrey to succeed in the NFL, and I like this fit in Kansas City.

31) New England Patriots: Charles Harris, EDGE Missouri- The Patriots are more tough to judge than usual because their entire draft strategy depends on who Bill Belichick opts to re-sign. Assuming they prioritize Malcolm Butler and Dont’a Hightower, the Patriots will need to replace Chris Long (they might want to do that anyway).

Charles Harris isn’t one of my favorite edge rushers in this draft class, but he’s solid across the board, and the best of the “second tier,” of edge rushers.

32) Dallas Cowboys: David Njoku, TE Miami Florida- In this scenario of seeding, the Dallas Cowboys obviously win the Super Bowl. If that happens, I think Jason Witten will walk away a winner. That makes tight end the Cowboys top need, in my opinion.

This pick would’ve been Jake Butt a week ago, but after the torn ACL he will fall a bit. David Njoku is a name to remember for the next few months. Not only is he a complete tight end, but his athleticism is going to wow everyone at the combine. Njoku will easily be the first tight end off the board in April.
Round Two

33) Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer, QB Notre Dame

34) San Francisco 49ers: John Ross III, WR Washington

35) Jacksonville Jaguars: Dan Feeney, OG Indiana

36) Chicago Bears: Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio State

37) Los Angeles Rams: Forrest Lamp, OG Western Kentucky

38) San Diego Chargers: Marcus Maye, S Florida

39) New York Jets: Adoree Jackson, CB/FS Southern California

40) Carolina Panthers: Cam Robinson, OT/OG Alabama

41) Cincinnati Bengals: Jarron Jones, DT/NT Notre Dame

42) New Orleans Saints: Desmond King, CB/S Iowa

43) Philadelphia Eagles: Jarrad Davis, OLB/ILB Florida

44) Buffalo Bills: Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson

45) Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Mahomes, QB Texas Tech

46) Indianapolis Colts: Chris Wormley, DE/DT Michigan

47) Baltimore Ravens: Daeshon Hall, EDGE Texas A&M

48) Minnesota Vikings: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame

49) Washington Redskins: Anthony Walker, ILB Northwestern

50) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Budda Baker, CB/S Washington

51) Denver Broncos: Julie’n Davenport, OT Bucknell

52) Cleveland Browns via Tennessee Titans: Justin Evans, S Texas A&M

53) Detroit Lions: Jourdan Lewis, CB Michigan

54) Miami Dolphins: Dorian Johnson, OG Pittsburgh

55) New York Giants: OJ Howard, TE Alabama

56) Oakland Raiders: Raekwon McMillian, ILB Ohio State

57) Houston Texans: Mason Cole, OG/OC Michigan

58) Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford

59) Seattle Seahawks: Cordrea Tankersley, CB Clemson

60) Pittsburgh Steelers: Tre’Davious White, CB LSU

61) Atlanta Falcons: Marcus Williams, FS Utah

62) Kansas City Chiefs: Davon Godchaux, DE/DT LSU

63) New England Patriots: Jake Butt, TE Michigan

64) Dallas Cowboys: TJ Watt, OLB/ILB Wisconsin

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts and tagged 2017 NFL Draft, 2017 NFL Mock Draft, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dalvin Cook, Jabril Peppers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jamal Adams, Jonathan Allen, Leonard Fournette, Mike Williams, Mitch Trubisky, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Mock Draft, Reuben Foster, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Taco Charlton, Teez Tabor, Tennessee Titans.

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