Dallas Cowboys

Jordan Katz 2019 NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Pre-Combine

Posted on February 28, 2019 Updated on March 1, 2019

The NFL Combine gets underway today, which means it’s a great time for another installment of my Mock Drafts for 2019 (not exactly, but #MockLyfe never sleeps and neither does content). Obviously much will change once the Combine numbers come in, and I will not only churn out a prediction Mock Draft of what I think will happen on Draft Day, but also a follow up to this Mock Draft of what I would do if I had control of all 32 teams.

This Mock Draft goes three rounds deep with compensatory picks and, as always, includes trades. The rules for trades stay the same, it needs to make sense for both teams. All trades that were made by me in this mock are denoted by an asterisk next to the team.

ROUND ONE

1) Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- As previously stated, this is not a prediction mock draft. This is what I would do if I was in charge of all 32 teams. So this will not be Kyler Murray, nor will this be a trade. This will be Nick Bosa, and that is that.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama- The Niners may not be the obvious choice for Quinnen Williams, but they make sense. Yes, Arik Armstead could kick inside and the Niners could grab an edge player. However, the opportunity to put Williams next to DeForest Buckner could create one of the most dominant interior pass rushing attacks in the NFL.

3) New York Jets: DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss- Metcalf is about to tear it up in Indianapolis and make himself a top ten lock in this draft. Word on the street is that he will measure in at 6’4 and run a sub 4.5, which is insane. If the Jets opt to address their pass rushing needs in free agency, O-Line and pass catchers will be in play for them early in this draft.

4) Oakland Raiders: Ed Oliver, DT Houston- This is the first time Ed Oliver has found himself back in the top five picks in quite some time, and that’s 100% because Quinnen Williams went in the top three. The Raiders need talent at every selection, and Oliver is extremely talented. Not to mention, he’s pound for pound the best athlete in the draft.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jonah Williams, OT Alabama- Tampa Bay needs help at multiple positions along their offensive line. The best offensive lineman in the draft is an easy selection here.

6) New York Giants: Byron Murphy, CB Washington- Murphy is still CB1 on my board, and his man cover skills should be a perfect fit in James Bettcher’s aggressive defense.

7) *Green Bay Packers via Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- The Packers have some ammo in this draft to trade up a few spots from either the 12 or the 30 and land a guy they covet. Burns is one of my top five players in the draft and would have been selected by Detroit at eight. Therefore, Green Bay uses some draft capital and comes up a few spots to land one of the elite edge rushers in this draft.

8) Detroit Lions: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Detroit just got jumped by Green Bay for Burns, so they turn to the next best edge rusher on the board. The Clelin Ferrell bandwagon is getting smaller, but his technique and move-set should keep him in the first 15-20 picks of the draft.

9) *Washington Redskins via Buffalo Bills: Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma- It feels a little dirty for me to have a QB in a top 10 of a personal mock draft. However, because Washington, Cincinnati and Miami all make a ton of sense to try to land my QB1, the three engage in a bidding war to trade up for Murray.

Washington is desperate for a franchise QB, and they need a week one starter because Alex Smith’s career may be over. This seems like a perfect scenario to take Murray. If it works, they still have the roster to compete right away in 2019.Washington puts together the best offer and lands the former Oklahoma standout.

10) Denver Broncos: Devin White, ILB LSU- I think Vic Fangio would love to have White captain the middle of their 3-4 defense. He’s a strong tackler, he shoots gaps well, and he can play on all three downs because of his cover skills.

11) Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- Lindstrom is one of the most complete offensive line prospects in this draft and easily worthy of a top 15 selection this year.

12) *Jacksonville Jaguars via Green Bay Packers: Jawaan Taylor, OT Florida- The Jaguars power blocking scheme is a perfect fit for Jawaan Taylor. He can start at right tackle from day one and make an immediate impact in the Jags run heavy offense.

13) Miami Dolphins: Montez Sweat, EDGE Mississippi State- With Murray off the board, Miami goes to their next biggest need; replacing Cameron Wake. Charles Harris is not coming along fast enough, so the Dolphins turn to Montez Sweat. Sweat is another technician up front, with the ability to long arm tackles and win at the line with multiple pass rushing moves.

14) Atlanta Falcons: Jeffery Simmons, DT Mississippi State- My guess is that Atlanta chooses to re-sign Vic Beasley this offseason instead of Grady Jarrett, which means they need to find Jarrett’s replacement in this draft. Simmons may not be the prototypical Dan Quinn pick, but he has an explosive first step and multiple moves to get to the passer.

Editor’s Note: The ACL injury doesn’t concern me if I’m a team picking in this area. Simmons is a player that will dominate on the field from day one, whenever day one winds up being.

15) *Buffalo Bills via Washington Redskins: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma- Hollywood Brown won’t work out this weekend, but he’s still one of my top playmakers in this draft. He’s explosive with the ball in his hands and he’s more than just a deep threat. Buffalo needs to find playmakers this offseason for Josh Allen, so with DK Metcalf off the board to the Jets at three, the Bills trade down and still snag WR2.

16) Carolina Panthers: Rashan Gary, DE Michigan- I still would rather see Gary as a 3-tech in a 3-4 scheme, but the Panthers look for bigger players on the edge. Since the scheme fit makes sense, the Panthers scoop up a talented player who fell a bit.

17) Cleveland Browns: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- The Browns are in a perfect position to grab a difference maker along the defensive line. The tandem of Larry Ogunjobi and Trevon Coley played well enough last year, but they’re not game changers. Wilkins would give the Browns one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL.

18) Minnesota Vikings: Cody Ford, OG/OT Oklahoma- Because Ford, Andre Dillard and Yodny Cajuste are so close in my rankings, the Vikings go with the player better served for their scheme. Ford is easily the best in the run game of the three and the most versatile in terms of where he can play.

19) Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- I still have Fant ahead of TJ Hockenson, albeit not by much. Fant has a big time catch radius and he’s a very good blocker in his own right. Tennessee needs to find more playmakers for Marcus Mariota this offseason, and they also need to work on replacing Delanie Walker. As they say, two birds with one stone here.

20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Mack Wilson, ILB Alabama- The linebacking class is so much weaker than the cornerback class, which is why the Steelers go with Wilson in round one and wait for a cornerback in round two.

21) Seattle Seahawks: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- Seattle loves long, athletic corners with big time ball skills. Playing Williams opposite Shaq Griffin would be a dynamic duo and the start of LOB 2.0.

22) Baltimore Ravens: Kelvin Harmon, WR NC State- I know Ravens fans will want Josh Jacobs here, but I think Harmon is the better selection. Baltimore doesn’t need to draft a running back early because the threat of Lamar Jackson will alleviate pressure off of whomever the Ravens start at running back.

What the Ravens need is a playmaker along the outside that separates well at the top of the route and can win in the red zone. That is Kelvin Harmon.

23) Houston Texans: Andre Dillard, OT Washington State- For the 1,261st time this draft season, allow me to reiterate how the Texans need to select the best offensive lineman on the board with their first round pick.

24) Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama- As I said in my previous mock draft, Jacobs isn’t Jon Gruden’s prototypical running back in terms of size. However, he is tough between the tackles and he’s the only true three down running back in the draft class.

25) Philadelphia Eagles: Rock Ya-Sin, CB Temple- The Eagles are going to lose Ronald Darby in free agency, making cornerback a need because Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas both have injury histories. Rock Ya-Sin has big time ball skills and he’s extremely good at mirroring receivers in man coverage.

26) Indianapolis Colts: Josh Allen, EDGE Kentucky- As you know by now, I have Allen lower on my personal board than the media does. It’s not that I don’t like the prospect, I just don’t see Allen as a can’t miss edge player. Whil he’s excellent at bending around the edge and running the arch, I question his ankle flexibility. He doesn’t really have an elite move-set either.

Having said that, he’s still a terrific pass rusher and the Colts would love to have him at this selection.

27) Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa- I have no idea how this happened, but here we are and here’s the easiest selection of all time. The Raiders need pass catchers and Hockenson is an elite level prospect.

28) Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, NT Clemson- This stays the same from my previous mock draft. Lawrence’s athleticism and ability to stop the run make him an easy pick for a team that’s desperate for a nose tackle in the middle of their 3-4 defense.

29) Kansas City Chiefs: Deionte Thompson, FS Alabama- The Chiefs need playmakers in the secondary, be that at cornerback or safety. As a single high free safety, Thompson in the back would allow Eric Berry to be used more as a chess piece and create big impact plays.

30) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: Dalton Risner, OG/OT Kansas State- The Packers offensive line not only needs depth, but they need better players in the run game up front. Risner’s nastiness and power combined with his ability to maintain inside hands out of the jump set should fit nicely for a team that will look to run the ball more in 2019.

31) Los Angeles Rams: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- Los Angeles has a fair amount of needs for a team that is coming off of a Super Bowl appearance, and one of them is replacing Dante Fowler off the edge. Polite isn’t the best against the run, but he’s lethal around the edge, running the arch with precision and showing terrific flexibility in the hips and the ankles.

32) *New York Giants via New England Patriots: Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State- I love this idea from my previous mock draft, so it stays in this one as well. The Giants can trade up for Haskins to ensure a fifth year option on him, they can sit him for a year or two to help him work out kinks in his mechanics, and he can take the reigns once Eli Manning calls it a career.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Green Bay Packers trade the #12, the #44 and a 2020 3rd Round Pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #7 and #98.

2) Washington Redskins trade the #15, #46 and a 2020 2nd Round Pick to the Buffalo Bills for the #9 and #113.

3) New York Giants trade #37 and a 2020 3rd Round Pick to the New England Patriots for the #32 and a 2020 5th Round Pick

ROUND TWO

33) Arizona Cardinals: Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia- Same idea as my previous mock draft, but Cajuste is higher on my personal board than David Edwards, so he becomes the pick.

34) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets- AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss- For all the years the Colts drafted offense, you would think they would have a compliment to T.Y Hilton on the roster. Brown working the short and intermediate passing areas would be a nice balance to the deep ball ability of Hilton.

35) Oakland Raiders: Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State- What a home run of a draft the Raiders have had so far. Oakland needs difference makers in the secondary, and Oruwariye has the ball skills and length to be that guy.

36) San Francisco 49ers: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- If the 49ers miss on acquiring a wide receiver via a trade, Harry at the top of round two would be a terrific consolation prize.

37) New England Patriots via New York Giants: Devin Bush, ILB Michigan- Kyle Van Noy is entering the final year of his contract and Dont’a Hightower is a possible cap cut. New England trades down and selects an off ball linebacker to give them more flexibility at the position.

38) Jacksonville Jaguars: Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama- Irv Smith would be a perfect third down and red zone target for whoever the QB is for the Jaguars on opening day.

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Joejuan Williams, CB Vanderbilt- New Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles loves physical man-to-man cornerbacks, which is Joejuan Williams in a nutshell.

40) Buffalo Bills: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin- Edwards has the intelligence level to start at right tackle at the next level. If he improves his footwork, he may be able to slide to the left side in the future.

41) Denver Broncos: Erik McCoy, OC Texas A&M- McCoy has a powerful base and he’s very agile in space. With Matt Paradis most likely leaving in free agency, the Broncos find his replacement with the top center in the draft.

42) Cincinnati Bengals: Daniel Jones, QB Duke- This is a bit of a reach for me, but Jones is my last quarterback with a grade higher than the fourth round. Cincinnati takes Jones in hopes of having him be their QB of the future.

43) Detroit Lions: Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson- Detroit grabs a man cover corner with good ball skills to compliment Darius Slay’s skill set.

44) *Jacksonville Jaguars via Green Bay Packers: Deebo Samuel, WR South Carolina- The Jaguars continue the makeover on offense in this draft by adding another pass catcher that can make a big impact on third downs.

45) *Dallas Cowboys via Atlanta Falcons: Anthony Nelson, EDGE Iowa- In a weird draft move, the Cowboys come up with limited picks in this draft because Anthony Nelson fell way too far. Nelson would be a cheaper alternative to paying Demarcus Lawrence, and he can provide big time production at the next level.

46) *Buffalo Bills via Washington Redskins: Justin Layne, CB Michigan State- Layne is going to have a big combine, showing he has the athleticism to match his size and length.

47) Carolina Panthers: Nasir Adderley, FS Delaware- The Panthers need a ball hawk in the back; it has been quite some time since they had a difference maker at the safety position.

48) Miami Dolphins: Greg Little, OT Ole Miss- Little should be a solid right tackle in a power blocking scheme at the next level. He needs to improve his footwork, but there’s traits to work with.

49) Cleveland Browns: Tytus Howard, OT Alabama State- This is a bit of a reach but I love Howard’s size and athleticism. I think he can start at right tackle early in his career and develop into one of the better starters in the NFL.

50) Minnesota Vikings: Charles Omenihu, DL Texas- If the Vikings are looking for an athletic, pass rushing interior defensive lineman to compliment Linval Joseph, there aren’t many better players they can grab in round two than Omenihu.

51) *New England Patriots via Tennessee Titans- Khalen Saunders, DT Western Illinois- The Patriots continue to shuffle up and down the draft board. Saunders has unique athleticism for someone of his size. Bill Belichick will love him in the middle of the defense.

52) Pittsburgh Steelers: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia- The Steelers get a solid corner in off coverage who will help solidify their secondary.

53) Philadelphia Eagles via Baltimore Ravens: Damien Harris, RB Alabama- Philadelphia missed out on Josh Jacobs by one pick in round one. Luckily for them, they scoop up his teammate in round two.

54) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Garrett Bradbury, OG/C NC State– I think Bradbury has the athleticism to play guard or center at the next level, a trait that should be very attractive to a team desperate for Offensive Linemen.

55) *Arizona Cardinals via Houston Texans: Riley Ridley, WR Georgia- The Cardinals trade up to land a big receiver that separates nicely at the top of route combinations.

56) New England Patriots via Chicago Bears: Jace Sternberger, TE Texas A&M- This is a classic case of scheme rules all in a mock draft. Sternberger does some dynamic things in the pass game, and I expect him to show some elite athleticism this weekend.

57) Philadelphia Eagles: Damarkus Lodge, WR Ole Miss- Lodge has some drops, but he’s capable of making some ridiculous catches and explosive plays.

58) *Atlanta Falcons via Dallas Cowboys: Elgton Jenkins, OG/C Mississippi State– The Falcons need to improve in the trenches this offseason to get back to the playoffs in 2019.

59) Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Abram, SS Mississippi State- Abram is a strong player close to the line of scrimmage. He’d be an excellent compliment to the single high skills of Malik Hooker.

60) Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Brown, CB South Dakota State- The Chargers need a second corner to play opposite Casey Hayward.

61) Kansas City Chiefs: Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma- Anderson not being ready to workout in Indy is a concern, but he wouldn’t be the first player to come back from knee surgery and return to form.

62) New Orleans Saints: Isaac Nauta, TE Georgia- I still love the idea of Saints taking a tight end to replace Ben Watson with their first selection of the 2019 NFL Draft.

63) Kansas City Chiefs via Los Angeles Rams: Oshane Ximines, EDGE Old Dominion- If the Chiefs move on from Justin Houston, Ximines in round two would be a perfect scheme fit. He’s not the best athlete, but he wins with physicality and technique.

64) *Tennessee Titans via New England Patriots: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Stanford- “JJAW” is a physical receiver, a willing blocker, and a red zone threat. If that doesn’t scream scheme fit for the Titans, I’m not sure what does.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) Dallas Cowboys trade the #58, #90 and a 2020 5th Round Pick to the Atlanta Falcons for the #45 and #230.

2) New England Patriots trade the #64, #97 and #205 to the Tennessee Titans for the #51.

3) Arizona Cardinals trade the #65, #103 and #139 to the Houston Texans for the #55 and #161.

ROUND THREE

65) *Houston Texans via Arizona Cardinals: Amani Hooker, FS Iowa

66) Oakland Raiders: Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE Louisiana Tech

67) San Francisco 49ers: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, CB/FS Florida

68) New York Jets: Dennis Daley, OT South Carolina

69) Jacksonville Jaguars: Renell Wren, DT/NT Arizona State

70) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Germaine Pratt, ILB NC State

71) Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB Missouri

72) Cincinnati Bengals: Dawson Knox, TE Ole Miss

73) New England Patriots via Detroit Lions: Andy Isabella, WR UMASS

74) Buffalo Bills: Bobby Evans, OT/OG Oklahoma

75) Green Bay Packers: Vosean Joseph, ILB Florida

76) Washington Redskins: Christian Miller, EDGE/OLB Alabama

77) Carolina Panthers: Jerry Tillery, DT Notre Dame

78) Miami Dolphins: Hakeem Butler, WR Iowa State

79) Atlanta Falcons: Oli Udoh, OT Elon

80) Cleveland Browns: Kendall Sheffield, CB Ohio State

81) Minnesota Vikings: Dax Raymond, TE Utah State

82) Tennessee Titans: Gerald Willis, DL Miami

83) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jazz Ferguson, WR Northwestern State

84) Seattle Seahawks: Mike Bell, S Fresno State

85) Baltimore Ravens: LJ Collier, EDGE TCU

86) Houston Texans: David Long, CB Michigan

87) Chicago Bears: Mike Edwards, SS Kentucky

88) Detroit Lions via Philadelphia Eagles: Antoine Wesley, WR Texas Tech

89) Indianapolis Colts: Zach Allen, DL Boston College

90) *Atlanta Falcons via Dallas Cowboys: Elijah Holyfield, RB Georgia

91) Los Angeles Chargers: Te’Von Coney, LB Notre Dame

92) Kansas City Chiefs: David Long, CB Michigan

93) New York Jets via New Orleans Saints: Dre’Mont Jones, DL Ohio State

94) Los Angeles Rams: Nate Davis, OG Charlotte

95) Cleveland Browns via New England Patriots: Sutton Smith, EDGE/OLB Southern Illinois

96) Washington Redskins: Kaden Smith, TE Stanford

97) *Tennessee Titans via New England Patriots: Michael Dieter, OL Wisconsin

98) Jacksonville Jaguars via Los Angeles Rams: Taylor Rapp, SS Washington

99) Los Angeles Rams: Julian Love, CB Notre Dame

100) Carolina Panthers: Keelan Doss, WR UC Davis

101) New England Patriots: Ross Pierschbacher, OG/C Alabama

102) Baltimore Ravens: David Montgomery, RB Iowa State

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Brian Burns, Buffalo Bills, Byron Murphy, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Christian Wilkins, Cincinnati Bengals, Clelin Ferrell, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Devin Bush, Devin White, DK Metcalf, Greedy Williams, Green Bay Packers, Hollywood Brown, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jawaan Taylor, Jeffery Simmons, Jonah Williams, Josh Allen, Josh Jacobs, Kansas City Chiefs, Kelvin Harmon, Kyler Murray, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Mack Wilson, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Montez Sweat, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2019 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Post Super Bowl

Posted on February 7, 2019 Updated on February 7, 2019

#MockDraftSZN rolls on! Now that the NFL Draft order is set, and the Senior Bowl/East-West Shrine Bowl have been completed, it’s time for another Mock Draft. Plenty of changes to this one from the last one, and some interesting trades that shake up this mock draft.

A few notes to make before we get started. As always, this is my personal evaluation of what I would do if I was in charge of all 32 teams. For my prediction mock draft, aka what I think would happen if the draft was today, click the link here (https://draftstock.net/articles/https-draftstock-net-2019-01-29-jordan-katz-2019-prediction-mock-draft-1-0/).

As always, my mock drafts include trades (which are denoted by an asterisk next to the team), but trades are not exclusive to only draft picks. If I see a trade for a player that includes draft picks and makes sense for both teams involved, I’ll pull the trigger on it and make the deal. For example, Nick Foles is most likely getting traded, and I had Philadelphia use Foles to move up in this draft. Who acquired the Super Bowl MVP? Let’s find out.

ROUND ONE

1) Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- No changes here, Bosa remains the top player in this draft in a walk.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Jonah Williams, OT Alabama- The top TACKLE in this draft is still the layup here. I think the Niners are in a prime position to trade out of this spot to a team that needs a QB. However, on my personal board, there isn’t a QB worth trading up for.

3) New York Jets: DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss- The Jets entire draft strategy will be dependent on what they do in Free Agency. If I were in charge, I would spend money on a pass rush before a pass catcher. There’s significantly more pass rushing talent in free agency than receiving talent, and the pass catchers in this draft are very good.

DK Metcalf is more than worthy of a top 5 selection, in my opinion. He wins at the line of scrimmage as good as anyone I’ve seen in the last couple of years, he separates with long strides down the field as well as his frame, and he has elite ball skills.

4) Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama- Williams remains the best option for Oakland because he had a very high floor. Oakland cannot miss with their three first round picks if they hope to expedite this rebuilding project. Williams is an elite pass rusher along the interior, which is something the Raiders desperately need.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Byron Murphy, CB Washington: Murphy got a second round grade from the draft committee, which is an absolute abomination. His man cover skills are elite, showing fluid hips and excelling at being able to mirror from the boundary or the slot. I refuse to believe Murphy is not a first round talent, and I think he’s a game changer in the secondary.

6) New York Giants: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- Burns is elite as a pass rusher off the edge. He has incredible dip and bend ability, and a solid enough moveset to keep tackles honest. Some question his strength, but at 6’6, he can put weight on easily and not miss a step because he’s so athletic. Giants fans may want Dwayne Haskins, but I think a legit pass rusher makes more of an impact here.

7) *Philadelphia Eagles via Jacksonville Jaguars: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Here’s the Nick Foles trade I referred to earlier, but it’s a little more complex than the one that will probably get done. I still think Jacksonville makes the most sense to acquire Foles because their defense is still in a position to take them far if they have a QB that holds onto the football. That portion of the deal is fine.

Philadelphia using Foles to move up in the draft instead of trading him for straight draft equity is the stretch here, but it makes sense. The Eagles are about to lose Brandon Graham to free agency, and they need to find a quality replacement for cheap. So with a second round draft pick value on Nick Foles, the Eagles use him and other assets to trade up and land Ferrell, who is a perfect scheme fit.

8) Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, EDGE Mississippi State- Sweat is a big riser from my most recent mock draft, but it’s more than justified. He dominated Senior Bowl week with superior technique. Sweat has all the tricks, he can long arm tackles, rip inside, club, swim move, etc. You name it, he’s got it in his move-set toolbox. He can also line up as a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB, versatility that Head Coach Matt Patricia will definitely value.

9) Buffalo Bills: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma- The Bills have to get Josh Allen some weapons in order for them to get back to the playoffs next season. Who’s a better weapon for Allen’s cannon of an arm than the best deep threat in the draft? Hollywood Brown has explosive playmaking ability down the field, as well as with the ball in his hands. He’s also a very good route runner, so he’s not a one dimensional player either.

10) Denver Broncos: Rashan Gary, DE Michigan: The more I think about the Broncos draft situation, the more confident I am that Gary is the right selection. None of the QBs in this draft are worthy of a top ten selection, and the Broncos can cut Derek Wolfe to continue to get younger up front.

Gary is better served along the interior as a three technique where he can win with his strength and quick first step, instead of having to play slightly out of position along the edge as a five technique.

11) Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- The Bengals have invested a fair amount of picks into their offensive line over the last few years, but it still needs work. Lindstrom is a complete prospect ready to start from day one. He can play either guard spot because of how technical he is with his hands and his footwork.

12) Green Bay Packers: Josh Allen, EDGE Kentucky- I personally don’t think Allen is the cleanest athlete around the edge, but he’s still better at running the arch than most. Allen dips and bends well at the waist, but he isn’t the cleanest in terms of his ankle flexibility. What keeps him at a first round evaluation for me is that he’s a chess piece; you can move him all over the field and he’s able to create pressure. Green Bay could use a chess piece on defense.

13) Miami Dolphins: Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma- First Quarterback off the board here, and it’s more because of the fit than the evaluation. Miami is most likely going to move on from Ryan Tannehill, but according to the media, it’s in hopes of selecting a Quarterback in 2020.

However, I think a better strategy might be shooting for a Quarterback in this draft class, particularly Murray. I realize this is counterintuitive because next year’s QB class is much better than this one, but Miami finds themselves in a unique position. It’s clear a rebuild is the desired direction of this team, which is why they can take a chance on Murray and hope for lightning in a bottle. If it doesn’t work, they’re in a prime position in two years to take Trevor Lawrence when the rebuild is much further along. If it does work, they have their game changer at QB.

14) Atlanta Falcons: Ed Oliver, DT Houston- This is becoming the easiest selection of the draft. Oliver continues to fall on my mock drafts because he’s not the pass rusher that others in this draft happen to be. It doesn’t make him a bad prospect, it just means his ceiling may not be as high as others in the draft. I still think he’s a bully in the run game and he can collapse the pocket because of his elite strength.

15) *Pittsburgh Steelers via Washington Redskins: Devin White, ILB LSU- AS much as we would all love to see Ryan Shazier return to the football field, however it’s probably best for his health that he doesn’t. Truth be told, even if he does, and could return to the level he was playing at, the Steelers still need an inside linebacker to play next to him.

White is a terrific athlete and he’s skilled in coverage, possessing the ability to line up one on one with tight ends and running backs, as well as the instincts to read and react in zone coverage.

16) Carolina Panthers: Deionte Thompson, FS Alabama- Carolina has some big needs to fill this offseason in order to get back to being a perennial playoff team. Thompson would fill one of those needs; a ball hawking free safety that creates turnovers.

17) *New England Patriots via Cleveland Browns: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- The Patriots trading up?!? Have I gone temporarily insane? Well, because this is a weak draft class, the Patriots use their draft capital to come up and take a game changer in the middle of the field, not to mention the heir to Rob Gronkowski’s throne.

18) Minnesota Vikings: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- The Vikings need some help along the interior of their defensive line. Linval Joseph continues to age and Sheldon Richardson is most likely leaving in free agency. Wilkins has an explosive first step, which helps him win up front routinely. He’s a smart player as well, showing discipline on the backside of plays. Wilkins would be a good addition to the Vikings front four.

19) Tennessee Titans: TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa- The Titans are going to need to find Delaine Walker’s long term replacement sooner rather than later. Hockenson is an elite blocker and wins with his size at the top of the stem. He high points the ball well also. Marcus Mariota gets a shiny new red zone threat here with the former Iowa standout.

20) *Washington Redskins via Pittsburgh Steelers: Cody Ford, OT/OG Oklahoma- The Redskins interior offensive line is a debacle at the moment. Ford is a big time athlete for his size, which is why I think he can transition to guard if a team asks him to do so. He needs to work on keeping his hands high, but his footwork is solid and he gets to the second level quickly. Ford should be a quality right side of the line player in the NFL.

21) Seattle Seahawks: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- What a steal this would be on draft day. Williams is an ideal corner for Seattle’s defense, both in his measurables (Seattle likes bigger, longer cornerbacks) and his ability in man coverage. Williams opposite Shaq Griffin could be the start of LOB 2.0.

22) Baltimore Ravens: Kelvin Harmon, WR NC State- Getting Lamar Jackson some weapons is priority one for the Ravens this offseason. I think the misnomer is that the pass catcher the Ravens acquire has to be a deep threat because of Jackson’s arm talent. Baltimore needs a player that separates well, someone who can be a reliable target for Jackson on third downs and in the red zone. In a nutshell, they need a target like Kelvin Harmon.

23) Houston Texans: Andre Dillard, OT Washington State- The Texans offensive line was miserable in pass protection last year, and Dillard would be an immediate upgrade in that are. While he lacks the power at the point of attack to be impactful in the run game, Dillard is a very good athlete with excellent footwork in the 45 degree set and the vertical set. Houston can move Julie’n Davenport to the right side and let Dillard protect Deshaun Watson’s blindside.

24) Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: Jawaan Taylor, OT Florida- The Raiders also need offensive line help. However, unlike Houston before them, they need a power blocking right tackle instead of a pass blocking athlete on the left side of a zone blocking scheme. That’s Jawaan Taylor to a tee.

25) *Jacksonville Jaguars via Philadelphia Eagles: Dalton Risner, OT/OG Kansas State- Jacksonville is yet another team that needs offensive line help. Risner is a perfect fit for them. He provides an attitude and competitiveness up front that the Jaguars lack, especially for a team that wants to win in the trenches. Risner is a mauler in the run game and will be a quality right guard in the NFL.

26) Indianapolis Colts: Jeffery Simmons, DT Mississippi State- The Colts were a surprise playoff team in 2018. In order to stay there in 2019, they will need to continue to build up their defense. Simmons has a lightning quick get off and a bevy of pass rushing moves. I expect him to go higher than this on draft day, but with a lot of positions at a premium in this draft, players along the defensive front are bound to fall.

27) Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama- This is not Jon Gruden’s prototypical running back in terms of size, but it is his prototypical running back in terms of toughness. Jacobs is a physical runner in between the tackles, and he’s a game changer in the pass game. While I don’t have him as high as others in the draft community do, there’s no doubt Jacobs is RB1 this year.

28) Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, NT Clemson- This is my layup of the draft season. The Chargers need someone in the middle of their defense to help them against the run, and that is Lawrence to a tee.

29) Kansas City Chiefs: Rock Ya-Sin, CB Temple- Kansas City’s defense was dreadful last year, despite having a strong pass rush. That would lead you to believe their secondary was a big negative, and needs to be upgraded. Rock Ya-Sin excels in mirroring receivers, and it’s his ability to flip his hips and stay with players that makes me think he can be a stud at the next level.

30) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: Nasir Adderley, FS Delaware- Adderley fills a major need for the Packers at the safety position. He can play the single high safety spot, showing good range sideline to sideline. He has good ball skills as well, which would be a major boost to a team that was second to last in interceptions on defense last year.

31) *New York Giants via Los Angeles Rams: Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State- First off, I’m aware there’s zero chance Dwayne Haskins makes it out of the top ten in the actual draft. However, he’s easily QB2 on my board and really not worthy of a first round selection. I think Murray shows much better anticipation than Haskins, and Murray also fits throws into NFL windows more consistently. Haskins has flashes of brilliance, and definitely has the arm talent to one day be a quality starter. Right now, there’s too many inconsistencies in his mechanics for me to justify him being highly coveted.

Having said that, teams will be willing to take a chance on him because of the position he plays. Teams will also want to take the chance in round one rather than later in the draft to ensure they have the fifth year option on him. The Giants are that team this time around, and the trade back into round one to get the fifth year option on Haskins.

32) *Cleveland Browns via New England Patriots: Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia- Cajuste has good footwork in the vertical set, showing quick feet in the kickslide and the ability to maintain high hands and a good pad level. He definitely has areas that need improving, particularly at the point of attack in the jump set and the run game (he’s more of a stopper than a guy who wins in the run game with power), but Cajuste is a prospect that can become a solid tackle at the next level.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Philadelphia Eagles trade the #25, #57 and Nick Foles to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #7 and the #102.

2) Pittsburgh Steelers trade the #20, #83 and a 2020 5th round pick to the Washington Redskins for the #15 and a 2020 6th round pick.

3) New England Patriots trade the #32, #56, and #73 to the Cleveland Browns for the #17, #95 and #133

4) New York Giants trade the #37, #132, and a 2020 5th round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for the #31.

ROUND TWO

33) Arizona Cardinals: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin- Edwards is incredibly advanced for someone who converted to the offensive line a few years ago. He’s a high upside pick because his technique will only get better as he becomes more comfortable with the position.

34) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss- Brown is a player who excels in the short to intermediate passing game. He would be an excellent compliment to T.Y. Hilton, who’s one of the best deep ball threats in the NFL.

35) Oakland Raiders: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- Harry is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands. Oakland is desperate for playmakers on both sides of the ball, so this is an easy fit.

36) San Francisco 49ers: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia- Baker could wind up much higher than this later on in the Draft Season if he an answer some questions I have about his straight-line speed and his fluidity as an athlete.

37) *Los Angeles Rams via New York Giants: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- The Rams have plenty of question marks this offseason, but the layup to me is to replace Dante Fowler in the draft rather than free agency. Polite is a bit undersized, but he’s excellent off the edge.

38) Jacksonville Jaguars: Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama- Smith is a skilled route runner with great hands and he should be a quality red zone threat for the Jaguars.

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mack Wilson, ILB Alabama- Absolute steal here for the Buccaneers. Wilson replaces pending free agent Kwon Alexander as a three down starter from day one.

40) Buffalo Bills: Greg Little, OT Ole Miss- Buffalo’s offensive line needs a lot of work, it was a big reason why they regressed in 2018. Little is a bit of a project for the left side, but I think his power at the point of attack will help him start on the right side from day one.

41) *Carolina Panthers via Denver Broncos: Anthony Nelson, EDGE Iowa- Carolina trades up to land what they hope is the solution to their pass rushing problems.

42) Cincinnati Bengals: Kaden Smith, TE Stanford- The Bengals offense has struggled since losing Tyler Eifert to a number of injuries in the past few years. Smith is a unique athlete for the tight end position; he can help AJ Green see less double teams.

43) Detroit Lions: Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State- Oruwariye is a long corner with good ball skills. He would help solidify the Lions need for a cornerback opposite Darius Slay.

44) Green Bay Packers: Tytus Howard, OT Alabama State- Howard has ideal size for the position and the ability to counter pass rushers. He needs work in the jump set and being more physical up front in the run game, but Howard is a good pick for a team that has the luxury to bring him along slowly like the Packers can.

45) Atlanta Falcons: Joejuan Williams, CB Vanderbilt- Williams isn’t the Falcons prototypical corner, but he does have the length and size that Dan Quinn used to build defenses around in Seattle.

46) Washington Redskins: Jonathan Abram, SS Mississippi State- Washington needs a replacement for HaHa Clinton-Dix in the back end that can play close to the line of scrimmage and cover as well. Abram is a perfect scheme fit.

47) *Denver Broncos via Carolina Panthers: Daniel Jones, QB Duke- Well, somebody has to pick quarterbacks in this draft, and Denver is one of them. They trade back and grab another one of John Elway’s “prototypical size,” QB prospects.

48) Miami Dolphins: Deebo Samuel, WR South Carolina- Miami’s receiving core was decent last year, but they need a true playmaker at the position.

49) Cleveland Browns: Charles Omenihu, DL Texas- Omenihu is a big time pass rusher as a three technique and would establish the Browns as one of the best young defensive lines in the NFL.

50) Minnesota Vikings: Michael Dieter, OL Wisconsin- I’m willing to “ride or die,” with Dieter this year as a guy who can move inside and be a solid player. He was up and down at the Senior Bowl but I think his intelligence for the position will win out.

51) Tennessee Titans: Oshane Ximines, EDGE Old Dominion- I like the idea of the Titans taking an edge player early in this draft to play opposite Harold Landry, instead of them trying to sign a veteran player as a quick fix.

52) Pittsburgh Steelers: Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson- If the Steelers come out of this draft with Devin White and Trayvon Mullen, I think there would be a parade in Pittsburgh the following day.

53) *Jacksonville Jaguars from Philadelphia Eagles via Baltimore Ravens: Devin Bush, ILB Michigan- This is a bit of a weird one, but the fit makes sense. Bush would be excellent for the Jags on the strong side because he shoots gaps well and he could still drop in coverage if asked to do so.

54) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Renell Wren, DT/NT Arizona State- Wren can be a quality two gap player at the next level because of his get off and his ability to stack and shed.

55) *Kansas City Chiefs via Houston Texans: Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma- Trading up for a running back may seem odd, but the Chiefs have to find a starting caliber RB this offseason. Anderson would be a top 50 pick easy without the medical concerns, so this is a calculated gamble for KC.

56) *Cleveland Browns from New England Patriots via Chicago Bears: Julian Love, CB Notre Dame- Love is my last cornerback on the board with a grade worthy of a top 75 selection. While this is still a reach, Cleveland makes the reach out of necessity.

57) Philadelphia Eagles: Damien Harris, RB Alabama- Philadelphia opts to draft one of the few potential three down backs in this class instead of attempting to sign one in free agency with the limited money they have.

58) Dallas Cowboys: Dawson Knox, TE Ole Miss- Knox is a big time athlete who should help Dak Prescott as a safety valve on third down. Even though Knox’s route tree was extremely limited at OIe Miss, I think he’ll excel at it at the next level.

59) Indianapolis Colts: Khaleke Hudson, SS Michigan- Malik Hooker’s ability as a cover one, single high safety means that the Colts can select a more traditional strong safety to help their run defense.

60) Los Angeles Chargers: Damarkus Lodge, WR Ole Miss- The Chargers are going to lose Tyrell Williams in free agency, making Lodge his replacement as their deep ball threat. Lodge has some drops, but he’s a burner with the ability to get a quality release on almost every snap.

Editor’s Note: I think Lodge’s drops are more mental than anything else because he flashes some ridiculous catches and an absurd catch radius. If he stays focused, he has big time potential.

61) *Houston Texans via Kansas City Chiefs: Chase Winovich, EDGE Michigan- The Texans are most likely keeping Jadeveon Clowney, but Whitney Mercilus may be forced to walk after next year so the Texans can pay Deshaun Watson.

62) New Orleans Saints: Isaac Huata, TE Georgia- Yet another tight end off the board here. Huata is a big time run blocker and he’s improving as a pass catcher. I think New Orleans can get the most out him.

63) Kansas City Chiefs via Los Angeles Rams: Erik McCoy, C Texas A&M- The center class is weak, but McCoy’s tape against Clemson versus their interior line talent makes me think his upside could be huge.

64) New England Patriots: Jerry Tillery, DT Notre Dame- The Patriots stealing a pass rushing three technique like Tillery at the bottom of round two is an absolute joke.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) Carolina Panthers trade the #47 and #108 to the Denver Broncos for the #41

2) Kansas City Chiefs trade #61, #156 and a 2020 4th round pick to the Houston Texans for the #55 and a 2020 5th round pick

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 NFL Mock Draft, Andre Dillard, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Brian Burns, Buffalo Bills, Byron Murphy, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Clelin Ferrell, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Devin White, DK Metcalf, Dwayne Haskins, Ed Oliver, Greedy Williams, Green Bay Packers, Hollywood Brown, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jawaan Taylor, Jonah Williams, Josh Allen, Josh Jacobs, Kansas City Chiefs, Kyler Murray, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Montez Sweat, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Nick Foles, Noah Fant, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, TJ Hockenson, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2019 Prediction Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on January 29, 2019 Updated on January 29, 2019

This is the first installment of my prediction style Mock Draft. As many of you know by now, I believe that Mock Drafts should have two parts, what you would do personally if you had control of all 32 teams, and what you would expect to happen on draft day. The purpose behind the two is to allow for a fair representation of your player evaluations as well as your personal evaluation of team needs, and then to give an idea of who can go where based on reports and media buzz.

For this mock draft in particular, this is based on if the draft was tomorrow. With that in mind, you’ll see the Quarterbacks in this class in a more traditional spot than my personal mock drafts. There are also still trades in this Mock Draft, because obviously a prediction mock must have trades. Any trade that I made in this mock that wasn’t made prior to this is designated via an asterisk.

ROUND ONE

1) Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- I don’t care how many rumors fly around with Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray. I don’t care how many rumors get floated around with regards to the Cardinals potentially trading Josh Rosen.

Eat. Sleep. Draft Nick Bosa. Repeat.

2) *New York Giants via San Francisco 49ers: Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State- At this point, I don’t see how you refute this statement; the Giants banked on Justin Herbert. They draft Saquon Barkley ahead of Sam Darnold to take Herbert in 2019. They lost. Now the Giants are stuck with a dilemma. Do they sign a free agent quarterback, stick with Eli Manning and wait until 2020 to draft a Quarterback, or do they draft one this year?

If the Giants are going to take a QB, I think they’ll have to trade up to do so. There will be competition from the Jaguars, Broncos and Dolphins, all with the ammunition to trade ahead of them. Not to mention, there are two teams at the top that would love to trade down and acquire assets, the Niners and the Jets.

I think the Giants wind up panicking due to the pressure of finding their future starter, and trade up to get the presumed top QB in a weak draft class.

3) New York Jets: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- The Jets are the toughest team to predict at the top of this draft because they have so much cap space, and will most assuredly fill as many needs as they can via free agency. Assuming the Jets are only able to land one edge rusher, a second one makes a ton of sense at this selection. Ferrell may not have the biggest ceiling of the edge guys in this class, but many argue he easily has the lowest floor, which will be very attractive to Mike Maccagnan and company.

Editor’s Note: Jets fans may be wondering why this isn’t Josh Allen, Jachai Polite or Brian Burns. With Leonard Williams going to 4-3 defensive tackle in Gregg Williams’ defense, the guy that makes the most sense is someone who can collapse the pocket with strength and technique instead of an edge rusher that excels at running the arch. The Jets will want as many one on one matchups for Leonard Williams as they can get, which is why someone like Ferrell who demonstrates excellent technique and gap control is more important than the elite athlete that motors around the edge.

4) Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama- Oakland needs pass rushers. It doesn’t matter if that player comes off the edge or along the interior, the Raiders must get to the passer to improve in 2019.

Quinnen Williams is a better pass rusher than Ed Oliver, which is why he has emerged as the top five talent instead of the athletic specimen that is Oliver.

5) *Miami Dolphins via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma- If you’re going to draft Murray, you need to have a system designed for him to succeed. A west coast, up tempo philosophy makes a ton of sense to me because Murray excels at anticipation and timing throws to receivers. Of the QB needy teams near the top of this draft, I think Miami actually has the best personnel to take the gamble on the Heisman Trophy winner. If it doesn’t work, you just draft Trevor Lawrence in two years and call it a day.

6) *San Francisco 49ers via New York Giants: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- Williams’ size, length and athleticism should have him as an early pick come draft day. The Niners need secondary help, especially with Richard Sherman’s inconsistent play throughout the season. San Francisco trades down and still gets their man.

7) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonah Williams, OT, Let Me Repeat, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, Alabama- JONAH WILLIAMS IS NOT A GUARD! Williams has terrific technique and plays with a level of intelligence that you need up front. Measurables do not matter as much as technique and intelligence do for offensive linemen in this era of football. Eventually, scouts and teams will figure this out.

Editor’s Note: I think the Jaguars will wind up with Nick Foles after signing John DeFilippo to be their Offensive Coordinator, which is why this pick isn’t a QB.

8) Detroit Lions: Josh Allen, EDGE Kentucky- Allen is a perfect fit for Detroit at eight. If the Lions want to play 4-3, Allen can either play the weak side end, or a Leo Linebacker. If Matt Patricia wants to transition to a 3-4 with the acquisition of Damon Harrison and the pending loss of Ziggy Ansah, Allen can line up at 3-4 OLB.

9) Buffalo Bills: DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss- Josh Allen was very impressive with limited weapons in 2018, which means it’s time to see what he can do with some targets in 2019. Metcalf should be WR1 and a top 15 lock once he dominates the combine in March.

10) Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB Missouri- Three Quarterbacks in the top 10? In this class? Is it 2011 again where quarterbacks get overdrafted just because they are quarterbacks?

Why yes, yes it is. Denver reaches for their presumed QB of the future.

11) Cincinnati Bengals: Cody Ford, OT/OG Oklahoma- Ford possesses incredible athleticism and footwork for someone of his size and stature. Despite acquiring offensive line left and right over the last few years, the Bengals still need help at the tackle position. Ford could even transition to guard if the Bengals wish to move on from Clint Boling.

12) Green Bay Packers: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- This is the first time I feel like I’m taking a chance in this mock draft. Burns is an athletic monster, but the buzz around Allen and Jachai Polite could force Burns down the board come draft day.

Having said that, I think Burns will separate himself come the latter stages of the draft process when scouts and GM’s see just how athletic this guy actually is.

13) *Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Miami Dolphins: Devin White, ILB LSU- Kwon Alexander is most likely departing via free agency, which means the Bucs need to find his replacement. White is one of the few do-it-all middle linebackers in this draft class, and that’s why he’s a top 20 lock come April.

Tampa Bay uses their draft position to trade down and acquire assets, while still addressing a major need.

14) Atlanta Falcons: Ed Oliver, DT Houston- The possibility of Oliver falling on draft day is becoming more of a reality. It doesn’t mean Oliver is a potential “bust,” it just means that the defensive line class is so good, and the other positions are so weak, players have to fall. What a steal this could be for Atlanta.

15) Washington Redskins: TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa- Jordan Reed is electric, but he’s never on the field and he’s finally in a position to be a cap cut. In the tight end class sent from the heavens, Washington can find Reed’s replacement and still emphasize the tight end position in the pass game.

16) Carolina Panthers: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- It’s another typical non-sexy draft pick for the Panthers, but it also makes a lot of sense. The Panthers offensive line play is simply not what it was a few years ago. Lindstrom is a complete prospect that will go much higher on draft day than he is currently being valued at.

17) *Philadelphia Eagles via Cleveland Browns: Rashan Gary, DE Michigan- Rumors out of Philly are that the Eagles will not bring back Brandon Graham, which means they need an edge guy opposite Michael Bennett. Gary is better along the interior in my opinion, but many see him as a 4-3 defensive end at the next level because of his ability to long arm tackles and win with strength. The Eagles have assets in this draft, so they can trade up to ensure they land their guy.

18) Minnesota Vikings: Andre Dillard, OT Washington State- The Vikings offensive line was miserable in 2018, and a large reason as to why they missed the playoffs. Dillard is very strong in pass protection, showing good ability in the 45 degree set, as well as the vertical set. I personally don’t have a round one grade on him, but I would expect to see him in the top 40 picks as of now.

19) Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- Delanie Walker is getting up there in age and Jonnu Smith does not appear to be his replacement long term. Fant can stretch the middle of the field and open up one on one matchups for Corey Davis, while still being a valuable run blocker as well as a safety valve for Marcus Mariota on third down.

20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson- Trayvon Mullen as a Top 20 corner in a prediction mock? You bet. Mullen had a monster game in the National Championship, which has catapulted his draft stock. His smarts and ball skills in one-on-one coverage could have him rise up draft boards if he can put together a strong combine.

21) Seattle Seahawks: Deionte Thompson, FS Alabama- I don’t buy the negative buzz around Thompson based solely off one one average performance in the title game. I doubt Thompson would’ve entered the draft if he didn’t think he could go round one. The Seahawks can move on from Earl Thomas and get a single high ballhawking safety all in one go.

22) Baltimore Ravens: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma- The Ravens makeshift receiving core worked for this year, but it’s not a long term solution. Hollywood Brown is an ideal playmaker for Lamar Jackson. Not only is he a deep threat, but he’s lightning quick out of cuts, making him a threat at all three levels of the passing attack.

23) Houston Texans: Jawaan Taylor, OT Florida: Taylor has a lot of top 15 buzz, but I just don’t see it at the moment. He should be a solid right tackle at the next level because he’s physical and plays with inside hands most of the time, but I don’t know if I see the foot speed to warrant a top 10-15 selection. Having said that, he should be just fine on the right side of a NFL offensive unit.

Editor’s Note: If Houston doesn’t seek out offensive line with their first pick, they are severely misguided. That’s all, back to you Jim.

24) Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- Speaking of buzz, the buzz on Harry has cooled a lot since the college football season ended. I’m fairly confident that’s only because it’s been a while since he was in the spotlight. Once he shows out at the Combine, he should re-assert himself as a top 40 lock. Oakland needs playmakers desperately so the fit here makes sense as well.

25) *Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- The Browns will have the capability to address a lot of their needs via free agency, so their draft strategy is anyone’s best guess. Trevon Coley is a nice player along the interior, but adding Wilkins to this front four catapults it to one of the best units in the league.

26) Indianapolis Colts: Jeffrey Simmons, DT Mississippi State- Simmons is a tough guy to judge. If he can answer the questions that will come up about his off the field issues, he can go top 15. If teams don’t like his answers, he can wind up outside of round one. Either way, the team that lands Simmons is going to get an elite pass rusher along the interior.

27) Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- This would complete a phenomenal first round for Oakland. Polite may go lower on draft day than people expect because he was a situational player at Florida for the most part, but his unique ability to dip and bend around the edge should still have him off the board sooner rather than later.

28) Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, NT Clemson- I’m not sure I buy Lawrence still going round one after the mishap off the field during the end of the college football season, However, the lack of true nose tackles in this draft should help Lawrence stay near the top 40-50 players. I think this is about the peak of how high he can go because the Chargers are desperate for a nose tackle that can play multiple techniques.

29) Kansas City Chiefs: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia- Baker is a strong man cover corner, excelling in press coverage. However, the questions regarding his athleticism could have him slip in the draft. I know many of mock drafts have him in the 10-15 range, but I think his sweet spot will be closer to the back half of round one.

30) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin: Edwards’ smarts will have him highly coveted in the 30-45 range of this draft. He’s not the fleetest of foot, but his technique is improving and he shows a terrific understanding of stunts and twists for someone who recently converted to an offensive linemen. The Packers still need offensive line depth, and Edwards could be a steal in the future.

31) New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama- New England is about to lose a lot of weapons, most notably Rob Gronkowski. I think Super Bowl Sunday will be his final game in the NFL. Number one priority for the Patriots this offseason has to be finding weapons for TB12. In a strong pass catching draft class, and a tight end class for the ages, the Patriots can kill two birds with one stone and find Gronkowski’s replacement.

32) Los Angeles Rams: Montez Sweat, EDGE Mississippi State: Sweat has a unique ability to play with his hand in the dirt, or standing up, and still get a quick first step off the line, similar to Dante Fowler. Because Fowler won’t be back after the Super Bowl, the Rams will need someone off the edge to replace him. Enter Montez Sweat.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) New York Giants trade the #6, #37, a 2020 1st round and a 2020 3rd round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the #2 and #162.

2) Miami Dolphins trade the #13, #78 and a 2020 1st Round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the #5.

3) Philadelphia Eagles trade the #25, #57 and #152 to the Cleveland Browns for the #17 and #112.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Clelin Ferrell, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Devin White, Drew Lock, Dwayne Haskins, Ed Oliver, Greedy Williams, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jonah Williams, Josh Allen, Kansas City Chiefs, Kyler Murray, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinnen Williams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Two Rounds

Posted on December 31, 2018 Updated on December 31, 2018

With Black Monday upon us and the regular season having come to a close, it’s time for Mock Draft 2.0 for the 2019 campaign. We’ve got plenty of risers and fallers from the previous mock draft, and more importantly, we’ve got two rounds!

A few pieces of note before we get going. Obviously this draft class is loaded at defensive line, as mentioned by everyone that covers the draft process. However, there are two other positions that are growing on me in terms of its talent and depth; wide receiver and tight end. At the start of the year, many were unsure if this pass catching class had elite targets. Entering the draft season, there’s six first round receiving targets on my personal draft board, and that number could grow as we move along in the process. The long and short here is, we now have multiple positions that have actual depth! Hooray!

The second thing to note is the quarterback class, or lack thereof. With Justin Herbert returning to school, Dwayne Haskins is most assuredly the top quarterback, assuming he declares. And while he’s guaranteed to go in the top 10 come April, I can’t justify him going before the back end of round one. So that’s why you will consistently see him lower on my personal mock drafts rather than my prediction mock drafts.

Lastly, there were plenty of teams looking to trade out of selections, but only a few could actually make a deal. I think this is foreshadowing for what to expect come April. With so little quarterback talent and so little depth at most positions, you could see very little action during the first few rounds of the NFL Draft. Either that, or this take will be wildly inaccurate and everyone will move up and down this draft trying to acquire the premium talent or assets for next year.

Now that we’ve set the scene for you, it’s time to roll. #MockLyfeNeverSleeps.

ROUND ONE

1) Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- Bosa is the no brainer first overall selection. He’s one of the top edge rushers to come out in the last five years and has all the ability in the world. Bosa can dip and bend around the edge and dictate leverage with his hands. Arizona definitely needs offensive line help, but if you’re a GM picking first overall and don’t take Nick Bosa, just accept the fact you won’t be employed by this time next year.

2) San Francisco 49ers: Jonah Williams, OT Alabama- I love Williams on tape. He excels in the jump set, 45 degree set, and the vertical set. Williams keeps his hands inside the defender’s shoulder pads, which allows him to gain leverage against both the athletic edge rushers as well as the bigger defensive ends. Williams’ foot speed isn’t world class, but he’s smart and incredibly technical. I’ll take smart offensive linemen over a straight athlete at the position any day of the week.

3) New York Jets: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- The Jets would love to trade this pick, but as I mentioned in the opening of this mock draft, I can’t justify any team trading up this high for a quarterback. If they can’t trade, they have to take a pass rusher or an offensive linemen, whichever they don’t address in free agency.

Burns is one of the best I’ve seen at bending around the edge. Even when tackles know it’s coming, Burns is so flexible and so athletic that he can explode past that tackle anyway. I think Burns has enough moves as well to keep tackles from constantly expecting him to run the arch. This is a dynamic pass rusher that should go higher than he will on draft day.

4) Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama- Oakland has to get to the passer in 2019 if they wish to improve as a team. Williams is slightly lower on my board compared to Ed Oliver, but he’s a much better pass rusher, which is why he gets selected here instead.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Deionte Thompson, FS Alabama- Thompson has elite range in the back of the defense. He can read and react from his single high position as good as anyone in the past few years. What I think separates him from the other rangy free safeties is Thompson willingly comes into the box and wants to play physical in the run game. His all around ability should have an immediate impact on Tampa Bay’s secondary.

6) New York Giants: Byron Murphy, CB Washington- I know Giants fans are going to want a Quarterback at this selection, but that’s why you pick Sam Darnold at number two last year. With Justin Herbert going back to school, there’s no quarterback worthy of a top 10 selection, and I would argue even if Herbert entered there wasn’t one anyway.

I was blown away by Murphy on tape. His ability to turn his hips and mirror receivers are incredible. Murphy is easily the best man cover corner in this draft, but it’s not his only strength. He has terrific instincts and good ball skills too.

The Giants have a lot of needs defensively so even though Giants fans probably want Dwayne Haskins, Williams fits a need and isn’t a ridiculous overdraft.

Editor’s Note: In regards to the Darnold comment, it’s very simple Giants fans. Despite how unbelievable Saquon Barkley has been this year, the Giants are now stuck waiting until 2020 for their franchise QB. Even if they pick Haskins, he shouldn’t start before 2020, maybe even 2021. Running backs are more easy to come by, see Phillip Lindsay, James Conner, Nick Chubb, Alvin Kamara, David Johnson….

7) *Oakland Raiders via Jacksonville Jaguars: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- Harry leads what is becoming a very underrated wide receiver class. I love Harry’s game on tape; he’s a big body receiver with explosive ability down the field and he makes big time plays one on one. Oakland uses their two back end first rounders to trade up and get a playmaker for Derek Carr.

Editor’s Note: Shout out to Jon Gruden who traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper only to enter this draft needing pass rushers and weapons for Derek Carr.

Second Editor’s Note: Jacksonville passes on Dwayne Haskins as well because he doesn’t warrant a top ten selection on my board. They also pass on Harry in this scenario because a veteran WR would do them a lot of good with DeDe Westbrook and Keelan Cole starting to shine.

8) Detroit Lions: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- Greedy Williams is a long, athletic corner that loves to play physical at the line of scrimmage. He checks all the boxes in man to man coverage, showing the ability to mirror receivers as well as trail them and still make plays.

Detroit needs a corner to play opposite Darius Slay, and because front four talent in this draft is so abundant, they can wait on a pass rusher and jump on one of the top cornerbacks in the draft.

9) Buffalo Bills: DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss- Metcalf’s neck injury concerns me, but assuming his medical checks out, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be a top 15 selection. Metcalf and N’Keal Harry are very similar prospects, big body receivers that can stretch the field and win one on ones with their size as well as their ability to high point the ball. He should compliment Josh Allen’s skill set very well.

Editor’s Note: Like the Jets, the Bills tried to trade out of this pick but were unsuccessful. After staying in the draft slot, Buffalo gets its young quarterback the top wide receiver in this draft class.

10) Denver Broncos: Ed Oliver, DT Houston- Unfortunately, this is a problem I envision for Ed Oliver on draft day. Because Quinnen Williams is a better pass rusher, Oliver could fall down draft boards, even though he’s the more complete player in my opinion. If he makes it to Denver’s pick, which is a real possibility, there’s no way the Broncos can pass on him. Oliver will translate to a 3-4 defensive end just fine.

11) Cincinnati Bengals: Devin White, ILB LSU- White is a top 15 talent if he decides to come out. Cincinnati needs a game changer at the second level of their defense. This is an easy selection.

Editor’s Note: It’s finally time for Cincinnati to start a rebuild, and while they’d love trading down from this selection to get that train rolling, no one wants to come up for the pick (as is customary with this draft).

12) Green Bay Packers: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- Easy analysis here. Green Bay needs a 3-4 OLB that can bend and dip around the edge. The best natural edge rusher remaining on my board at the moment is Jachai Polite.

13) Miami Dolphins: Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State- Oruwariye is a long corner who has good athleticism for his size (6’1, 200). More importantly, Oruwariye’s hips flip naturally and he mirrors receivers well. I know Dolphins fans may want Dwayne Haskins here, but the Dolphins need a second corner, and could need a number one if Xavien Howard walks in free agency after 2019. Therefore, the pick makes sense, even though the Dolphins will be looking for Ryan Tannehill’s replacement as early as this offseason.

14) *Philadelphia Eagles via Atlanta Falcons: Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia- This is a little high for Cajuste based on my grades, but positional need and his upside make this a warranted selection. Cajuste is a big time athlete for a tackle and he possesses a strong kickslide while keeping his hands up and staying inside the edge rusher’s shoulder pads. The Eagles offensive line has not been what it was when they were at their peak, so they trade up for an athletic replacement to Jason Peters.

15) Carolina Panthers: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Ferrell isn’t the same athlete as some of the other edge rushers in this draft class. However, he controls his gaps, he’s stout against the run, and he is very good at long arming defensive tackles and using his power when rushing the passer. The Panthers like bigger defensive ends instead of the quick twitch athletes, so Ferrell makes perfect sense.

16) Washington Redskins: Josh Allen, EDGE Kentucky- Allen is a good talent, with the ability to play multiple positions. He could line up in a 3-4 on the edge, or as a LEO linebacker in a 4-3.

However, Allen is being viewed as a top five prospect, and I think that’s a bit too high. He isn’t the quick twitch, natural edge player that some of the other prospects that have already been picked in this mock draft thus far.

It’s not that he’s a bad pass rusher, I think he has a solid move set and a quick first step. Personally, I just feel Allen is closer to the 10-20 range, and a great fit for Washington at 16.

17) Cleveland Browns: Bryce Hall, CB Virginia- Hall is very similar to Oruwariye, a long corner with great ball skills and fluid hips in coverage. Hall leads college football in pass breakups, so he should fit perfectly into Gregg Williams’ defense in 2019 (there’s no way the incoming Head Coach in Cleveland should let Williams out the door based on what he’s done this year).

18) Minnesota Vikings: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- Wilkins is a perfect scheme fit for Minnesota. He’s disruptive in the run game, he understands gap assignments and he’s technically sound, playing with good pad level and a high motor on almost every snap. With Sheldon Richardson presumably out the door, I’d expect the Vikings to look for a defensive tackle early in this draft.

19) *Seattle Seahawks via Pittsburgh Steelers: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- Sometimes trades happen because a team moves up to ensure they don’t miss on their guy. This is the case with this deal. Seattle still needs weapons offensively and Russell Wilson loves throwing to tight ends in the red zone.

Fant’s buzz isn’t as high as his teammate, TJ Hockenson, but I still think Fant is the superior prospect. Fant is a complete tight end in the pass game, showing the ability to high point the ball and win one-one-ones down the field, and he can block as well.

Seattle trades up a couple of spots to land Russell Wilson’s next big time red zone threat.

20) Tennessee Titans: AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss- Brown is a perfect compliment to Corey Davis and the ideal number two receiver for Marcus Mariota. He’s quick out of his cuts and he runs sharp, clean routes, creating a ton of separation at the top of the stem. The draft community is cooling on Brown a little bit, but I think that has more to do with the depth of this receiver class and the realization that the wide outs this year may be better than we originally presumed.

21) *Atlanta Falcons via Philadelphia Eagles: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- Atlanta trading back and picking the same guy they would’ve selected at 14 is exactly what you want. Lindstrom is as complete a prospect as they come. He shows a rare combination of power and agility, not to mention elite level footwork. Then again, would expect anything less from an offensive linemen from Boston College?

22) *Pittsburgh Steelers via Seattle Seahawks: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia- The Steelers secondary once again needs a massive overhaul. Baker is really good in press coverage, with the ability to jam receivers and force them to the boundary. If he tests well at the combine, he could find himself back near the top half of round one come April.

23) Indianapolis Colts: Rashan Gary, DE Michigan- I think Gary’s ideal fit is as a 3-4 defensive end. He’s more disruptive on the interior and his athleticism plays better inside because of his strong base and his quick first step. If teams look to play him on the interior, I think they’ll see a first round talent.

24) Baltimore Ravens: Kelvin Harmon, WR NC State- Baltimore’s makeshift receiving core has worked well enough this year, but they need a true playmaker to help Lamar Jackson develop. Harmon is yet another big body pass catcher at the top of this draft, but it’s his hands that have me so excited about him as a prospect. I saw almost no double catches on tape, as well as a big time catch radius. Harmon should be a big time player on third down and in the red zone at the next level.

25) Jacksonville Jaguars from Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State- I’m perfectly okay with a team over-drafting a quarterback in the first round to get that fifth option year of team control. I’m not okay with drafting him so ridiculously high that you mortgage your future for someone with a lot of question marks. That’s why Jacksonville trades backwards, picks up extra assets, and still selects QB1 in this draft, instead of reaching for him at nine.

Haskins has a massive arm and is only 20 years old, so there’s a ton of upside here if you can sit him for a year or two and teach him the finer points of QB play. Yet, he’s incredibly raw, and that’s why it wouldn’t be a complete shock if he chose to stay in school instead of getting thrown to the wolves in the NFL.

26) Houston Texans: Cody Ford, OT/OG Oklahoma- If the Texans don’t pick up offensive line this offseason everyone should be fired. It’s the one thing that’s separating them from being an elite team in the NFL.

Ford is an impressive athlete for someone of his size (6’3, 340). He’s very technical as well, showing a good base, quick feet and proper hand position in the 45 degree set and the jump set at the tackle position. Ford’s stature, technique and athleticism should allow him to make a seamless transition to guard at the next level, assuming his arm length is short for a tackle when he tests at the combine.

27) *Jacksonville Jaguars from Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa- Hockenson is flying up draft boards, and rightfully so. He’s an elite blocker and he is just as good between the 20’s as his teammate Noah Fant. Jacksonville loves to run the football and play action off of it, which is a perfect scheme fit for Hockenson at the next level.

Editor’s Note: I think Iowa misuses Fant in the pass game, which is why I still have Fant above Hockenson despite Hock’s meteoric rise up draft boards. Fant’s size and catch radius should help him to be elite at the next level.

Second Editor’s Note: As I had mentioned earlier, the reason the Jaguars take a pass catcher down here instead of N’Keal Harry at seven is because they move backwards to land Haskins at an appropriate draft spot, and they need a veteran receiver to compliment their emerging young receiving core.

28) Los Angeles Chargers: Jeffery Simmons, DL Mississippi State- Simmons comes with a bit of off the field baggage, but on the field he’s a first round talent. He’s got a ton of moves on the interior, a quick counter-punch and he wins leverage at the point of attack with his strong base and physicality. The player on the field is a round one talent in a walk.

29) New England Patriots: Mack Wilson, ILB Alabama- New England would love to get one of the Iowa tight ends here at 29, but with both off the board, they go to their next biggest need.

Wilson is stout in the run game and covers a lot of ground sideline to sideline. I know there’s talk of Wilson returning to school, but with the lack of depth in this class at the off ball linebacker position, I think Wilson is a top 40 lock if he declares.

30) Los Angeles Rams: Montez Sweat, EDGE Mississippi State- Obviously the Rams have a ton of pieces still in place for next year, but they will lose Dante Fowler in free agency, making their top need a rusher off the edge.

Sweat is another one of the quick twitch edge rushers that highlights this draft class. He’s a fluid athlete and he runs the arch to the QB very well. He should dominate one on one matchups in LA.

31) Kansas City Chiefs: Nasir Adderley, FS Delaware- I know the Chiefs have Eric Berry in the back-end, but unfortunately Berry may not be the same player he once was. Ron Parker is an unrestricted free agent as well, so safety is a monster need for the Chiefs in the offseason.

Adderley is a small school prospect generating a ton of first round buzz. He’s a very good single high safety, who will become much better when he learns to trust his instincts instead of hesitating at times and overthinking.

32) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: Dalton Risner, OG Kansas State- Risner doesn’t have the footwork to play tackle at the next level, but he’s a mauler in the run game. Green Bay seems more committed to using the ground game in the future, so Risner’s nastiness along the interior should help them in their future endeavors.

Trades in Round One (star designates pick was traded by me)

1) Oakland Raiders trade the #25, #27 and #100 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #7.

2) Philadelphia Eagles trade the #21 and #53 to the Atlanta Falcons for the #14.

3) Seattle Seahawks trade the #22, #150 and a 2020 5th round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the #19 and a 2020 7th round pick.

ROUND TWO

33) Arizona Cardinals: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin

34) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Dexter Lawrence, NT Clemson

35) Oakland Raiders: Michael Dieter, OT/OG Wisconsin

36) San Francisco 49ers: Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson

37) New York Giants: Tyler Biadasz, OG/OC Wisconsin

38) Jacksonville Jaguars: Damien Harris, RB Alabama

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Greg Little, OT Ole Miss

40) Buffalo Bills: Elgton Jenkins, OC Mississippi State

41) Detroit Lions: Jerry Tillery, DL Notre Dame

42) Cincinnati Bengals: Kaden Smith, TE Stanford

43) Denver Broncos: Daniel Jones, QB Duke

44) Green Bay Packers: Dawson Knox, TE Ole Miss

45) Atlanta Falcons: Derrick Brown, DT Auburn

46) Carolina Panthers: Raekwon Davis, DT Alabama

47) Miami Dolphins: Anthony Nelson, EDGE Iowa

48) Washington Redskins: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma

49) Cleveland Browns: Oshane Ximines, EDGE/OLB Old Dominion

50) Minnesota Vikings: Bobby Evans, OT Oklahoma

51) Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, ILB Michigan

52) Tennessee Titans: Zach Allen, DL Boston College

53) *Atlanta Falcons via Philadelphia Eagles: Julian Love, CB Notre Dame

54) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Andre Dillard, OT Washington State

55) Philadelphia Eagles via Baltimore Ravens: Gerald Willis, DT Miami

56) Indianapolis Colts: DaMarkus Lodge, WR Ole Miss

57) Dallas Cowboys: Albert Okwuegbunam, TE Missouri

58) Houston Texans: Darrell Henderson, RB Memphis

59) Los Angeles Chargers: David Long, CB Michigan

60) New England Patriots via Chicago Bears: Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama

61) New England Patriots: Riley Ridley, WR Georgia

62) Kansas City Chiefs via Los Angeles Rams: Kristian Fulton, CB LSU

63) Kansas City Chiefs: Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma

64) New Orleans Saints: Taylor Rapp, SS Washington

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Brian Burns, Buffalo Bills, Byron Murphy, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Christian Wilkins, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deionte Thompson, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Devin White, DK Metcalf, Dwayne Haskins, Ed Oliver, Greedy Williams, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jachai Polite, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jonah Williams, Josh Allen, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, N'Keal Harry, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinnen Williams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz: 2019 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on October 28, 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are back! With the NFL officially at the midway point and the College Football season hitting its stretch run, it’s time to give a quick peek into where the prospects stand right now. This is always the toughest mock draft of the year because so many things change from now until April. The tape on college players for this season is also incomplete, so it’s hard to give a complete analysis at this stage in the game.

However, y’all know the drill by now (shoutout to those who realize why I chose “y’all,” in that spot)… MOCK DRAFT LYFE NEVER SLEEPS!

This upcoming draft features a ton of defensive line talent. You could see as many as ten defensive lineman go in the first round! Despite this, the rest of the draft is a giant mystery. Is there a quarterback worthy of a top ten selection? Is there a WR1 in this draft? Does the draft have enough depth for day three steals?

While these questions will be answered in time, for now, here’s a peek at some players I expect to be talked about as first round talents in the upcoming draft.

*Editor’s Note: The standings for this mock draft are based on my individual opinion of where teams will finish at the end of the season. Once I got to the playoffs (21-32), it’s based on seeding, not who would win each matchup. There is also no trading in this Mock Draft because it’s way too early to get that crazy.

ROUND ONE

1) Oakland Raiders: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- The Oakland Raiders and New York Giants are about to enter a good ole fashion NBA Draft style tank-off for the top pick. Regardless of who wins, I think both teams will get the players they covet.

Bosa is easily the top prospect in this draft. I have not seen an edge rusher as polished as Bosa on tape in my years of doing mock drafts. To me, his football ability at this level is better than Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, as well as his brother, Joey Bosa. Depending on how he tests athletically, he could grade as one of my top players ever.

2) New York Giants: Justin Herbert, QB Oregon- Well, the Giants get their man, but is it the right man for the job? Personally, I currently do not have a quarterback worthy of a first round pick. The closest guy is Herbert, because he has the tools to be a NFL starter. He shows intelligence in the intermediate window, good arm strength and he’s athletic.

However, Herbert has been so inconsistent this year on film. I don’t think he takes enough chances with the football, which is a major concern. If a QB is not going to take a chance in college, how can we expect him to give a receiver a one-on-one opportunity in the NFL? The QBs that don’t take chances in college are the ones that don’t see “NFL open,” at the next level.

I’m breaking my rule here by putting a player that doesn’t have a first round grade this high, but let’s face it, the Giants are taking a quarterback this time around.

3) San Francisco 49ers: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia- I’d call Baker “Denzel Ward 2.0,” but Baker might be better. He’s a wall in man coverage and he’s just as technically sound as Ward was, showing great fluidity when changing directions as well as the ability to trail receivers stride for stride. If he tests well in Indianapolis, he should be the top corner taken in April.

4) Arizona Cardinals: Jonah Williams, OT Alabama- Williams is technical enough to be worthy of a top five selection. As long as his athletic grade checks out, he should be the easy selection for Arizona, a team desperate for offensive line talent.

5) Buffalo Bills: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- This would be a case of a luxury pick, which is rare at the fifth spot. However, there’s not really an offensive player worthy of this selection and the Bills do need a number two corner. Williams has good size and build, and he possesses strong ball skills that would compliment his Bayou brethren Tre’ White.

6) Indianapolis Colts: Ed Oliver, DL Houston- For the second straight year, the Colts get the second best player to fall into their lap at the sixth overall pick (sound familiar Jets fans?). Oliver is an athletic freak, but because he’s an interior defensive lineman, he could fall in this draft if offensive players are over-drafted.

7) Cleveland Browns: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin- “Offensive Line University,” is back at it, with an entire starting unit of NFL talent. Edwards has been up and down this year, but there’s two things I like about him; he’s smart, and he’s shown great improvement for a guy who was recruited as a Quarterback. Offensive lineman that are intelligent almost always wind up being solid pros. In my opinion, I’ll take an intelligent offensive lineman over one that exclusively tests well athletically every time.

8) Denver Broncos: Dexter Lawrence, DT/NT Clemson- The Broncos run defense has been a shell of its former self in 2018. Lawrence is a rare talent at the nose tackle position. He can occupy space, he can beat interior lineman one-on-one, and he collapses the pocket very well.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State- Oruwariye has emerged as CB3 on my board, which was a huge question mark for this draft class heading into the season. He has elite size, his ball skills are excellent, and he shows the smarts to excel in multiple different coverages. While this is a little high for him, but because the Bucs are desperate for secondary help, it makes sense.

10) Seattle Seahawks: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- If the Seahawks are truly committed to making this a team that wins with its offense as much as it does with its defense, then Russell Wilson needs some more weapons. Fant is the top pass catcher on my board because he has it all. He’s got the size and build, the elite athleticism to stretch the field, and he catches anything in his radius. Fant is a quality blocker as well.

Some might say the top ten is too high for a tight end, but with the emergence of guys like Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, and other star tight ends, Fant is easily worthy of this selection.

11) New York Jets: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Ferrell has been one of the most dynamic pass rushers in college football over the past 18 months. His ability to dip and bend around the edge is impressive.

My one concern is his motor, not because he takes plays off, but because Clemson’s defensive front has not been as consistent as you would’ve expected.

Having said that, Ferrell is still a terrific talent, and the Jets are desperate for a pass rusher of his caliber.

12) Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- Now that Jon Gruden has absolutely zero weapons for his franchise quarterback (who may also be on the move), it’s probably a good idea for the Raiders to draft some pass catchers.

Harry leads a group of wide receivers that will have a lot to prove throughout the draft process. Many question whether this group has a true WR1, but I think Harry’s combination of size and speed as well as his ability to high point the football make him the prize of this draft at the receiver position.

13) Detroit Lions: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- Burns is an elite pass rusher from a stand-up position. He shows a rare combination of length and athleticism, and possesses a ton of ways to get to the passer. I know the concern here is a 3-4 player going to a 4-3 scheme, but with the recent acquisition of Damon Harrison combined with Matt Patricia’s 3-4 background, Detroit can transition perfectly to accommodate their selection.

14) Miami Dolphins: Rashan Gary, DT Michigan- Many are projecting Gary as a 4-3 defensive end, but I think his skill set sets up much better as an interior lineman. He’s a terrific athlete and a big time run stuffer. There’s definitely parts of his game that need cleaning up (he’s not the most explosive pass rusher and his hands can sometimes sag), but Gary would be a plug and play on any team’s interior defensive line.

15) Atlanta Falcons: Dalton Risner, OT/OG Kansas State- Risner has been really strong in pass protection against the smaller, athletic ends that typically play in the Big 12. He has a great feel for the second level as well. I think he has room to grow technically, specifically with his pad level consistency, but Risner to me can play guard or tackle at the next level, which is a big weapon.

16) Tennessee Titans: AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss- Tennessee desperately needs pass catchers that can separate, and that’s exactly what Brown excels at. He’s incredibly quick and explosive with the football, two things the Titans really lack at wide receiver. Easy fit here.

17) Cincinnati Bengals: Josh Allen, OLB Kentucky- Allen really fell in this mock, which is upsetting because he’s one of my favorite players in this draft. He plays downhill with aggression and poise, ranges well sideline to sideline, and he’s got pass rush ability off the edge. Not to mention, he excels in off ball coverage as well. Cincinnati gets a big time steal here to play strong side linebacker.

18) Jacksonville Jaguars: Montez Sweat, EDGE/OLB Mississippi State- Obviously Jacksonville needs a quarterback, but there isn’t one worthy of a first round selection on my board.

Sweat isn’t the best athlete, but you can’t ignore production. He’s a smart pass rusher, he knows how to set up tackles with his hands and he has a solid move-set. I love the idea of Sweat playing the LEO linebacker in a 4-3, which is exactly where Jacksonville would put him.

19) Washington Redskins: Devin White, ILB LSU- White is an incredibly underrated prospect at the moment. He shows tremendous range and plays with passion and intensity. White can do it all from the middle linebacker spot and has the versatility to play outside as well. Washington’s linebacking core gets a major boost.

20) Carolina Panthers: Lukas Denis, FS Boston College- The Panthers secondary is improving, but it still needs a game changer in the backend. Denis has had a down year on the stat sheet, but he’s still been impactful in the BC secondary. On tape, he has good ball skills and shows NFL awareness from the single high position.

With current free safety Mike Adams playing his age 37 season, one would assume Carolina will be looking for his replacement this offseason.

21) Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: Tyler Biadasz, OG/OC Wisconsin- Oakland’s offensive line is a shell of what it once was. Biadasz is perfect at guard or center for a power blocking scheme, which is exactly what Gruden likes to run up front.

22) Pittsburgh Steelers: Byron Murphy, CB Washington- I was blown away by Murphy’s ability to mirror receivers on tape. He lines up on the outside as well as in the nickel and does a terrific job of sticking receivers in man-to-man. This is a name to remember, Murphy could slide up a lot of people’s draft boards as the year goes on.

23) Green Bay Packers: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- Regardless of whether Clay Matthews is re-upped or departs in free agency, the Packers pass rush needs a jolt. Polite is an elite 3-4 edge rusher with a good ability to bend around the edge. He’s currently higher on my personal board than this mock draft, but I think that’s an accurate representation of what could happen come April. Because there are so many talented front seven prospects, you could see a lot of them fall in an attempt by teams to draft the limited talent at other positions.

24) Los Angeles Chargers: Jerry Tillery, DL Notre Dame- Tillery is a mammoth on the defensive front (he stands 6’7), but oddly enough it’s his quickness and first step that make him a highly touted prospect. The Chargers pass rush would become even better by adding an interior player like Tillery.

25) Houston Texans: Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia- Normally I’m not a fan of spread offensive lineman, but Cajuste has had a strong season thus far. He quick on his first step into his kickslide, and he’s handled athletic pass rushers well. Cajuste needs help in the run game, his pad level is often high and he doesn’t have a great feel for the second level. However, if he continues to shine in pass protection, it would be hard for teams to ignore him in the first 40 picks.

26) Philadelphia Eagles: Greg Little, OT Ole Miss- The Eagles have to find their next starting left tackle this offseason. Jason Peters is probably retiring after this season and Hal Vatai has been very subpar since his performance in the Super Bowl.

Little is lower on my board than most because too often I see him off balance and high with his pad level. However, he’s a former five star recruit and an impressive athlete. Little would be a great fit in Philly.

27) Baltimore Ravens: Christian Wilkins, DL Clemson- Best Player Available; an Ozzie Newsome special to kick off the post Ozzie Newsome era in Baltimore. Wilkins has a quick first step and a high motor. He’s very disciplined in gap assignments as well, a big key for players in the Ravens defense.

28) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: Jeffery Simmons, DL Mississippi State- The Packers front three has underwhelmed all year. Simmons would be an infusion of youth and athleticism into a front that desperately needs it.

29) Minnesota Vikings: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- Underrated prospect alert! Lindstrom is a four year starter at BC and has a polished game up front. He gets to the second level, he has a low center of gravity so he’s rarely knocked back at the point of attack, and he has great footwork. Lindstrom should wind up higher on many people’s board as the draft process go on.

30) Kansas City Chiefs: Deionte Thompson, S Alabama- Thompson is a do-it-all safety that rivals some of the top safeties we’ve seen in recent drafts. He’s strong around the line of scrimmage, and he finds the ball well in the backend of the secondary. Kansas City needs playmakers in the secondary, and Thompson is just that.

31) New England Patriots: Kaden Smith, TE Stanford- If the Patriots truly want to start the process of replacing Rob Gronkowski, this is the year to do it. There’s multiple big time pass catching tight ends, including Kaden Smith who is a freakish athlete. He’s not the most fluid route runner yet, but he high points the ball well and he’s a tough cover for linebackers because of his speed.

32) Los Angeles Rams: Mack Wilson, ILB Alabama- If the Rams have a weakness, it’s their linebacking core. Wilson is one of the better off ball linebackers in this draft, showing good range and reaction skills on tape.

Then again, the NFL might force the Rams to forfeit their pick because they’re too good.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2019 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Clelin Ferrell, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, DeAndre Baker, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Dexter Lawrence, Ed Oliver, Greedy Williams, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, N'Keal Harry, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2018 NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Final Mock Draft (Three Rounds)

Posted on April 26, 2018

The day of reckoning is upon us, the three day spectacle that is the NFL Draft. This means it is time for one final Mock Draft from yours truly. #MockDraftSZN may be coming to an end, but the #MockDraftLyfe never stops (credit to Joe Romano for that poetic tagline).

This is my final personal mock draft. As always, this is what I would do at each selection. For my prediction mock draft, aka what I think will happen on draft days one and two, click the link here: https://draftstock.net/2018/04/23/jordan-katz-2018-nfl-prediction-mock-draft-2-0-final/

Some things changed from my most recent mock draft, the biggest of which is the teams that are moving around in this draft. There’s multiple teams without the leverage to trade out of spots in this draft, including one in the top five that has traded in every draft I’ve done thus far.

There’s also slightly less analysis in this mock draft. If you’ve kept up with my mock drafts, you’re well aware of the players I like versus the players I do not.

Thank you to everyone who kept up with my content this year. Enjoy the draft!

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB USC- I still believe Darnold should be selected first because he can sit the first year. Baker Mayfield is my top quarterback, but he’s ready to play now and he also has less upside. If the Browns are going to start Tyrod Taylor in 2018, they should pick Darnold.

2) New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- I mentioned in my predictions mock draft that the Giants no longer have any trade leverage at this selection. David Gettleman didn’t do a good enough job convincing the masses that they would select a quarterback not named Sam Darnold. Therefor the Giants are stuck at this pick, but Saquon Barkley is a nice consolation prize.

3) New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- Broadway Baker, nothing changes here.

4) *Buffalo Bills from Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- The Browns reap the benefits of the Giants inability to trade the second pick. They get multiple first and second round picks to slide down the draft.

The Bills are rewarded as well. They pay less of a price in order to land their franchise quarterback.

5) Denver Broncos: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- After much debate, I’ve decided that the Broncos have to take Quenton Nelson if they are unable to trade this pick. Not only is he the best player in the draft, but he’s a legitimate can’t miss prospect.

6) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Bradley Chubb, EDGE NC State- If Chubb and Barkley are off the board on draft day, look for the Colts to trade out. With Chubb on the board, this pick is easy.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- Fitzpatrick’s versatility in the secondary makes him the selection over Derwin James, who’s a more traditional safety.

8) Chicago Bears: Roquan Smith, OLB/ILB Georgia- Smith can be the anchor in the middle of the Bears 3-4 defense from day one.

9) San Francisco 49ers: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE/OLB Virginia Tech- Edmunds would give an immediate jolt to the Niners linebacking core, as well as their pass rush.

10) Oakland Raiders: Connor Williams, OT/OG Texas- Oakland is best served to take the best available offensive tackle with their first selection. One of the differences between their playoff team from two years ago and last year’s underachieving squad was the regression of their offensive line.

11) Miami Dolphins: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- Payne’s massive rise up my draft board is largely due to their inability to trade this pick. He’s a better fit for their 4-3 defense than Vita Vea, so Miami takes Payne a little higher than expected.

12) *Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills via Cincinnati Bengals: Carlton Davis, CB Auburn- After trading down from the fourth pick, the Browns use their second of three first round picks on a true number one cornerback.

13) Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, DT/NT Washington- Vea still can’t find his way into the top ten where he belongs, but I doubt Washington is complaining.

14) Green Bay Packers: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- To compare this selection to the NBA Draft, Derwin James should not make it out of the lottery this year. He’s a perfect fit next to HaHa Clinton-Dix.

15) Arizona Cardinals: Anthony Miller, WR Memphis- Arizona needs a playmaker to alleviate pressure from the ageless wonder Larry Fitzgerald. Miller is worthy of this selection for me, he’s my only receiver with a first round grade.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise State- This remains my favorite selection of the draft. Baltimore’s defense becomes even more elite with Vander Esch and CJ Mosley commanding the middle.

17) Los Angeles Chargers: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- McGlinchey is a reach here on my board, but the Chargers desperately need help at the offensive tackle positions.

18) *Carolina Panthers via Seattle Seahawks: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- With only one selection in the first 100 picks, Seattle is desperate to trade out of this selection. This allows Carolina to trade up for a number one cornerback.

19) *Minnesota Vikings via Dallas Cowboys: Braden Smith, OT/OG Auburn- Minnesota trades up to bolster its offensive line, which is exactly what I had them do in my predictions mock.

20) Detroit Lions: Rasheem Green, DE USC- Green continuously rose up my board throughout the draft process, and this is now the peak. His athleticism and length make him the second edge rusher taken.

21) Cincinnati Bengals via Buffalo Bills: Billy Price, OG/C Ohio State- I think Price is easily the best center in this draft and very worthy of the 21st selection.

22) *Cleveland Browns via Buffalo Bills: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- The Browns did sign Carlos Hyde this offseason, but I doubt that deters them from selecting a running back in this draft.

23) New England Patriots via Los Angeles Rams: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- This is a scary good selection for New England. Alexander’s ability in man coverage would be a big time weapon for Bill Belichick’s defense.

24) *Seattle Seahawks via Carolina Panthers: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP- Seattle has a number of needs, which is why trading down from 18 is imperative. Hernandez is a mauler in the run game and a perfect fit for the Seahawks.

25) Tennessee Titans: Isaiah Wynn, OG Georgia- The Titans also need help at guard, so the run on interior linemen concludes with Wynn to Tennessee.

Editor’s note: In case Vikings fans were curious as to why they would move up, this is why. First round offensive linemen will fly off the board late.

26) Atlanta Falcons: Taven Bryan, DT Florida- Bryan’s athleticism and effort will make him beloved by the Atlanta coaching staff very quickly.

27) New Orleans Saints: Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State- Goedert would become one of Drew Brees’ favorite targets very quickly.

Editor’s Note: New Orleans tried to trade down here to acquire an extra pick in the first three rounds, but they were unsuccessful.

28) *Oakland Raiders via Pittsburgh Steelers: Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado- Oakland trades back into round one to land a starting cornerback.

29) Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M- My personal feeling is that Jacksonville’s receiving core needs a lot of work. Kirk would be a perfect fit because he would help Jacksonville as a chains mover on third down.

30) *Dallas Cowboys via Minnesota Vikings: DeShon Elliott, FS Texas- With Byron Jones moving back to corner, a hole has been created at free safety. Chidobe Awuzie played some safety last year, but I think the Cowboys are better off trying to select a ball hawk like Elliott or Justin Reid in this draft.

31) New England Patriots: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- I know the Patriots would like to trade back with one of their two first rounders, but they can’t pass on Davenport at 31.

32) *Cincinnati Bengals via Philadelphia Eagles: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama- Cincinnati needs to reload at safety and this is the perfect draft to do it. They trade up to land Harrison, a true throwback strong safety.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Buffalo Bills trade the #12, #22, #53 and a 2019 2nd round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the #4.

2) Carolina Panthers trade the #24 and #88 to the Seattle Seahawks for the #18.

3) Minnesota Vikings trade the #30 and #62 to the Dallas Cowboys for the #19 and #171.

4) Oakland Raiders trade the #41 and #75 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the #28, #148 and a 2019 5th round pick.

5) Cincinnati Bengals trade the #46 and #77 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #42 and #130.

ROUND TWO

33) Cleveland Browns: Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State: Hubbard is the perfect player to go opposite Myles Garrett. He’s a disciplined edge rusher with an underrated move-set.

34) New York Giants: Joshua Jackson, CB Iowa- I know the Giants need offensive line, but they can’t pass on Jackson here. They need a true number two cornerback opposite Janoris Jenkins.

35) *Los Angeles Chargers from Cleveland Browns via Indianapolis Colts: Justin Reid, FS Stanford- Cleveland doesn’t have an immediate need at this spot, so they trade down once again for assets to use later. Los Angeles moves up to land a ball hawking free safety.

36) Indianapolis Colts: Sony Michel, RB Georgia- If the Colts aren’t sold on Marlon Mack being a “bell cow,” then a running back in the second round should be a lock.

37) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Mike Hughes, CB UCF- This is an easy pick as well. The Colts have to find a cornerback in this draft class to play opposite Quincy Wilson.

38) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerard Avery, OLB Memphis- Avery was another late riser for me. I love his move-set and motor from the strong side. Tampa Bay takes a strong side linebacker here, adding another dimension to their much improved front seven from a year ago.

39) Chicago Bears: Frank Ragnow, OG/C Arkansas- Ragnow is exactly the kind of player the Bears should target if they miss Quenton Nelson in round one. His versatility allows the Bears to judge whether he or current center Cody Whitehair is better off transitioning to guard.

40) Denver Broncos: Ronald Jones II, RB USC- Much like my predictions mock draft, Denver takes a starting running back at the top of round two.

41) *Pittsburgh Steelers via Oakland Raiders: Rashaan Evans, OLB/ILB Alabama- Pittsburgh trades down, acquires assets in this draft, and selects a guy they would’ve reached for at 28.

42) Miami Dolphins: Kerryon Johnson, RB Auburn- The signing of Frank Gore combined with the emergence of Kenyan Drake is still not deterring me from giving the Dolphins a true “bell cow,” in the backfield

43) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Mike Gesicki, TE Penn State- Gesicki to New England is still my layup of round two. He gives the Patriots insurance if they opt to deal Rob Gronkowski, or he is just another big body pass catcher that safeties will be unable to defend one-on-one.

44) Washington Redskins: Mason Cole, OL Michigan- I like the idea of Washington taking a center to replace Spencer Long, but I go with Cole instead of James Daniels. I value Cole’s intelligence and versatility over the athleticism of Daniels.

45) Green Bay Packers: Holton Hill, CB Texas- Green Bay is a team that can take someone like Hill and get the best out of him. If Hill stays out of trouble, he could be the steal of this draft.

46) *Philadelphia Eagles via Cincinnati Bengals: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT/OG Western Michigan- Philadelphia needs a tackle of the future in this draft. Okorafor is my favorite developmental pick this year.

47) Arizona Cardinals: Jessie Bates III, FS Wake Forest- Bates is not the best tackler, but he has ridiculous range and ball skills from the free safety position.

48) *Cleveland Browns via Los Angeles Chargers: Harrison Phillips, DT Stanford- The Browns need consistency at the defensive tackle position. While some feel that their roster is deep enough at that spot, I think they need a starter next to Larry Ogunjobi.

49) Indianapolis Colts from New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks: Dante Pettis, WR Washington- Pettis has the ability to be a number two wide receiver out of the gate. He would take pressure off of T.Y Hilton as well.

50) Dallas Cowboys: DJ Moore, WR Maryland- Moore’s athleticism is off the charts. He would be a perfect number one target for Dak Prescott.

51) Detroit Lions: Austin Corbett, OG/C Nevada- Corbett can start at left guard from day one for Detroit and he can kick inside to center in the future if Graham Glasgow doesn’t perform.

52) Baltimore Ravens: James Daniels, OC Iowa- Baltimore needs to replace Ryan Jensen and Daniels slid down the draft right into their lap. Easy pick.

53) *Cleveland Browns via Buffalo Bills: Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State– The run on wide receivers caps off with Gallup to Cleveland. I don’t trust Josh Gordon to stay on the field, nor do I trust Corey Coleman to stay healthy.

54) Kansas City Chiefs: Martinas Rankin, OL Mississippi State- Slight reach pick, but the Chiefs need to find offensive line depth and potential starters up front in this draft.

55) Carolina Panthers: Terrell Edmunds, SS Virginia Tech- Edmunds is a steal here for Carolina. He can be a traditional in the box strong safety and he’s also a decent safety from a cover two spot.

56) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Brian O’Neill, OT Pittsburgh- Buffalo is so desperate for offensive line that they have to reach, albeit slightly, for a starting tackle late in round two.

57) Tennessee Titans: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB Oklahoma- Tennessee needs to get younger and quicker on the edge. Okoronkwo plays downhill with poise and he’s got a solid move-set off the edge.

58) *New York Jets via Atlanta Falcons: Josh Sweat, EDGE Florida State- If you can’t tell by now, I’m all in on Baker Mayfield and trading up for Josh Sweat as the Jets draft strategy.

59) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma- Getting Jimmy Garoppolo a middle of the field target is more important than selecting a wide receiver at this spot.

60) Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Allen, QB Wyoming- The most ideal fit for Josh Allen is Pittsburgh. Allen would get to sit and learn behind a hall of fame quarterback like Roethlisberger (who one could argue Allen resembles with his size and “escapability”) while he perfects the finer points of his game like footwork and clearing his hip when throwing to a target.

61) Jacksonville Jaguars: Fred Warner, OLB/ILB BYU- I think Warner would be a terrific replacement for Paul Posluszny. He’s terrific in off ball coverage, just like the rest of the Jaguars linebacking core.

62) *Dallas Cowboys via Minnesota Vikings: Breeland Speaks, DT Ole Miss- Speaks is one of the most underrated players in this draft. He may not have the strengths of the other tackles, but he’s a complete player. Speaks can start right away for any team that drafts him.

63) *Arizona Cardinals via New England Patriots: Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville- Arizona has to find a quarterback for the future in this draft. With Allen going a few picks earlier, they trade up to ensure they land Jackson.

64) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Kolton Miller, OT UCLA- The tackle class is not great, but if the team picking Miller is right, they could have a starting left tackle on their hands.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) Los Angeles Chargers trade the #48, #84 and #155 to the Cleveland Browns for the #35 and #114.

2) New York Jets trade the #72, #107 and #179 to the Atlanta Falcons for the #58 and #200.

3) Arizona Cardinals trade the #79 and #97 to the New England Patriots for the #62 and a 2019 4th round pick.

ROUND THREE

65) Buffalo Bills via Cleveland Browns: Wyatt Teller, OG Virginia Tech

66) New York Giants: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma

67) Indianapolis Colts: Uchenna Nwosu, OLB USC

68) Houston Texans: Derrick Nnadi, DT/NT Florida State

69) New York Giants via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tegray Scales, OLB/ILB Indiana

70) San Francisco 49ers via Chicago Bears: Dorance Armstrong Jr., EDGE Kansas

71) Denver Broncos: MJ Stewart, CB North Carolina

72) *Atlanta Falcons via New York Jets: Colby Gossett, OG Appalachian State

73) Miami Dolphins: Harold Landry, EDGE Boston College

74) San Francisco 49ers: DaeSean Hamilton, WR Penn State

75) *Pittsburgh Steelers via Oakland Raiders: Arden Key, EDGE LSU

76) Green Bay Packers: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama

77) *Philadelphia Eagles via Cincinnati Bengals: Rashaad Penny, RB San Diego State

78) Kansas City Chiefs via Washington Redskins: Quenton Meeks, CB Stanford

79) *New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals: Tyrell Crosby, OT/OG Oregon

80) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Hayden Hurst, TE South Carolina

81) Dallas Cowboys: Darius Leonard, OLB South Carolina State

82) Detroit Lions: Nathan Shepard, DT Fort Hays State

83) Baltimore Ravens: Ian Thomas, TE Indiana

84) *Cleveland Browns via Los Angeles Chargers: Godwin Igwebuike, FS/SS Northwestern

85) Carolina Panthers via Buffalo Bills: Nick Chubb, RB Georgia

86) Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Hill, DT/NT NC State

87) Los Angeles Rams: Hercules Mata’Afa, EDGE Washington State

88) *Seattle Seahawks via Carolina Panthers: Duke Ejiofor, DE Wake Forest

89) Tennessee Titans: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Notre Dame

90) Atlanta Falcons: Tre’Quan Smith, WR UCF

91) New Orleans Saints: PJ Hall, DT Sam Houston State

92) Pittsburgh Steelers: Gereon Christian, OL Louisville

93) *Green Bay Packers via Jacksonville Jaguars: Josey Jewell, ILB Iowa

94) Minnesota Vikings: JC Jackson, CB Maryland

95) New England Patriots: Foley Fatukasi, DT UCONN

96) *Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Buffalo Bills via Philadelphia Eagles: Kalen Ballage, RB Arizona State

97) *New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals (compensatory): Kyle Lauletta, QB Richmond

98) Houston Texans (compensatory): Alex Cappa, OL Humboldt State

99) Denver Broncos (compensatory): Courtland Sutton, WR SMU

100) Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): Shaquem Griffin, LB UCF

TRADES IN ROUND THREE

1) Green Bay Packers trade the #101 and #138 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #93

2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade the #102 and #144 to the Buffalo Bills for the #96

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2018 NFL Draft, 2018 NFL Mock Draft, 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, Derrius Guice, Derwin James, Detroit Lions, DJ Moore, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Jackson, Leighton Vander Esch, 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, Roquan Smith, Sam Darnold, San Francisco 49ers, Saquon Barkley, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Tremaine Edmunds, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz 2018 NFL Prediction Mock Draft 2.0: Final

Posted on April 23, 2018 Updated on April 25, 2018

This is my final prediction mock draft of 2018. As stated in my previous edition, this is the more conventional mock draft where I attempt to get every selection correct. This draft is incredibly tough to predict because the number one selection is still up in the air. The draft plays out very differently if Josh Allen is selected first instead of Sam Darnold, or vice versa.

This draft is also one giant guessing game after pick six or seven because of the amount of quarterbacks that could go in round one. We could see six quarterbacks go in the first round on Thursday night. Six! So this is my best attempt at reading through the rumors that are truth and the ones that are smoke screens. Hopefully I do better than last year.

Editor’s note: An asterisk next to a team name means that the pick was traded in this draft. If there’s no asterisk, that means the pick was traded before this “draft,” got underway.

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB USC- Darnold and Josh Allen are supposedly neck and neck in “Browns land.” When a decision is this close, sometimes it’s the smallest detail that can separate two players in the eyes of a front office.

Darnold showed up at 7 AM to help out his USC teammates at their pro day when he didn’t have to be there. Something as small as being there for your teammates after the season has ended could be what separates him from Josh Allen for GM John Dorsey.

2) New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- I think teams are going to dare the Giants to pick a quarterback come draft night. I’m not sure anyone in the NFL believes that David Gettleman would take a QB not named Sam Darnold. The Giants select the best player available, and hope he can shine behind a weak offensive line.

Editor’s Note: This is where the draft could be completely different if Josh Allen goes first. Now there’s legitimate concern among the teams that need a quarterback in the middle of round one that their guy may not be there. If Josh Allen goes first, then the Giants are in the power position of the draft once again.

3) New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- “Broadway Baker,” has been my prediction for the Jets from day one. He’s a leader in the locker room, the fans will love him, and he’s tailor-made for a west coast system.

4) *Buffalo Bills from Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Josh Allen, QB Wyoming- Originally I wrote that the Giants held the keys to this draft, because they could tempt teams to move up by teasing a quarterback at the second selection. However, David Gettleman has done such a poor job with his pre-draft strategy. By not at least teasing a quarterback could be their pick, they have zero leverage if Darnold is off the board.

This means that, once again, the Cleveland Browns control the draft. The Browns would love to trade down from four. Therefore, whatever team trades up could get their franchise quarterback at a discounted price because the Browns already have their QB.

Buffalo will still have to give both first rounders this year to trade up, but they should be able to hold on to any future assets. That would not be the case if they went up to where the Giants pick.

5) *Arizona Cardinals via Denver Broncos: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- This draft is going to be wacky because of the quarterbacks. Denver seems like they’re all in on Allen and Mayfield. If they can’t get one of those two, I could see a scenario where Denver uses Rosen to trade back and acquire assets. Case Keenum has proved that he can be the game manager Denver is looking for in the immediate future.

Arizona trades up to land their franchise quarterback.

6) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Bradley Chubb, EDGE NC State- If one of the top four quarterbacks is on the board at six, Indianapolis is trading down to the highest bidder. If all the quarterbacks are gone, they take Bradley Chubb or Saquon Barkley. It’s as simple as that.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE/OLB Virginia Tech- This pick is a little out of the box because Tampa Bay needs safeties and the top two guys are available. However, Tampa Bay also needs a strong side linebacker, and teams love Tremaine Edmunds. The Bucs could go for a versatile front seven player in round one because the secondary depth in this class is excellent.

8) Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- To put this simply, I can’t see the best player in the draft making it past the Bears at eight.

9) San Francisco 49ers: Roquan Smith, OLB/ILB Georgia- If I were a betting man, and most reading this article are well aware that I am, I would say the Niners scheduling a private workout with Smith shortly after finding out about Reuben Foster’s off the field issues is not a coincidence.

10) *Green Bay Packers via Oakland Raiders: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- Oakland is a team that could surprise people by trading down a few spots. They have a ton of defensive needs, as well as needs along the offensive line.

Green Bay slides up a few spots to get a defensive game changer in the secondary.

11) Miami Dolphins: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- The Dolphins are in a precarious draft situation at 11. There’s plenty of guys they can use as immediate contributors, but they could also slide down and take Lamar Jackson in the middle of round one. I think the safer option is to select BPA at 11, then try to trade up for Jackson later on.

12) Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills via Cincinnati Bengals: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- This may look like a steal at the 12th pick, but I think Fitzpatrick could slide a bit on draft day. Someone at the top has to fall based on the amount of quarterbacks that will go early on. This is also part of the allure for the Browns to trade out of the fourth pick.

13) Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, DT/NT Washington- Vea is a lock to go in the first 15-20 picks, it’s just a matter of where. There are a number of teams that have interest in him and consider him a very talented prospect. Washington is the best bet to take Vea no matter what else is on the board.

14) *Oakland Raiders via Green Bay Packers: Connor Williams, OT/OG Texas- I’m completely selling the Connor Williams nose dive the NFL Draft media is preaching. I can’t imagine a world where the consensus top tackle in the draft for six months just suddenly falls out of the first round. Oakland slides down and takes an athletic offensive tackle that starred throughout his collegiate career at Texas.

15) *Denver Broncos via Arizona Cardinals: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- Denver needs to bolster its offensive line as soon as possible. McGlinchey is considered by many to be the best tackle in the draft. Teasing a quarterback at five in order to slide down and select McGlinchey is a very plausible draft scenario for the Broncos.

16) *Minnesota Vikings via Baltimore Ravens: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP- Minnesota is in a very good spot to trade up in this draft. Most of their important pieces are locked up for the next few years, and they have the cap room to sign the ones that aren’t (Stefon Diggs and Danielle Hunter are the most important two). Their biggest team need is at left guard, and this is the point in the draft where offensive line will start flying off the board.

17) Los Angeles Chargers: Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise State- Vander Esch commands the middle of the field extremely well. He’s a sound tackler and he’s terrific in off ball coverage. I expect Vander Esch to go higher than many expect on draft day because of his smarts and his athleticism.

18) Seattle Seahawks: Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado- The Seahawks need a number one cornerback after getting rid of almost all of their secondary depth this offseason. Oliver has the length that Seattle looks for in their cornerbacks. He also excels in cover three, a defense that Seattle uses often.

19) Dallas Cowboys: Courtland Sutton, WR SMU- It’s anyone’s guess as to who WR1 will be on draft night. Many people will argue Calvin Ridley, but Sutton has a great chance to hear his name called first. Dallas is the first team on the board that is desperate for a wide receiver, particularly a big body receiver. I think Sutton will be viewed as someone who fits better with what Dallas is looking for at this pick.

20) Detroit Lions: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- Initially I thought that Davenport would go in the top 15 because someone would trade up. However, because quarterbacks are going to go so high in this draft, players are bound to fall regardless of their talent. Detroit lucks out by getting the clear cut number two edge rusher in this draft (by media standards).

21) Cincinnati Bengals via Buffalo Bills: Frank Ragnow, OG/C Arkansas- Ragnow is now considered to be the top center in the draft and many feel he will hear his name called in round one. Cincinnati needs just about everything on their offensive line. At the top of that list is a starting Center.

22) *Cleveland Browns via Buffalo Bills: Harold Landry, EDGE Boston College- I don’t have a first round grade on Landry, but he will hear his name called Thursday night. If Cleveland wants a pass rusher and would like to trade out of the fourth selection, they better be comfortable with Landry or Davenport. Passing on Bradley Chubb for one of those two is a major gamble by the front office.

23) *Miami Dolphins from New England Patriots via Los Angeles Rams: Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville- The Patriots have been teasing a quarterback for weeks. They’ve met with everyone from Mason Rudolph, to Lamar Jackson, to second tier guys like Kyle Lauletta. It is presumed that Bill Belichick is going to draft another potential successor to Tom Brady this year.

Despite all the evidence, I don’t buy it at this pick. I think this is a classic “draft con,” by Belichick, with the goal of tempting other teams to trade up. Even if they slide out of round one, New England would still haul multiple top 100 picks in this draft.

Miami trades up for the heir to Ryan Tannehill’s throne, but New England wins this move. Not only do they get more draft picks, but they’ve inadvertently familiarize themselves with a quarterback they’ll face twice a year for the near future.

24) Carolina Panthers: Justin Reid, FS Stanford- Carolina needs to address secondary with this first pick. They have needs at every spot in the defensive backfield. Reid’s instincts and ball skills will allow him to go higher on draft day than some may be projecting. His upside is why the Panthers go for a safety rather than a cornerback in round one.

25) Tennessee Titans: Isaiah Wynn, OG Georgia- Wynn is a bit of a wildcard in this draft. His athleticism as well as his ability to dominate in the run game could make him a top 20 pick. He could also fall into the 30-40 range because there is an abundance of interior offensive line talent in this draft.

If he’s on the board for Tennessee, a team that needs to sure up the middle of their o-line, I would expect him to be the selection.

26) Atlanta Falcons: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- Taven Bryan may be the “sexy pick,” here because of his athleticism, but Dan Quinn likes guys that compete. Payne comes from a culture of competition at Alabama. He’s also very athletic in his own right.

27) New Orleans Saints: Mike Hughes, CB UCF- I’m not sure why everyone has New Orleans rushing to pick a pass catcher in round one. They’re in a perfect situation to take the best player available because of their limited needs. Hughes will be a nickel corner from day one, and he should excel there for a long time.

28) Pittsburgh Steelers: Sony Michel, RB Georgia- My prediction for the Steelers on draft day is simple. If the Steelers are committed to Le’Veon Bell long term, they will not draft a running back. If they’re not, then they will select Michel or Derrius Guice at 28.

29) Jacksonville Jaguars: DJ Moore, WR Maryland- For those scoring at home, Moore going here means Calvin Ridley falls out of the first round. To be honest, I’m not sure why Ridley in round one is a popular pick amongst analyst. His athleticism tests proved that he is a glorified slot receiver at the next level. To me, the NFL as a whole values slot receivers lower than most media experts.

Moore on the other hand tested through the roof during the draft process. He proved he’s a multidimensional receiver. Moore goes to Jacksonville, Ridley falls to day two.

30) *Baltimore Ravens via Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State- Baltimore is being linked to almost every tight end in this draft. If they’re truly serious about taking a game changer in the middle of the field, then trading back in round one and selecting Goedert makes a lot of sense.

31) New England Patriots: Kolton Miller, OT UCLA- In my previous predictions mock draft I had the Patriots going with Brian O’Neill because of his athleticism. The technique wasn’t a huge concern for me because Dante Scarnecchia is the guru when it comes to offensive line technique.

Miller is considered to be a better technical version of O’Neill, and he’s still a strong athlete in his own right. This pick would be considered a home run by many.

32) Philadelphia Eagles: Brian O’Neill, OT Pittsburgh- With just one pick in the first three rounds, Philadelphia needs to hit on this pick.

Contrary to what people may think, they don’t have to nab a day one starter here. O’Neill is an athletic freak and can sit behind Jason Peters for a year while he develops technique. If O’Neill turned into a left tackle of the future, that qualifies as hitting on this draft pick.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Buffalo Bills trade the #12, #22 and the #65 to the Cleveland Browns for the #4.

2) Arizona Cardinals trade the #15, #47 and a 2019 1st to the Denver Broncos for the #5 and the #71.

3) Green Bay Packers trade the #14 and the #76 to the Oakland Raiders for the #10 and the #212.

4) Minnesota Vikings trade the #30, #62 and a 2019 3nd round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for the #16 and a 2019 5th round pick.

5) Miami Dolphins trade the #42, #73 and a 2019 2nd round pick to the New England Patriots for the #23 and the #198.

ROUND TWO

33) Cleveland Browns: Joshua Jackson, CB Iowa- Cleveland made some nice additions in their secondary this offseason, yet they still lack a true number one cornerback. Jackson’s length and ball skills could help him be a star at the next level.

Editor’s Note: I don’t think grabbing Fitzpatrick at 12 deters the Browns from drafting multiple secondary pieces.

34) New York Giants: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- Both Jackson and Alexander fell to round two, but that’s the QB effect. Alexander is not only insurance for Eli Apple, but he’s also a starting nickel corner from day one.

35) Cleveland Browns via Indianapolis Colts: Ronald Jones II, RB USC- Earlier I mentioned that selecting Minkah Fitzpatrick won’t deter the Browns from taking a cornerback that falls. The same applies for their signing of Carlos Hyde. If a running back falls, Cleveland could easily take him.

36) Indianapolis Colts: Taven Bryan, DL Florida- Bryan’s athleticism and relentless pass rushing ability is something the Colts desperately need along their front four.

37) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama- If Ridley does in fact slide out of round one, I can’t see him making it past the Colts. Indianapolis needs a number two wide receiver.

38) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama- The Bucs needs safety help in the worst way. Harrison provides an immediate jolt to the backend of the Bucs defense.

39) Chicago Bears: Gereon Christian, OT/OG Louisville- Doubling up on offensive line is a smart play by Chicago because they lack depth at the position.

40) Denver Broncos: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- Denver needs a starting running back after releasing CJ Anderson.

41) Oakland Raiders: Rashaan Evans, OLB/ILB Alabama- Evans can be a signal caller in the middle and he also allows the Raiders to play Tahir Whitehead on the weakside.

42) *New England Patriots via Miami Dolphins: Mike Gesicki, TE Penn State- Gesicki is an athletic tight end that runs terrific route runner and he catches everything thrown his way. Seems like a guy Tom Brady would love to throw to.

43) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State- New England needs a pass rush next year if they want to be in the winner’s circle come February. Hubbard’s ability to stay disciplined is why Belichick selects him over a few more athletically gifted edge rushers.

44) Washington Redskins: Billy Price, C/OG Ohio State- One of the underrated additions/subtractions this offseason was Spencer Long joining the New York Jets and leaving Washington. Price would be an excellent choice in round two to replace Long.

45) Green Bay Packers: Braden Smith, OG Auburn- Smith is a physical run blocker with quick feet and he plays with an edge. The Packers need that physicality up front.

46) Cincinnati Bengals: Mason Rudolph, QB Oklahoma State- For the record, I have zero basis for this selection. This is strictly a gut feeling that Cincinnati will look for a future replacement for Andy Dalton in this draft. Dalton has team options in the next two years, making this is a great time to attempt to find a new quarterback.

47) *Denver Broncos via Arizona Cardinals: Donte Jackson, CB LSU- I think the Broncos draft will be centered around the idea that their window is smaller than people think. With that in mind, a nickel corner is at the top of the list in terms of team needs.

48) Los Angeles Chargers: DeShon Elliott, FS Texas- The Chargers have yet to replace the loss of Eric Weddle a few offseasons ago. Elliott would do just that.

49) Indianapolis Colts from New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks: Malik Jefferson, ILB Texas- Indianapolis continues to get immediate contributors in this draft. Jefferson will be the signal call in the middle of their 4-3 defense from day one.

50) Dallas Cowboys: Maurice “Mo” Hurst, DT Michigan- I believe someone will take a chance on Hurst during round two. So why not Dallas? They took a chance on Jaylon Smith a few drafts ago and that looks terrific right now. If they’re right on Hurst, they could have a steal.

51) Detroit Lions: Tyrell Crosby, OT/OG Oregon- The Lions need a starting left guard, but they also just need offensive line depth in general.

52) Baltimore Ravens: James Daniels, C Iowa- Daniels immediately replaces departing free agent Ryan Jensen.

53) Buffalo Bills: Uchenna Nwosu, OLB USC- The Bills could use a rusher from the strong side linebacker position. Lorenzo Alexander is aging and there isn’t a replacement in sight.

54) Kansas City Chiefs: Carlton Davis, CB Auburn- I think the Chiefs would like to trade down if possible. However, with an elite press man corner like Davis on the board, I’m not sure they can afford to do so.

55) Carolina Panthers: Terrell Edmunds, SS Virginia Tech- The Panthers double up on safeties in the first two rounds, grabbing Edmunds to be the traditional in the box strong safety.

56) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT/OG Western Michigan- Okorafor is raw, but he has shown tremendous progression for someone who picked up football later in his youth.

57) *San Francisco 49ers via Tennessee Titans: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M- With the wide receivers falling a bit, the Niners trade up to land someone who should’ve gone higher in this draft. Kirk is the middle of the field, move the chains guy Jimmy Garoppolo needs next season.

58) Atlanta Falcons: Austin Corbett, OG Nevada- Andy Levitre will most likely be playing his final season in Atlanta this year. It would be a good idea for the Falcons to find his replacement in this draft, which has loads of interior offensive line talent.

59) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Duke Dawson, CB Florida- The Niners need some depth in the secondary and they need a true nickel cornerback. Dawson, along with Ahkello Witherspoon and newly acquired Richard Sherman, would be a terrific tandem in the back end.

60) New York Jets via Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Sweat, EDGE Florida State- I think the Jets will try to trade back into round two for an edge rusher that falls. It’s a weak class, but Sweat could thrive in Todd Bowles’ defense.

61) Jacksonville Jaguars: Martinas Rankin, OL Mississippi State- Jacksonville’s offensive line took massive strides last year, but they still are looking to acquire immediate depth as well as a future starter at tackle.

62) *Baltimore Ravens via Minnesota Vikings: Lorenzo Carter, OLB/ILB Georgia- Carter is the kind of player that Ozzie Newsome typically selects. Carter has the athleticism to play off the edge, along with the versatility to kick inside in a 3-4 defense…. supposedly.

63) New England Patriots: Kyle Lauletta, QB Richmond- I think Lauletta has been the Patriots QB of choice from day one. As mentioned earlier, there’s rumors of them selecting a number of different guys at a number of different spots in this draft. My feeling is that Lauletta has been the guy from day one.

64) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Derrick Nnadi, DT/NT Florida State- With all their picks in this draft, the Browns start taking the best players available. Nnadi starts immediately next to last year’s pick Larry Ogunjobi.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) San Francisco trade the #70, #74 and #128 to the Tennessee Titans for the #57 and #89.

2) New York Jets trade the #72, #107 and #179 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the #60 and #165.

ROUND THREE

65) Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills via Cleveland Browns: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma

66) New York Giants: Will Richardson, OT NC State

67) *Dallas Cowboys via Indianapolis Colts: Jessie Bates III, FS Wake Forest

68) Houston Texans: Hayden Hurst, TE South Carolina

69) New York Giants via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rasheem Green, DE USC

70) *Tennessee Titans via San Francisco 49ers via Chicago Bears: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB/ILB Oklahoma

71) *Arizona Cardinals via Denver Broncos: Harrison Phillips, DL Stanford

72) *Pittsburgh Steelers via New York Jets: Fred Warner, LB BYU

73) *New England Patriots via Miami Dolphins: Isaac Yiadom, DB Boston College

74) *Tennessee Titans via San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Miller, WR Memphis

75) Oakland Raiders: Kerryon Johnson, RB Auburn

76) *Oakland Raiders via Green Bay Packers: Holton Hill, CB Texas

77) *Carolina Panthers via Cincinnati Bengals: Nick Chubb, RB Georgia

78) Kansas City Chiefs via Washington Redskins: Dorance Armstrong, EDGE Kansas

79) Arizona Cardinals: Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State

80) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Tim Settle, NT Virginia Tech

81) *Indianapolis Colts via Dallas Cowboys: Jamarco Jones, OL Ohio State

82) Detroit Lions: Nathan Shepard, DT Fort Hays State

83) Baltimore Ravens: Breeland Speaks, DE/DT Ole Miss

84) Los Angeles Chargers: Joseph Noteboom, OT/OG TCU

85) *Cincinnati Bengals from Carolina Panthers via Buffalo Bills: Wyatt Teller, OG Virginia Tech

86) Kansas City Chiefs: Mason Cole, OL Michigan

87) Los Angeles Rams: Arden Key, EDGE LSU

88) Carolina Panthers: Ian Thomas, TE Indiana

89) *San Francisco 49ers via Tennessee Titans: Andrew Brown, DE/DT Virginia

90) Atlanta Falcons: Dante Pettis, WR Washington

91) New Orleans Saints: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma

92) Pittsburgh Steelers: MJ Stewart, CB North Carolina

93) Jacksonville Jaguars: Josey Jewell, ILB Iowa

94) Minnesota Vikings: PJ Hall, DT Sam Houston State

95) New England Patriots: Genard Avery, LB Memphis

96) Buffalo Bills via Philadelphia Eagles: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Notre Dame

97) Arizona Cardinals (compensatory): Desmond Harrison, OL West Georgia

98) Houston Texans (compensatory): Tony Adams, OG NC State

99) Denver Broncos (compensatory): DaeSean Hamilton, WR Penn State

100) Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): Shaquem Griffin, LB UCF

TRADES IN ROUND THREE

1) Dallas Cowboys trade the #81, #116 and a 2019 6th to the Indianapolis Colts for the #67.

2) Carolina Panthers trade the #85 and a 2019 4th to the Cincinnati Bengals for the #77.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2018 NFL Draft, 2018 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore Ravens, Bradley Chubb, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Derwin James, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, 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 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, Tremaine Edmunds, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz: NFL Mock Draft 3.0- Post Free Agency and Three Rounds

Posted on April 9, 2018 Updated on April 14, 2018

We’ve hit the final stretch of #MockDraftSZN. This has been one of the most eventful offseasons that I can remember. There have been so many big trades, as well as plenty of moving parts in free agency. Now we’re less than 20 days away from the biggest spectacle of the offseason. The ultimate sense of hope and renewal for every team; the NFL Draft.

My rankings and player evaluations have changed a bit since my most recent mock draft. There are some new players that have entered round one for me, as well as some players that have dropped in value. I’ve also expanded this mock draft to three rounds, giving you, the fans, a better insight into what I think each team should do at each selection.

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB USC- For the record, Darnold is not my top quarterback according to my grades. However, with the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor, the Browns no longer have to select a starting quarterback for 2018 in this draft. Darnold has the most upside of any quarterback in this draft. He also gets to sit for as long as he needs. Hopefully Darnold can finally be the quarterback to guide the Browns back to NFL notoriety.

2) Buffalo Bills via New York Giants: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- As you all know by now, I only execute trades when it’s in the best interest of both teams involved. And as you all know by now, I think the Giants should trade down with this pick.

Here’s why Buffalo should trade up though, even if it costs them three first round picks. I only have three quarterbacks with a first round grade, and the Bills have to get one of them. They still have a competitive roster and a good, young defense. Buffalo gives the farm to come up and grab their franchise quarterback.

3) New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- Not only is Mayfield my top passer based on his collegiate tape, but he is built for the bright lights of New York City. He will embrace the challenge of playing in front of such a demanding fan base. “Broadway Baker,” is the ideal future quarterback of the Jets.

4) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- As I said in Mock Draft 2.0, grabbing a quarterback and Barkley at the top of this draft gives the Browns a legitimate offense for next year and beyond.

5) Denver Broncos: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- With the three first round quarterbacks off the board, Denver turns to its next primary need. Fitzpatrick has the ability to be a “joker,” on defense, a weapon Denver could use after losing Aqib Talib and moving Bradley Roby to the outside.

6) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Bradley Chubb, EDGE NC State– I don’t believe the “Chubb is a better prospect than Myles Garrett,” thing that’s going around in the media. What I do believe is that Chubb has been underrated for a large portion of the draft process. Yes, this isn’t a good edge rushing class, but Chubb is an excellent one and worthy of a top ten selection.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- James tested off the charts at the combine, which reassured my belief that the toxic environment in Tallahassee this past fall was the reason for a diminished year on tape. Tampa needs secondary help, so the fit and value make sense.

8) Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- For anyone in the business of predicting the draft, Nelson to the Bears makes so much sense. Chicago needs to continue to sure up their offensive line and Nelson is going to fall a little bit because he’s a guard. It’s a steal in terms of value, one the Bears should not pass on if given the chance.

9) Los Angeles Chargers via San Francisco 49ers: Connor Williams, OT Texas- The Chargers tackle situation is not good. Joe Barksdale needs to be replaced as soon as possible and Russell Okung is a cap cut option in 2019. Williams has the athleticism and technique to be worthy of a top ten selection this year. Los Angeles jumps the Raiders to snag their left tackle of the future.

10) Oakland Raiders: Carlton Davis, CB Auburn- To me, Davis is being vastly underrated by the mock draft community. He’s physical at the line, he has a great feel for his space and where to lead receivers, and his technique is being wrongfully criticized. He’s not the best at trailing, but it’s not a concern to me because he’s the best press cover corner in this draft. With some NFL coaching, Davis could be a top tier corner.

11) Miami Dolphins: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE/OLB Virginia Tech- Miami seems to think they will be better this year than they were last year.

I think they have one of the worst teams in football and should quickly attempt a full blown rebuild.

So for this pick, I compromised. I gave them an athletic do-it-all linebacker that is only 19 years old. A pick that is both for now, and for the future.

12) New York Giants from Buffalo Bills via Cincinnati Bengals: Roquan Smith, ILB/OLB Georgia- I know, the Giants haven’t drafted a linebacker in round one in over 30 years. Fortunately for me, I run the show in this mock draft. Smith has the ability to play anywhere in a 4-3, and if the Giants go to a 3-4, he can play inside next to Alec Ogletree. Smith is a perfect scheme fit for Big Blue.

13) Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, NT Washington- Eventually I will get Vea into the top ten where he belongs. For now, the Redskins can just continue to reap the benefits of their good fortunes.

14) Green Bay Packers: Braden Smith, OG Auburn- Green Bay needs help on the interior of their offensive line. Keeping Aaron Rodgers healthy and upright is priority number one for a team looking to bounce back in 2018. Smith is a beast in the run game and more athletic than people think.

15) Arizona Cardinals: Anthony Miller, WR Memphis- Miller remains the only wideout with a first round grade on my board. Frankly, I’m confused as to how the mainstream media hasn’t picked up on his talents in a weak wide receiver class. Miller is a terrific route runner with great hands and the ability to beat defensive backs in the air despite his size.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise State- I love this pick. Vander Esch gives the Ravens two do-it-all linebackers in the middle of their 3-4 defense (CJ Mosley being the other). Vander Esch is terrific in off-ball coverage and his ability to play downhill versus the run is also very good. Baltimore addressed their wide receiver need during free agency, making them free to address whatever need they desire at the 16th selection.

17) San Francisco 49ers via Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M- Very simple analysis here; the 49ers need pass catchers. Call me crazy, but a receiving core of Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin doesn’t seem like the way to build up Jimmy Garoppolo.

18) Cleveland Browns via Seattle Seahawks: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- Yes. this is a heavy price to pay to trade back into round one. However, I have less than a full round of first round grades, or “NFL Starter Grades,” depending on what grading system you choose to use. In fact, if you exclude the running back class, I only have 21 first round grades this year. So for Cleveland to come out of this draft with three impact NFL starters would be terrific.

Ward gives the Browns a true number one cornerback. He does a great job finding the football in the air, his technique is strong, and he’s the best athlete at the cornerback position.

Editor’s Note: This makes sense for Seattle as well because this draft does have a lot of potential starters in rounds 2-4. Seattle needs depth, so they acquire two picks in the top 35.

19) Dallas Cowboys: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- Cowboys fans would throw a party if they could sneak Payne in at 19. His athleticism and strength at the point of attack is something Dallas desperately needs in the middle of their defense.

20) Detroit Lions: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- Detroit must come away with a pass rusher on day one because they might not be able to on day two. Davenport followed up a terrific senior bowl week with a very impressive combine. Some question how technical he is and if he has a NFL level move set, but his athleticism alone is worthy of a first round call on draft day.

21) Cincinnati Bengals via Buffalo Bills: Billy Price, C/OG Ohio State- Price can provide immediate help to a diminished offensive line on the interior. I like his tape at center more than his tape at guard, but there’s no question that he can do both at the next level.

22) New York Giants via Buffalo Bills: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- I can’t imagine that any Giant fan wants to go into the season starting Eli Apple at the second cornerback slot. Alexander can play the outside or nickel spot, a versatility the Giants currently lack in their secondary. He’s the best man cover corner in the draft and he would provide an immediate impact to a defense looking to return to form in 2018.

23) New England Patriots via Los Angeles Rams (LA Rams Trade for Brandin Cooks): Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado- When I had the rough draft of this mock draft complete last week, I had the exact trade that went down last Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, not only did I have Rob Gronkowski in instead of Cooks, and the Patriots and Rams also beat me to it. I’m not bitter, I’m fine… I’m fine…

Now to the trade itself. First off, the Patriots can survive without Cooks. The Patriot Way is to be willing to part with superstars a year early rather than a year late. Brandin Cooks was never going to re-up with New England. So to get a first round pick for someone you were never keeping is impressive.

From the Rams perspective, Los Angeles has gone all in this season. They traded for Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to anchor their secondary. They added Ndamukong Suh on a one year deal to pair with Aaron Donald up front (good luck blocking that duo). Acquiring Brandin Cooks replaces the loss of Sammy Watkins and make them the favorite to win the championship next year. It’s a gamble, but it’s calculated.

In terms of the pick itself, Oliver is a long, athletic cover corner with the ability to excel out of multiple coverages. New England did trade for Jason McCourty, but he’s a quick fix at best. Oliver gives them a true number two cornerback for next year and beyond.

24) Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Wynn, OG Georgia- Carolina is in a very good position in this draft. They need secondary and interior offensive line play, two things that this draft class has in abundance. Wynn is a terrific scheme fit for the Panthers. He’s athletic, he’s a terrific pulling guard in the run game, and he’s got a quick and powerful first punch off the ball. This is a great pick here.

25) Tennessee Titans: Rasheem Green, DE/EDGE USC- Green was incredibly productive at USC, posting 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in his junior year. What made him jump up my draft board was the athleticism he showed throughout the draft process. In a year where edge rushers are in short supply, Green’s tape and versatility could get him to jump into the back end of round one.

26) Atlanta Falcons: Taven Bryan, DT Florida- Bryan’s athleticism makes him attractive to many scouts and GM’s. Putting him in a system where he can be a rotational rusher while he refines his technique, like I did here, is ideal for him.

27) New York Giants via New Orleans Saints: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- Trading down and then trading up in the first two rounds is incredibly rare for a team to do. However, the Giants draft is a home-run if they were to come out of this draft with three first round caliber players and a future first round pick.

Guice is one of the best pure runners in the draft. In terms of running between the tackles, he’s just as good as Saquon Barkley.

This draft scenario is why trading down from number two is what makes the most sense for the Giants.

Editor’s Note: New Orleans doesn’t have an immediate need at this spot and they can get a future asset or two if they trade down.

28) Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashaan Evans, ILB Alabama- This is a second selection that doesn’t necessarily fit with my draft grades, but team needs dictate a different direction. If Ryan Shazier cannot go next season, the Steelers would be starting Jon Bostic and Vince Williams on the interior of their 3-4 defense. Yuck.

29) Jacksonville Jaguars: Genard Avery, OLB/ILB Memphis- I watched Avery late in the draft process and I was blown away by his athleticism. He’s technical as well; he plays downhill off the edge and can drop from a more traditional off ball position. Not to mention that he’s a strong rusher off the edge, showing NFL caliber moves. Jacksonville lost Paul Posluzney this offseason, so they kick Myles Jack inside and play Avery at strong side linebacker.

30) Minnesota Vikings: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP- The Vikings offensive line still needs improvement on the interior. Hernandez is a mauler in the run game, and his footwork is much better than he gets credit for. Easy pick here.

31) New England Patriots: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- “Mr. Plug and Play Right Tackle,” could start from day one if the Patriots needed him to, or he can develop his footwork under the tutelage of offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia. This is a perfect match.

32) Philadelphia Eagles: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama- Philadelphia is going to have some tough cuts to make in the next few years. One of them could be Rodney McLeod, who’s in the middle of a five year, 35 million dollar deal. Harrison is more of a traditional in the box safety, but he’s incredibly talented. Taking “BPA,” in Harrison, as well as insurance for McLeod, seems like a win-win for Philly.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1) Buffalo Bills trade the #12, #22, #96, a 2019 1st and a 2019 2nd to the New York Giants for the #2 and a 2019 6th.

2) Los Angeles Chargers trade the #17 and the #48 to the San Francisco 49ers for the #9 and #184.

3) Cleveland Browns trade the #33 and #35 to the Seattle Seahawks for the #18, a 2019 3rd and #146

4* (*trade happened on 4/3)) New England Patriots trade Brandin Cooks and #136 to the Los Angeles Rams for the #23 and #198.

5) New York Giants trade the #34 and the #96 acquired from Buffalo to the New Orleans Saints for the #27.

ROUND TWO

33) Seattle Seahawks via Cleveland Browns: Joshua Jackson, CB Iowa- Seattle continues to revamp their defense by taking a corner that’s perfect for their cover three defense.

34) New Orleans Saints via New York Giants: Harrison Phillips, DT Stanford- The Saints are in a situation to draft the best player available whether they stay at 27 or trade down. In this scenario, Phillips gives them another run stopper on the interior.

35) Seattle Seahawks from Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Ronald Jones II, RB USC: Russell Wilson was the entire Seahawks offense last year. They need a “bell cow,” in the backfield to open up their offense again.

36) Indianapolis Colts: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB/ILB Oklahoma- Even though he didn’t test well at the combine, I still love Okoronkwo’s game tape. He can give the Colts a pass rusher from the LEO position.

37) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Holton Hill, CB Texas- Hill has some off the field baggage, but he’s a solid press man corner with good trail technique. If a team gets his mind focused on football, the sky is the limit.

38) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sony Michel, RB Georgia- Despite splitting carries at Georgia, Michel can be a three down back at the next level with ease. He would bring another dimension to the Buccaneers offense from day one.

39) Chicago Bears: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma- The Bears go back to back on offensive lineman to help create a strong unit to protect the franchise, Mitchell Trubisky.

40) Baltimore Ravens via Denver Broncos: Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State- The Ravens addressed their weak receiving core in free agency, but they still lack a tight end that can open up the middle of the field. Goedert had a massive pro day, leaving all who attended with the consensus that he is the top tight end this year. Baltimore jumps up a few spots to get a game changer in the middle of the field.

41) Oakland Raiders: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT Western Michigan- Oakland’s offensive line has gone from a strength to a weakness in a little over a year and a half. Okorafor can be a right tackle for years if his technique continues to improve.

42) Miami Dolphins: Kerryon Johnson, RB Auburn- I’m not sure Kenyan Drake is a guy that can carry the ball 250 times in a season, despite how solid he looked at the end of this past year.

I know that Kerryon Johnson can be that guy. Johnson and Drake would be a strong 1-2 punch for Miami.

43) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Mike Gesicki, WR/TE Penn State- Having dealt Brandin Cooks a short while ago, New England is in the market for a pass catcher.

However, it doesn’t have to be a traditional receiver. Gesicki can line up anywhere on the field adding a second big, athletic target to Tom Brady’s arsenal.

44) Washington Redskins: Austin Corbett, OG/C Nevada- Corbett’s versatility is something Washington’s offensive line desperately needs. I think he’s a day two guard because of how quick his power step is.

45) Green Bay Packers: Terrell Edmunds, SS Virginia Tech- Edmunds can line up in the box, as well as in double high. His versatility would compliment HaHa Clinton-Dix very well in the secondary.

46) Cincinnati Bengals: Derrick Nnadi, DT/NT Florida State- Nnadi is a perfect scheme fit for the Bengals. He can play the zero tech next to Geno Atkins, and he’s also athletic enough to go to a three tech in a more traditional 4-3 look.

47) Arizona Cardinals: DeShon Elliott, FS Texas- Elliot’s single high, ball hawking nature would be a phenomenal compliment to Budda Baker, who will be playing the “joker role,” of the Cardinals defense this year.

48) San Francisco 49ers via Los Angeles Chargers: Mike Hughes, CB Central Florida- The Niners adding a traditional nickel corner might seem a bit out of the box this early in the draft, but it’s worth it. Hughes is so good in man coverage from the slot, a weapon every corner needs to have in their arsenal in the modern day NFL.

49) Indianapolis Colts from New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks: Dante Pettis, WR Washington- The Colts receiving core lacks a true number two receiver. Pettis is a home run threat with the ability to win jump balls in red zone situations. He’s also a better route runner than people think.

50) Dallas Cowboys: Fred Warner, OLB/ILB BYU- By adding Payne in round one and a do-it-all linebacker like Warner in round two, the Cowboys front seven would be one of the most underrated units in the NFL next season.

51) New England Patriots via Detroit Lions: Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State- Hubbard has a solid move set and he has a great sense of gap control. That’s got Patriots edge rusher written all over it. New England trades up to land an edge rusher that they desperately need.

52) Denver Broncos via Baltimore Ravens: Josh Allen, QB Wyoming- This is a little early for Allen on my board, but because Denver is desperate for a quarterback of the future, they reach for the man who can see eye to eye with the heavens above.

53) Buffalo Bills: Mason Cole, OL Michigan- I don’t love the interior line situation of the Bills as it currently stands. Adding someone with versatility like Cole (started at every line position in college) makes a lot of sense to me.

54) Kansas City Chiefs: Justin Reid, FS Stanford- To get back to the defense they had a few years ago, the Chiefs need to revamp what was once an elite secondary. Reid is technically sound and he’s an underrated athlete. Pairing him with Eric Berry could be a fantastic duo as early as next season.

55) Carolina Panthers: Jessie Bates III, FS/SS Wake Forest- The run on safeties closes out with Bates to Carolina. Bates isn’t the best tackler, but tackling is easy to teach. Something not as easily taught is his nose for the ball and his recognition of plays from the back.

56) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Tegray Scales, OLB/ILB Indiana- All Scales did in college was produce, and I see no reason to expect anything less in the NFL. He plays downhill, but with poise, and he can drop in coverage as well.

57) Tennessee Titans: Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State- Tennessee is still searching for a true number two receiver to compliment Corey Davis. Gallup is a good fit, he wins 50/50 balls and he’s an underrated playmaker when he has the ball in his hands.

58) Atlanta Falcons: Wyatt Teller, OG Virginia Tech- Andy Levitre took a step backward last year, meaning he will most likely be let go at the end of the year. Teller gets to sit for a year and then learn next to Alex Mack and Jake Matthews. This is a perfect developmental fit.

59) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma- Getting Jimmy Garoppolo a true receiving threat in the middle of the field should be priority number one for the Niners at this selection. The tight end class isn’t great, but the top guys, like Andrews and Goedert, can play.

60) Pittsburgh Steelers: Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville- Pittsburgh needs to find an heir to Ben Roethlisberger’s throne sooner rather than later. Taking a guy with the upside of being an actual starter, like Jackson, could allow them to re-sign Le’Veon Bell if they wanted to.

61) Jacksonville Jaguars: DJ Moore, WR Maryland- I doubt Jacksonville goes receiver in this draft, but they really should. Donte Moncrief has never had a year that’s matched his talent, DeDe Westbrook is a headcase, and Keelan Cole is better off as a number three target.

Moore was the standout of the draft process, showing some elite athleticism at every turn. He’s got good hands as well, and that combination has made him a favorite of many mock draft experts.

62) New York Jets via Minnesota Vikings: Josh Sweat, EDGE Florida State- Sweat is another incredibly talented FSU defender that had a down 2017 on tape. Like Derwin James, he also answered a lot of questions about him by having a strong draft process. He’s one of the few edge rushers in this class that has the ability to dip and bend past tackles on command. The Jets trade up out of desperation for a true pass rusher.

63) Detroit Lions via New England Patriots: James Daniels, C/OG Iowa- Daniels can be used at either spot because of his athleticism and quick feet. Detroit still needs a starting left guard, so they either move Daniels or current center Graham Glasnow into that position.

64) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Martinas Rankin, OT Mississippi State- Having lost Joe Thomas this offseason, Cleveland is desperate for a left tackle. Rankin can start as a right tackle and transition to the left side.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) Baltimore Ravens trade the #52, #83 and #154 to the Denver Broncos for the #40 and #106.

2) New England Patriots trade the #63, #95 and #198 to the Detroit Lions for the #51.

3) New York Jets trade the #72, #179 and a 2019 4th to the Minnesota Vikings for the #62 and #204.

ROUND THREE

65) Buffalo Bills via Cleveland Browns: DaeSean Hamilton, WR Penn State

66) New York Giants: Frank Ragnow, OG/C Arkansas

67) Indianapolis Colts: Brian O’Neill, OT Pittsburgh

68) Houston Texans: Hayden Hurst, TE South Carolina

69) New York Giants via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kolton Miller, OT UCLA

70) San Francisco 49ers via Chicago Bears: Colby Gossett, OG Appalachian State

71) Denver Broncos: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama

72) Minnesota Vikings via New York Jets: Darius Leonard, OLB South Carolina State

73) Miami Dolphins: Breeland Speaks, DT Ole Miss

74) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Chubb, RB Georgia

75) Oakland Raiders: Arden Key, EDGE LSU

76) Green Bay Packers: Harold Landry, EDGE Boston College

77) Cincinnati Bengals: Jeremy Reaves, FS/SS South Alabama

78) Kansas City Chiefs via Washington Redskins: Quenton Meeks, CB Stanford

79) Arizona Cardinals: Nathan Shepherd, DL Fort Wayne State

80) Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Alex Cappa, OL Humboldt State

81) Dallas Cowboys: James Washington, WR Oklahoma State

82) Detroit Lions: MJ Stewart, CB North Carolina

83) Detroit Lions via Baltimore Ravens: Rashaad Penny, RB San Diego State

84) Los Angeles Chargers: Jack Cichy, ILB Wisconsin

85) Carolina Panthers via Buffalo Bills: Donte Jackson, CB LSU

86) Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Hill, DT/NT NC State

87) Los Angeles Rams: Lorenzo Carter, OLB/ILB Georgia

88) Carolina Panthers: Duke Ejiofor, DE Wake Forest

89) Tennessee Titans: Desmond Harrison, OL West Georgia

90) Atlanta Falcons: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Notre Dame

91) New Orleans Saints: Kyle Lauletta, QB Richmond

92) Pittsburgh Steelers: Duke Dawson, CB Florida

93) Jacksonville Jaguars: Joseph Noteboom, OT/OG TCU

94) Minnesota Vikings: Poona Ford, DT Texas

95) Detroit Lions via New England Patriots: Dorance Armstrong Jr., EDGE Kansas

96) New Orleans Saints via New York Giants from Buffalo Bills via Philadelphia Eagles: Uchenna Nwosu, OLB USC

97) Arizona Cardinals (compensatory): Mikey White, QB Western Kentucky

98) Houston Texans (compensatory): Trenton Thompson, NT Georgia

99) Denver Broncos (compensatory): Kalen Ballage, RB Arizona State

100) Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): Tyrell Crosby, OT/OG Oregon

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Jordan Katz: Prediction Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on March 21, 2018 Updated on March 21, 2018

Welcome to the first prediction mock draft of 2018. This is the more conventional mock draft where I attempt to get every selection correct. In other words, this is the mock draft where I bash my head against a wall while trying to figure out which rumors have merit and which ones are smoke screens. There will be some massive changes here before the actual draft in late April, but this is what I think each team would do if the draft was tomorrow.

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB USC- The number one overall pick from five months ago is back in his rightful spot. Having acquired Tyrod Taylor just a few weeks ago, the Browns are no longer forced to start the quarterback they select in this draft. Darnold has the highest upside of any quarterback in the draft, which makes him the ideal choice.

2) Buffalo Bills via New York Giants: Josh Allen, QB Wyoming- It’s going to be a tough sell to Giants fans if the new regime does not select Saquon Barkley at two, but I think it’s the right decision. The opportunity to haul three first round picks doesn’t come around often.

Buffalo comes up to select their quarterback of the future, and the present.

3) New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- Speaking of quarterbacks of the future, the Jets gave three second round picks plus their sixth overall selection to get theirs. Gang Green has already met with Mayfield four times, including a private workout. If he’s on the board, the Jets are taking Baker Mayfield.

4) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- Many felt that Saquon Barkley was going to go first overall, and the logic behind that was sound. However, this is the reason it was never going to happen. By taking a quarterback at one, the Browns force the other quarterback needy teams to trade up if they want their guy. This lets Barkley fall to four, and right into the lap of General Manager John Dorsey.

5) Denver Broncos: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- I think the reason the Jets made the move up to the third selection was to jump the Broncos. The Jets are ensured to land a QB they want, and Denver has to stay put at five and take whatever QB falls. In this case, that quarterback is Rosen.

6) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Bradley Chubb, EDGE NC State- The Colts did a phenomenal job getting the Jets to overpay for the value of the third selection. With four picks in the top 64, the Colts have a ton of draft flexibility. Chubb is not only the best player available, but he’s the best player available at a position of need. Easy pick.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- The Buccaneers need impact defensive players and they’ve met with Fitzpatrick on a number of occasions. This seems like another easy selection.

8) Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- Nelson hasn’t been linked to the Bears, but this is too much value to pass on. The Bears offensive line becomes one of the best units in the league with this pick.

9) San Francisco 49ers: Connor Williams, OT/OG Texas- The Niners still need some help along their offensive line. Williams has the athleticism to translate to multiple positions, giving the Niners the versatility to place him wherever they need him.

10) Oakland Raiders: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- The Raiders have a lot of options at this pick. Ideally, Connor Williams is on the board to help them rebuild their offensive line. If he’s not, addressing defensive needs is a good way to go.

11) Miami Dolphins: Vita Vea, DT/NT Washington- I’m not sure how Vea and Jordan Phillips are going to line up next to each other in a 4-3, but the Dolphins don’t appear to be concerned. They met with Vea at the combine and, according to reports, came away impressed. Vea is one of the top five players in the class and incredibly athletic for his size. If Vea goes here and it works, the Dolphins front four becomes one of the best in football.

12) New York Giants from Buffalo Bills via Cincinnati Bengals: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE/OLB Virginia Tech- By trading down, the Giants are able to acquire three first round picks and select a player that helps them complete their schematic change to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Edmunds has the versatility to line up at multiple spots, he has tremendous athleticism, and he still doesn’t turn 20 years old until after the draft!

13) Washington Redskins: Roquan Smith, ILB Georgia- Smith would be a perfect fit in the middle of Washington’s 3-4 defense. Even though Washington hasn’t met with Smith yet, that doesn’t mean that they won’t. Nor does it stop them from taking him if he were to fall into their lap.

14) Green Bay Packers: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- The Packers have met with very few prospects thus far, so this is more of an educated guess on my part. Green Bay actually has more roster holes than people may realize, and a big one is in the secondary. After losing Morgan Burnett and Damarious Randall, the Packers have to get some secondary pieces from a strong defensive back class.

15) Arizona Cardinals: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama- The Cardinals receiving core is a mess. Calvin Ridley is number one on many scouts board at the receiver position, and the gap between him and the next person is considered to be very big.

16) Detroit Lions via Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- Detroit has met with Davenport multiple times thus far; he appears to be the guy they trust the most off the edge in this draft.

I think Ozzie Newsome has one more trade down in store for his final draft as general manager. Baltimore is in a good spot to go down a few spots if Ridley goes in front of them.

17) Los Angeles Chargers: Kolton Miller, OT UCLA- Miller is someone who hasn’t been in either of my personal mock drafts (I have a third round grade on him), but he is someone the media and scouts seem to like very much. It wouldn’t shock me if Miller cracked the top ten come April. Los Angeles needs a tackle, so they take advantage of Miller sliding a bit.

18) Pittsburgh Steelers via Seattle Seahawks: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- The Steelers met with Guice at the combine which has led to speculation of Pittsburgh selecting him in round one. Despite using the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell, it’s no secret that the Steelers are struggling to lock him up long term.

Seattle needs to acquire assets in this draft during this rebuild their attempting to execute. They can use the idea of taking Guice at 18 to tempt the Steelers to come up in order to get their running back of the future.

19) Dallas Cowboys: Isaiah Wynn, OG Georgia- After a phenomenal senior season and a strong last few months, Wynn is going to be a top 20 pick come April. Dallas lost a lot of offensive line depth and still need a starter at left guard. They also met with Wynn at the combine. This seems like a good match at 19.

20) Baltimore Ravens via Detroit Lions: James Daniels, G/C Iowa- Baltimore lost Ryan Jensen in free agency, so they have to find a starting center in this draft. Fortunately for them, this is an incredibly talented interior offensive line group. Baltimore adds a third round pick and takes the center they would have selected at 16.

21) Cincinnati Bengals via Buffalo Bills: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- I know the Bengals like a zero tech playing next to Geno Atkins in their 4-3, but Da’Ron Payne is worth a schematic change. Two athletic defensive tackles would be a matchup problem for opponents. If the Bengals are going to address defensive tackle, maybe a schematic tweak to incorporate the talented Payne is where they should go.

22) New York Giants via Buffalo Bills: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- Alexander is considered to be one of the top cover corners from a terrific draft class. After cutting Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants are either going to the season starting Eli Apple and without a nickel cornerback, or addressing both issues with one selection. I know what I would do.

Editor’s Note: The Giants seem content to address their offensive line issues through free agency, that’s why this pick wasn’t a guard or tackle.

23) Los Angeles Rams: Courtland Sutton, WR SMU- The Rams lost two key players this offseason, Robert Quinn and Sammy Watkins. They only have one pick in the first two rounds, so this selection is either a trade or one of those two positions.

Sutton jumped up draft boards after a strong combine, so even though he’s not high on my personal board, this is a logical spot for him.

24) Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado- After trading Daryl Worley, and Bashaud Breeland failing his physical, the Panthers must get a corner in the first two rounds. Oliver is another strong cover corner that tested well at the combine.

25) Tennessee Titans: Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise State- Vander Esch is a multi-dimensional linebacker that can contribute to an NFL team from day one. Having lost Avery Williamson to the Jets, the Titans need a middle linebacker next to Wesley Woodyard in their 3-4 base defense.

26) Atlanta Falcons: Taven Bryan, DT Florida- Despite the emergence of Grady Jarrett on the interior, the Falcons defensive line still needs some help. Atlanta loves athletes throughout their front seven, and Bryan is one of the best pound for pound athletes in the class. He may not be technically polished yet, but I bet teams will fall in love with his athleticism and draft him highly on draft day.

27) New Orleans Saints: Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville- The Saints signed Drew Brees to a two year extension, but they are still looking for their quarterback of the future. Jackson has a big arm and his strengths as a passer could be very attractive to an offensive minded coach like Sean Payton.

Editor’s Note: The reason the Saints don’t trade out and take Jackson in round two is to get the potential fifth year option on him. If Drew Brees were to retire and Jackson were to inherit the keys to the franchise, they get three years out of Lamar before needing an extension.

28) Seattle Seahawks via Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- Let’s see how simple I can make this analysis; the Seattle Seahawks need offensive line help.

29) Jacksonville Jaguars: Rashaan Evans, ILB Alabama- I’m not sure about Evans’ fit in a 4-3 defense, but many scouts appear to think he’s a three down linebacker. If that’s the case, he should make the transition to a 4-3 easily. The Jaguars could also kick Telvin Smith inside and play Evans at 4-3 outside linebacker, so this pick gives them some versatility as well.

30) Minnesota Vikings: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP- Minnesota’s offensive line was much improved in 2017, yet it still needs some fine tuning on the interior. Hernandez is a beast in the run game, something the Vikings offense will still lean on even with the addition of Kirk Cousins.

31) New England Patriots: Brian O’Neill, OT Pittsburgh- The Patriots are in an interesting draft position with this first selection. They have a number of team needs, but predicting which one Bill Belichick will value the most is just an impossible task. I think the lack of depth at offensive tackle as well as the loss of Nate Solder means that the Patriots will try to select a tackle at the backend of round one.

O’Neill’s athleticism would be attractive to the Patriots because lineman coach Dante Scarnecchia can teach offensive line technique to the tackling dummies.

32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Philadelphia Eagles: Ronald Jones II, RB USC- Philly only has one selection during the first two days of this draft, so they have to trade down here to acquire some assets.

Having missed out on Jerick McKinnon in free agency, the Bucs trade up for Ronald Jones to jump the Giants and Colts, who both need running backs.

Trades In Round One

1) Buffalo Bills trade the #12, #22, #53, a 2019 1st and a 2019 3rd to the New York Giants for the #2 overall pick.

2) Detroit Lions trade the #20 and the #82 to the Baltimore Ravens for the #16 overall pick.

3) Pittsburgh Steelers trade the #28 and the #60 to the Seattle Seahawks for the #18 overall pick.

4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade the #38 and the #108 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #32 overall pick.

Round Two

33) Cleveland Browns: Carlton Davis, CB Auburn

34) New York Giants: Sony Michel, RB Georgia

35) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Tyrell Crosby, OT/OG Oregon

36) Indianapolis Colts: DJ Moore, WR Maryland

37) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Mike Hughes, CB Central Florida

38) Philadelphia Eagles via Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M

39) Chicago Bears: Harold Landry, EDGE Boston College

40) Denver Broncos: Mo Hurst, DE/DT Michigan

41) Oakland Raiders: Martinas Rankin, OT Mississippi State

42) Miami Dolphins: Kerryon Johnson, RB Auburn

43) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Josh Jackson, CB Iowa

44) Washington Redskins: Billy Price, OG/OC Ohio State

45) Green Bay Packers: Braden Smith, OG Auburn

46) Cincinnati Bengals: Austin Corbett, OL Nevada

47) Arizona Cardinals: Arden Key, EDGE LSU

48) Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Reid, FS Stanford

49) Indianapolis Colts from New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama

50) Dallas Cowboys: Dante Pettis, WR Washington

51) Detroit Lions: Donte Jackson, CB LSU

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

53) New York Giants via Buffalo Bills: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma

54) Kansas City Chiefs: MJ Stewart, CB North Carolina

55) Carolina Panthers: Jessie Bates, FS/SS Wake Forest

56) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Malik Jefferson, ILB Texas

57) Tennessee Titans: Genard Avery, LB Memphis

58) Atlanta Falcons: DJ Chark, WR LSU

59) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Josh Sweat, EDGE Florida State

60) Seattle Seahawks via Pittsburgh Steelers: Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State

61) Jacksonville Jaguars: Joseph Noteboom, OT TCU

62) Minnesota Vikings: Harrison Phillips, DL Stanford

63) New England Patriots: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma

64) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: Nathan Shepard, DT Fort Wayne State

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Jordan Katz 2018 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Pre-Combine

Posted on March 1, 2018

It’s time for round two of #MockDraftSZN! With free agency and the NFL Combine right around the corner, plenty will change from now until the draft. However, that doesn’t stop mock draft aficionados like myself from trying to see how close our value of players are from the start of the draft process to the end of the draft process.

For this draft, I made three key free agent assumptions. I assumed Kirk Cousins signed with the Jets (no this is not a homer move, this is just my observation on where things are at right now), which means the Jets do not need a quarterback. I also assumed the Vikings netted AJ McCarron, which takes them out of the running for a quarterback in 2018. Lastly, I assumed Le’Veon Bell stayed in Pittsburgh, which may appear unlikely right now, but I think it would be a mistake for Bell to go elsewhere.

As always, I made trades when it made sense for both teams, and all selections are based on my evaluation of team needs (I will put out a predictions mock draft after most major free agents have signed).

ROUND ONE

1) Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma- The first change from my original mock draft is at QB1. Mayfield tore up Senior Bowl week, excelling during each of the practices throughout the week. His leadership skills were also on full display. The culture needs to change in Cleveland and I believe Mayfield can be the franchise QB they desperately need.

2) Denver Broncos via New York Giants: Josh Rosen, QB UCLA- Whichever one of the Broncos or New York Jets do not land Kirk Cousins should proceed to pay whatever the Giants ask for to move up and draft their franchise quarterback. As of right now, I believe the Jets are the favorites to land Cousins, so the Broncos move up and select Rosen, the next best QB on my board.

3) Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, EDGE NC State- The Colts need defense. That’s all the analysis needed on this selection.

Editor’s Note: Look for Chubb to impress at the combine. He’s got all the tools to shine in the drills and the athleticism to shine in the workout portion of the combine.

4) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State- As I said in my initial mock draft, the goal for the Browns on day one should be to walk away with a franchise quarterback and the best player in the draft.

5) New York Giants via Denver Broncos: Connor Williams, OT Texas- I know this isn’t the “sexy draft,” Giants fans may want with the second overall selection, but I think it’s the best way to build this team for the present and the future. Trade down, acquire assets, and select from a loaded offensive line class.

Editor’s Note: The reason the Giants select Williams instead of Quenton Nelson is because Nelson can’t play tackle and the Giants desperately need a left tackle to protect Eli Manning’s blindside.

6) Arizona Cardinals via New York Jets: Sam Darnold, QB USC- Assuming the Jets land Kirk Cousins, I feel it is in their best interest to trade down and acquire more assets in this draft class.

Arizona is desperate for a franchise quarterback. They were 8-8 last year without any semblance of an offense.

This is an ideal landing spot for Darnold because he can go through “growing pains,” in terms of turnovers and not cost Arizona wins because of its stout defense.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/FS/SS Alabama- The Bucs need a dominant pass rusher, but they also need help in their secondary as well. Fitzpatrick’s versatility should fit nicely on a defense that has to find their identity in 2018.

8) Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, OG Notre Dame- The Bears have a number of different needs, but best player available isn’t a bad strategy when the number one thing you need is talent. Nelson would quietly give the Bears one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

9) San Francisco 49ers (currently tied with Oakland): Carlton Davis, CB Auburn- I still don’t think a receiver has established themselves as a top ten selection. Therefore the Niners go for an impact corner that can lock down receivers with an in your face style similar to Marshon Lattimore.

10) Oakland Raiders (currently tied with San Francisco): Roquan Smith, ILB Georgia- If you’re looking for my draft strategy for the Oakland Raiders, here it is; Eat. Sleep. Roquan Smith. Repeat.

11) Miami Dolphins: Braden Smith, OT/OG Auburn- Even though they suffered from injuries up front, the Dolphins need to bolster their offensive line this offseason. Smith’s nastiness in the run game would be a big asset to the Dolphins offensive attack.

12) Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame- I still like the idea of the Bengals going with an offensive tackle early in this draft. They need to bolster the right side of their offensive line.

13) Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, NT Washington- Vea is an elite nose tackle prospect. His ability to eat blockers as well as his ability to use his hands will be an immediate asset to any team’s defense. Washington needs a stop gap in the middle, so this match works perfectly.

14) Green Bay Packers: Derwin James, FS/SS Florida State- Among the players to watch at the Combine in Indy is Derwin James. He struggled this year, but so did everyone at Florida State. He’s still a freak athlete with impressive ball skills and range. If he shows strength in the drills and tests where he should athletically, he can become a top ten pick again.

15) New York Jets via Arizona Cardinals: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE/OLB Virginia Tech- I think the obsession over Tremaine Edmunds may be a little premature at this moment, but he’s easily a top 15 selection in this draft. He’s a do-it-all linebacker with elite athleticism.

16) Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Miller, WR Memphis- Miller does have a foot injury, but he is still my top receiver. His tape is terrific, he’s strong in every aspect of his route running and he’s got the best hands in the draft class. If his athleticism tests well at the Combine, there’s no way he should be one the board after day one.

17) Los Angeles Chargers: Orlando Brown, OT Oklahoma- After completing Brown’s tape, he’s risen very high on my personal board. This is still about the range I would expect him to go, but it wouldn’t shock me if he wound up in the top 10-15 picks.

18) Seattle Seahawks: Derrius Guice, RB LSU- Guice would be the top running back in any normal draft year, but this isn’t a normal year. He can do everything Saquon Barkley can, just on a little lesser scale. The Seahawks have missed the running game in their offense the last few years, which has resulted in them taking a step backwards in the NFC. Add Guice, and that changes.

19) Dallas Cowboys: Dante Pettis, WR Washington- I feel like the draft community has cooled on Dante Pettis, but I still like him a lot. He’s a deep threat that high points the ball well. If he runs a strong 40 time and measures well, he should rise back up the draft boards. If he doesn’t, I may have to drop him on my board.

20) Detroit Lions: Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA- Davenport really shined throughout senior week. His hands and speed were mismatches for offensive linemen all week. If he’s on the board for Detroit at 20, they should take their gift and run away.

21) Buffalo Bills: Christian Kirk, WR Texas A&M- Kirk is a dynamic route runner who should shine in Indianapolis. He’s expected to run a strong 40 and he should thrive in the gauntlet drill (which I think is kind of useless, but I digress). Kirk would give the Bills a chains mover, something they haven’t had since Peerless Price and Lee Evans were balling…. well maybe not that long ago.

22) Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills via Kansas City Chiefs: Denzel Ward, CB Ohio State- Denzel Ward is a ridiculous athlete with big time man coverage ability. He could fly up draft boards if he measures well in Indy. Cleveland mortgages some picks to move up and add a number one cornerback.

23) Los Angeles Rams: Arden Key, EDGE LSU- This pick is a scary thought, but it might be the best possible fit for Key in the draft. Despite falling on some draft boards, he’s still a tremendous pass rushing talent. Imagine lining him up opposite Robert Quinn with Aaron Donald in the middle? #Sheeeesh.

24) Carolina Panthers: Billy Price, OG/OC Ohio State- Price has gone under the radar so far in this draft season, but don’t be fooled by that. He’s athletic, intelligent, and he dictates defenders at the point of attack. If Carolina loses Andrew Norwell to free agency, they will need to add a lineman in the first few rounds of the draft.

25) Tennessee Titans: Ogbonnio Okoronkwo, OLB Oklahoma- I know some question his size and the fact that he has a tendency to over-run the play, but I love Okoronkwo’s athleticism and range. He’s able to bend and dip around the edge very well, which makes him an ideal and complete 3-4 outside linebacker. I’ll take a guy with a motor over one that’s a step slow any day of the week.

26) Atlanta Falcons: Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama- Payne is going to be the value pick of this draft. He’s quick off the ball, he’s got a strong lower base when engaged in blocks and his hands are lighting fast with a big punch behind them.

27) New Orleans Saints: Ronnie Harrison, SS Alabama- New Orleans doesn’t have many needs this offseason, but one of them is replacing Kenny Vaccaro. Harrison is a hard hitting safety with good range and a nose for the football. He’s got some ability as a double high safety as well, making him an ideal fit for the Saints.

28) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaire Alexander, CB Louisville- Alexander is another talented man cover corner in a ridiculously good cornerback class. Pittsburgh needs to continue to turn over their defense, particularly in the secondary. Artie Burns and Sean Davis is a good start, and adding Alexander would help complete a secondary that could thrive as early as next season.

29) Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Hernandez, OG UTEP- If you’re looking for an intense, nasty offensive lineman to maul you off the ball in the run game, Will Hernandez is for you. This guy plays with an edge and an intensity that you cannot teach. He’s a perfect fit for Jacksonville’s offensive mentality.

30) Minnesota Vikings: Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise State- Vander Esch’s tape is very impressive. He’s one of the best off ball linebackers in the draft. What sticks out to me is that he was used incorrectly on blitz packages, yet he was still a stand out on film. Get ready to see Vander Esch in most first rounds after the Combine.

31) New England Patriots: Joshua Jackson, CB Iowa- The Patriots lack of secondary depth was on full display at the Super Bowl a month ago. Malcolm Butler will be elsewhere in 2018, and Eric Rowe is an impending free agent next year. The Patriots must come away with a corner in their first few picks of this draft.

32) Philadelphia Eagles: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT Western Michigan- The Eagles don’t need much to return to the promised land in 2018, but one of the things to keep an eye on is their offensive line, particularly the tackle position. Jason Peters is on his way out soon, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai was only okay in his role of replacing Peters. Okorafor needs some polishing, but he has a very high upside, in my opinion.

TRADES IN ROUND ONE

1- Denver Broncos trade the #5, #40 a 2019 1st and a 2019 3rd to the New York Giants for the #2 overall pick.

2- Arizona Cardinals trade the #15, #47 and a 2019 2nd round pick to the New York Jets for the #6 overall pick

3- Cleveland Browns trade the #33 and the #65 to the Buffalo Bills for the #22 overall pick.

ROUND TWO

33) Buffalo Bills via Cleveland Browns: Taven Bryan, DT Florida- Taven Bryan is athletic and a bull in the trenches. His game needs to be polished a bit but he’s got a terrific motor.

34) New York Giants: Sony Michel, RB Georgia- Michel is the do-it-all running back the Giants are so desperate to add this offseason.

35) Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans: DeShon Elliott, FS Texas- The Browns need secondary members that will force turnovers. After grabbing Ward in round one, they take a rangy safety with single high ability in DeShon Elliott.

36) Indianapolis Colts: Martinas Rankin, OT Mississippi State- The Colts need offensive line. The Colts need offensive line. The Colts need offensive line.

37) New York Jets: Isaiah Oliver, CB Colorado- Oliver doesn’t deserve to miss out on being a first round pick, but one of these corners is going to fall. Jets get a steal in round two.

38) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sam Hubbard, DE Ohio State- Hubbard is disciplined in his gap assignments, and he has a very good moveset. The Bucs have to get to the passer in 2018 if they want to be a playoff team.

39) Chicago Bears: Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State- Gallup has the upside to be the best receiver in this draft class. He ran a solid route tree in college and catches almost everything thrown in his area code.

40) New York Giants via Denver Broncos: Isaiah Wynn, OG Georgia- Wynn is rising up draft boards, but he needs to improve in pass protection before I give him a first round grade.

41) Oakland Raiders: Holton Hill, CB Texas- The run of talented cover corners continues. Hill is a ballhawk, and the Raiders are in desperate need of turnovers from their secondary.

42) Miami Dolphins: Ronald Jones II, RB USC- I don’t think the Dolphins see Kenyan Drake as the running back of the future, so they capitalize on value at take RoJo in round two.

43) New England Patriots via San Francisco 49ers: Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State- Rob Gronkowski may be returning in 2018, but he has a history of injuries and may be walking away from the game soon. Patriots get a tight end of the future and the present.

44) Washington Redskins: Rashaan Evans, ILB Alabama- Evans has good sideline to sideline ability and he’s a strong tackler. He will be a big time run stopper in the middle of any team’s defense at the next level.

45) Green Bay Packers: Alex Cappa, OT/OG Humboldt State- The Packers are desperate for offensive line depth this offseason. Cappa’s footwork and intelligence will allow him to be successful at the next level.

46) Cincinnati Bengals: Justin Reid, FS Stanford- If Reid tests well in Indy, he could fly up draft boards. He’s a ballhawk with intelligence and range. The Bengals need a game changer at the safety position this offseason.

47) New York Jets via Arizona Cardinals: Harrison Phillips, DL Stanford- With the lack of true edge rushers in this draft, the Jets are better off signing an edge rusher and replacing Mo Wilkerson through the draft, rather than re-signing Kony Ealy and drafting an edge guy.

48) Los Angeles Chargers: Tegray Scales, OLB/ILB Indiana- Scales will be a big riser if he tests well in Indianapolis. He’s very similar to Haason Redick in terms of his athleticism, but it’s his all-around game that has him at this spot.

49) New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks: Kerryon Johnson, RB Auburn- Johnson is probably the most underrated running back in this class. He’s a beast between the tackles and he explodes through holes created by his linemen.

50) Dallas Cowboys: Derrick Nnadi, DT Florida State- Nnadi struggled this past season, but he’s still a mismatch when he goes one-on-one with interior linemen.

51) Detroit Lions: Raashan Penny, RB San Diego State- The San Diego State standout will have to test well at the combine. Assuming he does, he has the tape to go in round two.

52) Baltimore Ravens: Mark Andrews, TE Oklahoma- The Ravens need pass catchers. The Ravens need pass catchers. The Ravens need pass catchers.

53) Buffalo Bills: Frank Ragnow, OG/OC Arkansas- Ragnow can be a starter at three different spots on the line in the NFL. As I’ve stated before, I value intelligence more than athleticism for offensive linemen.

54) Kansas City Chiefs: Wyatt Teller, OG Virginia Tech- Despite trading Marcus Peters and appearing to be in need of cornerback depth, I have a feeling the Chiefs like the state of their secondary. They may choose to go elsewhere come draft day, and something that makes sense is grabbing a starting guard with their first pick.

55) Carolina Panthers: Terrell Edmunds, SS Virginia Tech- Edmunds is a multi-dimensional safety that would fit perfectly in the Panthers double high defense.

56) Buffalo Bills via Los Angeles Rams: Mike Hughes, CB Central Florida- Nickel cornerbacks are more valuable than ever, and Mike Hughes has the potential to be an exceptional nickel cornerback.

57) Tennessee Titans: Mason Cole, OL Michigan- Much like Ragnow a few picks ago, Cole has the intelligence to make it in the NFL. He played almost everywhere during his career at Michigan.

58) Atlanta Falcons: Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama- I’m not as high on Ridley as many, but this is a terrific fit for the former Alabama standout.

59) San Francisco 49ers via New Orleans Saints: Hercules Mata’Afa, EDGE Washington State- Mata’Afa is incredibly quick off the edge and he shows the ability to dip and bend past tackles on tape. The Niners need to get more pass rushers this offseason.

60) Pittsburgh Steelers: Fred Warner, OLB/ILB BYU- Warner had an unbelievable senior week and remains one of the best off ball linebackers in the draft. He would be a huge addition to the Steelers 3-4 defense.

61) Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Gesicki, TE Penn State- Gesicki may not be a blocker…at all… but he goes to a team where he would only catch passes, and that’s something he does unbelievably well.

62) Minnesota Vikings: Breeland Speaks, DT Ole Miss- Speaks replaces Sharrif Floyd and adds more versatility to a ridiculously talented defensive line.

63) New England Patriots: Rasheem Green, DE USC- Green actually deserved to go higher than this. He’s disciplined and very quick off the ball, two qualities the Patriots love to have in their defensive linemen.

64) Cleveland Browns via Philadelphia Eagles: DaeSean Hamilton, WR Penn State- Hamilton is a phenomenal route runner. Assuming he shows better hands than his tape, he could be a day two selection.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2018 NFL Mock Draft, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore Ravens, Bradley Chubb, Buffalo Bills, Carlton Davis, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Connor Williams, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, 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, Sam Darnold, San Francisco 49ers, Saquon Barkley, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins.

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