It’s almost time for the draft! Quick, before the draft starts, glance over this mock, and we can keep track together how accurate it stays. I avoided trades and did my best to do what I think will happen, not always what I think should happen.
Round 1
R1P1 – Cleveland Browns – EDGE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
This one is easy. Myles Garrett is far and away the best prospect in this draft. The Browns may need a QB, but they have another first round pick. The Browns also have a ton of other needs, which is part of why they are picking in this position. Garrett checks out on tape, he checked out at the combine, and he’ll check out in the NFL. He’s a solid #1 overall pick and should be drafted there. It gives the Browns a fantastic piece to keep their defense scary.
R1P2 – San Francisco 49ers – EDGE Solomon Thomas, Stanford
There’s rumors linking the 49ers to pretty much every player worth a top-10 selection this year. There’s good reason for that, as there certainly is not a consensus as to who should be picked here. I would be surprised to see them draft a QB this early, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go after a safety or trade back.
R1P3 – Chicago Bears – SS Jamal Adams, LSU
A SS drafted in the top 5? Well, not often, but Adams is special. He’s one of the safest (knock on wood) picks in the class with fantastic tools, good tape, and above-average character. This is a player who could entirely transform a defense. They may go QB here, and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take that route, but I’m going to go bold and say they want a special player in the secondary to help contain Rodgers and Stanford.
R1P4 – Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
Fournette is the best player left on the board (and has been since the first pick). He’s a great all-around running back with a big body and good skills. His character isn’t a problem and he should be able to make an immediate impact on whichever offense he finds himself in. The Jags need that spark to get their offense off of the ground.
R1P5 – Tennessee Titans – CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
Conley had been sneaking up on Lattimore up until the recent rape allegations broke out. I honestly think he would have gone here had these allegations not been broken, but I highly doubt that without conclusive evidence that is released to the public, a team certainly won’t take him in the top 10. In fact, I’m not convinced he’ll be drafted at all.
R1P6 – New York Jets – OJ Howard, Alabama
The Jets need a QB, but I just don’t see them taking one here. OJ Howard is a special talent who will instantly help out any QB who gets put into the position. I think the Jets will go forward in an attempt to make their offense a little more QB friendly before throwing a new guy’s feet to the fire. I also think we’ll see a little more of Bryce Petty.
R1P7 – Los Angeles Chargers – S Malik Hooker, Ohio State
The Chargers are a bad team in a new town that already has a bad NFL team. They need a young, flashy player that can sell jerseys and fill seats. Hooker does that and improves their defense. No one wants to go watch their team get 50 points put up on them multiple times a year, and the Chargers know that.
R1P8 – Carolina Panthers – RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
I’ve long had McCaffery as the third-ranked running back by talent and likely second taken running back. It just so happens that Carolina loves him and needs a running back. McCaffery will go to Carolina and add another potent piece to the offense which can hopefully find its way back to the promised land.
R1P9 – Cincinnati Bengals – DL Jonathan Allen, Alabama
This pick took me a while, but it certainly won’t take Cincy too long. Allen is by far the most destructive defensive lineman in the draft. He can play across the DL for Cincy, and although he might not be the best schematic fit, but he’ll make an immediate impact. On top of that, his shoulders are a 10-year concern, not a short-term concern.
R1P10 – Buffalo Bills – WR Mike Williams, Clemson
The Bills could take their choice of QB here, and honestly, it might make more sense. That being said, I think the Bills could go down the route of making their team a bit more QB friendly before spending such a high pick on one. This selection does that. It gives them another potential top WR to pair next to Watkins, which will hopefully take the heat off of him and allow whoever is throwing the football to spread the ball around a bit more.
R1P11 – New Orleans Saints – LB Reuben Foster, Alabama
The Saints are trying their best to get the most out of Drew Brees’ waning years. I think the best possible pick for them here would be the top QB, which would allow said QB to work under Drew until he retires and allowing the Saints to transition from an elite QB to at least a very good one. That being said, it’s not what I see them doing. I think they’ll bolster their terrible LB corps with the best off-ball linebacker in the draft.
R1P12 – Cleveland Browns – QB Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina
If this is how this draft plays out, Browns fans should go buy lottery tickets. They get the top player and the best QB? I don’t know if this will happen at this pick, but I do feel like the Browns will end up with the NC QB. Whether they trade back into the top ten or not, Mitchell gives the team a chance to compete. He will have learning bumps and bruises along the road, but maybe this QB in a long, long line of them can finally end the supposed curse on Browns’ QBs.
R1P13 – Arizona Cardinals – QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
The Cardinals are under no illusions. They know their QB is on his last leg and would love to get someone in before they have to scramble. It sounds like the Cards really like Mahomes, and they grab the QB they like over the guy everyone else thinks they’ll take.
R1P14 – Philadelphia Eagles – CB Quincy Wilson, Florida
If Conley is more or less determined to be in the right, we could see his name here, but as it stands, Philly is still rushing the podium. They hit WR hard in the free agency and running back is still a concern, but with McCaffrey gone, they will go after their biggest need. The Eagles need a good pair of cornerbacks to help shut down Eli, Dak, and Kirk, and right now, they don’t have a cornerback I’d be comfortable starting as a head coach. Wilson will come in immediately to start and will hopefully excel in green.
R1P15 – Indianapolis Colts – LB Haason Reddick, Temple
The Colts are in a nice position to go BPA with an emphasis on defense. Reddick comes in and gives the Colts a player who can play the pass and the run while still providing a valuable pass-rushing asset. He’s a player who will instantly make the Colts defense one step better.
R1P16 – Baltimore Ravens – EDGE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
The Ravens need some production off of the edge. On top of that, Suggs isn’t getting any younger. Grabbing Barnett here should give the Ravens a rotational player, if not starter, who should eventually be able to take over as the star of this historic defense.
R1P17 – Washington Redskins – OG, Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
Many view Lamp as the best OL prospect in the draft and the Redskins are lucky enough that he’s available when they desperately need a LG. Lamp has all the tools he needs to eventually be a top offensive guard in the league. The Redskins will try to set up their offensive line for quite some time to give Kirk just one more reason to sign a long-term deal.
R1P18 – Tennessee Titans – WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan
This was tough to decide between Davis and Njoku. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that Davis will just have his hands on the football more than Njoku would. Corey will hopefully give the Titans the edge they need to continue on getting better.
R1P19 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – TE David Njoku, Miami
Njoku gives the Bucs another receiving threat for the young QB Winston. If Winston had a vote, it would have been going to Dalvin Cook, but Njoku is a great consolation prize.
R1P20 – Denver Broncos – OT Garett Bolles, Utah
Denver needs some OT help, and Bolles would be a top 10 pick if he were two years younger. The Broncos get a fantastic player who will help them sooner rather than later.
R1P21 – Detroit Lions – EDGE Taco Charlton, Michigan
Charlton gives the Lions a tool to help them break through the changing offensive lines throughout the NFCN
R1P22 – Miami Dolphins – CB Tre’Davious White, LSU
The Dolphins use their pick to grab a flexible defensive back, further adding to their pass defense. White will come in and will help day one against opposing WRs.
R1P23 – New York Giants – OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
The Giants need a pair of OTs, and they get one of the few worth grabbing in the first. This should help give Eli a couple more years due to the increased protection. The Giants could potentially look to Eli’s replacement here, but they’ll grab an OT now and a QB later.
R1P24 – Oakland Raiders – LB Jarrad Davis, Florida
Jarrad Davis gives the Raider’s defense a linebacker to help in coverage. With Derek Carr back and a few tweaks plus some depth, the Raiders should be right back into Super Bowl contention.
R1P25 – Houston Texans – QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
The Texans get their QB and don’t even have to reach. Watson slid in this mock, but he’s a very talented player and the Texans may even beat Oakland to the podium with how excited they’d be.
R1P26 – Seattle Seahawks – CB Chidobe Awuzie, Colorado
The Seahawks have been chasing the success of the Legion of Boom for a while now, and with reports of Richard Sherman trade rumors floating around, the Seahawks will take a step to move back towards the LoB days. Awuzie instantly adds a presence in the backfield which will help out the entire defense.
R1P27 – Kansas City Chiefs – QB Davis Webb, California
KC gets their QB of the future. They possibly could have snagged him in the second, but they were aggressive and got who they wanted. Webb will sit the bench for a few years until Alex Smith is ready to hang them up, at which point, the Chiefs will try to do with Webb what the Packers did with the QB drafted the same year as Smith, and have Webb turn into the next Rodgers
R1P28 – Dallas Cowboys – OT Cam Robinson, Alabama
The Cowboys need some defensive help if they are going to replicate their results from last season, but even more important than that is retaining the offensive line quality they have enjoyed over the previous years. With Doug Free retiring, the Cowboys will make the choice to replace him early with a prototypical RT in the NFL, giving Dak and Zeke exactly what they want.
R1P29 – Green Bay Packers – CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
It’s no secret that the Green Bay Packers had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL over a certain stretch of last season. Humphrey helps give them at least one reliable CB. That being said, if one of the top three or for QBs slips past Kansas City and Houston, don’t be surprised to see a QB go here. Aaron Rodgers is older than Brett was when Aaron was drafted, and it just so happens that there is a rough QB with great intangibles coming out of Cal. Sound familiar?
R1P30 – Pittsburgh Steelers – EDGE Charles Harris, Missouri
Harrison isn’t getting any younger and their EDGE presence on the other side is laughable. Harris will hopefully follow after his similarly named soon-to-be mentor and become an animal along the edge.
R1P31 – Atlanta Falcons – FS Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
The Falcons add a versatile player to their offense who can come in and hopefully earn a spot, helping to do his best to bring Atlanta back to the promised land.
R1P32 – New Orleans Saints – QB DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
The Saints get their QB of the future, allowing them to give Kizer the time he’ll need to get up to the speed of the NFL and develop his decision making and mental skills.
Round 2
R2P1 – Cleveland – CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State
R2P2 – San Francisco – WR John Ross, Washington
R2P3 – Jacksonville – TE Evan Engram, Mississippi
R2P4 – Chicago – SS Budda Baker, Washington
R2P5 – Los Angeles Rams – CB Kevin King, Washington
R2P6 – Los Angeles Chargers – EDGE TJ Watt, Wisconsin
R2P7 – New York Jets – CB Sidney Jones, Washington
R2P8 – Carolina – S Marcus Maye, Florida
R2P9 – Cincinnati – OG Dan Feeney, Indiana
R2P10 – New Orleans – CB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson
R2P11 – Philadelphia – RB Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
R2P12 – Buffalo – S Josh Jones, North Carolina State
R2P13 – Arizona – EDGE Takkarist McKinley, UCLA
R2P14 – Indianapolis – DL Chris Wormley, Michigan
R2P15 – Baltimore – WR Zay Jones, Eastern Carolina
R2P16 – Minnesota – C Pat Elflein, Ohio State
R2P17 – Washington – LB Tyus Bowser, Ohio State
R2P18 – Tampa Bay – RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
R2P19 – Denver – WR Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
R2P20 – Cleveland – DL Malik McDowell, Michigan State
R2P21 – Detroit – RB Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
R2P22 – Miami – OG Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh
R2P23 – New York Giants – TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
R2P24 – Oakland – CB Adoree Jackson, USC
R2P25 – Houston – OT Taylor Moton, Western Michigan
R2P26 – Seattle – WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
R2P27 – Kansas City – LB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
R2P28 – Dallas – CB Fabian Moreau, UCLA
R2P29 – Green Bay – RB D’Onta Foreman, Texas
R2P30 – Pittsburgh – LB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
R2P31 – Atlanta – EDGE Derek Rivers, Youngstown State
R2P32 – Carolina – OT Dion Dawkins, Temple
